Affirmative Action for Slave Masters
May 23, 2015
The reality of racism/white supremacy in Maryland does not easily fall into established narratives on American race relations. After all, how can a state seen throughout the nation as a
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Debunking the Illusions of #OneBaltimore
May 19, 2015
The #OneBaltimore initiative that was announced by the Mayor draws on a historical narrative that has been effective at producing an illusion of racial progress while maintaining racial inequality. This
New Jail, Same Old Story: Selling Out Baltimore’s Grassroots
May 15, 2015
On October 31st 2010, a group of Black-led grassroots organizations got together for Youth Justice Sunday to launch our opposition to the construction of a 104 million dollar Youth Detention Center in East Baltimore. This marked the beginning of a struggle to stop the construction of what we called the “Youth Jail.”
Fear of a Black Prosecutor: The Maryland FOP’s Subtle Slander of Marilyn Mosby
May 2, 2015
In debate, one often sees the use of “straw man” arguments: arguments built up to look robust, but ultimately designed to mislead and muddy and otherwise divert effective debate. The
Media follows people, just not THE people, in Baltimore
April 30, 2015
On Tuesday, a beautiful thing happened in Baltimore. One media outlet covered it, while dozens covered the violence. It is impossible to truly know what’s going on in Baltimore if you’re not
Why do we look? On Gazing at dead Black bodies
April 27, 2015
Here we are again, another black man murdered by another white police officer. There’s (graphic) video at the very top of the New York Times digital front page. Amidst anger
Message from the Baltimore Grassroots: WE DEMAND JUSTICE FOR FREDDIE GRAY AND POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY
April 24, 2015
The Maryland Law Enforcement Officer’s Bill of Rights (LEBOR) is the biggest obstacle to meaningful police accountability and transparency in Baltimore and around the state of Maryland.
What Good are Democrats?
April 12, 2015
It would be disingenuous to proclaim Maryland to be such a progressive state if it did not have the will to pass something substantive on the issue of police brutality.
An Open Letter to the Maryland Fraternal Order of Police
April 1, 2015
My father said he survived two wars; one in Vietnam, the other on the streets of Baltimore. My father, Larry Grandpre, was a narcotics officer for over 20 years in
The Pitfalls of The Wire’s Depictions of police Violence
February 20, 2015
Editorial Note This piece is designed for people who at least have a functional understanding of The Wire (i.e. have watched all 5 seasons). Also, the piece contains (mild) spoilers.