Tag: Oklahoma District Attorney
In Memory of Magidel Sanchez: Who Says Deaf Was “Irrelevant?”
The state of Oklahoma has decided not to charge police officers for the murder claimed that it was justified aka “good or legitimate reason” shooting. In Michelle Alexander’s book, The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindess:
“Most striking, perhaps, is the overwhelming evidence that implicit bias measures are disassociated from the explicit bias measures. In fact, studies indicate that people become increasingly harsh when an alleged criminal is darker and more “stereotypically black”; they are more lenient when the accused is lighter and appears more stereotypically white. This is true of jurors as well as law enforcement officers.”
It is a real tragic what happened in Oklahoma City where Magdiel Sanchez, a Deaf Disabled Latino man were killed by police which its job was sloppy and unprofessional. It was all about about stereotypes because Magdiel was Latino and Deaf. It could have been avoided. It could have easier for all of us. It could have better compassion. It was unbelievably, without question, what David Prater, District Attorney for the state of Oklahoma, created Audism, by saying: “the fact that Sanchez was deaf was “irrelevant”….you don’t need to hear to know what these officers are saying to you.” OUCH! That’s really low! Maybe one of the lamest excuses ever coming from District Attorneys anywhere. The definition of irrelevant:
Adjective. Not connected with or relevant to something. Of course, Deaf people are not connected with the social acceptance! Seeing Audism is not the problem, how will we accept and learn how to care for the people we see which people would see it as a problem? Why is that? How can it be irrelevant? Mr. Prater does not know what it feels like to be Deaf. That is not his place to say that. Totally not necessary. Not so cool.
Do you think David Prater is a Audist? It is not the first time he said that. He said same thing about Pearl Pearson, a Deaf Black man. He does not even care about Deaf people. The letter Prater writes about Pearson, “he was either hearing impaired or that he couldn’t hear due to the loud traffic noise…” shows that he lacks awareness about Deaf culture. That is the problem that there are not ENOUGH awareness training about Deaf people in police academy. They’d fuck you over.
Suppose, if we follow the quote written by Jose Zalaquett Daher:
If you close a wound without cleaning it, it will fester and reappear.”
How can Deaf community heal a wound when a Deaf man who was unarmed and completely innocent was shot several times when he cannot hear the commands? Will it re-appear somewhere in America when a Deaf person gets killed by police for being “Deaf”? It is a high probability even if it is unpredictable in the hidden statistics, yes, it will be. The double oppression in this police brutality, it was also added Racism played a big factor in this scene.
Ready for the bigger problem? In Oklahoma, if someone wants to be a police officer, they’d have to pass psychological evaluation by licensed psychologist in the state of Oklahoma, and that was the iceberg of the ignorance. So, if it comes to psychological evaluation, was there a question mark down, “How would you deal with Deaf person?” It is critical! They cannot IGNORE that question. Deaf people cannot be left out of the social acceptance. We must not forget sensitivity training.
What works to get Deaf community to build trust with police by having a policy from Deaf community to make a statement, “our policy is take four years ASL classes, Deaf Studies, and Deaf Culture as a requirement for police departments.” It would keep build better awareness. It is not that hard. Deaf people have lived enough to deal with the fact they are living in strong-dominated hearing community. Is that not hard to see that?
We do not need Trump’s policy to beef up harsher police brutality and harm Deaf people. Police brutality is one of the greatest social problems; we shall explore the social position of oppression (Audism and Racism) in Deaf community and discuss how Audism and Racism intersects with Deaf community, and what is involved to talk more about Audism and Racism? Then we can consider the position of oppression in the institutional areas of Deaf people. We can conclude the awareness with an examination of social movements and social change.
As for the police officers and David Prater, who refused to accept the fact that they created Audism and Racism—isn’t that a double standard? The American spirit: the history of hidden Audism as a way of looking at life? Whatever happened to the circle of freedom? Such questions like that were necessary because in the case of Deaf community, pain is seeded as originated from the viewpoints. Do American spirit define Deaf community as a people and nation? That includes immigrants, too. Any one.
Seeing Deaf people gets killed by police—may have caused us all to deal and suffer at what a long way we have come. It is not the first time that police got away with the murder of unharmed Deaf people. It could happen to one of us.
Blink. Blink. Blink. Tick. Tock. Forgotten soul. We must not forget Magdiel Sanchez. We must remember this from Magdiel’s family initial press statement dated September 22, 2017:
“We are devastated by Magdiel’s death and the fact it occurred at the hands of OKCPD even though he was not a suspect for any crime, was not breaking any laws, and was standing in his own front yard with his trusted walking stick.”
***OKCPD stands for Oklahoma City Police Department***
-JT
Copyright © 2017 Jason Tozier
This text may be freely copied in its entirely only, including this copyright message.
References:
Alexander, Michelle. The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindess. Page 107.
Where is the ACTION by Oklahoma Association of the Deaf?
I am still numb about Deaf man’s death in Oklahoma City. He was unharmed–no weapon (gun or knive)– he was shot to death by police because he was Deaf. Where is the intelligent capabilities in police academy?
