- Due Fri 7/24, 7p
Using Detailed Storytelling to Persuade
For this assignment, I want you to focus on developing a story for your revised Essay 1 that will SHOW your readers the DETAILS of what is at stake in your topic: racism & police brutality. Telling a detailed story can be one of the most powerfulâand powerfully convincingâstrategies for convincing a reader to believe in your thesis. So this is what I want you to get practice doing for Friday.
First, for inspiration, I want you to (re-)read the opening sections of Larry Elderâs âWhereâs Black Lives Matter When You Need Them?â and James Baldwinâs âA Report from Occupied Territory.â  Both of these texts begin with powerfully detailed stories that show us horrific acts of police brutality which draw us into the topic the writer wants us to think about. However, you will notice that there are some key differences in the way each of these stories is worded and angled. As discussed in todayâs Zoom, Elder writes his story in a way that suggests subtly that what Officer Chauvin did to George Floyd wasnât murder. Meanwhile, Baldwin, in his story, plays up the violence that the black salesman experiences and witness while in police custodyâviolence which leads to his being partially blinded. I point this out because while both of these stories draw us in to the topic of police brutality, they do so with different purposes in mind: Elder wants to convince us that police brutality towards black people is not as much of an issue as black-on-black violence; on the other hand, Baldwin wants to say that the policing of black neighborhoods like Harlem is tantamount to a military occupation of an otherwise autonomous âterritoryâ or community. Unlike Elder, he is not at all sympathetic to the copsâŠ
Anyway, for this assignment I want you to respond below with two things:
A) A paragraph-long summary of the story Baldwin tells of the salesmanâs experience with the police, and
B) A 1-2 paragraph story you will tell in your Essay 1 to try to convince your reader to believe in your own thesis about police brutality in the US. The story you tell can be from your own experience (something that happened to you or someone you are close to), something that you heard about happening to someone you know, a story you saw/heard about online, on social media, in a movie, etc. Please just make sure you make it as detailed as possible. Details to include (not necessarily in this order):
–Who are the key characters involved? What do they look likeâŠsound likeâŠsmell likeâŠetc.? (You can make up details as needed, so long as you remain true enough to the spirit of the story.)
–Where are these characters in space? Where do the key events of this story take place? When do the events in this story take place (in history/time)?
–What are they (the main characters) doing? What happens to them? Which key events need to be described in order for the reader to understand what is going on and why it matters?
PLEASE DO NOT RESPOND TO THESE QUESTIONS IN ORDER. INSTEAD, WRITE YOUR STORY AS 1-3 PARAGRAPHS, THEN RE-READ THESE QUESTIONS AND RE-READ/RE-WRITE YOUR STORY, MAKING SURE YOUâVE ADDRESSED ALL OF THESE QUESTIONS SOMEWHERE.
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Paulina Vega
A) A paragraph-long summary of the story Baldwin tells of the salesmanâs experience with the police
In the article âA Report from Occupied Territoryâ James Baldwin writes about the story of the salesmanâs experience with the police. He goes through many injustices with the cops and has taken unnecessary abuse from them. He’s trying to make a change because of the bad experience he went through. In the article âA Report from Occupied Territoryâ it states âPolice jump up and start swinging on me. He put the gun on me and said, âget over there.â I said, âwhat for?â â All of this started because he asked the cop why he was beating up a kid from the street. He wanted to stand up for the kid being beat up. He later got beaten up as well. He was beaten up so bad that he ended up losing an eye and had to use an eye patch. He had a lawyer tell him to have a companion at all times when he is out in public because heâd become more visible to the cops with the eye patch. In the article âA Report from Occupied Territoryâ it states âit proves that he is a âbad nigger.â (âBad niggers,â in America, as elsewhere, have always been watched and have usually been killed.)â This would prove the cops point that he is a bad man in America. His physical appearance can make other people believe that there is a bad history behind his eye injury, making him look as a bad civilian and increasing negative judgements to make him look as a target. Now he would have to be more careful and make his life more difficult. Mr.Nelson made a book exposing the cops and his experience with them. The purpose of the book is a plea for the awareness of our human kind and public resentment.
B) A 1-2 paragraph story you will tell in your Essay 1 to try to convince your reader to believe in your own thesis about police brutality in the US. The story you tell can be from your own experience (something that happened to you or someone you are close to), something that you heard about happening to someone you know, a story you saw/heard about online, on social media, in a movie, etc. Please just make sure you make it as detailed as possible.
