My podcast last night really rattle the West Indian American Day Carnival Association, listen HERE or watch HERE.
So, in their normal tardy fashion, WIADCA finally responds to the recent remarks by some NYPD cops about West Indian people and their parade. Read below:
Hearing and reading about these remarks made by NYPD officers, “animals, savages, bomb them” was truly disappointing, however, not surprising. While these are the views of many, I am sure that does not reflect all of the administration. These are gross, irresponsible descriptions that undermine the mission and purpose of the event.
WIADCA is grateful for the ongoing long term support of the Mayor’s office, Commissioner Kelly, the NYPD and all of those officers who assist in the Labor Day Parade, Carnival and events. There are many NYPD officers that believe that our community, similar to so many other New York City parades and events, is simply having a wonderful time in Carnival song, dance, music and art. They also know and believe that WIADCA’s families, participants, supporters and children are expressing the performance, joy and exuberance of Carnival.
WIADCA is the largest Parade and Carnival in the City and a significant economic component of revenue for both the City as well as New York State. The economic impact on both New York’s large and small businesses is unparalleled. The Hotels, MTA riders, restaurants, and other tourist supporting components of the City would suffer greatly without the Labor Day event.
Carnival is supposed to be a euphoric experience that is enjoyed by all who attend, police included. It is meaningful and brings together many friends and family members from “back home” every Labor Day in a reunion filled with music, island food, and beautiful costumes. The difference with this Carnival is that it is celebrated by many of the islands where Eastern Parkway comes alive every Labor Day with representation from Trinidad & Tobago, Jamaica, Haiti, Barbados, St. Vincent, St. Lucia, Grenada, and even Panama. This Carnival has grown to a celebration of over 2.5 million people, which also speaks volumes to NYC coffers.
We are extremely disappointed to learn about the facebook page set up by some NYPD officers that maligned not only the Labor Day event but also the participants and members of our community. The language and expressions used to characterize our community members is both racist and volatile and cannot be characterized in any other manner.
In addition, in sharp contrast to the current official reactions to any and all terrorist type comments and actions, the comment of “I say have the parade one more year and when they all gather drop a bomb and wipe them all out,” would not be tolerated in any part of New York. It would not be tolerated on New Year’s in Times Square, it would not be tolerated at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, it would not be tolerated in Central Park. NO EXCEPTION can be made. It cannot be tolerated for Labor Day.
If these statements are true, it justifies the need for more cultural awareness. When segments of our community, especially those who are supposed to protect our youth express these feelings and sentiments regarding other groups, then we need more effective dialogue, because it represents the most obvious need.
The fact that there are members of the New York community who serve in the task of protecting the rights of New York citizens and who function as role models for our children that in 2012 still express such vile and historically racist beliefs is greatly disturbing.
Any culture of Police Officers’ contempt for New York’s Black and Brown communities either real or symbolic cannot be tolerated. We are calling on the elected officials and Leaders of our communities to support our effort to end any and all police contempt towards members of our communities. We call on Mayor Bloomberg, Commissioner Kelly and Bill DeBlasio, Public Advocate, for an immediate meeting to assist us in rooting out all volatile racist behaviors and attitudes from members of our NYPD force.
One of the mediums could be a wellness over violence initiative to heal and address these types of concerns to bring us closer together, as a community and a nation. In 1826 Thomas Jefferson passed away and stated that he was leaving the issue of race relations for another generation to solve. Did he mean 2012? Must it take so long for us to live up to the ideals of the founding fathers of this great nation? If we choose to become a leader when will we completely grow into our own ideal and can we bring these members of the NYPD along?
Neither the violence exhibited within the community, due to various socio-economic ills facing people of color, nor the violence against the community including external and internal aspects of racism can be accepted in any form. Today’s words become tomorrow’s bullets in anyone’s hands toward our men, women and children of the Black and Brown communities of New York. It cannot be allowed to exist anywhere, any longer.
Yolanda Lezama Clark
WIADCA, President
I have attached the name that came with this press release which is Briding Newell, so please flood her at 718-467-1797 or inbox wiadcabriding@aol.com to find out what WIADCA plans to do right now, in the community and 365 days of the year – outside of Carnival.
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December 8, 2011 at 11:40 am
I’m dying of laughter at “….. to find out what WIADCA plans to do right now, in the community and 365 days of the year – outside of Carnival. ” Watch meh, WIADCA, please spare me your regurgitated late arse response. Their voice of discontent should have been the FIRST to have been sounding the alarms, especially since they’re so ‘invested’ in the community. I’m not and have not been impressed with this organization’s continuous lip service. As I said on twitter last night, WIADCA is comprised of opportunistic users who remain to be consistently inconsistent!
The only way new and progressive ideas can and will be heard is if the young and viable decide to form an entirely new organization; and one that is interested in action and visible interaction.
December 8, 2011 at 12:32 pm
Typical response, but as mentioned lastnight on the radio show, there was no inclusion of the community in their statement. It’s the community that holds the power to hold these police officers and elected officials accountable for their actions. WADCA could meet with the elected officials tomorrow and that still won’t change the racial undertones that have existed for years within the city.
The community really needs to galvanize around this issue and find out what’s really going on in their city. The attitudes of these officers is NOT an isolated incident. This thing is bigger than we think and I do believe that those sentiments shared by those officers could lead to a bigger game at play that the community has no idea is going on.
The question that needs to be addressed is what’s the long term plans for the Labor Day parade and the WIADCA organization in the eyes of the city. Is it something even WORTH protecting or is it something they see fizzling out simply because of the the lack of community involvement within the political process? As a community, we can’t expect law enforcement and elected officials to support our endeavors if we never voice our concerns until an incident occurs. We need to ask the serious questions and demand the serious answers to produce a solution that is befitting of the rich cultural heritage of the community affected.