FW: CENTRAL PARK ATTACKERS ARE ENEMIES OF THE COMMUNITY: Statement by the National Congress for Puerto Rican Rights

[Yoshie Furuhashi <furuhashi.1@xxxxxxx>]

From: Jessica Rockstein <JessicaR@xxxxxxxxxx
To: "'reclaimthestreets@xxxxxxxxxxx'" <reclaimthestreets@xxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: FW: CENTRAL PARK ATTACKERS ARE ENEMIES OF THE COMMUNITY
Date: Wed, 21 Jun 2000 06:58:05 -0700

Reclaim the Streets NYC - http://reclaimthestreetsnyc.tao.ca

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CENTRAL PARK ATTACKERS ARE ENEMIES OF THE COMMUNITY
Statement by the National Congress for Puerto Rican Rights
June 16, 2000

These are the reasons we say that the young men who carried out the
sexual assaults in East Harlem on Saturday (6/10/00) and in Central
Park on Sunday (6/11/00) are enemies of the Latino and Black
communities:

1.  Anyone who forces themselves on women in any way is an oppressor.
Our communities can only rise with the active participation and
leadership of women and the broad acceptance of values which
emphasize respect for all members of the community, regardless of
gender or sexual orientation.  We cannot tolerate any form of abuse
or disrespect that intimidates, violates, or reduces the
participation of women in our communities' lives.

2.  Anyone who adds to the fear and instability of the community is
an enemy.  Just as we fight racist politicians, greedy slum
landlords, uncaring educators and brutal cops whose actions terrorize
and hurt our people, so too must we must denounce those among us who
perpetuate these actions and frighten us into accepting second-class
citizenship.

3.  This year's National Puerto Rican Parade and the celebrations
leading up to it told the world that the Puerto Rican people are
coming together for progress and are united in our demand that the
U.S.  Government stop the bombing of Vieques, Puerto Rico.  However,
the actions of a few at the 116th St. Festival and after the Parade,
undermined these positive messages and the honoring of Don Pedro
Albizu Campos and Tito Puente and gave ammunition to those who profit
from keeping us down.  Two million Puerto Ricans, young and old,
celebrated our culture and our contributions at the parade; but now
sex attacks by mobs of about 50 young men is the only story
considered newsworthy.

We call on all Latinos and African Americans to pass this message on.
The youth who committed these sex crimes come from our communities.
We must make them and others understand the seriousness of attacks on
women and that their people reject these actions.  For us, this has
to be part of a larger campaign to educate young men about respecting
boundaries and raising their consciousness that "being a man" is not
about dominating women; it is about serving and protecting the
community.

We are also clear that condemning the behavior of a group of sexist
men in no way implies that all men in our community are criminals.
Given the NYPD's history of racial profiling and indiscriminate
"sweeps" of young men of color, we should remain vigilant against
innocent men being railroaded in this case and against the Mayor
using this to justify increased police harrassment of young men of
color.

Men should be punished for abusing women.  This is another critical
aspect of our overall fight for justice and advancement.  When it
comes to sex crimes against women, don't expect justice from the NYPD.

The NYPD had 4,000 cops assigned to the parade.  They very actively
policed the parade.  2,500 cans of beer and 100 bottles of liquor
were confiscated. They gave out 700 summonses. (Daily News,
6/14/2000, p.3)  Yet, they didn't defend or protect dozens of women
who were the victims of sexual assaults.  This should not come as a
surprise, since the NYPD doesn't protect women within the police
department itself.

Just as the NYPD tolerates racism and discrimination within its
ranks, so does it tolerate and cover up sexual discrimination and
harassment within its ranks.  This is part of the police culture.
Take the example of Daisy Boria, the cop who broke the "blue wall of
silence" in the Anthony Baez case.  In 1995, she filed, and later
won, a federal discrimination suit that charged that she and other
female officers in the Bronx's 46th Precinct were routinely sexually
harassed by their male colleagues, and that the senior officers did
nothing to stop it. (NY Times, 10/3/95, p.B6)

Or the sexual discrimination suit that was filed against Chief of
Dept. Luis Anemone, after Officer Maria Perhaes Wise objected to cops
under Anemoneís command viewing porno magazines in the 34th Precinct.
(NY Post, 10/8/95)  There are many other examples.  Sexual
discrimination is part of the police culture, as are domestic abuse
and alcoholism.  The NYPD, overwhelmingly white and overwhelmingly
male, does not train its officers to view race or sex crimes with the
seriousness they deserve.  We saw that once again in Central Park.

(To contact the National Congress for Puerto Rican Rights Justice
Committee: 212 353-7825 or
<mailto:rperez@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx)rperez@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx)

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