Comment #47437 by Tope Farotimi on 1/13 at 4:00 pm says:

“I’m a 14-year old boy from Nigeria and i’ll be in america in the next two years for my education, but now , i really have doubts. I was very apalled when i came across this, d question I kept asking was: here in africa, we are seen as people who just die of aids daily, but it occured to me that in the next few years, i have a good chance of being murdered i’m even more disgusted at the fact that these guards were not even arrested you people r off killing ur troops in Iraq but you don’t know dat you ought to be dealing more importantly with evils much closer to home…”

Dispite what folks on this board tell you, The likelyhood that you would be murdered is about the same likelyhood that you would win the Massachusetts lottery.  You are far more likely to die in an automobile accident.  BUT you are right about the rest.

America is a dangerous place,

AND

We should fix our problems here at home before we stick our big white noses into other people’s business.

I hope you do come here for an education.  MAybe you can teach us something about the world.

I’m a 14-year old boy from Nigeria and i’ll be in america in the next two years for my education, but now , i really have doubts. I was very apalled when i came across this, d question I kept asking was: here in africa, we are seen as people who just die of aids daily, but it occured to me that in the next few years, i have a good chance of being murdered i’m even more disgusted at the fact that these guards were not even arrested you people r off killing ur troops in Iraq but you don’t know dat you ought to be dealing more importantly with evils much closer to home,i really mean this, God help you and me.

Skruff, I don’t doubt what you are saying at all, but with your experience in the field and your knowledge, you must admit that young black males make up a disproportionate number of those incarcerated or otherwise detained in the U.S. and the person we’re talking about now is Martin Anderson, a 14 year-old young black man.  I agree, it is the strong over the weak; it’s just that, in this country, the weak are too often black or other minorities, made weak by social injustices (racism, I believe) that our country fails to address and then further abused when they’re detained, i.e., Anderson.

It’s a family trait called the Bush justice system.

“defines the life and plight of the young, “underclass” black male in America”

The above comment is repeated in theme by many posters below
HOWEVER
Anyone who has worked in “juvenile justice” (sic) knows that “color” by itself has little to do with this type of abuse. I’ve observed this treatment in New Hampshire,where everyone was white! New York,(where the majority of guards are “of color”) Massachusetts (where briefly there were NO confined people of color in the Commonwealth’s juvenile facilities, but they had minority guards….there was still plenty of abuse. and here in Maine where (when I worked there) the State had no “minorities in lock up.

It is strong over weaker, and it happens where ever people are confined.

Loren Haskill, killed in Massachusetts in 1973 was white. so are many other victims of abuse…

I know this pisses off the goody goody crowd, but after 30 years working with children, I know it is true.

Manny, with all due respect, you miss the point. The point is, America is racist.  That’s all that matters here.  America is racist.  Anderson is where he is today because America is racist.  Foreign terrorists can’t hold a candle to the threat presented this country by the inequalities and injustices from within.  They don’t realize they don’t have to conquer us. They just need a little patience.  We’ll do the job ourselves.  I, for one, have met the enemy, and it is us.  I’m a man of average intelligence.  I don’t understand why the “intelligent” people in this country, those with influence and those who are running it, can’t see the obvious.

Martin Lee Andersen was 14 YEARS OLD, that’s a boy. He was beaten by “adult” men.  These guards should’ve been immediately arrested.  Why are they being protected?  Anyone, anywhere, with this kind of evidence against them would and should be arrested immediately! I don’t care what he did, he wasn’t given the death sentence nor the “beating sentence” which is becoming all to common here in America.  These “boot camps” for children should be oulawed, PERIOD! I’ve seen coverage about this issue before and he wasn’t the first child to die or be beaten.  We need to start protecting our children! Remember the little girl (9yrs old) in Florida who was tazed by a cop.

