Daily photographs by HANS VON RITTERN, with humorous, artistic and social commentary on life in the big city.

Posts tagged “Trayvon Martin

Photo of the day: THREE FACES OF GRIEF at ERIC GARNER RALLY

THREE FACES OF GRIEF
Photo of the day: THREE FACES OF GRIEF – Three mothers, three dead sons. Today at the Justice For Eric Garner Rally on Staten Island, led by Rev. Al Sharpton, the mothers of three slain boys made a surprise and very powerful appearance. Ferguson, Missouri’s Michael Brown’s mother (right) barely able to speak through her tears, Kadiatou Diallo (center), the mother of 22-year-old Guinean immigrant Amadou Diallo, who died in a hail of 41 NYPD bullets in 1999, and the mother of Ramarley Graham (left) an unarmed 18-year-old shot and killed by NYC police in 2012.
They spoke in support of Eric Garner and accountability the police must take for brutal unjustified shootings that have become common place in this country like the old Jim Crow south. Name after name from the last two decades, including Trayvon Martin and Eleanor Bumpers were read off, it sent a chill through me. These are gestapo Nazi racial murders like that of Berlin 1939. There are taser guns, tear gas and mace – none used, shooting point blank is out and out murder. (Whatever happened to ‘shoot to maim and stop’?) Yet no Teflon police (or George Zimmerman) are in jail.
Choke-hold victim Eric Garner’s entire family was present: Esaw Garner, Eric Garner’s widow and Eric Garner’s mother Gwen Carr and their children. To see so many faces of grief on one stage has left me shaken and is something I will not forget.

I CAN'T BREATHE


Photo of the day: MILLION YOUTH MARCH FOR TRAYVON MARTIN SEPT. 7 HARLEM

TRAYVOM MARTIN RALLY SIGNS (11)

Photo of the day: MILLION YOUTH MARCH FOR TRAYVON MARTIN SEPT. 7 HARLEM

Sept. 7 is the 15th anniversary of the Million Youth March. This year, the march is being held in Harlem in front of the Adam Clayton Powell Jr. State Office Building on the corner of Adam Clayton Powell St. and 125th Street. The National Black Family Convention is also being held from Sept. 5-8 in Harlem. This year’s march will honor the memory of Trayvon Martin.
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Photo of the day: FOUR LETTER PROTEST STANDOFF

The four letter stand off

The four letter stand off

Photo of the day: FOUR LETTER PROTEST STANDOFF

FUCK BXDA NYPD +PBA stands for: Fuck the Bronx District Attorney, the New York Police Department and the Policemen’s Benevolent Association.

A NYPD officer won’t be charged with manslaughter in the shooting death of an unarmed Bronx teen Ramarley Graham, a grand jury voted Wednesday met by the cheers of police officers in the courtroom while the family sat there in shock. This adds to the growing list of unarmed youths of color like Trayvon Martin, killed by the police or ‘police wannabe’s’.

ABC reports the jury decided there wasn’t enough evidence to re-indict officer Richard Haste in the death of 18-year-old Ramarley Graham. Haste had been indicted by a different grand jury last year, but a judge threw out that indictment, citing a ‘mistake’ by the assistant district attorney.

Cops chased Graham into his grandmother’s Bronx apartment in February of 2012. They did not have a warrant to enter the apartment.

We're tired of hearing: "We thought he had a gun."

We’re tired of hearing: “We thought he had a gun.”

Acting on incorrect information that Graham was carrying a gun, Haste shot and killed the teen while he was attempting to flush marijuana down the toilet.

The family of the slain teen was quick to condemn the jury’s decision and headed down the Grand Concourse in The Bronx yesterday.

All races, all colors, all ages.

All races, all colors, all ages.

One lone protestor decided to take matters into her own hands and stood defiantly at in the intersection of 149th Street and Grand Concourse, not letting the busy rush hour traffic or police cars move. When she felt her stance, defiance and message had been heard loud and clear – she moved on.


Photo of the day: A NOD AND THUMBS UP FROM JAY-Z AND SYBRINA MARTIN-FULTON!

