Ensuring the Waco Police Officers are Peace Officers

This post was written in the immediate days after the loss of Sandra Bland’s life. It was originally written for and shared on NotMyTaboo.com (originally published on 06 Aug 2015).

I haven’t had much interaction with the Waco Police Department during my years here. We crossed paths during my time at the Family Abuse Center when they came to assist with incidents, and I have approached them to seek assistance or call 911 when I’ve observed trouble. I pay attention to the Department’s Facebook page and I greatly appreciate the active presence that they maintain online – providing information to the community, warning us when they are out with radar guns on I-35, and even making fun of police-donut stereotypes.

Due to unjust, tragic circumstances, I have posted several Facebook statuses showing my support and deep belief that Black Lives Matter and Black Rights Matter. I have found myself enraged far too many times after watching dashcam and cell phone footage depicting police officers profiling, struggling to assert their “authority,” and making dangerous decisions that fall outside of the law and their training, often resulting in the loss of lives that had the right of innocence until proven guilty, the right of due process, and the right to be spared of excessive force. With the recent conversation focused on Sandra Bland, my hurt for people – black people, brown people, fellow human people – has swelled even more and is hanging heavy over every passing day.

With instances of police brutality surfacing regularly, I have been experiencing this nagging feeling to have a conversation with the Waco Police Department. In my experience, in my white experience, the Waco Police Department seems to be quite a solid organization. The tragic Twin Peaks biker shootout did cause some questions though; pictures started popping up on social media comparing how Waco PD handled the arrest of 170 biker gang members who had just had a public shoot out resulting in 9 dead and 18 wounded, to other police departments exerting excessive force over black individuals and black crowds protesting.

I do not believe that these are exact parallels that we can draw and project onto the Waco PD (but there is a greater cultural, racial conversation to be had). I would first have to see how Waco PD handles the arrest of 170 black bikers first, how Waco PD handles primarily black protestors, or how Waco PD handles a black male running from a traffic stop. When it comes to the Waco Police Department, I want to have a conversation. I want to ask what the Department is doing right now to prevent a Sandra Bland style arrest here. I want to know what training is occurring to ensure that a child like Tamir Rice is not gunned down. Can we please have an open, community conversation before the opportunity presents for a black man to say, “I can’t breathe?” We do have a race issue in the United States and it will never improve if we do not get in front of it. We need to have open conversations before tragedies happen. These conversations need to include white privilege as it pertains to encounters with the law, the black community’s experience with police, and community perceptions of police. We need to educate the public about our rights for when we are stopped by police and we need to ensure that our police officers remember that they are to be peace officers.

Wacotown, I love you. This is a town with many strengths and many opportunities for growth; I want to celebrate where Waco succeeds and I want to dig in where Waco needs a boost. As a white woman, I have a positive perception of the Waco Police Department and I perceive the department as a community strength. I want to make sure that is the perception of those who are not white, and I want to be sure that our Police Department is remaining proactive so that we do not have to become reactive when it comes to racial inequality and community policing.

Sex: Female (i.e. Sexual Distraction)

This post was originally written for and shared on NotMyTaboo.com (originally published on 02 Jul 2015).

Somewhere along the way, the relationship that girls have with our bodies shifts– through puberty, naturally, but also our emotional and psychological understanding of our bodies and its meaning. I vividly remember the embarrassment and dread that I experienced when my parents (well, probably my mother) decided it was time for a bra in 5th grade. Despite having received the sex talk in 2nd grade and having survived my first sex-ed class in 5th grade, I did not have a sexualized understanding between bodies, breasts, and bras; instead I was mortified that I had to wear this thing (let’s be real- at this age, this “Gap Kids Basic Bra” is like an elastic camisole with the bottom chopped off). My little sister, a 1st grader at the time, found my embarrassment amusing. So amusing that one evening in Target, she found the LARGEST, most obnoxious, white bra available (dare I say most un-sexiest bra) and chased me all over the store yelling something to the effect of, “I found your bra Venée! I found your bra!!” I remember running to get away from her, and I was horrified.