Police brutality is a real thing and is something we need to put a stop to because it is taking many peopleâs lives. Breonna Taylor is an example of one of them who died due to bad actions taken by police officers. Breonna Taylor is a 26 year old African American woman who died on March 13, 2020. Breonna was living in Louisville, KY and was with her boyfriend Kenneth Walker that night until they heard banging at the door. Kenneth Walker and Breonna Taylor were both very scared because people banging did not say who they were. The people banging on the door that late night were three cops. Their names are Jonathan Mattingly, Brett Hankison, and Myles Cosgrave. The purpose for their visit that night was because they thought they were handling drugs. Kenneth Walker was very scared and pulled out his own licensed gun to use in case of self defense because he didn’t know who was banging aggressively at the door and the cops never identified themselves. The cops were able to get in the house and Kenneth Walker shot one of the officers’ legs as self defense. The officers shot Breonna Taylor 8 times. She was having trouble with her breathing and didnât receive any medical attention for more than twenty minutes after she was shot. It then turns out that the officers didnât find any drugs in the house and Breonna Taylor then died.
This was an awful tragedy. The way all this was handled was very wrong and unnecessary. I personally don’t see why the cops had to come in the middle of the night when everyone was sleeping. They came without notice or even identifying themselves, which was why Breonna and her boyfriend were very scared for their lives and for the reason why Breonnaâs boyfriend had to take out his licensed gun in case he had to use it for self defense. The cops didn’t have to shoot eight times at one person. It looked like their intention was to purposely kill her and they did. The sad part was that at the end they came to find no drugs on this couple and caused the death of Breonna Taylor and the cops didn’t face any criminal charges. She had big dreams like other people and so much to live for. Also after Breonna got shot 8 times, why did it take more than 20 minutes for Breonna to receive medical attention. Breonna was left to die in her own house. This is not acceptable because she was a human being who deserved to be saved after mistakenly assuming she and her boyfriend had drugs on them.
Thank you for this, Paulina. Your summary of Baldwin’s story is strong; however, I’d like if you could focus more specifically on the story Baldwin tells of Frank Staffordââno need to go into details about Nelson’s book that Baldwin refers to subsequently; for this assignment, we’re focusing on the storytelling aspect of Baldwin’s text. To that end, can you go into more detail about Stafford’s encounter with the police while in custody, at the hospital, etc.? The details here are powerful, so it would be good to convey them.
As for your story, the case of Breonna Taylor is an important one. However, I want you to tell a story that is âcloser to homeâââone that isnât big name news/history. Tell me a story about something you saw, something your friend went through, something a family member experienced that connects with the topic. I already know a bit about Breonna Taylor; what I want to know about is a story close to YOUR OWN LIFE.
Thanks.
Shalamar Mercharles
In âA Report from Occupied Territoryâ,the author James Baldwin, talks about police brutality against black people.James helps us understand the message heâs trying to get across by telling us the story of Frank Stanford.âThe cop turn around and smash him a couple of times in the head.â And one of the youngsters said, âHe get that just for a question. No reason at all, just for a question.âThis is an example of police brutality.Frank saw a cop beating on a young kid and asked why .and he got attacked as an answer.All this happened back in 1964,what has hanged today?Police are still getting out of hand and doing horrible things with Consequences some people have to end up living with for the rest of their lives. Thatâs what James was trying to get across.
one night my brother got off work,late like around 10.The day is always long for him, and when he ends his shift he always goes home with some food. My brother is 18 but he is very tall 6â7,he is dark skin and fit since he plays basketball. After work he will walk to the bus stop with his food and sit and eat.This night he was waiting for the bus, when two cop cars pulled up. They started walking towards him with their hands on their guns. The first instinct was to put his hands up and freeze,his food fell to the ground but he kept his hands up.Cause what are you gonna do thatâs the first instinctThe police approached him asking him to many questions.There was no one around to be a witnesses so all he could do was sit there.
Shalamar, thank you for your powerful story you’ve told about your brother’s run-in with the copsââthis will make persuasive material for your Essay 1. Can you connect this story to a point you’re making in that essay, though? Explain what this story “shows” us about police brutality and racism.
Also, watch out for comma splices, punctuation, and capitalization errors. A comma splice is where you have a comma at the end of an independent clause (a complete sentence/thought) where a period should go. Go back over it and pay careful attention to correcting the punctuation and capitalization.
âAs for your digest of the story Balwin tells of Frank Stafford, can you go into more detail about what happens to Stafford in police custody? What does he witness and experience while he is being detained?
âCan you explain more why Baldwin claims the eye patch branded Stafford as a âbad niggerâ; also, why does Baldwin suggest that âbad niggersâ are âusually killedâ?