Jahvaris Martin listening to his mother

Jahvaris Martin listening to his mother

Photo of the day: A NOD AND THUMBS UP FROM JAY-Z AND SYBRINA MARTIN-FULTON! – It was an incredible impassioned day for me Saturday at the New York rally for Trayvon Martin. The night before I made a sign which read “#B37 BULLIED THE JURY” (see my previous blog) to hold up at the rally for all to see. I got there two hours early, at 10am and met so many passionate people, angry, sad, determined to do something. All colors, all genders, all ethnicities, all ages = America. I stood my ground at the front of barricades where the press was starting to gather. TV crews and newspapers from around the world – and me. One indignant reporter who came at 11:30  argued she should have my spot since she was “press”. I told her “if you’re so ‘press’, you would have gotten here earlier, you snooze – you loose.” I stood my ground with one other young lady from New Jersey.
Hans Von Rittern (me) at rally with my sign

Hans Von Rittern (me) at rally with my sign

The crowd around me

The crowd around me

The Trayvon rally NYC press

The Trayvon rally NYC press

As the rally was starting, a surprise visit was made as Beyoncé and Jay-Z suddenly appeared from the background and stood silently nearby along a wall. Rev. Al Sharption introduced the powercouple as “one of the most badass muscians around!” “They are not here for a photo op, they are here as parents,” Rev. Al Sharpton said to a huge round of cheers and applause.  “Jay Z told me, ‘I’m a father. Beyoncé is a mother.’ We all feel the pain and apprehension — the law must protect everybody, or it doesn’t protect anybody,” Sharpton said. “We do not come from hate, we come from love of children.” Protestors chanted at Beyoncé “No concerts in Florida!”
Being in the front row I had three goals: for my sign to be seen by the Trayvon family and supporters, to see Sybrina Martin-Fulton up close and of course to take great pictures. I got luckier than I could have imagined.
Beyonce & Jay-Z read my sign seconds before he gave me the thumbs up!

Beyonce & Jay-Z read my sign seconds before he gave me the thumbs up!

Beyonce meets Sybrina Fulton

Beyonce meets Sybrina Fulton

Beyonce staying in the background to listen

Beyonce staying in the background to listen

Beyonce wipes a tear listening to Sybrina Fulton

Beyonce wipes a tear listening to Sybrina Fulton

Since I was front row, I held my sign with my left hand and my camera in my right hand. As Beyoncé and Jay-Z arrived, they looked into the crowd but fixed their eyes on me and my sign. There they were looking at me smiling, and just as I was taking their picture – Jay-Z read the sign and gave me a thumbs up! A thumbs up from Jay-Z! OMG ! I was so stunned I didn’t click the camera to get the shot, the photo you see here is seconds before he acknowledged me.
The Martin Family arrives

The Martin Family arrives

The Martin family arrived, Sybrina Martin-Fulton and her surviving son Jahvaris Martin. They were joined by Judge Greg Mathis, congressman Charles Rangel, Fulton’s attorney Benjamin Crump and Rev Michael A. Walrond Jr. of Harlem’s First Corinthian Baptist Church who implored the crowd to keep fighting long after the rally ended.
JAY-Z'S REACTION TO SHARPTON'S "BADASS"

JAY-Z’S REACTION TO SHARPTON’S “BADASS”

When Sybrina came onto the stage she seemed overwhelmed by the thousands that had braved the oppressive heat to stand ‘their’ ground. As she stood there for a few moments she scanned the front row of mostly reporters and saw me and my sign. She looked at it, look into my eyes and gave me a discrete nod, it was an intense moment for me, I quickly gave her the thumbs up and love hand signal and she smiled at me. To be acknowledged by this gracious strong woman out of all the nearby people was an experience that moved me to tears. The photo here is of her looking at my sign. When she finally spoke,  I lost  it and just cried (as many did). It was a touching moment to see a grieving mother maintain such dignity and grace. What was most powerful to me was how she firmly held onto her surviving son’s hand for support throughout most of the rally.
SYBRINA FULTON ACKNOWLDEGES MY SIGN