I am certain my sister is in this photograph dragging this monster by a strap, headed after me with pure joy.

Flash-forward to middle school – I have a whole different understanding of bodies, breasts, and bras now. I must have been at least a B-cup by now, which is pretty substantial at that age, and in need of more than a “training bra.” I definitely did not have great self-esteem: I had been made aware of the big gap in my front teeth and the crookedness of one of those teeth by a friend; I had a group of guys publically discuss how bad it was that they could see my panty lines through my velour track pants (shout out to the early ‘00s!); all of my girl friends have these “boyfriends” but none of the guys “liked me, liked me.” Regardless of these then-perceived blows, somehow I had been made aware by now that I had nice breasts (I would bet money that sexual harassment was at the root of that flattery).

Despite the general low self-esteem, I had these two outfits that I loved – outfits that never received negative peer criticism (or do we just call that bullying?). I would wear a pair of jeans (of the snug, stretchy, low cut variety – again, hello ‘00s), a black camisole, and I had these two Banana Republic button downs (one deep red, one black), I would wear one open over the camisole. I thought I was cute – at least when I smiled with my mouth closed.

In 7th grade, both of my parents were working full-time, so I often would watch my sister after school. Lemon Avenue Elementary School had an afterschool program that went until 6:00 PM; we lived on the same street less than a quarter mile down the road. I would leave at about 5:50 each day and walk down the street to pick my sister up from the school. On one particular day, I wore my favorite outfit to school. However when it came time to get the sister, I made an outfit modification: I ditched the blouse. Honestly, I cannot remember why I made this decision; I might have been warm (it was a sunny San Diego day after all), or I might have thought I was even cuter/cooler with just the jeans and camisole. Let’s chalk it up to both, because it very well could be fact.

So I am walking down the block when I notice a white Ford F-150 truck begin to slowdown as it passes me. I noticed the middle-aged Hispanic male driver turning himself all the way around in his seat to keep watching me as he drove by. I felt fear, anxiety, and alarm wash over me. I kept my eyes on this truck as it rolled past—I knew that the Episcopal Church down the street had a turn-around driveway and it made me nervous. Sure enough, the white truck turned around at the church and came barreling up the hill towards me. With his truck turned around, we are now on opposite sides of the road. He was the only vehicle on the road; I was the only pedestrian on the block. I remember whipping around and sprinting for my life. I looked back once and saw that he had moved his truck into what-would-be oncoming traffic’s lane, nearing his approach. I moved up that hill at a pace that my body has since not experienced; I punched our gate code into the call box and slid into the apartment complex gate to safety. I got away.

Here comes the most heartbreaking shift that has already crept into the relationship between young girls and our own bodies: self-blame and self-shame (also a healthy heaping of blame and shame by everyone else). Do you know why that man came after me that day? Because I didn’t wear a blouse over my camisole; because my shoulders were showing, part of my back was exposed, and my adolescent breasts weren’t concealed. If I had worn that red blouse over my camisole, surely I never would have caught his eye. Surely that new truck would not have made a beeline towards me. Surely.

A portion of me knows that this way of thinking is absurd and self-destructive. A portion of me believes it to be fact. In the end, I am saddened that the burden lies on me – the girl who may have been too warm that day or who may sought to be “middle school cool” amidst the imperfections highlighted by peers. Is this why we have dress codes and parents who tell girls to cover up? Is this why I spend so much time now, as an adult, debating what constitutes too much cleavage, too much accentuation, too much bust? I do not know first hand what we are teaching boys and men in regards to how to treat women. For all the times that I have had authority figures define what is not allowed in order to not be a sexual distraction, are my male counterparts receiving just as many hours of instruction regarding how to view women, respect them, not stare at their breasts? I honestly do not know, but I feel confident placing a large bet on “No.”

Back in elementary school, I felt embarrassed for the girls whose bra straps subtly showed under the backs of their t-shirts; by middle school it is a race for who can show the most bra strap without suspension. What was it between late elementary school and early middle school that shifted bodies, breasts, and bras from embarrassing to sexual distraction? The answer to that question requires a slew of blog posts, but in the meantime I know this: I am female and I have the power and burden of sexual distraction.

