This is from February... I have to say the guys are lookin' pretty good out in Tulsa. I'm proud. Everyone looking good, Sukie, those tops and isolations are sick!
I just got news from Tou Saiko Lee out in Minnesota about the injustice of Fong Lee, who was gunned down by a police officer in Minneapolis. I just get numb to hearing about news like this these days, because unfortunately race motivated/incited police shootings happen way too often.
here's the spoken word track he'd sent and the accompanying email.
"In the Memory of Injustice" by Tou SaiKo Lee ft. Xaiesque and Proto-J
My only favor is to please pass this poem recording around to as many people as possible and go to these links for more info:
In the Memory of Injustice In the Memory of Fong Lee, In the memory of all victims of police brutality, In the memory of a tragedy translated to travesty In the memory of a planted gun, conspiracies and sons lost under the sun, The Videotape was lost and they thought it was all done. They were wrong: 3 shots running away. 5 shots on the ground. One son down bleeding all around His generation are the grandsons of a secret army that sacrificed to save backs of soldiers. and shooting teenagers in the back would never achieve a medal of bravery unless they thought the person they shot was seen as a Refugee from Southeast. The Police pull over Civics and Toyotas at the rate of heartbeats of Hmong kids that get beat down at the side of small streets. But Fong Lee was on a bike unarmed, before his life was stolen and broken with bullet holes. As the spokes of his bicycle spun in circles, we have spoken up to break the cycle of this circus. This case makes me believe that these cops perceive us as less than human beings and worthless.
In the Memory of Injustice In the Memory of Fong Lee, In the memory of all victims of police brutality, In the memory of a tragedy translated to travesty In the memory of a planted gun, conspiracies and sons lost under the sun, The Videotape was lost and they thought it was all done. They were wrong: We will never forget that messed up shoot out in North Minneapolis, When cops raided the wrong house by mistake, and put little Hmong kids lives a stake, And still got a medal from the station for being brave, give me a break It makes me wonder what it takes for men with badges to earn a medal of valor these days. We dont feel protected and safe from Policemen with Swine-Pen mentalities, think outside the fence, instead of doing dirt with blood stains on shirts that leave family casualties. But you know whats really corrupt? When the police chief cooperates to cover it all up. We scream for justice with enough evidence to force the whole force to give it up. The Department is Responsible, for those accountable we demand FIRE. Those exposed should go to prison haunted by the guilt of blood spilt spirits for the rest of their lives.
In the Memory of Injustice In the Memory of Fong Lee, In the memory of all victims of police brutality, In the memory of a tragedy translated to travesty In the memory of a planted gun, conspiracies and sons lost under the sun, The Videotape was lost and they thought it was all done. They were wrong: For those that judge Fong Lee for possibly being down with gangs like his life was worth less like a racist radio show host that wants attention or people that misunderstand with ignorance, I was a former gang member, so that kid could’ve been me. My last name is Lee too and Im lucky enough to still breathe and if this happened to me, I would’ve never had the chance for this passion to give back to community. More than ever, open up arms to outreach and unite movements together for every community that’s had their hearts ripped open from the core, by wild boars in blue unifoms, with no conscious this nonsense of violence, we will not be silent to sirens of cyanide on our side of the city. Cause its not injustice for just us, there’s a whole history of conspiracy. Stand with me cause the next tragedy could be in your family so we suffocate from this case, skeptical to breathe and only Justice will give us the oxygen to be treated as Human Beings. In the Memory of Injustice
The Original 2004 Short Film version of Among B-Boys will be screening on Saturday, April 23rd as a part of the Heritage & Hope Merced Film Series held at UC Merced as a part of their Tamejavi festival. The film will be preceding the feature documentary Slingshot Hip Hop, about Hip Hop in Palestine (ill concept, huh?). The event is organized by the Pan Valley Institute (PVI).
UC Merced - Lakireddy Auditorium 5200 North Lake Road Merced, CA 95343