SYBRINA FULTON ACKNOWLDEGES MY SIGN

Sybrina and Jahvaris hold hands tightly

Sybrina and Jahvaris hold hands tightly

Attorney Crump, Jahvaris Martin, Sybrina Fulton, Rev. Al Sharpton

Attorney Crump, Jahvaris Martin, Sybrina Fulton, Rev. Al Sharpton

Sybrina Fulton thanked the crowd profusely with a shaking voice as her eyes teared up. “Thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart, I will not disappoint you.” “Trayvon is not here to speak for himself,” Sybrina Fulton began. “Trayvon was no burglar,” Sybrina said. “George Zimmerman started the fight, and George Zimmerman ended the fight.” She was refusing to be lost in her own hurt and she urged others not to allow themselves to give way to anger. She said she wanted their voices to be heard, but to be effective they had to stay true to what has been her unwavering approach amidst the outrage. “Peaceful.” She said rather than railing, she and those working with her will be planning, carefully divining the most effective course. “I feel nobody is hurting more than me and my family,” she said. “So please, follow us. Let us lead you.” Her goal was clear: “So we change some of these laws.” “My son died without knowing who killed him. He died without knowing who his murderer was.”

Sybrina Martin Fulton New York City 7-20-2103

Sybrina Martin Fulton New York City 7-20-2103

Sybrina Fulton and attorney Crump

Sybrina Fulton and attorney Crump

Speakers at New York Trayon rally

Speakers at New York Trayon rally

The rally began and ended in all joining hands in prayer. I took so many photos and have so little time to edit them all thoroughly, but here are a few to capture to moment. Afterwards it was like a large peace rally, all displaying their signs and messages. Many of those I will blog about in days to come.

"THIS HOODIE SHOULD NOT KILL ME"

“THIS HOODIE SHOULD NOT KILL ME”


Photo of the day: BEYONCE AND JAY-Z SHOW SUPPORT FOR TRAYVON MARTIN

New York City,  July 20, 2013

New York City, July 20, 2013

Photo of the day: BEYONCE AND JAY-Z  SHOW SUPPORT FOR TRAYVON  MARTIN – Surprise guests at the New York City rally for Trayvon Martin were power couple Beyonce and Jay-Z. They were not there for the publicity and simply stayed in the background. Rev. Al Sharpton said “they are not here for a photo op, they are here as parents to show their support.” The crowd went wild. I was lucky enough to be front row and got some of the few photos that were to be had.

Photo of the day: NOT GUILTY?! – RALLY FOR TRAYVON MARTIN TODAY AT YOUR LOCAL FEDERAL HALL!

New York City subway

New York City subway

Photo of the day:

NOT GUILTY?!

– Join the millions of Americans across the country today Saturday July 20, in front of your local Federal Building to show your support of the grave injustice of the murder of Trayvon Martin.

The “stand your ground law” is a red neck excuse for murder, this is not the era of Tombstone, Arizona of shoot first – ask questions later.

Join the civilized other Americans to show your love, outrage, peaceful support and brotherhood of this boy’s lost life.

Trayvon mother Sybrina Fulton will be at the New York rally – so will I !

Link to all the planned USA rallies: http://www.mhoodies.org/national_day_of_action_in_100_cities

TRAYVON’S PARENTS WILL BE IN NEW YORK CITY – http://nationalactionnetwork.net/press/the-mother-father-of-trayvon-martin-to-join-rev-al-sharpton-national-action-network-nan-for-the-100-city-%E2%80%9Cjustice-for-trayvon%E2%80%9D-vigils-in-front-of-federal-buildings-on-Saturday/

Rev. Al Sharpton, President of National Action Network (NYC vigil)

Sybrina Fulton, Mother of Trayvon Martin (Sybrina Fulton will attend NAN’s pre-vigil rally and weekly live radio broadcast before attending the Noon NYC vigil)

Tracy Martin, Father of Trayvon Martin (Miami vigil)

Martin Luther King, III (Atlanta vigil)

& Hundreds of civil rights activists, elected officials, & community leaders

WHAT:

100-City “Justice for Trayvon” vigils

WHEN:

SATURDAY, JULY 20, 2013 –

10:00 a.m.