Jada Bennett
Monroe Street
ENG 92, Writing
24 July 2020
In James Baldwin â A Report from Occupied Territoriesâ, this is a story about life in Harlem , the 1960s, where discrimination and police brutality was taken place towards black people. Baldwinâs report stands out tremendously for today’s police violence by mentioning how education is segregated and the police treat black people like animals. Baldwin quotes â You will note that there is not a suggestion of any kind of appeal to justice, and no suggestion of any recompense for the grave and gratuitous damage which this man has endured.â Baldwin describes a young salesman named Frank Stafford who wanted to know why the police were beating up the children resulting in him getting beaten and arrested.He suffered internal damages from being beaten for simply asking the police why theyâre beating on another black child. Just by the salesman asking that question,he then became a victim of the police mob justice.
It was New Years Eve in Oakland ,California , a black man named Oscar Grant III and few of his friends decided to celebrate and make their way to a gathering. According to the movie â Fruitvale Stationâ, Grant was on the train and spotted a friend he met at his job and wished her a âHappy New Yearâ. After, a built and tatted white man that mustâve knew Grant from jail walks behind and starts to curse and cause mischief. Grant demands him to not start with him and now wasnât the time . Grantâs girlfriend stands on the train seat and sees that heâs in an altercation with someone and asks him “Oscar, wassup?â. Grant tells her to get his friend Chris and the others. The man then punched Oscar in the face and began to fight in the crowd.Oscar friends came and helped Oscar fight with his enemy along with his friends. It then appeared that the train conductor reports on the loudspeaker that thereâs an incident on the train and the police are coming to Fruitvale Station , where the train stopped. Oscar, his girlfriend and friends decide to get off the train and split up between carts.
Two police officers, a white man and a white lady started to antagonize two of his friends and demand them to get on the ground. The white policemen then screamed âif thereâs more of you that were involved in the incident , we off the train now. Donât make me drag you outâ. He then stepped on the train and spotted Oscar with a black T-shirt and jeans, the same outfit all his friends are wearing, and grabs him off the train and slams him down on the floor alongside his friends. Oscar friends are arguing with the officer questioning why he is starting with them .People on the train were also screaming âstopâ and recording what was happening. â We ainât do shit, you can’t f*cking arrest usâ screamed Oscar. The officer quoted â Oh, yeah ?! Cuff these two a**holes , theyâre going to jail.â Once again, Oscar and his friends are arguing and screaming to know why theyâre going to jail. Another officer follows the rules and grabs one of Oscarâs friends, pushes him onto his and handcuffs him. Oscar decides to calm down and tells the officer âweâre not trying to go to jail, weâre just trying to get home.â The officer makes a smart remark and made the situation worst than what it was and caused Oscar to retaliate to his comment. Oscar replied to his comment and called him a âb*tch ass n*ggaâ and was then shoved flat on his stomach.
While Oscar is being arrested being plunged into the ground both the policemen are on top of his back while theyâre arresting him, one of the officers had his knee on Oscarâs neck. The other officer is bending Oscar’s arm onto his back. Heâs pleading for help as his hand is hurting him the way one of the officers is bending it uncomfortably. Once the officer releases his hands, he gets up and shoots Oscar in the back.Everyone froze, shocked that this just happened. â You just shot me , I have a daughter.â replied Oscar, as blood was coming from his mouth and he gasped for air. Officers then picks up his friends as theyâre crying and to fight the police to help Oscar. He was then sent to Highland Hospital, where they tried to revive him and later on died.
Thank you, Jada. Good start with the Baldwin story. Here are my suggestions:
–As for your digest of the story Balwin tells of Frank Stafford, can you go into more detail about what happens to Stafford in police custody? What does he witness and experience while he is being detained?
–Can you explain more why Baldwin claims the eye patch branded Stafford as a âbad niggerâ; also, why does Baldwin suggest that âbad niggersâ are âusually killedâ?
As for your story, the case of the Oscar Grant is an important one. However, I want you to tell a story that is âcloser to homeâââone that isnât big name news/history. Tell me a story about something you saw, something your friend went through, something a family member experienced that connects with the topic. I already know a bit about the Oscar Grant III; what I want to know about is a story close to YOUR OWN LIFE.
In the article âA Report From Occupied Territoryâ by James Baldwin he tells a story about a salesman named Frank Stafford who lived in Harlem , who has had a bad experience with racist cops. He was trying to help a young man who was getting beaten by the cops just by asking âwhy are you beating him like that ?â the cops Pursued to assault him by swinging on him. They arrested him with four others and they all were taken to the police station. At the police station the men were hanged up on by police and called a bunch of racist names and actually beaten him so bad he had a bad eye that couldnât and was forced to wear a eyepatch, this pit a mark on him as a âbad niggerâ every cop would have a opportunity to mess with him because of the title âbad niggerâ who they say are âusually killedâ.
