To those who love freedom, equality, justice, and human rights, it is essential to remember who America is.
Many will write to tell about what America is.
They will tell you about the great ideals, the lofty principles, “can do” enthusiasm, and fearlessness in change.
But the ideas of America, the values of America, and character of America are nothing without the American people. Without the American people, the ideas of America are nothing but words and good intentions.
It never has been about “what” America is, but always about “who” America is.
People who try to achieve values, when the world often seems against them.
People who work to have integrity of character in a too frequently corrupt and cynical world.
People who work for their communities, in a world that prizes narcissism and self-absorption.
People who believe in getting things done, when the odds are against them.
People who are willing to risk everything on a fearless commitment to change and freedom.
We hear so much about the symbols of America, its history, the flag, the government institutions.
But those define as much about America as an automobile logo on a hood defines what an automobile is. It takes every part working together to make it run.
It takes every one of the American people to make America work, even when we don’t agree, and sometimes, especially when we don’t agree.
In times of division, the American character is tested, because our individual character is tested.
We are challenged to prove if we truly have the courage of our convictions, every single day.
When we face times of division and challenge, it is not the first time, and it won’t be the last time.
Americans will work together to find a way. That’s what they do. That’s why they are Americans.
The answers to America’s future won’t be found among the powerful leaders and the ever-loquacious pundits.
They know only the smallest part of America, like a sea-shell on the shore trying to lecture the sea itself.
The American people, in all of their diversity, their many states, backgrounds, dreams, responsibilites, hopes, tragedies, successes, failures, faiths, conscience, and identities – they are America.
The youngest child that dreams of a bright future, and the loving grandmother who holds the child’s hand and sees hope for tomorrow.
The impatient businessman and the patient caregiver.
The hopeful and the disappointed. The joyous and the heartbroken. The sick and the strong.
The hard-working person struggling to make ends meet, and the wealthy who have shown the limitlessness of financial success.
The brick-laying construction workers and the architects that build infrastructures in their mind.
They all are part of the same America, no matter how different they may seem, even to each other.
In small towns and large cities, literally from sea to shining sea, Americans build their communities, their families, and their dreams togther.
They are brought together in a common cause, not simply in a nation-state, but in answering to the age old question of “why,”… “why not.”
They are brought together to find within themselves the courage to do what no else believed they could do.
As the nature of blogging and the volume and complexity of world Human Rights issues have increased, the overwhelming majority of R.E.A.L.’s postings are on social media, working to educate, to inform, to inspire, and mostly to CHANGE. R.E.A.L. continues to also use this blog occasionally for long, unusual, and complex stories that we cannot address on social media, but on a daily basis the majority of what we are writing about is on Twitter. You can find R.E.A.L. on Twitter at: @realhumanrights
In a breathtakingly irresponsible act, R.E.A.L. has learned through French news media that the reported attack on a teacher in the Paris suburb of Aubervilliers, is now reported that it was a lie created by the teacher as a way to get a job transfer, according to French authorities.
Given that there is a very real threat by the French ISIS to attack French schools, this irresponsible action was nothing short of deranged.
The New York Times also reports it ” ‘was a fake attempt, done so that he could have himself transferred’ to another job, the official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity because he was not allowed to speak to reporters about the episode.”
In the meantime, from this incident, we have learned previously unreported information on the French ISIS threats to schools. As we learned this morning from the French news media, Liberation reported that French intelligence had identified that ISIS terrorist publication, written in French,” ‘Dar-al-Islam’ has called for attacks against officials of Education, which it calls the ‘the enemies of Allah’ who ‘teach secularism’ and that are in ‘open war against the Muslim family.’ The active jihadist group in Iraq and Syria, which recruited hundreds of young French, has been calling for ‘fighting’ and ‘killing’ of officials of social services.”
Especially under the circumstances and the current state of emergency in France, this was the high of irresponsible actions.
American ISIS terrorist Jonas Edmonds planned to be dressed as a U.S. Army soldier when he attacked the United States.
