From: James I. Davis <jdav%well.sf.ca.us@MIZZOU1.missouri.edu>
Subject: Police & censorship
Followup-To: alt.activism.d
Originator: daemon@pencil.cs.missouri.edu
Organization: ?
Resent-From: "Rich Winkel" <MATHRICH@MIZZOU1.missouri.edu>
Date: Mon, 28 Sep 1992 21:15:02 GMT

DEADLY FORCE: STOP BOSTON'S "THOUGHT-POLICE!"

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"Deadly Force" is a weekly column dedicated to exposing the scope
of police terror in the United States. We open our pages to you,
the front line  fighters against brutality and deadly force. Send
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By Gary Hicks

BOSTON --  "Violence," said H. Rap Brown 25 years ago, "is as
American as cherry pie."

Not only is this true; it is glorified in film, song and on
television.

But start doing songs and performances that add social content and
are critical of the police and other oppressive forces and the
police are all over you like white on rice. The cops will tell you
that such songs as "911 is a Joke," "Cop Killer," and "One in the
Chamba" are disrespectful of authority and advocate violence and
killing -- especially against cops.

It stands to reason that when the boys in blue act like an
occupying army in poor communities, especially those of color,
that sooner or later there's going to be resentment and hatred.
This is more so when the police engage in the criminal use of
deadly force, turn their eyes from -- or actually participate in
-- drug trafficking, and flaunt in our faces other forms of abuse
of power. And so we can expect to see more groups like 2 Live
Crew, NWA, and Almighty RSP placing themselves in the front lines
to tell the truth the way they see it.

And the police have gone hog wild.

Here, in Boston, the Patrolman's Association has threatened to
bring civil and criminal suit against Almighty RSO for promoting
their song, "One in the Chamba." And to drive the war home, they
have enlisted Oliver North, that war criminal of the Iran-Contra
hearings, to aid them.

As a result of the police suit, Tommy Boy has dropped Almighty
RSO's album, giving as an excuse "poor sales." But the group
remains undaunted. Says Steven Scott, leader of the band, "We're
not giving up. Censorship is crazy. If they take us out now, you
can be sure it will happen again and again."

The police, when they attack our artists and performers, are
banking on us not coming to their aid. They figure that the
controversy around their music, and the fact that some of these
artists are backward on issues concerning the respect for our
sisters -- will isolate them from us.

Our response to this must be at all times: if they come for the
least of these, our brethren, and we don't come to their defense,
then there will be no one to defend _us_ when the cops come after
you and me. If we don't close ranks and give a slap to the face of
fascism, then they will pick us off, one-by-one.


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This article originated in the PEOPLE'S TRIBUNE (Online Edition),
Vol. 19 No. 39 / September 28, 1992; P.O. Box 3524, Chicago, IL
60654; Email: jdav@igc.org. Feel free to reproduce and use unless
marked as copyrighted. Please include this message with
reproductions of this article. The PEOPLE'S TRIBUNE depends on
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For an online subscription (no charge) send mail to jdav@igc.org
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