Note: I have no idea why that man acted in the way that he did that day; I am unaware of his motives. I experienced a sense of alarm that I associate with a fear for kidnapping or sexual assault. I am thankful that I was able to get away from this individual and did not have to learn his objective. Unfortunately, the truck did not yet have license plates issued (only dealer tags with no identifying numbers) so there was little that my family was able to report on.

No Child Left Behind: The American Fallacy

Have you heard about SB 132 out of the Tennessee Senate by State Senator Campfield? Under this bill, children who do not "maintain satisfactory academic progress" and are of families receiving TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families-- i.e. Welfare), those families will receive a 30% reduction in the amount of money received each month. Children who drop out or do not maintain passing grades and test scores in secondary schools will therefore cause their family to lose money until they rectify the situation in the classroom (Tennessee Senate, 2013).

Let us think about this for a moment. Research has concluded that students struggling in poverty situations are more likely to perform poorly in the classroom. Qualifying for the national reduced or free lunch program is an indicator of poverty which also signifies TANF eligibility and labels a student as "at-risk" within the school system by state law. Therefore, students whose families receive TANF have already been identified as being "at-risk" of low performance, dropping out, and needing extra assistance. For Communities In Schools, the leading national drop out prevention program in schools across the country (for which I intern), being a recipient of free or reduced lunch, and therefore also the students benefiting from Welfare, are eligible for case management services in order to create a protective barrier against the risk factors that are working against this student. All this to say, these kids are already expected to struggle in school.

According to this Tennessee Senator, the solution to poor kids failing at school: increase the poverty.

Let me also note that Tennessee only disperses up to $189/month per TANF family, far less monthly payments than many other states. A 30% reduction in payment brings that already low assistance down to a mere $132.30.

I hope by now you are seeing the glaring problem here with this bill proposed by Campfield. While I agree that academic performance and drop out needs the attention of the nation: lawmakers, funders, educators, districts; discriminating against children in poverty and putting these families at increased risk is far from the solution. It is a myth that only the economically disadvantaged struggle in school, so why are only these families targeted by this legislation?

Children in poverty are also at an increased risk for abuse and neglect. By increasing the stress and crisis experienced by families, the state is increasing the risk of domestic violence (which includes child abuse) (CDC, 2012). Children also struggle with developing a sense of self and confidence, this system will undermine these efforts and instead has the potential to fill children with shame and guilt. A 12 year old failing mathematics is to blame for the electricity being turned off, a 15 year old failing biology is the reason why siblings do not have enough food to eat. How is this the solution to poor academics?

Tennessee has 1,784 schools, of which 58.6% are economically disadvantaged and 55.4% are Title 1 (poor academic outcomes). The high school drop out rate in the state is between 4.3 - 6.9% while the 2012 attendance rate was 93.5%. At grades K-8, the 2012 attendance rate was 95.5% with a 98.4% grade promotion rate (Tennessee Dept. of Education, 2012). Clearly over the majority of schools struggle with poverty and poor academics, but children are coming to school and being passed on to the next grades. After one year working at a severely economically disadvantaged high school with students in crisis on the brink of giving up-- the education system needs an overhaul. However increasing the poverty and crisis of families when a child does not perform is counter-intuitive and counterproductive.

Campfield stated in an interview that he just expects kids can do their ABC's and 1-2-3's, yet this bill targets secondary education where the course work becomes more challenging than a PBS after-school special. Often times, the course work becomes more challenging than what parents with low education attainment themselves are able to assist with after school. These families need help, they need real help. This bill feeds into the false yet sweeping stereotype that adults on welfare are bottom feeders with no motivation and drug habits. This bill targets the poorest families of our nation and penalizes them for outcomes that are highly associated with the situation they are in in the first place. This bill seeks to punish the poor while letting the failing children of higher income brackets continue without harsh financial repercussion. Perhaps you believe that since these families are receiving a "government hand out" the least that can be expected is a stellar report card? All of our children in public school receive a "government hand out": their government, tax dollar paid, free education. Yet all of the children in Tennessee are not facing increased stressful consequences when they take their first exam next fall. Never has education been a qualifying or disqualifying factor for health and human service benefits from the government, the two should not begin a relationship now.