Rev. Al Sharpton will deliver pre-vigil remarks at NAN’s weekly live radio broadcast and action rally. Sybrina Fulton will be in attendance

106 West 145th Street (at Malcolm X Blvd)

12:00 Noon EST

NEW YORK CITY

Federal Offices

1 Saint Andrews Plaza (Right next to 1 Police Plaza)

Sybrina and Jahvaris Fulton, Judge Greg Mathis, Kadiatou Diallo, Shianne Norman & others will

join Rev. Al Sharpton at this location

MIAMI, FLORIDA

Wilkie D. Ferguson, Jr. United States Courthouse

400 North Miami Avenue

Miami, FL 33128

Tracy Martin will join NAN’s Southeast Regional Chairman at this location

ATLANTA, GEORGIA

Martin Luther King, III will join NAN at this location

Richard B. Russell Federal Building

75 Spring St. SW

Atlanta, GA 30303


“Chicago”/Zimmerman-Omara song of the day: “WE BOTH REACHED FOR THE GUN!”

CHICAGO FLORIDA WE BOTH REACHED FOR THE GUN

“WE BOTH REACHED FOR THE GUN”

(Altered just slightly to fit the Trayvon Martin/Zimmerman case. Frightening how almost identical the two scenarios are. )

[REPORTERS]

Where’d you come from?

 [OMARA (as George)]

Virginia

[REPORTERS]

And your parents?

 [OMARA (as George)]

Middle class.

 [REPORTERS]

Where are they now?

 (OMARA (as George)]

Sanford, Florida.

 [MARK OMARA]

But he was granted one more start

[OMARA (as George)]

Attending catholic school!

 [REPORTERS]

When’d you get here?

[OMARA (as George)]

2003

[REPORTERS]

How old were you?

 [OMARA (as George)]

Don’t remember

[REPORTERS]

Then what happened?

 [OMARA  (as George)]

I joined the neighborhood watch,

Convinced I would be a cop one day

[PRESS (spoken)]

A catholic boy! A cop wannabe!

oh, it’s too terrible. You poor, poor dear.

[REPORTERS]

Who’s Trayvon Martin?

[OMARA (as George)]

An unknown  boy.

 [REPORTERS]

Why’d you shoot him?

[OMARA (as George)]

I was suspicious.

 [REPORTERS]

Was he  angry?

[OMARA (as George)]

Like a madman

Still I said, “Trayvon, move along.”

 [OMARA]

George knew that he was doin’ wrong.

 [REPORTERS]

Then describe it.

[OMARA  (as George)]

He came toward me.

 [REPORTERS]

With a pistol?

[OMARA (as George)]

From my waistband.

 [REPORTERS]

Did you fight him?

[OMARA (as George)]

Like a tiger.

 [MARK OMARA]

Trayvon had strength and George had none.

[OMARA (as George)]

And yet we both reached for the gun

Oh yes, oh yes, oh yes we both

Oh yes we both

Oh yes, we both reached for

The gun, the gun, the gun, the gun

Oh yes, we both reached for the gun

For the gun.

 [OMARA AND REPORTERS]

Oh yes, oh yes, oh yes they both

Oh yes, they both

Oh yes, they both reached for

The gun, the gun, the gun, the gun,

Oh yes, they both reached for the gun

For the gun.

[OMARA]

Understandable. understandable

Yes, it’s perfectly understandable

Defensible. Defensible

Not a bit reprehensible

It’s so defensible!

 [REPORTERS]

How’re you feeling?

 [OMARA (as George)]

Very frightened

[REPORTERS]

Are you sorry?

[GEORGE]

Are you kidding?

[REPORTERS]

What’s you’re statement?

[OMARA (as George)]

All I’d say is

Though my choo-choo jumped the track

I’d give my life to bring him back

 [REPORTERS]

And?

[OMARA (as George)]

Stay away from

 [REPORTERS]

What?

[OMARA  (as George)]

Guns and skittles

 [REPORTERS]

And?

[OMARA (as George)]

And the boys who

[REPORTERS]

What?

 [OMARA (as George)]

Wear a hoodie who run

[REPORTERS]

And what?

[OMARA (as George)]

That’s the thought that

[REPORTERS]

Yeah?…

[OMARA (as George)]

Came upon me

[REPORTERS]

When?

 [OMARA (as George)]

When we both reached for the gun!

[FLORIDA PRESS]

Understandable, understandable

[OMARA AND FLORIDA PRESS]

Yes, it’s perfectly understandable

Comprehensible, comprehensible

Not a bit reprehensible

It’s soooo defensible!

[OMARA (spoken)]

Let me

Hear it!