The U.S. Department of Justice reported on December 10, 2015 that American ISIS terrorist Jonas Edmonds, from Aurora, Illinois, pleaded guilty” to federal charges involving conspiracy to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization in the Middle East. According to the plea agreement, Jonas Edmonds intended to carry out an act of terrorism in the United States after Hasan Edmonds had departed for the Middle East. Specifically, in March 2015, the cousins devised a plan for Jonas Edmonds to carry out an armed attack at the U.S. Army National Guard base in Joliet, Illinois, during which time Hasan Edmonds was a member of the Army National Guard and had been training at the Joliet installation. According to the plea agreement, the plan called for Hasan Edmonds to provide military uniforms for Jonas Edmonds to wear during the attack, as well as a list of officers for Jonas Edmonds to kill.”
Jonas Edmonds and his cousin, Army National Guard Specialist Hasan Edmonds, were recruited by the ISIS terrorist organization to commit acts of terror.
As previously reported, “Jonas Edmonds asked the FBI undercover employee to assist in the attack and explained that they would use Hasan Edmonds’ uniforms and the information he supplied about how to access the installation and target officers for attack.”
As the New Yorker also reported on their case, Jonas Edmonds wrote “about ‘bring[ing] the pain to them here,’ maximizing ‘damage and mayhem,’ and ‘something like the brother in Paris did.’ ”
Illinois: American ISIS Terror Recruit Jason Edwards Pleaded Guilty on December 10, 2015 to U.S. Terrorist Plot
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Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.) stands in support of our universal human rights for all, and we stand in defiance against those, including terrorist and hate groups, which seek to attack such universal human rights, dignity, and security for all.
The human rights abuse of Natasha McKenna should shock and disgust civilized people and those who respect justice in America and around the world. Those responsible should be held accountable for their actions. But the Fairfax County Virginia prosecutors office decided to take no action in the electrocution of Natasha McKenna, who was repeatedly shocked with a 50,000 volt Taser gun while she was subdued on the ground, by a man, Lieutenant Lucas Salzman, who also teaches our police how to use such electric shock weapons.
Fairfax Sheriff’s Office Lieutenant Lucas (“Luke”) J. Salzman fired an Electric Taser Gun to electically shock Natasha McKenna FOUR Times – who he told a team that she was mentally ill
If there was any doubt before, watching the video released by the Fairfax County Sheriff’s Office on September 10, 2015, removes any doubt about the human rights abuse of Natasha McKenna, who died after being shocked four times with this high voltage Taser gun. As she was reportedly mentally ill, there is no doubt the extreme way that she was treated not only violated any professional standards for humane law enforcement, but also it clearly would have exacerbated any difficult situation. In our commitment to universal human rights, Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.) has repeatedly reported on the initial reports on Natasha McKenna in February 2015 (with April update), and the September 10, 2015 report of the video of her being shocked to death. We object to the treatment of Natasha McKenna as being “cruel and unusual punishment” not only against the law according to the Constitution of the United States of America (Amendment Eight and Bill of Rights), but also against the human rights standards and laws of the civilized world.
Natasha McKenna says “You Promised You Would Not Kill Me” as she is left out of her jail cell
At the beginning of the video, you can see her coming out of the door peacefully, and you can hear her say “you promised you would not kill me.” She is naked, handcuffed, forced down onto her knees, and then pushed down on the ground with a police shield. She is no threat, but the Fairfax Sheriff’s Office team’s Lt. Lucas J. Salzman still has a 50,000 volt Electric Taser Gun pointed at her.
They use a police shield to immediately press her to the door and then to the ground. But let’s not use the word “they” – let’s be specific on the accountability for this.
As soon as the terrified Natasha McKenna came out of her cell, they targeted her with a shield, and SERT lead Lt. Lucas J. Salzman aims an Electric Taser Gun at her.
The Fairfax County report describes a Sheriff’s Emergency Response Team (SERT) “five man team” for this 5′ 3″ woman Natasha McKenna, which was led by Lieutenant Lucas J. Salzman, Deputy Jonathan Perryman, Deputy Adam Henry, Deputy Patrick D. McPartlin, and Deputy Kenneth S. Krstulovic. They are responsible for this; they are not just nameless individuals.
