While the Trump administration is considering holding a nationwide speech on race and national unity, (yes, you read that right; King Racist and his tribe of a thousand tiki torches are mulling over a speech on race, which is kind of like a bear holding a speech on honey regulations or a Klan member posting a Facebook message about next year’s Essence Fest being lit), members of the Congressional Black Caucus and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi unveiled legislation to overhaul policing nationwide.
Wait, before we get into the news, which is important, what’s really important is these kente cloth-wearing white people because that shit was hilarious. And so was the kneeling. I mean I know that the GOP is off the hook in their craziness, and as the secretary of minutes for the black folks, I have to say that this level of performative justice, these kente-cloth wearing people and their kneeling is just really funny. And I know that the message is serious and I’m all for supporting the Movement for Black Lives, but my nigga, Nancy Pelosi is out here looking like a Wakandan ninja and you can’t expect me not to laugh at it.
I guess the other part of this is where was all this solidarity before? Where was this years ago when we were saying we couldn’t breathe? When Eric Garner died? I don’t remember Nancy Pelosi wearing a hoodie in remembrance of Trayvon Martin. That was Rep. Bobby Rush (D-Illinois), and he was asked to leave the House floor. I’m just saying.
On some real shit, shoutout to the Congressional Black Caucus, as you know they made the white members of Congress wear that shit. Literally not one white congressional member could’ve said no to wearing the supposedly Ghanaian textile, as a good portion of the material is made in China. The CBC could’ve literally said, “in light of recent events and considering the importance of LL Cool J, we would like you all to wear Kangols and Troop sweatsuits” and the white folks would’ve have complied.
OK, now, from NBC News:
The bill, dubbed the “Justice in Policing Act,” would ban chokeholds, including the kind used by a police officer in the Minneapolis death of George Floyd last month, as well as no-knock warrants in drug cases, as was used in the incident leading to the fatal shooting of Breonna Taylor in Louisville, Kentucky, in March, according to a bill summary obtained by NBC News and a House Democratic aide.
The legislation would also require local police departments to send data on the use of force to the federal government and create a grant program that would allow state attorneys general to create an independent process to investigate misconduct or excessive use of force, according to the five-page summary of the bill. Further, the bill would make it easier for people to recover damages when police departments violate their civil rights.
“The martyrdom of George Floyd gave the American experience a moment of national anguish as we grieve for the black Americans killed by police brutality today,” Pelosi said. “This moment of national anguish is being transformed into a movement of national action as Americans from across the country peacefully protest to demand an end to injustice. Today, with the justice and policing at the Congress is standing with those fighting for justice and taking action.”
The move is clearly a response to the massive protests across the globe over the last two weeks since Floyd was killed by a Minnesota police officer. NBC News notes that the bill will not defund the police and it wouldn’t call for new funding to implement the proposed reforms.
Also from NBC News:
A training program would be created under the bill that would cover racial bias and duty to intervene, and the measure would require that police officers use deadly force only as a last resort and use de-escalation techniques. The measure would also create a federal registry for misconduct complaints and disciplinary actions against police officers.
Under the bill, federal uniformed police officers would be required to wear body cameras and marked federal police vehicles would be required to have dashboard cameras. The legislation would also limit the transfer of military-grade equipment to state and local police departments.
The bill was crafted by Congressional Black Caucus Chairwoman Karen Bass, D-Calif., House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., and Sens. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., and Cory Booker, D-N.J. Harris is considered a possible vice presidential pick for Joe Biden, now the 2020 presumptive Democratic nominee.
If only the White House could figure out how the king of racists is going to give a speech about harmony and unity, then they might be able to announce an actual date as to when said speech is coming.