[REPORTERS]

Oh yes, oh yes, oh yes, they both

Oh yes, they both

Oh yes, they both reached for

The gun, the gun, the gun,

The gun

Oh yes, they both reached

For the gun

 [OMARA (spoken)]

A little louder!

[REPORTERS]

For the Gun.

Oh yes, oh yes, oh yes, they both

Oh yes, they both

Oh yes, they both reached

For the gun, the gun,

[OMARA (spoken)]

Now you got it!

[REPORTERS]

The gun, the gun

Oh yes. They both reached

For the gun

For the gun.

[OMARA AND REPORTERS]

Oh yes, oh yes, oh yes, they both

Oh yes, they both

Oh yes, they both reached for

The gun, the gun, the gun, the gun

Oh yes, they both reached for the gun.

Oh yes, oh yes, oh yes, they both

Oh yes, they both

Oh yes, reached for

The gun, the gun, the gun, the gun

The gun, the gun, the gun, the gun

[OMARA]

Both reached for the…gun

[REPORTERS]

The gun, the gun, the gun, the gun

The gun, the gun, the gun, the gun

The gun, the gun, the gun, the gun

The gun, the gun, the gun, the gun

Both reached for the gun.

WATCH THIS VIDEO, THE CASES ARE IDENTICAL !

Photo of the day: LOVE HAS NO COLOR (a poem)

LOVE HAS NO COLOR frame

WHAT’S THE COLOR OF LOVE?
by KoolC
What’s the color of love, if you should ask?
Is it blue? Oh I thought you knew, is it black?
Red, brown, round or is it white, or quite right,
What’s the color of love?
Love has no color
Just ask the true lovers,
Love is timeless, love is kindness, endless, courteous,
a little bit of teasing and a lot of pleasing,
Love is like the rainbow,
Love is like a rose – with nourishment it will grow.
Love has no color no matter where you go,
Love is respect and affection, love is honor and protection,
Love is a symphony, a song with the most beautiful melody,
Love is freedom, like the river to the sea.
Love would always say come to me, like a harp in harmony,
Love is peace and unity, its that sparkle in your eyes,
its the glory of paradise,
Love is a tender moment of pleasure, it can’t be measured.
Love is an unquenchable thirst, a desire of passion, of fire
Love can break the spell of any curse, always put love first,
I couldn’t live in a world without love.
Love has no color, love is clear as crystal, naked as a new born,
Love is beyond the galaxy, its infinity,
Love can make a blind man see, love is a phenomena,
Love has no color
Love is the greatest gift of all,
Love is what we are and who we are
and what we can be,
but love has no color
because I am a fool for love.
Love has no color.

GEORGE ZIMMERMAN’S “NOT GUILTY” VERDICT WAS BULLIED BY JUROR #B37 !

GEORGE ZIMMERMAN’S “NOT GUILTY” VERDICT WAS BULLIED BY JUROR #B37 !

Go to CNN’S Anderson Cooper interview with her Monday 7-15-13 evening.

In only 1-½ days juror B37 has secured herself a book deal, claiming not because she “wants to profit from this”.  . . and I am the pope! Her husband is a lawyer – HOW did she get  on the jury?? She is also a right wing gun advocate and a proponent of the hideous Florida “stand your ground law.” One of the blind who firmly believes “race had nothing to do with it.” She claims she knows what happened that night. Listen to her words very, very carefully. The hesitations and voice say a lot more than what just her words say.

She is an older white woman, (very privileged white, doesn‘t need to work) to the point that she refers to blacks as “they” and “them” and felt sorry for the defense witness “poor Rachel Jeantel”. There was a huge racial and age gap: “She had just used ‘phrases’ I had never heard before.”

She told Anderson Cooper the jury entered the deliberation room 2 for manslaughter, 1 for second degree murder  2 likely guilty – but she was “convinced“ from the very beginning that “George”  was innocent. “No doubt about it.” (It is also disturbingly cozy that she does not refer to the defendent as ‘the defendent’, ‘George Zimmerman’ or ‘Mr. Zimmerman’ – but as “George”). “We just couldn’t reach a verdict 3 to 3. So I worked so hard to go over the evidence again and again.” “Again and again“ translates as “bullied” for her right wing gun toting agenda! Remember she was the only one that was convinced from the start that ‘George’ was innocent. She was the alpha female in the group that swayed the jury to go her way, so she could write the book on how she fought to carry them to the light of the truth! BINGO = book deal 1-½ days later!