The leader of the SERT team, Lieutenant Lucas J. Salzman, was also the trigger-man who shot Natasha McKenna with the Taser electric weapon gun repeatedly. The Fairfax County report describes Lucas Salzman as “experienced in the use of Taser.” He was “so experienced” that he used a 50,000 volt Taser FOUR TIMES on a woman who was restrained. The Fairfax County prosecutor report praising Lucas Salzman’s taser “experience,” states that he “first completed certification in 2006. Since then he has re-qualified every year and is currently an instructor in the use of the ECD or Taser.” Now Lucas Salzman KNEW that Natasha McKenna was mentally ill, or at least that’s what he wrote in his reports. The Fairfax County report stated that “Lt. Salzman briefed the team on Ms. McKenna’s mental illness, combativeness, history of assault on law enforcement officers and Adult Detention Center deputies” – but Lucas Salzman thought the right way to approach someone who is mentally ill and combative would be extremely agitate them by mobbing that person with a group of officers in white Tyvek suits and armor. Lucas Salzman thought that electrocuting Natasha McKenna FOUR TIMES with a 50,000 volt taser was the way to treat someone who he told his team is “mentally ill.”
But there are no consequences for the killing of Natasha McKenna for Lt. Lucas Salzman who was a Sergeant two years ago, and recently got promoted to Lieutenant. Even with the video release by the Fairfax County Sheriff’s Office, there are no consequences for Lucas Salzman’s electrocution of a woman who was restrained by a team of five police officers, led by Lucas Salzman. If any part of Natasha McKenna sought to be unrestrained a leg, anything, there was another electrocution of her by Lucas Salzman’s Taser gun.
They call the Taser a “Conducted Energy Weapon” or a “CEW.” In the Fairfax County report, it states that “It appears from the video that CEW was used drive stun mode at approximately seventeen minutes and twenty seconds (17:20 video), probe mode at approximately eighteen minutes and one second (18:01 video), drive stun and probe mode at approximately nineteen minutes fifteen seconds (19:15 video), and drive stun and probe mode at approximately twenty minutes (20:00 video).”
Lt. Lucas Salzman shots Electric Taser Gun into Natasha McKenna FOUR TIMES – including while she is in Restraint Chair
The Fairfax County report clearly states that it was Lucas Salzman who fired the 50,000 volt Taser gun into Natash McKenna FOUR TIMES:
— “Lt. Salzman removed the cartridge from the Taser and placed the Taser on her right upper leg and pulled the trigger in drive stun mode one time holding it in place for five seconds. He deployed the Taser in drive stun as a method of obtaining pain compliance in order to get her legs secured into the chair”
— “Lt. Salzman decided to re-deploy the Taser, this time using the darts along with the drive stun. He intended to put both darts in her right leg and press the Taser elsewhere on her body in order to get a greater spread and gain compliance. Lt.Salzman announced, “Taser” (18:02 video). He fired the darts into her leg at close quarters resulting in a very small spread between the two prongs. At that point, the Taser began cycling (administering current). The Taser cycles for five seconds with each deployment.”
— “Lt. Salzman decided to drive stun Ms. McKenna in the middle of her outside right bicep.” “Lt. Salzman placed the Taser against Ms. McKenna’s outside right bicep and pulled the trigger one time, letting it cycle for five seconds as he counted aloud from five to zero (19:18 video).”
— “Lt. Salzman again applied the Taser Ms. McKenna’s to upper outer right arm (20:00 video)”
Let’s be clear, Lucas Salzman TEACHES our police how to use a Taser gun.
Our support for human rights must include our commitment to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) Article 5, which states that “No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment,” and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) Article 7, which states “No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.” The United States of America is a signatory to both the UDHR and the ICCPR and should be held accountable for following international human rights covenants. Its ratification of the ICCPR includes a specific support for the ICCPR Article 7 to be consistent with the U.S. Constitution.
There should be NO QUESTION for civilized people in America and in the world.
Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.) calls for an investigation of this by the U.S. Department of Justice (DoJ) regarding the unconstitutional actions in the electrocution of Natasha McKenna by Lucas Salzman, which clearly resulted in her death.
But further, we call upon the United Nations to intervene, as we have been in contact with the United Nations for many months, and we know that the United Nations is monitoring the degrading human rights conditions in the United States of America on African-American human rights. The killing of this restrained woman with multiple electrocution gun attacks on a helpless individual is clearly “cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment” which should involve action by the United Nations’ Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). Responsible for Equality And Liberty calls once again for the U.N. OHCHR to review and investigate this human rights atrocity. We call upon the U.N. OHCHR to communicate with the U.S. Department of State, Department of Justice, and the President of the United States on the growing concerns by the U.N. and the civilized world regarding human rights violations against American citizens, and in particular, African-American citizens.
