Waiting in the clouds
For my life to begin
For my heart and my fear
For my voice, for my scream
I can’t breathe
Waiting in the clouds
For my life to begin
For my heart and my fear
For my voice, for my scream
I can’t breathe
by Naja and Arnaud Girard
KWPD Chief Donie Lee published the department’s Internal Affairs review of Charles Eimers’ in-custody death on Monday.
Officers were found to have acted professionally while using techniques that are proper for “actively resisting subjects.”
“I thought denial was a river in Egypt. Now we learn it is an island at the end of U.S. 1.” [Citizen’s Voice, Key West Citizen, 12/10/2014]
An unarmed man kneeling on the sand with his hands up, lays on his stomach as ordered by police. He lets them handcuff him until he is heard yelling loudly, “Ow! You’re hurting me!” He then appears to become agitated. [warning disturbing photo in body of article] Continue reading »
KWPD Chief Donie Lee published the department’s Internal Affairs review of Charles Eimers’ in-custody death on Monday.
Officers were found to have acted professionally while using techniques that are proper for “actively resisting subjects.”
“I thought denial was a river in Egypt. Now we learn it is an island at the end of U.S. 1.” [Citizen’s Voice, Key West Citizen, 12/10/2014]
An unarmed man kneeling on the sand with his hands up, lays on his stomach as ordered by police. He lets them handcuff him until he is heard yelling loudly, “Ow! You’re hurting me!” He then appears to become agitated. [warning disturbing photo in body of article] Continue reading »
According to KWPD there was no Taser fired during the fatal arrest of Charles Eimers on Thanksgiving Day of last year. But after a few months of forensic clean-up and enhancement by the Eimers family’s legal team, Officer Lovette’s infamous taser recording speaks again and it’s not pretty:
Officer Lovette: “Listen. I tased a motherf***er in custody today. I don’t care. I already called my PBA rep.”
Unknown person: “For what?”
Officer Lovette: [unintelligible] when you kill someone PB is first. I already called.”
So, was Charles Eimers tased or not? Continue reading »
On a 70 degree, blue sky, December day in Key West, I found myself on the west end of the island, outside the guarded, metal gates of the United States Coast Guard Group, Sector Key West. A young, round male in wrinkled blues, held the gate house secure against the food delivery guy and me.
On the nose of 1 PM, my escort arrived. Lt. j.g. Peter Bermont, the USCG’s spokesperson in Key West, and my affable government handler for this interview. He provided me with a tour of the Station and the Cutters, while keeping me out of the secured areas I most wanted to see with a smile and joke. We briefly discussed the mission and activities of the USCG in the Key West Sector, while meandering about the base, getting a view of the ships and buildings. A majority of their focus appears to be on life saving activities, either of Cuban refugees on makeshift rafts, or Search and Rescue in local waters. Enforcement of environmental laws regarding fishing and polluting being the next most significant consumer of time and effort.
NOWHERE TO RUN: NEW VIDEO DEVASTATING TO KWPD CREDIBILITY
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HOMELESS IN KEY WEST: OLD MAN CHAPMAN, CAPTAIN TILLY, AND PETER PAN
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MONROE COUNTY’S SECRET ROADMAP TO RESEGREGATION
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ALL BLUE PAPER COVERAGE ON THE DEATH-IN-CUSTODY OF CHARLES EIMERS
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ALL BLUE PAPER COVERAGE ON THE CATASTROPHIC TASING OF MATTHEW SHAWN MURPHY
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Here is another piece of the puzzle on how the Cudjoe Regional Wastewater System (CRWS) came to be so very badly designed that those of us who are paying attention actually consider it to be an endangerment to our National Marine Sanctuary, and far from an improvement to existing treatment and disposal. The information herein was not easily obtained. Continue reading »
Alex Symington
I have friends that tell me they would like to read my essays, but won’t because they’re in an on-line publication and my friends are more comfortable with hard-copy-old-school newspaper. They like the feel and the rustle of real paper. I guess Kindle is out of the question, as well. I say to them, so sorry, but one great advantage that on-line publications have over hard copy is the addition of audio and video that can enhance and expand on that textual copy.
As we’ve seen (we that read on-line) video has been used in The Blue Paper, among other things, to illustrate abusive police behavior in Key West and NYC. Many communities are demanding that police wear body cameras to record interactions with the citizens they are charged with to protect. In some instances video could actually help excuse police behavior in question (see paragraph six). The Guardian reports that in the city of Rialto CA, “after [body] cameras were introduced in February 2012, public complaints against officers plunged 88% compared with the previous 12 months. Officers’ use of force fell by 60%.” Continue reading »
The duality of nature, with its accompanying ‘yin and yang’, have caused me pause. Through the years I’ve sought measures that would allow me to more effectively process these complimentary, yet opposite, realties.
As a young child in the South Bronx my grandmother pierced through these metaphysical philosophies with a clear and pointed revelation: “When life throws you lemons, make lemonade”. Continue reading »
Robinson Jeffers’ short, prophetic poem, “Shine, Perishing Republic” is especially poignant if not palpable today. Readers can experience the unraveling of our 238-year old republic on TV, which didn’t exist 89 years ago when he published it. Talk about vision.
Gonzo Journalist and activist Chris Hedges, America’s moral conscience today, recently chronicled the demolishment of our democracy: “Corporations have captured every major institution, including the judicial, legislative and executive branches of government, and deformed them to exclusively serve the demands of the market. They have, in the process, demolished civil society.” (Truthdig Report: 12/7/14)
Nevertheless, nothing is final yet in this fluidity we call time. Continue reading »
Robinson Jeffers’ short, prophetic poem, “Shine, Perishing Republic” is especially poignant if not palpable today. Readers can experience the unraveling of our 238-year old republic on TV, which didn’t exist 89 years ago when he published it. Talk about vision.
Gonzo Journalist and activist Chris Hedges, America’s moral conscience today, recently chronicled the demolishment of our democracy: “Corporations have captured every major institution, including the judicial, legislative and executive branches of government, and deformed them to exclusively serve the demands of the market. They have, in the process, demolished civil society.” (Truthdig Report: 12/7/14)
Nevertheless, nothing is final yet in this fluidity we call time. Continue reading »