Police brutality isnât a rare sight or something you never hear about. It has been going on for a long time and Iâm some cases leads to death. For example the George Floyd case which took place in Minneapolis MN after George allegedly paid with counterfeit money, non African American police officers Derek Chauvin, J Alexander Kueng, Tou Thao and Thomas Lane approached George who was being compliant the whole time handcuffed him then took him down.
Officer Derek Chauvin then put his Knee on Floyds neck while he was lying face down with the other three officers restricting movement from Floyd by holding down his body, George pleaded â I canât Breatheâ plenary at times and officers wouldnât acknowledge him at all. Derek Chauvin kneeled on Floydâs neck for nearly 9 minutes killing him. After days of protesting the officers were charged with the murder of George Floyd. This is a very important event because itâs a prime example of police brutality and power abuse, there were 4 officers for one man. It could’ve been handled a whole lot better and safer. Justice didnât come to Floyd as soon as it shouldâve been a whole bunch of different states took action in protest screaming Justice for Floyd and BLM for it to happen.
Kay, hi. Nice work with the Baldwin story. Just a couple things there: can you explain more why Baldwin claims the eye patch branded Stafford as a âbad niggerâ; also, why does Baldwin suggest that âbad niggersâ are âusually killedâ?
As for your story, the case of George Floyd is an important one. However, I want you to tell a story that is âcloser to homeâââone that isnât big name news/history. Tell me a story about something you saw, something your friend went through, something a family member experienced that connects with the topic. I already know a bit about George Floyd; what I want to know about is a story close to YOUR OWN LIFE.
Kenyah logan
7/24/2020
Persuade essay
Part A
In the article â A report from occupied territoryâ by james baldwin, a 31 year old man named frank stafford was assaulted by police officers so was many others. On april 17,1964 Frank noticed that a kid was getting beat up by a cop, as a father of two he was concerned. He asked the officers a simple question ââwhy are you beating him like that?â then they turned on him. While the cops beat them they started saying foul words, in the articles its states âcall us niggers, dogs,animals, they called us dogs and animals when i dont see see why we are the dogs and animals the way the beating usâ. Belittle them why beating them.They beat him and kids up so bad he had to go to the hospital after nearly nineteen hours after the beating. His eye was basically gone; he had to remove it so it wouldn’t affect the good one he still had. Now that Frank had one eye he had to wear an eye patch which made the cops want him more, because he looks like the type to do bad things now. Also Frank was also known as the cop hater now because of a simple question he asked. But James didn’t want people to think that he was bad or anything like the cop claimed just because of his eye patch. Mr. Nelson then made a book exposing the cops that did this to show people whatâs really going on in blacks community by cops.
Part B
In July 17,2014 Eric Garner a 43 year old man from Staten Island, father of six was killed by a chokehold. He was dark skin and heavy set. Eric just finished breaking up a fight while cops came to approach him. They were charging him for selling illegal loose cigarettes. Eric was confused because the cops wouldn’t tell him what he was getting arrested for. Just for voicing his dissent the cops took that as a threat. While Eric is not fighting back at all Daniel Pantelo( the person who put eric and a chokehold) and his fellow officers seem more focus on pilling on garner than to hear his many cries of âi canât breatheâ they put asthamatic Garner into a chokehold because he ask why is he getting arrested for. Instead of acting like normal people and treating him a brother, father, a friend they treated him like a threat. After all of this Daniel Pantaleo walks free. No jail time just no jobs which isn’t fair because if it was the other way around Eric would have been in jail for life. Micheal Stewart 1983, Anthony Baez 1994, Eric arner 2014, George Floyd 2020. These are the few people who cries to the officer that they can’t breathe. When is this ever going to stop ?
Kenyah, thank you. Some thoughts for revising this, in reverse order:
For Part B: the case of Eric Garner is an important one. However, I want you to tell a story that is âcloser to homeâââone that isnât big name news/history. Tell me a story about something you saw, something your friend went through, something a family member experienced that connects with the topic. I already know a bit about Eric Garner; what I want to know about is a story close to YOUR OWN LIFE.
As for your summary of Baldwinâs story (Part A), it is quite good, but there are many many comma splices and capitalization errors. A comma splice is where you have a comma at the end of an independent clause (a complete sentence/thought) where a period should go. Go back over it and pay careful attention to correcting the punctuation and capitalization.
Also, try to get in the habit of beginning summaries with title and author info without using “by __Author Name__”; try this instead:
In “A Report from Occupied Territory,” James Baldwin tells the story of how a young black man named Frank Stafford was assaulted by police officers.