We call for American citizens and civilized people around the world to contact the United Nations (U.N.) Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) to ask the OHCHR’s Americas Section to monitor this human rights abuse, and to act in communicating to the United States of America government that such human rights abuses are unacceptable to the United Nation and the world under the UDHR and ICCPR, which forbids such “cruel and unusual punishment.” We urge people of the world to contact the U.N. OHCHR’s High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein (InfoDesk@ohchr.org) and the U.N. OHCHR’s Americas Section Human Rights Officer Carlos de la Torre Martinez (cdelatorre@ohchr.org , Tel: +41 22 917 9535, Fax: +41 22 928 90 18, Mailing Address: Palais des Nations, CH-1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland) to let the U.N. know that the American people and civilized people around the world, are counting on the U.N. to be a voice for the shared universal human rights of ALL people, including Americans, and especially African-Americans in the United States of America.
We call upon the OHCHR to act to condemn such human rights violations in the United States of America, which are violations of the international human rights covenants ratified by the U.S. government, and to call for international sanctions should such human rights violators not be brought to justice
We live in a civilized world of laws and standards, not just for one person, one city, one state, or even one nation, but laws and standard the civilized world adheres too. When we stand for our universal human rights, we stand for all of those laws and standards, not just in some place, but in all places, including the United States of America. The law is the law – not only for private individuals, but also for nations.
We call for the United States government leaders, the United Nations, and our brothers and sisters in humanity across the world to speak out on the abuse of authority which resulted in the death of Natasha McKenna, and to hold those responsible for her death accountable.
We call for the human rights abuses against African-Americans to end, and for the U.S. DoJ and the international world human rights organizations to hold such human rights abusers accountable and responsible for their actions.
As previously reported by Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.), Natasha McKenna was arrested by the Fairfax police and was electrocuted to death while shackled by the Fairfax Sheriff’s Office jail staff while transferring her to Alexandria, Virginia. She had a history of mental problems, and clearly needed medical treatment. However, because she had “assaulted” an Alexandria police officer, they decided to keep her in a Fairfax jail.
On September 10, 2015, after Fairfax prosecutor Raymond F. Morrogh decided not to press charges against the police involved in her death, the Fairfax County Sheriff’s office released a video of her being taken out of the jail cell by Fairfax sheriff’s office police in white bioharzard garb, where she was immediately pushed down on to the ground with a clear police shield and shackled. Then the Fairfax sheriff’s police electrocuted her with a 50,000 volt Taser gun FOUR TIMES.
In the video, you can see the Fairfax police electrocute the restrained woman with the taser. FOUR TIMES – with a 50,000 volt Taser gun.
Our universal human rights include the human right of safety and security from such cruel and inhuman treatment. The United States of America is a signatory to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). The ICCPR, Section 7, states: “No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. ”
The cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment by the Fairfax County Sheriff’s Office is a violation of the ICCPR agreed by the United States of America. Human rights activists must call for consistency in support for human right agreements by all nations, including the United States of America.
Fairfax Sheriff’s Department: Natasha McKenna is Electrocuted with a 50,000 Taser Gun FOUR TIMES while under restraint in a chairFairfax County Sheriff’s Department lead who appears to be the one who used the Taser repeatedly on Natasha McKenna – do you know this man?As soon as the terrified Natasha McKenna came out of her cell they targeted her with a shield and taser gunBy the time Natasha McKenna was brought to the prisoner transport vehicle, she already was in severe medical distress.Fairfax Police Medical Person Clearly Realizes Natasha McKenna doesn’t have a steady heartbeat / pulse
R.E.A.L. educating Ferguson/St. Louis police today on U.S. Civil Rights Act today.
They state they did not know. That’s how far we have to go.
For those who don’t know, it is against the law for people with assault rifles to show up at public protests and intimidate people. It’s a federal crime.