Campfield and the Tennessee Senate need to consult the literature and the research on poverty, education, abuse, and child welfare. The National Association of Social Workers of Tennessee needs to rise up to protect these children and families. This bill has already passed through several committees and has a scary, yet real chance of being enacted this coming July. While creating great publicity and an increased awareness of a failing academic system, this publicity stunt (if passed) will come with serious detriments to the people of Tennessee who already live in a system of oppression, social injustice, and discrimination.

Where is the common sense, compassion, and research informed policy decisions? If enacted, this bill will be another example of how "No Child Left Behind" is a false promise.

References for your futher reading:
TN SB 132: http://www.capitol.tn.gov/Bills/108/Bill/SB0132.pdf
Poverty and Education Outcomes: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2528798/
Risk Factors of Child Maltreatment: http://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/childmaltreatment/riskprotectivefactors.html
TN Education Stats: http://edu.reportcard.state.tn.us/pls/apex/f?p=200:50:3245095726394371::NO

The lack of wealth in the richest nation

Our country's GDP is higher than every single nation in this vast world. Our gross income in 2011 was $14.99 trillion for 311.6 million people.

We can divide our citizens into the following social class groups:

1. Upper-upper class: The American aristocracy which represents less than 1% of our population and derives most of its wealth through inheritance and legacy.
2. Lower-upper class: The "new rich" are also called the working rich. This class represents approximately 3-4% of our population and is made up of the corporate elite, entrepreneurs, and ultra successful athletes and celebrities.
3. Middle class: As a whole, the middle class represents about 40-45% of our nation. This class depends on their incomes and employment is a source of status. It can be divided up as follows:
1. Upper-middle: Medical doctors, lawyers, and other elite professionals
2. Average-middle: Minor professionals such as teachers, social workers, nurses, small business owners
4. Lower-middle class/working class: Approximately 30% of our population falls into this class and is comprised of police officers, fire fighters, skilled laborers, office personnel
5. Working poor: This class is made up of roughly 20% of Americans. These people fall below the poverty line but are employed and working. These laborers typically have unskilled jobs such as cleaning, food service, and farm work. This class typically works at minimum wage and is offered no employee benefits.
6. Underclass/permanent poor: About 3-5% of our citizens fall into this category, often centered in rural areas or urban locations. When working, this class usually only has temporary jobs requiring very insignificant skills.

Now please see this short clip that provides visual displays of income distribution in America.

The American dream and the mantras of our nation are wrapped up in the notion that if you work hard, you will climb the social ladder. People are told to pull themselves up from their boot straps and face adversities with perseverance and hard work. As you can see from the social class explanation above, we are a country of hard workers, yet as the video shows-- that is not enough. Some people watch the above video and instead of  noticing an injustice to their neighbors, they see a motivator to become one of the top 10%. However when I watch this, I see the systemic issues here. This harsh extent of wealth inequality is linked with the perpetual cycles of social injustices that can be seen when we look at this nation's food insecurity (17.9 million households), lack of healthcare affordability and access (our system ranked 37th in the world), sub par treatment of education (ranked 17th in the world), and continued barriers set in place toward minorities (race, sex, sexual orientation).

When a country boasts its advancement and extravagance in terms of GDP, military force, and progressive unalienable rights and freedoms-- how are we still so behind when it comes to the quality of life experienced by each person who can call his or herself a United States Citizen.

If the same graphic representations of inequitable wealth distribution was shown for a country such as Haiti, who would not be surprised. You would also expect that other systems such as health, education, and food security had large margins for improvement. But this country is not under developed by the standard definition, this country remarks on itself as being a forefront leader in all things.