Daniel buduen jr
In the article âA Report from Occupied Territoryâ James Baldwin talks about a salesmanâs experience with the police.The terror of what the police bring to the neighborhood is bad,when kids see them they run away. But on one night specifically on April 17 the salesman saw the police beating on a kid and the salesmen jumped in and said why are you beating this child.one officer told him to step back and the salesman said âfor whatâ.In this community everyone knows this isn’t something to say to an officer.when the salesmen said this the attention of the police went to salesman,the officers then started to beat the salesman. The officers also took a young salesman and handcuffed him along with other that appeared young than him they were all arrested in the same way with their hands behind there back.once they got to the police station an officer âcame into the room, and started beating, punching us in the jaw, in the stomach, in the chest, beating us with a padded clubâspit on us, call us niggers, dogs, and animalsâ.he thought to himself and said why they âcall us dogs and animals when I donât see why we are the dogs and animals the way they are beating usâ. The salesman had been so badly beaten around one eye that he needed medical attention,his eye was so badly damaged that he needed it to get removed because his good eye is being put at risk.time went by and now he is back on the street trying to provide for his family but now he has a nickname and his lawyer suggested that he should have someone with him at all time because the police might mess with him again.
Police brutality and racism is something that people who are poor and people of color would have to deal with until a change is made. Police get away with so much and the reason why I say they get away with so much is that they get no sentence or punishment.I saw a video where two officers were in the hospital with a man that was tied down to the bed. One officer took out his phone and recorded the other officer slap the man that was in the hospital, that man was also suicidal.but in this case there was evidence of the officer committing this crime, he was charged and is looking at maybe over 5 years.the officer that recorded the incident was also charged. This is one example of a cop getting caught doing a crime,but how many other times did this happen. Im sure these officers aren’t the only officers to commit this crime,in this case they were caught and charged.
One time when I was crossing the border to Canada to watch a baseball game the border patrol stopped us to check us.they made me and my two other cousins get out of the car. We were going to stay in canada for about 5 days to watch the game and site see.we all had book bags full of clothes and the border patrol went through it and threw most of our stuff on the ground. After this they made us pick up our stuff off the floor,we had to reorganize our things to be put back into the car.we all felt disgusted on how our things were handled. They then made us wait in the waiting room for about three hour,they called us up and said we can go. We went into Canada feeling welcomed.this experience with the border patrol was like they did not like us and didn’t want us to be here.the looks we got from them was a look that wasn’t pleasant.that look we got in my opinion is a look of racism,it was almost a look of disgust .this shouldn’t only matter to me it should matter to the world i’m sure we aren’t the only people to experience the look.
Daniel, thank you–I am moved by the two stories you’ve told. Be careful in how you connect these stories to points you’re making, though. For example, before your first story, you make the point that “police get away with so much,” but the story you tell then shows the officers (eventually) getting charged for their behavior. So you’ll need to explain more about how this story shows the police THINKING they can get away with whatever (but sometimes in fact being brought to justice)–or come up with another point that you think this story shows that is relevant to your Essay 1 thesis. Also what do you think your second story shows? How does the “look” imply racism? Explain more there. (Your sense of your own racial identity might be relevant to bring in.)
As for your summary of Baldwin’s story, it is quite good, but there are many many comma splices and capitalization errors. A comma splice is where you have a comma at the end of an independent clause (a complete sentence/thought) where a period should go. Go back over it and pay careful attention to correcting the punctuation and capitalization. Thanks.
Aldo Pena
(A)
In James Baldwinâs article titled âA report from occupied territoryâ he writes about the racist encounter between a police man and a salesman. He goes on about how the man has been harassed and abused by the cops countless times. The problem between the cops and the salesman all started when the salesman tried to stand up for a kid being beaten by the cops, after trying to stop them he also got beaten by the cops and ended up losing an eye. The salesman was given an eyepatch and from that point on he was seen as a âBad Niggerâ to the police because of his appearance. His appearance with his eyepatch lead others to assume there’s bad history behind that eye injury, making him look like a bad civilian and increasing harassment from police. Now that he is seen like that he has to be more careful of his surroundings because of what they thought of him. The Salesman went on with his life and later on wrote a book on his history with the cops and informed other people the danger that they sometimes could be.