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18 U.S. Code § 245 – Federally protected activities
(b) Whoever, whether or not acting under color of law, by force or threat of force willfully injures, intimidates or interferes with, or attempts to injure, intimidate or interfere with—
(5) any citizen because he is or has been, or in order to intimidate such citizen or any other citizen from lawfully aiding or encouraging other persons to participate, without discrimination on account of race, color, religion or national origin, in any of the benefits or activities described in subparagraphs (1)(A) through (1)(E) or subparagraphs (2)(A) through (2)(F), or participating lawfully in speech or peaceful assembly opposing any denial of the opportunity to so participate—
shall be fined under this title, or imprisoned not more than one year, or both; and if bodily injury results from the acts committed in violation of this section or if such acts include the use, attempted use, or threatened use of a dangerous weapon, explosives, or fire shall be fined under this title, or imprisoned not more than ten years, or both; and if death results from the acts committed in violation of this section or if such acts include kidnapping or an attempt to kidnap, aggravated sexual abuse or an attempt to commit aggravated sexual abuse, or an attempt to kill, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned for any term of years or for life, or both, or may be sentenced to death. As used in this section, the term “participating lawfully in speech or peaceful assembly” shall not mean the aiding, abetting, or inciting of other persons to riot or to commit any act of physical violence upon any individual or against any real or personal property in furtherance of a riot. Nothing in subparagraph (2)(F) or (4)(A) of this subsection shall apply to the proprietor of any establishment which provides lodging to transient guests, or to any employee acting on behalf of such proprietor, with respect to the enjoyment of the goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages, or accommodations of such establishment if such establishment is located within a building which contains not more than five rooms for rent or hire and which is actually occupied by the proprietor as his residence.
Nashville, Tennessee media WKRN is reporting that a 29-year-old white male attacked a movie theater in Antioch, TN, with a hatchet and a gun, spraying chemical pepper spray on those in the theater, while he wore a mask. Three people were injured and he injured one man with his axe. The man was shot by police after they wore gas masks and entered the theater, while the terrorist sought to flee out the back door.
He had two backpacks which were “hoax bombs” intended to delay police while he escaped.
Scene of Theater Attack in Antioch, TN (Source: WKRN)
White city leaders of the Maryland shore town of Pockomoke City held a meeting on August 3, 2015 to defend their actions in firing African-American police chief Kelvin Sewell. In addition, according to the AP, “The Justice Department sent community affairs representatives to a church gathering to listen to residents’ concerns.” The AP reported that there were “sharp exchanges between audience members, the mayor and Councilman George Tasker, who was accused of referring to supporters of Sewell as ‘you people.’ ”
Chief Sewell has stated that he was fired on June 29, 2015, because he refused demands by Pockomoke City Mayor Bruce Morrison, the city manager, and the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office that he fire two fellow African-American police officers who filed complaints saying they had been treated unfairly. The other two African-American police officers, Franklin L. Savage and Lt. Lynell Green, had EEOC complaints that they were working in a hostile, racist working environment.
The Washington Post states that “The officers alleged in complaints with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission that they faced racism that was overt and rampant — allegations the city denies. Among the incidents alleged: a food stamp superimposed with President Obama’s face that was left on a black detective’s desk and a text message that read, ‘What is ya body count nxxxx?’ ”
Andrew G. McBride, co-counsel for the Washington Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs, told the Washington Post that “This is one of the most egregious cases of primary racial discrimination and retaliation for assertion of rights before the EEOC that I’ve seen.” “Chief Sewell has a fantastic record as a police officer. He was terminated because he stood up for two African American officers who filed an EEOC complaint.”
“Its current troubles began three years ago when detective Franklin L. Savage was detailed to the Worcester County Criminal Enforcement team. The eight-member task force was made up of officers from Ocean City, Dorchester County, Maryland State Police and Pocomoke City. Savage was the only African American assigned to it. Savage said that during his two years on the task force, he was consistently subjected to racism and discrimination, including the repeated use of the ‘n-word’ and references to the Ku Klux Klan. In December 2013, he walked outside for a lunch break and found a bloody deer tail on the windshield of his unmarked police car, he said in his EEOC complaint. A group of white officers stood nearby, laughing. Four months later, he alleged, the food stamp with Obama’s face superimposed on it was left on his desk. Savage, now 35, reported the incidents to his supervisor, but he said the behavior did not stop. ‘Each day I went to work, I felt hurt, ashamed and confused. Racism still exists,’ Savage said. ‘And we took an oath to do the right thing each day.’ The Maryland State Police Criminal Enforcement Division eventually found that Savage’s complaints against one corporal were justified and promised in a letter that the offender would be punished.”
