For hundreds of thousands of people across the globe, the world seemed to come to a standstill when the news was released that the Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles had turned a deaf ear to pleas for clemency for Troy Davis. Hundreds of thousands of supporters, who range in profile from teenagers in public schools to former presidents, have written letters on behalf of Davis, and hoped that their words would sway the state of Georgia away from the Death Penalty.
Davis was convicted for the shooting death of off-duty police officer Mark Allen MacPhail 22 years ago in a case shrouded with allegations of police coercion of witnesses, blatant inconsistencies in witness statements, a drunken confession from another possible suspect, a lack of physical evidence, and consequently, doubts about whether or not Davis committed the crime.
The rallying cry from people around the globe has been loud and clear: we cannot put someone to death if there is some doubt about whether or not they committed the crime. Human Rights organizations are also expressing condemnation. The NAACP, who undoubtedly connects the Troy Davis case to the fact that he is a black man, a member of the racial group that is arguably, the most likely to interact with the criminal justice system and receive harsher penalties than other racial groups, is speaking up against the death penalty in this case.
As the Troy Davis case unearths the flaws in our justice system, and shines a light on the fact that there are many inequities in society at large, it has brought anger, frustration, and even a renewed sense of commitment to fighting injustice. However, in the midst of the bevy of emotions surrounding this case, it is important that we focus on the many teaching moments it provides us. Therefore, I outline 5 lessons that parents can learn from this case, and that must be shared with urban youth.
1) Urban youth must be aware of this case. In many ways, they are Troy Davis.
This is especially the case for black males. Parents must let youth know that Davis has been placed in a situation that many of them could potentially be placed in as well. Many urban kids exist around crime and it's possible that they could be a witness to one, or be accused of something they did not do. Parents should introduce their children to the case, and discuss any potential risk they have of being in the wrong place, at the wrong time. Let them know that it's important to voice complaints about what they feel is unjust so that they can make the world better. Encourage your children to write letters, or even write a reflection about how they feel about the case. Making them feel like they are part of a social movement empowers them, and also lets them vent their frustrations constructively.
2) All youth must be wary of the company they keep. They should be taught that if something doesn't look or feel right, they should leave immediately.
One of the most powerful pieces of the Troy Davis case is the set of events that led to the murder of an innocent man. Allegedly, Davis, was at a party, left with a friend, and got into an argument with another group of men. He then met with another man who was arguing with a homeless man. The second situation quickly escalated into the shooting of MacPhail, who came to the rescue of the homeless man. It is important for youth to know that any scenario where voices are being raised or someone is arguing with someone else has the potential to escalate into violence. When this happens, they should leave as soon as they can.
3) Remind youth that the unspoken "No snitching" rule is useless.
For many urban youth, their negative interactions with the criminal justice system have caused them to develop the idea that they should not "snitch" on each other, no matter what. The common belief is that a code of street ethics is broken when someone tells another person (especially the police) about a crime that has been committed. It is important to let youth know that this belief is often the source of an innocent person being implicated for a crime they did not commit. In the case of Troy Davis, he witnessed the shooting and did not report it. Instead, another person who has been accused to be the shooter, told police that Davis committed the crime.
4) Youth must be encouraged to describe exactly what they see. Nothing more, nothing less.
In the Troy Davis case, many witness statements that were the anchor of the case against Davis were later recanted. Witnesses mentioned that they felt pressure by the police to make statements, and in one case, mentioned that she believed that the shooter had gotten away. This pressure by the police happens too often to urban youth, and has serious implications on who gets accused and/or convicted of crimes. Parents must let youth know that they do not have to bend to pressure by those who have more power than them. The truth is always sufficient if it is told respectfully.
5) Youth must know that when all is said and done, things may not go their way. However, they must handle every situation with dignity and grace
In the Troy Davis case, one of the most powerful things has been the response of Davis and his family to the recent decision to deny clemency. Even in the face of what they feel to be unjust, the family continues to remain in good spirits and fight until they can no longer do so. This response has done a lot for furthering their cause, and brought much needed visibility to this case. This certainly does not mean that what is right has been done. However, youth must see that this response does much more to further their cause than reacting violently.
Follow Christopher Emdin on Twitter: www.twitter.com/chrisemdin
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Pleasure to read.
Likewise, Emdin is naive in his advice on how to handle police statements. When the police want a certain statement, they will wear you down past your flesh, through your bones, until they grind your soul into raw powder. They will keep at it for hours, into the double digits, lying to you, telling you that someone has implicated you in the crime and if you don't tell them 'the truth', they will have no choice but to arrest you. They go at until you are so weary, you cease to care about the truth. All you want is to go home. And if the police makes threats--no street kid can withstand such a siege.