Many school districts have children ARRESTED if they fight on the playground. They later have to appear in court with their parents. Now I’m not speaking of high school kids, we’re talking about ELEMENTARY SCHOOL age. (Teachers are required to “tell” on the kids, even if was minor and they could easily have handled it or face “dings” on their records or be fired!) No, I don’t think they should fight, but c’mon this could all be solved very easily with a reasonable approach between the parents and the children. People have lost all logic when it comes to children.  I’m sorry, but in the 1900’s, 1910’s, 1920’s, 1930’s,....etc. kids fought on the playground occasionally.

I worked with children every day for many years, and I can attest to the fact that WAY TO MANY PEOPLE WHO WORK WITH CHILDREN DON’T KNOW HOW TO HANDLE CHILDREN OR SIMPLY DON’T HAVE THE PATIENCE! (In fact they don’t know how to handle people in general and are least able to handle their own selves) These “adults” use the same gestapo and scare tactics being used on all of America today and brag about it. Unconscionably, they’re using these tactics on children.  They don’t see “stealing a cookie” as a normal everyday childhood experience, they see it as a crime! (Hell, I’ll still steal a cookie when someone’s making them!)  If you try to reason with these “adults” they’ll say, “Oh no, It’s STEALING….It’s stealing the same as if they stole anything else.”  These “adults” are bizarre…when I was young, sure we may have had nasty Mrs.or Mr. So n’ So for 4th grade or something. But nothing like the level that’s occuring today.  I’ve had to remind teachers of my own children that my children were not “incarcerated,” but were “attending” school.  They actually had the gaul to look dumbfounded!

This tragic example illustrates just how sick this generation of adults is. The problem is not with the children, its with the adults.  We love to scapegoat parents for all the ills of the children.  Yet everyday during the school year our children spend 7-8 hrs AT SCHOOL! By the time they get home, relax, eat, do their homework, and get ready for tomorrow; how much time does a parent actually GET to spend with their own child.  Sure there’s crappy parents out there. But THE SCHOOLS ARE WORSE.  Even shitty, inept parents at least LOVE the child.

In my years of working with children I will admit there was the RARE child for whom I actually felt that school might be their “safe haven”.  I don’t believe in religion but this exact thought went through my mind, “God help us…”

Incredible.

Video evidence, impartial autopsy.

It boggles my mind that in this day and age, something like this does not immediately lead to the arrest of the guards involved, the first coroner (who obviously did not make a mistake, but helped try cover this up), and anyone else found to be involved in the cover up.

...or that so few people stand up to demand this kind of a response.

(I know a lot of people are pissed and ARE standing up, but by ‘so few’ I mean “nowhere near 100% of the population)

The “Bay County Medical Examiner” should be charged with dereliction of duty and perjury, for starters. This sort of collusion and corruption should be a felony punishable by a minimum 10 years behind bars (and that’s 120 MONTHS in the slammer… not 12 months behind bars and 108 months on the streets on “probation.”)

Any “medical examiner”, or for that matter anyone with a Basic First Aid ticket should be able to differentiate between “natural” death and being “beaten” to death.

This kind of prejudice takes place daily in America. It may go unreported due to facts that family members don’t have financial resources to follow through with some form of resolution or most unfortunately are subjected to the same mind altering television shows and commercials as those who perform such behavior as killing a 14 year old Black kid.

All throughout America and Europe for that matter, you can hear stories from Black families who have either heard or experienced this unrestrained treatment of Blacks. However, whites, through the media have found ways to pacify Blacks and ways to subdue their anger when this behavior occurs. Meanwhile, nothing has changed their schizophrenic behavioral components that historically have been employed to maintain the subordinate position of Blacks in their societies.

Who knows, maybe something deeper is at work here. Maybe some experts in the field can weigh in on this, if there is such a profession. Maybe race and racism are figments of demented imaginations. Maybe those Black police officers who aren’t killing innocent white kids are demented. Maybe those Latino border officers who don’t assume all white people are illegal are manic. Maybe those Asian school principals, who aren’t insisting all students speak Mandarin, Thai, Korean, Vietnamese, Laotian, etc., are crazy. Maybe those people of color who don’t carry weapons to protect themselves against white people are insane.

