N.J. Newark is the largest city in New Jersey and New Jersey is a battleground state in the Nov. 7 election. Many New Jersey activists like Assemblyman William Payne, Rev. Thomas Carter of New Hope Baptist Church, writer Amiri Baraka, and a representative from Russell Simmons Rap The Vote 2000 joined the effort. Tables were set up in front of city hall. One card listed names of police brutality victims. Most victims were unarmed and not committing a crime.
Police brutality has to stop.
Another card addressed the prison-industrial complex. Elected officials seem to think so. The U.S. has the world s largest prison population two million people and five million more under state supervision. Crime isn t up mandatory minimum sentencing is. 70 percent of folks locked up are in for non-violent crimes.