This isn't substantive advice. It is heartfelt, but utterly divorced from reality.
Your points about "snitching" or talking to the police in the face of physical violence, and changing ones story to corroborate with an officer who physically threatens you are understandable. I certainly do not disagree there.
My point, which is rooted in the reality of urban America, is that there are circumstances where the choice to say something without direct threat exists. In the Troy Davis case, a person who allegedly committed the crime, went to police and accused or "snitched on" Davis.
For the witness to a crime, who bends to the story of the police, isn't that snitching? My goal is not to be smug. It is to highlight that not "snitching" is not a rule to live by. Calmly describing the truth while maintaining your dignity is.
Finally, the only way to avoid urban violence and clashes with police is NOT to move to a safe suburb. It is to learn lessons from tragedies, empower youth, work as a community to fight injustice, and not demonize urban neighborhoods. In the midst of the harshest neighborhoods, there is beauty. In the midst of the Troy Davis case, there are lessons.
One of the most violent neighborhoods in the nation is a five block walk from my house. Murders happen there every other day. I'm not sure what your experience is of urban youth, of how difficult it is for decent kids to hold onto their lives against gangs, drug lords, indifferent parents, and aggressive police, but your experience clearly isn't mine. And I am a white, middle-aged woman married to a retired Fed. I don't live with crime directly in my lap, only down the street some.
You cannot calmly describe the truth as a witness to a murder, in particular the murder of a policeman, when the police are physically abusing you or threatening to abuse you or using tactics to 'soften' you up. You cannot calmly describe the truth if doing so threatens your life and the life of your family from criminal factions. The burden is upon police and prosecutors to create a safe environment, a protected environment, and a dignified environment for criminal witnesses, not the other way around.
Troy Davis was executed because, for whatever reason, the police became fixated on him as a suspect, and even after doubts were raised, they would not let go. It happens all the time. Most of the witnesses against Troy came forward and recanted. They calmly described the truth while maintaining their dignity when they recanted their statements. And still an innocent man died.That is one powerful and prohibitive message.
Teens also get coerced into false confessions, and should be advised to NEVER say anything without a parent present (and let us pray they have responsible adults in their lives, too... many of us are not so fortunate).
Heartbreaking, I see by the time that the hour has come and gone, and I am not prepared to face it if Mr. Davis has indeed been executed. Peace.
Poo on this article and its suggestions. They are not right for these moments. The message is all wrong. Our children are not all Troy Davis. Yet, any can be subject to state sponsored murder, no matter the caution they exercise in the way they live their lives.
What our children, urban and otherwise, need to hear and see, is that we are going to fix what allows this man to be executed with all these questions going on. They need to know whether or not they can be safe from this form of state sponsored terror. Right now we can provide no assurances.
The answer for them is not that they must behave perfectly and always cooperate sweetly with the authorities. They are not compelled forever to stuff their feelings so that they never behave in less than an orderly and dignified fashion. They need not be automatons.
Yhese youth do not have a thing to do with Troy Davis being executed. Right now, they are each subject to execution in muddled circumstances, like Troy Davis. They need to see our action to fix this, not hear our inartful lectures on how they can spare themselves of this form of unnatural death. That is our job.
My generation is a bit complacent, because we've had all of our rights and privileges won by others. We've done nothing to strengthen or keep those rights, but now we need to step up and do so. There is very little justice in the justice system, and we do need to fix it.
For my part, I'm going to work to become a volunteer voter registrar so I can get as many people in this city as possible to vote. I'm also going to work to coordinate voter education sessions at local community centers. I think an important step to fixing this is to stop putting people in office that perpetuate the status quo.
Anyhow, as I said before, if these types of articles can get people to act, then I say they're badly needed.
By no means are the lessons I present a means to make youth "behave perfectly and always cooperate sweetly with the authorities." Rather, they are tools to invoke criticality, support standing for the right to truth, and maintaining dignity. Lesson 2 invokes an awareness of your surroundings, and being critical of people around you. Lesson 3 teaches to report crimes/ escalating situations to avert being falsely accused. Troy Davis, despite the injustice he underwent was in situations that could possibly have been averted if he had known to take heed to these lessons.
We need to "fix what allows this man to be executed with all these questions going on." At the same time, we must teach youth to be aware, to think deeply, to act responsibly, and join the fight to address injustice through their actions, and ours.