By Joe Payne As a student of history, I have liked to think I have some shred of understanding of the pain and plight that people of color face, where it comes from and why, especially concerning black and indigenous Americans. But no matter how much I think I know, learning more continually illuminates myContinue reading “Juneteenth: Facing the realities of slavery in America”
Tag Archives: Black Lives Matter
Deep Dive: Protests, police, racism, and authoritarianism in America
Some issues are so complex that they require more than a 10-minute YouTube video. For my first “Deep Dive” episode of Political Payne, I take a look at the ongoing protests against police brutality in the United States and how they’ve been colored by a disturbing authoritarian overreach by law enforcement and the federal government.Continue reading “Deep Dive: Protests, police, racism, and authoritarianism in America”
UPDATED: SLO Sheriff responds to ambush shooter, posits protests as possible motive
Less than 24 hours after an unnamed gunman ambushed a SLO County Sheriff’s Office deputy and Paso Robles Police Department officers in the early morning of June 10, SLO County Sheriff Ian Parkinson led a press conference about the incident, mentioning nationwide protests against police brutality as a possible motive, despite an admitted lack of hard evidence.
Santa Maria gun stores cleaned out of inventory since Sunday unrest
At Get R Gun in Santa Maria, there’s barely a single firearm left in the display case that earlier this week was filled with handguns. Ever since Sunday, May 31, the day a large Black Lives Matter protest downtown was followed hours later in the evening by a scene of unrest, some violence, destruction ofContinue reading “Santa Maria gun stores cleaned out of inventory since Sunday unrest”
Santa Maria NAACP and police prepare for peaceful Thursday vigil as community groups targeted for Sunday’s unrest
BY JOE PAYNE On the day George Floyd was senselessly murdered in Minneapolis, Minn., the Central Coast’s branches of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) held multiple vigils, but not for Floyd. They were meeting to raise awareness of police brutality over the killings of Amaud Arbery, who was shot downContinue reading “Santa Maria NAACP and police prepare for peaceful Thursday vigil as community groups targeted for Sunday’s unrest”
A Sense of Proportion in Santa Maria’s Response to Sunday’s Protest and Unrest
It’s about 24 hours since glass was smashed at the Santa Maria Town Center and a dozen thrill seekers tore through the building, smashing liquor bottles and windows, with a couple even getting away with merchandise looted from at least one store. I’m typing this from home where I have been since before the 9Continue reading “A Sense of Proportion in Santa Maria’s Response to Sunday’s Protest and Unrest”
Live coverage: Black Lives Matter protest in Santa Maria, California, May 31, 2020
The Black Lives Matter protest in Santa Maria, California today went marching by my home, so I did what any self-respecting journalist would do and ran outside! My phone had enough battery for about 30 minutes of live streaming, which includes the march along Broadway back to the Santa Maria City Hall where protestors satContinue reading “Live coverage: Black Lives Matter protest in Santa Maria, California, May 31, 2020”
Understanding power dynamics amid the Minneapolis riots
It’s astounding. Damn near unbelievable. But here we are. In the midst of a historic pandemic, the ongoing crisis of police violence against people of color in the United States has flared up again, with the fallout appearing worse than ever. In the wake of the death of George Floyd, senselessly killed by Minneapolis officerContinue reading “Understanding power dynamics amid the Minneapolis riots”
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