(B)
Police Brutality and rascism very much exist in the united states and iâve experienced racial profiling myself. In 2018. While I was jogging as part of training for boxing lessons I used to take, I was stopped at 7pm by the NYPD. It was winter/fall season so it was somewhat dark outside. I was being questioned and accused of selling liquor to other people under the drinking age. When I asked why I was stopped they had told me that I was suspicious because I was running with a black hoodie on. Since I didnât really know what my rights were or anything of the matter, the police frisked me and patted me down. The officers then walked me over to a group of 19 year olds who were about 3-4 years older than me. When they were asked to Identify me they all nodded their heads yes. Right after this they kept telling me I was looking at 1 year in Juvy and after this I was taken down to the police station and had to wait for my parents to pick me up. When they picked me up they were told that a fine of 2,000 was written up and immediately my mom hired a lawyer. Eventually the case was dismissed by a judge for lack of evidence since no one that I apparently sold liquor to showed up. That whole situation goes to show that teens are in danger of being harassed by police to this very day and situations like mine still occur on a daily basis throughout the United states. A reform must be done to protect minors from being held accountable with no proof.
Aldo, thank you for sharing your storyââin my opinion, it is one of the most powerful passages you’ve written for the course so far and will help your Essay 1 to become more persuasive, provided you can explain how it connects to your thesis. “Stop and Frisk” is obviously part of what is at stake here and you should explain how this (“Stop and Frisk”) connects to the broader topic of police brutality. You might also point out that you were fortunate to have a lawyer: what could have happened if you hadn’t been able to get a good lawyer? Countless people are in that awful situation, yes? You can discuss this in your essay.
As for your digest of the story Balwin tells of Frank Stafford, can you go into more detail about what happens to Stafford in police custody? What does he witness and experience while he is being detained?
Thanks.
A) In the article âA Report From Occupied Territory talks about what it took on how to convince the government to understand the facing problem their citizens are going though how can someone get mistreated almost killed for helping set of kids get beaten from police officers instead of addressing the issue and cuffing them . It comes down more to that situation and many more facts as James points out I have witnessed and endured the brutality of the police many more times than once but of course I cannot prove it. I cannot prove it because the police department investigates itself, quite as though it were answerable only to itself. But it cannot be allow to be answerable only to itself, it must be made to answer to the community which pays it, and which it is legally sworn to protect us, and if American negros are not a part of the American community, then all of the American professions are a fraudâ. Its always been about the police words matter never the individual that was missed treated. We need to be heard.
B) â A Free Pass With A Cost â-Based On True Story
By: Jay
It was 1995 it was during my high school days I was cutting class with my friends ( not proud of it ) my friends and I were walking back from the bagel store as we approached our campus , the school officer saw me and my friends across the street. Usually he would not hassle us but because he was with schoolteachers as he walked through the campus, he yelled at us and called us to walk over to him. Obviously, we did not go. he then headed towards us in an aggressive matter. We all started running in different directions. Officer Golden started running towards me, next thing you know I am being chased across campus by a police officer. Halfway through running through the campus he throws he baton at me, this is when I realized I needed to stop and face the music. Officer golden must have felt disrespected of me running and he express that by punching me in my face and kneeing me in my face. I fell to the ground and that when one of my friends his name was Ricky picked up the officerâs baton to give it to him. That is when officer Golden pulled out his gun and pointed it at Ricky and told him to drop the baton. My friend Ricky was shocked with officer Goldenâs reaction. So, he dropped the baton. Officer Golden then lifted me up and escorted me inside the school. As we walked through the hallway on the way to the deanâs office. Officer Golden says to me â if they asked what happened to you , you tell them that you fellâ I responded with â I didnât fall , you beat the crap out of me.â Officer Golden did not like that response to him so he slams me onto the wall. That is when I said âok, ok I fell, I fellâ Once inside the deanâs office officer Golden asked me for my information. As I start to give him my information, he kept asking me repeatedly the same question over and over again as from what I can tell he wanted a different answer as like he really didnât want my real information. After that confusion was over, he let me go. So, because he did not bring charges against me or write me summons or even a ticket for jay walking, were his actions justified? Because I get a pass does that give him the right to abuse his power?
This where I want to inform anyone who reads this story that how police officers mistreat our citizens abusing their power and where my point of view that police should always be trained and educated of policies and if not there will be serious consequences will be fired. They should always be monitored cameras must be on and activated and being checked at the end of their shifted, any misconduct must report right away and will be fired. This story based on true story this citizen faced abuse of these police that think this is doing their job and they must have to be stopped justice have to be served yes thee are young adults and adults themselves do wrong thing but you do your job not almost kill someone you arrest if needed or address the situation take the person where they need to be but not abuse them or kill them this is loss of humanity. Police brutality needs to stop justice needs to be served, and this is a big matter on why police brutality needs to be transformed.
Steph, hi–thank you for your reponse. Some thoughts for revising this:
The passage you’ve pulled from Baldwin’s “A Report from Occupied Territory” is quite salient; however, I want you to capture more of the events of the story he tells about Stafford the Salesman’s experience with the police. Please tell more of this story in your own words.