Our people deserve better. Americans should not be left with the intangible guarantees of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness without assurance of their next meal, a doctor who will treat an aliment without bankrupting a family, or an education that does not open enough doors. What does the pursuit of happiness look like to the 6.2 million households with children that do not know how to pursue food for dinner?

We cannot tell our hard working fellow Americans to simply pull themselves up from their boot straps...too many people do not have boots.

References

• World Bank: http://data.worldbank.org/country/united-states
• Johnson, M. & Rhodes, R. (2010). Human behavior and the larger social environment (2nd ed.).
• USDA. Household Food Secuirty in the United States in 2011.
• World Health Organization: http://www.who.int/whr/2000/media_centre/press_release/en/
• Pearson: http://thelearningcurve.pearson.com/country-profiles/united-states
• USDA: Food Insecurity in Households with Children (2009)

Respecting Marriages by Respecting Voters

Dear Conservative Legislature,
            I would like to share with you my support of the Respect for Marriage Act which would repeal the Defense of Marriage Act. In our country, the business of marriage and marriage licenses are left as a responsibility to each state. The DOMA sets a federal guideline which then negates the decisions of majority voters in states that have legalized same-sex marriage. Currently in our nation, 9 states and the District of Columbia authorize same-sex marriages with 15.8% of our country’s population living in these states.
            Whether you morally agree with same-sex partnership and marriage yourself is not the issue at hand here. As a member of this democracy, there is an expectation that the vote of the majority is respected and honored. The DOMA essentially ignores the voices in these 9 states and D.C. that have said, “Yes, we will allow and recognize same-sex marriages.” Therefore, these legally married couples are still excluded from over 1,100 federal benefits and protections that are otherwise accessed by heterosexual married couples with the same state license. I understand that we live in a country still divided on whether same-sex marriage should be authorized; however with more and more states issuing marriage licenses for homosexual couples due to the votes of the majority, it is now our duty to respect these couples and respect their marriages.
            The RMA bill is expected to be reintroduced in the 113^th session of Congress. I ask you to please validate, respect, and honor the votes of these 9 states and the District of Columbia, by supporting the Respect for Marriage Act, thereby repealing the Defense of Marriage Act. I appreciate your time, attention, and consideration on this issue.
                                                                        Sincerely,
                                                                        Venée M. Hummel

I personally dream of a day when same-sex marriage is a possibility for all homosexuals in this nation, across all 50 states and DC. I hope for a day when a promise of love, honor, and commitment is recognized by equal access to state marriage licenses. However, when asked to write a letter to a legislature concerning a policy change I endorse, I recognized that I live in a Red State and all of my district representatives at the state level and Congressional representatives are Republicans. I knew I had to take a new angle to broach the idea of same-sex marriage equality to my representatives.

This country is rooted in the belief that the power is held by the people. This country is rooted in the democratic process and the power of a vote. Our representatives across the three branches of government are expected to uphold, support, and defend our Constitution which is the framework for the aforementioned beliefs.

If you do not support same-sex marriage on a basis of philosophical, moral, religious, or even bigoted reasoning, yet you are a member of the legislative body expected to protect and respect the democratic process-- then my letter is to you. Forget your stance on same-sex marriage, let us remember what it means when citizens take to the voting polls. By continued support of the DOMA, each vote, each voice, each step into the voting poll that spoke up in favor of same-sex marriage equality is ignored, invalidated, discredited. The majority spoke in 9 states and the District of Columbia, yet the value of a marriage license to a same-sex couple is marginalized compared to that of a heterosexual couple. 

Respect for the Defense of Marriage Act is a back turned on the democratic principles this nation is supposed to uphold. However, support for the Respect for Marriage Act tells voters of these states, "We heard you and we will respect your vote." It tells these couples who are legally married, "We will accept your marriage, because your state accepts and respects your marriage."

I hope one day we can honor the inherent dignity of all peoples, regardless of sexual orientation and identity. Until then, I will ask conservatives to at least honor the dignity of voters. 

In matters of truth and justice...