“Last year, Savage returned to the Pocomoke City police department, where he said the harassment and discrimination continued. Savage said he was stripped of his title of detective and moved to administrative duty, checking computer serial numbers and clearing old files. He filed a complaint with the EEOC on July 21, 2014. Lt. Lynell Green said the harassment against him began after he attended a mediation session in support of Savage. ‘It all started when I stood behind Detective Savage,’ said Green, 49, who said his overtime pay was cut. ‘I’ve never experienced anything like that in my life.’ Green, a former Baltimore police officer who began working for Pocomoke City in 2011, filed an EEOC complaint March 15. ”
“During this time, Sewell said he was being pressured by Mayor Bruce Morrison, the city manager and the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office to fire the officers. Sewell filed an EEOC complaint March 9 and was fired after a 4-to-1 vote by the city council three months later.”
AP reports that “Diane Downing, the lone black member of the five-person council and sole vote against firing Sewell, said city officials and outside authorities wanted Savage fired because he could not be trusted after filing his EEOC complaint and would not be allowed to testify in court cases.”
Parts of the Maryland shore have been known for a greater tolerance of racist behavior and support for police brutality. We know the majority of people respect human rights and dignity, and we urge them to continue to speak out against such abuses. R.E.A.L. challenged the views of a Wicomico sheriff’s office in June 2015.
As too many around the world continue to recognize the continuing threat of Nazi terrorist activity, Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.) was sad to see a report from the Wall Street Journal about a book of “satire,” “comedy” music distributed by college band members, which mocks the Holocaust. It reported the Ohio State University Marching Band (OSUMB) created a book of “parody songs,” which denigrated people of minority identity groups. R.E.A.L. is also aware that OSUMB song book also had a song for Adolf Hitler singing about him killing Jewish people as part of their “comedy” songs (which was clearly part of their “parody” songs at least since 2006).
In the most recent OSUMB “parody song book” the members distributed a song called “Goodbye Kramer,” which mocked the Holocaust. The Wall Street Journal reported that the song mocking the Holocaust made “joking references to furnaces used in Nazi concentration camps and the train cars used to transport Jews to their deaths.” The Wall Street Journal reported that the contemptible song had “lines about Nazi soldiers ‘searching for people livin’ in their neighbor’s attic,’ and a ‘small town Jew…who took the cattle train to you know where.’ ” The Wall Street Journal reports additional details on graphic, disgusting remarks mocking the Holocaust in the OSUMB song book, which R.E.A.L. will not republish here. The detailed lyrics in the OSUMB Holocaust mockery song clearly demonstrate there were sung by those with no conscience and no respect for human life and dignity.
Former band member Lee Auer, who is now a band instructor in central Ohio, told the WSJ that he knew the parody song book was fun: “It was fun for me as an individual, but we knew if the public ever caught wind of them, people are going to lose respect. Now, I feel worse about it than I ever did. ” But let’s be clear, Mr. Lee Auer is not concerned that it was WRONG, he is concerned about whether people will lose respect for him. He doesn’t make a public statement apologizing that it was morally and ethically wrong. His concern then, as now, is only for himself.
The Daily Mail also reports that the OSUMB “parody tune written by members of the controversy-riddled band included references to furnaces used in Nazi concentration camps and the train cars used to transport Jews to their deaths.”
What none of the media has reported is that this OSUMB “parody song book” also had an earlier version in 2006 with a song for Adolf Hitler called “The Hitler Song,” where members of the OSUMB band sang “Kill the Jews all night, Kill the Jews all day.”
The OSUMB song book introduction stated it was including the Holocaust mockery song as a new edition with instructions to the OSUMB members: “Some of these [songs] may be offensive to you. If so, you can either ignore them, or you can suck it up, act like you got a pair and have a good time singing them.” The disturbed OSUMB found a moral equivalence with obscene attacks in contempt of human rights and a form of “courage.” Responsible for Equality And Liberty declares that contempt for our shared universal human rights and dignity is not any form of courage at all. It is nothing less than the epitome of cowardice.
