From a NY Labor Against War email (nyclaw@comcast.net):
The TROOPS OUT NOW COALITION
urges anti-war activists and all justice
minded people to march against police killings and to demand justice
for
23 year old Sean Bell, Joseph Guzman and Trent Benefield.
We say--STOP RACIST OCCUPATIONS—from Iraq to New York City—COPS OUT OF
OUR COMMUNITIES—U.S. TROOPS OUT OF IRAQ! WE WANT JOBS, HEALTH CARE,
EDUCATION—NOT WAR, RACISM AND POLICE KILLINGS! JAIL KILLER POLICE!
The brutal killing of Sean Bell, who was gunned down by a hail of 50
bullets, and the trauma inflicted on Guzman and Benefield demands
justice. Like Amadou Diallo, who was shot 19 times, Bell too was
unarmed. They have joined a long list of police victims from every
major
city in the country.
Police terror is an every day occurrence in poor communities,
particularly Black, Latino, Native and Asian. Youth are targeted by the
police--whether it is abuse and harassment on the street, false
arrests, and beatings or in this recent case being killed.
Gentrification is deepening in Harlem, the Bronx and Brooklyn, driving
out workers to make room for the wealthy; unemployment is intensifying
poverty and despair, with the unemployment rate of Black men in New
York
City close to 50%. The answer: epidemic police terror.
A CONNECTION BETWEEN THE WAR, RACISM, ANTI-IMMIGRANT BASHING &
POLICE
BRUTALITY
The racism whipped up against Arab, Muslim and people of Middle Eastern
descent to justify the Iraq war and its brutal occupation—gives a green
light to all forms of racism and national oppression here at home. The
war has also been used to justify all sorts of repression and
violations
of civil rights including the infamous Homeland Security Act and
Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The war abroad strengthens
repression at home.
As the economic crisis intensifies with growing joblessness and
homelessness; low-wages; lack of education; hospital closings and
pension cuts—-the system looks to scapegoat and whip up racism whether
it’s against immigrant workers seeking their rights or youth in the
Black community. Both have become the target rather than providing
justice for all workers.
TONC has called for support of EVERY action against racism and police
killings.