FW: CENTRAL PARK ATTACKERS ARE ENEMIES OF THE COMMUNITY

[Michael Pugliese <debsian@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Date: Wed, 21 Jun 100 18:08:58 -0400
From: "Eric Beck" <rayrena@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: FW: CENTRAL PARK ATTACKERS ARE ENEMIES OF THE COMMUNITY

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
Anemone's 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)

To: Washington Leung/NYC-NY/US/JHMarsh/MMC@MMC
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