As Jeffrey Sonheim writes, this “kind of hatred, once tolerated, then gets the nerve to become a tiny bit more open, Then ever so slowly cascades into total openness as hatred finds a home.” Closing his comment, most appropriately, with “When do you intend to grow up?”
Ohio State University Marching Band (OSUMB) Had Song Mocking the Holocaust and Nazi Killings of Jews
The existence of the OSUMB band “parody” song book first came to light in July 2014, after an investigation into the band’s culture. In 2014, the band director, Jonathan Waters was fired, after what the investigation found was a “deep culture of sexual harassment and sexualized behavior existed in the band.” The report also stated “many if not all of the traditions predate Waters.” In the report, it also indicated that a mocking nickname for one of the Jewish members of the band was used.
OSUMB Band Leader Jonathan Waters was Fired After “Sexual Environment” Discovered (Source: AP)
The Wall Street Journal could not reach former OSUMB band director Jon Woods, who was band director in 2012 according to the WSJ, for comment. Jonathan Waters was the assistant band director and been with the band since 2002.
Dr. Jon Woods, Leader of the Ohio State University Marching Band in 2012
Three words for the OSUMB and its leaders: SHAME ON YOU.
Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.) stands by the B’nai B’rith in its condemnation of this “satire” mocking the Holocaust, as R.E.A.L. stands in defiance of all racist symbols of hate. As R.E.A.L. protesters were recently told to our faces by a young man in Maryland at our protest on Nazi symbols, some people find the Holocaust appropriate for “comedy” and “mocking.” R.E.A.L. and adult people of conscience do NOT.
Responsible for Equality And Liberty stands in solidarity with every word of B’nai B’rith and their report on this disgusting mocking of the Holocaust.
“B’nai B’rith International is highly offended by the despicable Ohio State University marching band’s Holocaust-inspired song called ‘Goodbye Kramer.’ The song, sung to the tune of Journey’s ‘Don’t Stop Believin’,’ references Nazis looking for Jews living in attics and Jews traveling by way of cattle car, to their deaths at Nazi concentration camps. The song was discovered in an updated version of the band’s highly controversial songbook exposed in 2014 after a school investigation into the band’s culture. An initial report discovered the book that had been a long held secret with songs centering on bestiality, rape and homophobia. A follow-up investigation revealed ‘Goodbye Kramer’ was added to the band’s repulsive repertoire in 2012, as was another song denigrating the University of Nebraska. It is never acceptable to trivialize Holocaust imagery. To do so in a jovial tone and completely for the sake of offending is even more abhorrent. The Ohio State marching band has long been dubbed ‘The Best Damn Band in the Land,’ but this sort of behavior does nothing to back up that title.”
While adult people of conscience reject the OSUMB members support for hate “songs,” the Nazi / Confederate group Stormfront’s members are pleased by the OSUMB’s actions. Stormfront members regularly call for and praise terrorist attacks on the United States of America, including praise of the Nazi terrorist James Von Brunn’s attack on the Washington DC U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum.
Stormfront Nazis were pleased to hear about OSUMB’s hate songs mocking the Holocaust, and one of the comments on the Nazi hate blog stated: “Of course they don’t give what the lyrics were in the article but I would like to hear them. The point is the holycaust has had its day as a sympathizing sucking machine that everyone bows down to as a religion. The fact is the holycaust has become a joke.”
Stormfront Hate Group Members Praise OSUMB for Their Mockery of the Holocaust (Source: Screenshot)
This is what those who demean the atrocity of the Holocaust and Stormfront Nazis have in common – the normalization of Nazi atrocities and figures.
Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.) believes that support for our universal human rights begins with recognizing the need to have a moral conscience towards atrocities and towards hateful languages against minority groups. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, signed by the nations of the world on December 10, 1948, begins with recognizing that “disregard and contempt for human rights have resulted in barbarous acts which have outraged the conscience of mankind.”
There are white Americans who have privileged lives where the need for such a conscience has been replaced with only the needs for their own momentary amusements. There are white Americans who have grown up learning about the “relativity” of world events and history, rather than a genuine understanding of human rights, ethics, morality, and respect for their fellow human beings. R.E.A.L. believes this toxic culture must change, and we urge parents and adults to set an example on such issues and to take a stand to be responsible for equality and liberty.