Justice (noun). \jəs-təs\

1. the maintenance or administration of what is just, especially by the impartial adjustment of conflicting claims or the assignment of merited rewards or punishments
2. the quality of being just, impartial, or fair
• the quality of conforming to law
3. Conformity to truth, fact, or reason

(Merriam-Webster, 2012)

"Whether we bring our enemies to justice or bring justice to our enemies, justice will be done." - President George W. Bush, September 20th, 2001

Since the wars in the Middle East began, 2,148 American men and women have lost their lives in the nation of Afghanistan in pursuit of what has been named justice. The war in Iraq began on what is often considered false pretenses with the result of 4,474 U.S. Armed Forces casualties. Over a decade of bloodshed has occurred while two man hunts ensued throughout various foreign terrain complete with intricate cave networks, mountainous earth, and dusty desert land.

"And on nights like this one, we can say to those families who lost loved ones to al-Quaida's terror: Justice has been done." - President Barack Obama, May 1, 2011

Life in and of itself is precious. Every human has inherent qualities that are worthy of positive distinction. Short of 3,000 death certificates were filed as a result of the events on September 11th, 2001. To date, 6,622 service members have died while deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq. Nearly 10,000 human beings have died in connection to what all began when flight 11 hit the World Trade Center's North Tower at 8:46am EST.

Questions remain. Conspiracies flurry. Yet as justice has been declared done...ask yourself what justice means for yourself. What does justice mean for nearly 10,000 lives and the countless families affected in result. Did a sense of "justice-served" wash over the hearts of Americans on May 1, 2011? Since that date, 526 additional military personnel have died while deployed, have their families experienced that loss any differently with al-Quaida's leader now deceased?

Turn away from propaganda, step out of the mainstream on occasion and evaluate the world around you with the senses you are equipped with, the higher-decision making brain you were born with, and the consciousness only a human possesses.

"There is a higher court than courts of justice and that is the court of conscience. It supersedes all other courts." -Mahatma Gandhi

While the nation was ThanksEating...

I was accused of trying to take away Thanksgiving last week.

I was merely questioning an individual's perceived purpose of the holiday. I observed countless posts, tweets, and picture uploads of well-fed peers continuing on about food like they haven't had a morsel in their mouth for days. Doubt grew within me about whether all of these Americans truly love turkey, stuffing, corn, mac and cheese, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, ham, yams, sweet potato and pumpkin pie so very much. Would this spread be requested as a last meal, because people surely act as if this one day of the year brought all of their most cherished dishes. As if this one day of the year was the only opportunity to eat this particular meal.

Now, I understand tradition. I understand the opportunities for days off work, travel, and family get together created by a national day reserved for....eating. Yet is that the only purpose? Travel across the country for a meal with the family that we rarely make time for, for a meal that we are capable of cooking any time of the year. Let's not forget, right after we are done giving thanks and over eating-- let's show off our consumerism even more by engaging in Black Friday shopping where people don't seem so thankful and traditional anymore.

I propose a new tradition. Next year, spend money on turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, yams, and pies. Spend time in the kitchen preparing an impressive spread and put gas into your car for a drive. Then serve your feast to a family or group of people who truly have not had a morsel in their mouth for days. Perhaps split the food and leave some at home for you to enjoy with your family later in the day. But GIVE. If you have much to be thankful for, why not spread that onto others.

I have a feeling that many Americans would not give as much time, money, and care to the meal they prepare if they knew it was not going to feed their own family. Would you still do homemade stuffing or just fluff a box of Stove Top for the poor? That pie...are you going to make your own crust or buy the $2.98 finished pie from the store if it's for the "less fortunate." Do only your family and friends deserve your carefully selected ingredients and self-made creations? I challenge you to spread the same quality and quantity for others. If you have much to be thankful for, take the time next year to then partake in the other half of the holiday's name and allow forgotten populations to also engage in this national holiday afforded to, yet not experienced by, all citizens.

My sister served a Thanksgiving meal to the homeless last week and a young boy about 7 years old had never heard of  or had gravy before. Whoa - who thought that gravy might be a luxury item, it humbled me.

Next year...I will not partake in ThanksEating. I will be ThanksGiving.