I am having difficult time trying to understand how they went ahead and kill him with a weapon on his own property and literally outnumbered by police officers. Today, the requirements of becoming a police officer is not required an university degree.
As becoming a police officer in Oklahoma, the requirements would be: being administered a psychological evaluation and been evaluated by a psychologist licensed by the state. How will the police officer deal with psychological evaluation when it comes to dealing with Deaf people? The fact that the deceased is Deaf–passing psychological assessments: it is also lack of sensitivity training about Deaf people. Of course, a high school diploma or a GED is not making things safer. I strongly believe in higher education and awareness. It is a HUGE. HUGE. HUGE difference.
The most important question, Where is the ACTION by Oklahoma Association of the Deaf (OAD) to speak out on his behalf? OAD should immediately stand up for Deaf community right away. OAD should confront the problem in this urgent hour should be clear message. Will the killings of Deaf people continue to be ignored? Will killings once more become an official government weapon against Deaf people without constitutional rights?
Honor Madgiel Sanchez.
-JT
Copyright © 2017 Jason Tozier
This text may be freely copied in its entirely only, including this copyright message.
Pearl Pearson: A Hate Crime Survivor
Pearl Pearson
The beating of a Deaf fellow, Pearl Pearson in January 2014 by officers: Patrol Trooper Eric Foster, Trooper Kelton Hayes and Trooper Jason Owens had committed a civil and criminal act. David W. Prater who is employed by the state of Oklahoma as a district attorney wrote a letter (February 26, 2014) please see the letter attached below stating, “Trooper Foster and Trooper Hayes demonstrated commendable restraint and judgment throughout the incident. Only minimal necessary force was employed by the Troopers to defend themselves and civilians at the arrest scene from physical harm and to affect the arrest of Pearson. I have determined that the level of force employed in this incident was lawful and justified….”
The level of force employed by the very same police department that needs to be requested to be federally investigated for police brutality against Pearl Pearson and stop the fall of cracks through our society. The answer: Hate Crime. Yes, Hate Crime.
There is a federal law that includes bias-motivated hate crimes based on a survivor’s disability as well as Racism like Pearl Pearson. Even with the legal protections Deaf people face everyday, they are being persecuted for their sound-oriented failures. Police used bias-motivated in this case even though they knew that Pearl was Deaf, they continued to rough him up. In the letter, “Pearson looked directly at the Troopers and pointed at his ears. The Troopers believed that Pearson was indicating that he was either hearing impaired or that he couldn’t hear due to the loud traffic noise….”
If the officers knew that he was Deaf, why did they continue to rough him up? Those officers failed to exercise common sense and they are responsible for what really happened to Pearson. They refuse to acknowledge that they committed police brutality is highly offensive in Deaf community. There is no way that police gets away with it. I read a lot of stories about police brutality and they almost always get dismissed with no charges.
This is the beginning of cleaning up in cracks of Audism targeting Deaf people. Are they trying to outlaw American Sign Language (ASL)? Wrong! Police who harass Deaf people should be outlawed. Mark my words: Tasers or even live ammunition will target Deaf people if they do not cooperate in the future.
Those Troopers thinks they claimed victory because they are above the law. We demand an apology from them and have them removed from the police force because they flat out harm Deaf community more than they really think.
The picture of Pearl Pearson’s eyes and body were very much painful to look at. The Troopers indeed acted malicious and did not do their jobs properly. Of course, the DA was convinced and gave those Troopers a free pass in the excessive use of police brutality. The system is maliciously broken.
We need to take this seriously to hold them accountable for their actions. You see many Deaf people’s reaction to this letter that they had been dismissed that their First Amendment means nothing to them or media clowns. Police will continue to brutalize Deaf people today and tomorrow. Audism is still alive and well in America.
The truth of the matter is that those Troopers with a shred of common sense knew that they brutalized Pearl Pearson to the core. Pearl was literally screaming for help and they enjoyed with sheer laughter. What is more is that the Troopers also brutalized Pearl Pearson without any plausible warning just because the state of Pearl’s condition: Deaf. They actually seized Pearl’s personal property and his invisible Racism, which is illegal.
DA David Prater chose to ignore a one-sided and false reporting. The letter by Prater was depressing to read and made him an Audist at best. He should not write hearing impaired first place. Prater does not understand the violence against Deaf people everyday and he was happy to see inflicted on defenseless Deaf individual like Pearl Pearson. The Troopers were cowards. Why cannot the society make laws making it illegal for police to brutalize ASL and Deaf citizens as well as Deaf people of color?
-JT
Copyright © 2014 Jason Tozier
This text may be freely copied in its entirely only, including this copyright message.
Link: http://localtvkfor.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/ohp-clearance-letter-on-foster-hayes-and-owens1.pdf
Cops Viciously Beat Deaf Man For Not Responding During Traffic Stop [VIDEO]
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/15/pearl-pearson-police-brutality_n_4603445.html
...And the Truth Shall Set You Free. 
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