As for your own story, I’m confused as it doesn’t seem to be yours. Please tell me a story about something you saw or heard, something your friend went through, something a family member experienced that connects with the topic.
Thanks.
Atta Tariq
Professor Monroe
ENG92
07/23/20
Here’s another story of police brutality, as we read in James Baldwinâs article. In 1964, a guy named Frank Stafford, young salesman,father of two became the target of police brutality. Everyone was frightened of the police, one whoâs looking from windows left their windows. Some young boys running from the police had their guns out. When he was leaving from a customerâs apartment and came to the street. When he noticed police were beating kids, he went there and asked them why they were beating kids. Police tried to scare him with guns. He still asked them and then 3 cops started beating him poorly. After beating him, cops cuffed all of them and took them to police custody. When they reached their more cops came and started beating him even more just because they were black. They tortured them with padded clubs and called them by disgusting names. They beat one of elderly fellow to death because he also questioned cops why they were beating kids. Then they tortured the salesman, injured his eye so badly till it became necessary to hospitalize him. Cops took him to Harlem hospital and told him they canât do anything to save his eye. After that he moved to a different hospital and doctors couldnât do anything to save his eye. Police released him and he tried to feed his family, where people also call him âcop haterâ. Even though his lawyer gave him a suggestion, donât walk alone cops might mess with you again.
The story that I will be talking about is a famous story about the Central Park Five.
âThe Central Park fiveâ was the saddest story I have read and learned about. There is a show on Netflix called âwhen they see usâ. This show was a story of the Central Park Five. âOne spring evening in 1989, a group of around 30 teenagers were hanging out in Central Park, New York. There were five black young boys about 14-15 years old. Kevin Richardson, 14, Raymond Santana, 14, Antron McCray, 15, Yusef Salaam, 15, and 16-year-old Korey Wise. These five young boys (four black and one white hispanic) were just being normal teenagers going to the park around 8pm. Korey stayed back at a fried chicken shop with his girlfriend, even though his friend Yusef was banging on the glass door telling him to come but Korey decided to stay because of his girlfriend. All the boys were running to Central Park, not just them but a bunch of kids were. Everyone just got to the park until they heard police sirens and police cars passing by at the speed of light. Everyone was scattered and running around trying to escape from the police.
That night a 28-year-old white woman, Trisha Meili, had been out jogging in the park. She was found bruised, beaten and raped, she was in coma for 12 days. The police started there interrogation. Richardson and Santana were the first to be taken in by police, on reports of intimidating behaviour and muggings. The next day Salaam and Wise were taken. The police wasnât initially here for Wise but he decided to go with Yusef for moral support. The âfive boys were interrogated for at least seven hours without their parents, before four made video-taped confessions to detectives.â The DNA evidence from the semen did not match any of the five young boys. Prosecutors relied solely on the initial interrogations. Those five took back their statements saying that they were forced into giving false confessions. They were young scared little boys who were being screamed at for something they did not know and on top of that no parental supervision, which is illegal to question a minor without their guardian.
This case went on trial and the five young boys were charged with Assault; Robbery; Riot; Rape; Sexual abuse; and Attempted murder. All of them except Korey Wise was sent into Rikers Island because he was being looked up to as an adult. Everyone else went to Juvie. âHe ended up being charged as well, and served more than 13 years, the longest of the five boys.â Those five boys were no where near the crime scene and the evidence was not matching them either but this jogging rape case was about a white women and the police had to pin it on someone and they did.
They found five young black and Hispanic kids to pin it on. Police brutality is real and till this day is still an issue. Salaam said: “I would hear them beating up Korey Wise in the next room.
“They would come and look at me and say: ‘You realise you’re next’.
“The fear made me feel really like I was not going to be able to make it out”.
After two trials, the five teenagers were found guilty of offences including attempted murder, rape, assault and robbery, and were convicted to six to 13 years in prison. Race relations were strained especially when it came to the police. Korey was trialed as an adult and was sent to Rikers Island far from family.
He was beaten up many times and the guard in there would take bribes from Korey such as chocolates and stuff. The guard is the one who got him beaten up the first time so that Korey can do stuff for the guard. Poor little Korey scared had no idea what was happening to him. Korey transferred to another prison. He found a guard who was actually really nice and cared about him named âRobertsâ. Korey did not want to get beaten up again because he kept saying âtheyâre going to kill meâ Korey took solitary to not be in contact with anyone that can harm him. He had been there for a while.
âMatias Reyes had been convicted of a string of rapes and a murder and was in prison.
He’d come across one of the Central Park Five, Korey Wise, twice during imprisonment.
In 2002, a year after his second meeting, Reyes told the police he was the one who’d attacked and sexually assaulted Meili when he was 17 – and said he’d acted alone.