And, what if race and racism are not figments of demented imaginations? Does that explain why it is so central to the economics, politics and culture of America? Does it explain why there are not more Black officers killing innocent white kids? Does it explain why ghettos strewn across America filled with poor people of color? Does it explain why an Indian man who wears a turban is assumed to be a possible terrorist? Does it explain why most corporations refuse to hire well-qualified people of color in high profiled positions? And, most importantly, does it explain why 14-year-old Martin Lee Anderson is not in school right now?

REVOLUTION

Where’s Jeb Bush ? Is he still sleeping lile his big daddy and brother ?

After reading this article and viewing yet another caught-on-tape example in this country of what can only be described as a cold blooded murder by a police gang on a defendless black man.
  From New York to California and most cities in between, there appears to be a number of instances of terroristic type attacks, purpertrated and perpetuated by those in sworn to ‘Protect and Serve’. The only thing these men have in common is the color of their skin.
  If police procedure through out this country teaches or allows this conduct, one can only conclude that this is a well planned conpiracy to deprive these men of their Civil Rights.
  While this country is fixated on bringing Democracy to Iraq, I can not help but wonder if American Democracy is working in America for men of color.

Its intersting to note that the parents were concerned about their son death but how concerened were they when their son was terrorizing his community. Yes, jails and prisions are the caretakers and parents of these social parasites. Yes, yes, the boot camp should be held accountable but when will we hold these parents accountable for breeding and letting lose these young criminals into our community.
One can be poor and uneducated and not be a criminal.

Extremism, torture, overkill, and complete control over all other humans seem to be the new order of the day or the new american allegiance under the neo-right rule.

ANYONE who believes that juveniles are safe in (ANY) state’s custody needs to read “Last one over the wall” by Jerry Miller (former head of the Massachusetts Dept. of Youth Services” and Kenny Wooden’s Weeping in the Playtime of others.

Children in State custody are routinely beaten, raped, and occasionally killed (In the interest of making them better citizens???)

Even if you don’t care about the children themselves know that they will eventually be released to society angerier, stronger, and better educated to criminal life than when they were incarcerated.

AND t6o be locked in a juvenile facility (in most states) it is not necessary to get a “conviction” for any crime.

You won’t get much comment on this one.  Look at the facts.  In detention.  Black. Facial hair. Dreadlocks.  Kid.  What could he possibly mean to anyone else? This story is repeated the world over, countless times and pretty much defines the life and plight of the young, “underclass” black male in America, and we let it go on.  This country is founded on principles that are supposed to prevent this abuse.  And it continues.  Why is it, do you suppose, that attention is now centered around Barack Obama and not this kid?  I doubt Barack even knows this kid exists, and he most certainly won’t after he’s elected.  Martin Lee Anderson has more to do with the workings of this nation than Barack Obama ever had, or will have.  I wonder if the assholes who beat Anderson up were Christian.  This country is really making me sick.

Reclaim our Undisputed & Inalienable Rights as freemen and women. Know your Rights citizens.

http://www.wtpconstitutionalactivism.org

Did this individual have a informed representive to represent his rights? Did he have a public defender? Lady Justice may be blindfolded but she still can smell the ink of the money.

It is nothing new that society treats minority’s (the poor) different. I bet if this individual was someones son who was in politics or of a higher class he would not be dead now.

If you think class, race, doesn’t matter try going through this justice system people. And you think it’s bad now? Well you wait until they start using Patriot Acts, Military Commissions Act, Executive and Signing Statements to erase our Freedoms and Rights.

When they start enlisting foreigners, continue accepting Gang members into the Military and give the order to invade our homes without warrents to take our guns, homes, and children from us, will you finally stand up for your country and Constitution?

I express my regrets to the family of this young man. But do you think this would of even come to our attention if not fot the video’s, I think not.