Of course towards the end of the interview, as all right wingers do, she threw in some required quivers in her voice and supposed tears. “I feel sorry for both of them.” BOTH. I say ‘supposed tears’ because her face was blacked out. When Anderson asked her why she didn‘t want to show her face, she said because wanted to be “cautious.” We know this about her: the woman has lived in the Sanford, Fla., area for 18 years and has two daughters – a 24-year-old pet groomer and a 27-year-old college student. During jury selection, she said she had been called for jury duty four times previously but never selected to sit on a case.

Never selected for a case – yet this one she seemingly was “perfect” for and swayed the whole case. If you are angry, if you feel this is as unjust and embarrassing as I do – direct your anger at her – JUROR #B37 !

PS – The case is also a sad confluence of bad things. Teenager Rachel Jeantel was interviewed on CNN’S Piers Morgan afterwards. To everyone’s surprise she IS a well spoken, intelligent (street smart) religious girl, respectful of her elders. Why sadly did Rachel not pull herself together and show herself as she was on Piers Morgan Monday night? Because she said she was angry, didn’t want to be incourt, couldn’t deal with Trayvon Martin’s death and is very afraid of death. How very, very sad that this young innocent boy lost his life due to such a “Chicago” (movie) like trial. The film, by the way, is based on a true 1924 story of Belva Gaertner and Beulah Annan. In all this time, almost ninety years later, it still rings true in America, get a more clever lawyer and you CAN get away with murder.

Juror #B37’s book, ‘George Zimmerman Is Innocent’ written with the assistance of her lawyer husband,

will be out later this year.


Photo of the day: GEORGE ZIMMERMAN “FUCKING PUNKS…THEY ALWAYS GET AWAY!”

NOT GUILTY collage

“Fucking punks!, these assholes, they always get away.”
Cop wanna-be Zimmerman’s said to a police dispatcher when he spotted doomed 17-year-old Trayvon Martin.
I am stunned, horrified but sadly not to too surprised at the ‘not guilty’ verdict of racist George Zimmerman. Myself being a white American with many international friends, I am embarrassed to be an American right now. Europe is looking at us in puzzlement at our gun obsessed racist society and politics. This is a throw back to the old south justice. How is it that everyone could see the facts, every logical, rational human being could see Zimmerman had hateful intent to not let the nigger get away – all except for six blind women on that jury?? Obviously in racist Florida, it’s open season on young black boys wearing a hoodie, walking home with a package of Skittles.
Open season on hoodies

Open season on hoodies

Zimmerman’s brother Robert Jr. and blue-eyed wife Shellie are just the same, white-wannabe racists. Listen to his brother’s interviews on CNN’S Pierce Morgan show. The brother has an air of entitlement and arrogance, seemingly insulted the murder has even come to trial.  Watch and look at his bleach-blonde wife’s face at trial. It is a face of haughty better-than-you supreme attitude. The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. Lest they forget, 50% of their DNA is a “minority” Latino DNA, but they feel themselves to be Aryan supremacists.
 ZIMMERMAN collage
I am too drained from the exhaustive coverage of this disgusting outcome to go over every detail of the trial, you know them all – but one trial testimony sticks out and should stick in your mind. The local news interview of a woman who lives in the neighborhood  was used in evidence against Trayvon:“Let’s talk about the elephant in the room. I’m black, OK?” the woman said, declining to be identified because she anticipated backlash due to her race. She leaned in to look a reporter directly in the eyes. “There were black boys robbing houses in this neighborhood,” she said. “That’s why George was suspicious of Trayvon Martin.” 
So by default, Trayvon is black = Trayvon is an armed criminal. So it was heavily implied at trail. I suggest the defense stupidly did not make this following connection: Trayvon Martin is black = therefore he could be a great golf player like Tiger Woods, General Colin L. Powell  secretary of state, Tyler Perry Hollywood actor and billionaire, Harry Belafonte singer or – president of the United States!

The racist interview of Robert Zimmerman – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wuzRK-mclzg