He was able to tell police details about the attack that wasn’t public knowledge and his DNA matched that at the scene of the crime.â
The five men were cleared of all charges having almost served their full sentences. The five men were cleared of all charges having almost served their full sentences. The Five also filed a civil suit against New York City and received $41m in the settlement. Korey Wise received the biggest share of $12 million dollars because he spent the most time in prison. Our government and judicial system is so wrong that in order to close the case knowing that there is no evidence against those innocent kids they still pinned it on them because they didnât want the media to come at their police.
Atta, thank you. My response is similar to the one I had to Lubna’s text.
Nice work with the Baldwin story. Just a couple things there: can you explain more why Baldwin claims the eye patch branded Stafford as a âbad niggerâ; also, why does Baldwin suggest that âbad niggersâ are âusually killedâ?
As for your story, the case of the Central Park Five is an important one. However, I want you to tell a story that is âcloser to homeâââone that isnât big name news/history. Tell me a story about something you saw, something your friend went through, something a family member experienced that connects with the topic. I already know a bit about the Central Park Five; what I want to know about is a story close to YOUR OWN LIFE.
Thanks.
Lubna Mojumder
Professor Monroe
ENG92
In the article âA Report From Occupied Territoryâ by James Baldwin he tells a story about a salesman named Frank Stafford who lived in Harlem , who has had a bad experience with racist cops. He was seeking to assist a young guy who become getting overwhelmed through the cops simply by way of asking âwhy are you beating him like that ?â the police officers Pursued to attack him by way of swinging on him. They arrested him with four others and they all were taken to the police station. At the police station the men were hanged up on by using police and referred to as a group of racist names and actually overwhelmed him so terrible he had a horrific eye that couldnât and became compelled to put on a eyepatch, this pit a mark on him as a âhorrific niggerâ each cop would have a possibility to clutter with him because of the name âhorrific niggerâ who they say are âtypically killedâ.
The Central Park 5 Case nice story book I read this book when I was in high school
In 1989, five Black and Latino teenagers were arrested and charged with brutally attacking and raping a white female jogger in Central perk. News media swarmed the case, calling them a âwolfpack.â My group is the 5 teenage boys. Our names are Salam, Yusef, Raymond, Kharey, Antron and they were discriminated against. The victim had been beaten seriously, as police we felt angry after the investigation of the cruel behaviours. They were hanging out in the Central park the site of the crime.They didnât commit the crime. The victim had been beaten seriously. As police, we felt angry after the investigation of the cruel behaviours.They felt ashamed and individualized and they were in the criminal park. The site of the crime changed the crime and then I think everybody took his own way. The victim, then 28 years-old Trisha Ellen Meili,lived on East 83rd street between York Avenue and East Avenue on the upper East side of Manhattan.
Nice work with the Baldwin story, Lubna. Just a couple things there: can you explain more why Baldwin claims the eye patch branded Stafford as a “bad nigger”; also, why does Baldwin suggest that “bad niggers” are “usually killed”?
As for your story, the case of the Central Park Five is an important one. However, I want you to tell a story that is “closer to home”ââone that isn’t big name news/history. Tell me a story about something you saw, something your friend went through, something a family member experienced that connects with the topic. I already know a bit about the Central Park Five; what I want to know about is a story close to YOUR OWN LIFE.
Thanks.
In âA Report from Occupied Territory â James Baldwin talks about a salesman named Frank Stafford who experienced police brutality when he left a customers house and saw a group of police officers beating up a kid, and simply asked them why they were beating him. The cops didnât take this lightly as they asked the salesman to stand back, the salesman didnât back off and asked âwhat for?â which he would soon regret because the three police officers would beat him right after. The salesman was then taken to the police station with four others. Once at the police station the salesmanâs experience would only worsen. The police officer entered the room where the salesman and the four others were at and continued to beat them, spit on them and called them animals and by the N word. The salesman was badly beaten in one eye and he needed to be hospitalized, which then led to him losing that eye.
In âProtesters in New York detail alleged police abuse at demonstrationsâ Mark Morales the author talks about a case of police brutality while protesting for the killing of George Floyde. A Bronx Teenager named Jahmel Leach was beaten by police in the Bronx who thought he was setting fires, âThe officer stated to me, Jahmel was so tall, I thought he was an adult when I took him downâ Jahmel a tall teenager was confused as an adult that was setting fires at the protest. when he suddenly heard a police officer get out of his car and charge at him falling to the ground he fell and looked up at the officer and took a taser to the face, at that moment he didnât even have an opportunity to talk, identify himself or say anything. This is an example of excessive use of force, that’s why we need more restrictive policies around what use of force methods are allowed.