A dangerous intolerance (violence against Hispanics in Baltimore)

[pampango]

Source: Baltimore Sun

The beating death of a Latino man in East Baltimore on Saturday would be bad enough under any circumstances. But the fact that the suspect in the case is described as a mentally deranged teenager who reportedly told police he killed 51-year-old Martin Reyes because of a pathological hatred toward "Mexicans" makes the crime doubly tragic. Whether Mr. Holley actually heard voices in his head urging him to attack "Mexicans," we may never know. But police suspect he had stopped taking his anti-psychotic medications, and it's at least plausible that the clamorous anti-immigrant hysteria demonizing people of Hispanic descent nationwide may have played a role in tipping an already unbalanced mind over the edge into violence.

It would be foolish, however, to dismiss the attack on Mr. Reyes, an immigrant from Honduras, as an isolated incident carried out by a mentally deranged individual. In fact, Saturday's killing was just the latest in a string of unprovoked assaults targeting Latinos in East Baltimore. Last week, two Latino men were shot, one fatally, during an attempted robbery near Patterson Park. Police suspect a 13-year-old girl in that attack. And over the weekend, two other Latino men were robbed of $3 and a cell phone as they walked through Highlandtown. Police arrested three teenagers on armed robbery charges in that incident and are searching for three other assailants.

It may be premature to liken the local upsurge in violence against Latinos to the anti-immigrant backlash that has swept other parts of the country — and produced draconian new laws in states like Arizona and Virginia that seem expressly aimed at making Latino residents feel unwelcome regardless of their immigration status.

Now is the time for Baltimore to embrace its growing cultural and ethnic diversity, including the vibrant Spanish-speaking community that has taken root around Fells Point, whose restaurants, clubs and watering holes geared to a new generation of young people have contributed so much to the area's sparkling night life. The poisonous anti-immigrant bigotry and unthinking demonization of Latinos that have tarnished the reputations and brought shame on those states where such demagoguery is tolerated should have no place in this city's ongoing urban renaissance.

Read more: http://mobile.baltimoresun.com/wap/news/text.jsp?sid=297&nid=19737400&cid=17094&scid=1980&ith=0&title=Maryland+Voices

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Latino activists demand written policy barring immigration questions

http://mobile.baltimoresun.com/wap/news/text.jsp?sid=297&nid=19764361&cid=17076&scid=1956&ith=2&title=Top+Stories

Latino activists, clergy and civil rights leaders called on city officials Tuesday to implement a written policy barring police from asking the immigration status of those who call for help, a move they say would reduce crime and help bridge the gap between officers and immigrants.

The demand came during an emotionally charged news conference at Patterson Park, where Latino and black community leaders gathered to rally against violence, not far from the spot where police say a 51-year-old Honduran man was fatally beaten by a mentally disturbed teen who professed to hate "Mexicans."

Police Chief Frederick H. Bealefeld III said a written policy was unnecessary in Baltimore because officers do not ask about immigration status. City officials skirted the issue, but said residents should trust police to focus on fighting violent crime, not enforcing immigration laws. "I've been here for three years in this role, and you haven't heard one utterance on enforcement of immigration laws," Bealefeld said to the crowd of about three dozen gathered on a grassy corner of the park. "You don't see us sweeping through the neighborhoods asking for immigration status," he said.

Dozens of other jurisdictions, including Albuquerque, N.M. and New Haven, Conn., have enacted policies that prevent police from asking whether people are in this country legally, according to Kimberly Propeack, a spokeswoman for CASA of Maryland, a Latino advocacy group.

[Bitwit1234]

1. I do believe he heard voices telling

him t attack Mexicans. They were the voices of the right wing hate machine. The governor of AZ and Beck and all the crap at FOX. Those are the voices her heard. Just like the guy from CA who was going after the TIDES organization and all those "Lefties" Beck told him to go after.

[Lightning Count]

2. Doubt a young Black man is watching Beck.

About as likely as it made this young Black woman want to rob and shoot a hispanic gentleman.

http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/news/crime/blog/

[Phil The Cat]

3. The oppressed of America should seek common ground

And yet, there is SOOOOOO much antagonism towards Latin Americans and African Americans NOT ONLY from the clearly identified Beckerheads, but from MANY different groups in the U.S., that hatred and fighting between them seems inevitable!

In Metro Detroit, a number of retail establishments have middle eastern ownership and staff! I have worked for some and with others! Some of the things I have heard them say about African Americans is just as insulting and loathsome as the spew of teabaggers!

Not singling out, not trying to stir up trouble! Just pointing the facts, because we can't fix it until we know both how AND why it is broken!

[Lightning Count]

4. Good points! nt

[Phil The Cat]

5. Could this have been prevented?

http://www.wbaltv.com/r/24733478/detail.html

Excerpt:

Many are still questioning why Holley was allowed out on the streets. Records show that in July, his mother sent a letter to a judge in a civil matter saying that he was in the hospital for psychiatric care because he was suffering from schizophrenia.

But the Department of Probation and Parole said it checked and discovered on Aug. 6 that he was not in a hospital. The department then requested a warrant for his probation violation. WBAL-TV 11 News reporter Barry Simms said that had it been granted and served, it might have prevented Reyes' slaying.

End Excerpt

We face a tough choice! Continue to lock people, and in particular oppressed people, for crime "prevention", or do we accept the inevitable destruction that comes from mentally ill people having freedom?