Lessons . . .

(Source: http://www.wsj.com/articles/peter-bronson-lessons-for-ferguson-from-cincinnatis-2001-riots-1408748376)
19-year-old Timothy Thomas, was shot and killed by a Cincinnati police officer, Stephen Roach in April of 2001. The city was overrun by rioters for four days. By the way, the victim was black, the officer was white.

". . . The shooting of Timothy Thomas was a tragic mistake by a 27-year-old cop startled during a foot pursuit in a dark alley. It later came out that Officer Roach's first words after the shooting were: "It just went off. My gun just went off." He was eventually acquitted of negligent homicide. . . In time, Cincinnati's leaders, black and white, learned some valuable lessons about race relations (which Ferguson and Baltimore have yet to learn):


• Tell the public everything immediately.

• Set the record straight.

• Don't crucify the cops.

• The federal government can slow the healing.

• Repudiate race-baiters.


Of course all this is much easier said than done and it requires ethical public officials and leaders.

What do you think?
Tell me at
http://www.rayjozwiak.com/guestbook.html  or at
http://www.ohomusic.com 


OHO's "Ocean City Ditty," the CD single is now available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/oho4
(and, if you're in town, at Trax On Wax on Frederick Rd. in Catonsville, MD) OHO is Jay Graboski, David Reeve & Ray Jozwiak.  Please Visit http://www.ohomusic.com 


My latest solo offering, Just More Music by Ray Jozwiak, featuring original, instrumental piano music is now available at - Just More Music by Ray Jozwiak

(To Access all Ray Jozwiak - Gonzo Piano music you can copy-and-paste this URL directly to
your browser:  http://http://www.cdbaby.com/Artist/RayJozwiak)

Also, be sure to visit:
http://www.rayjozwiak.com

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Something Fishy . . .

Missouri police office Darren Wilson says that he could not have done anything differently to have prevented Brown's death. Wilson, who shot 18-year-old Michael Brown,a total of 12 times on August 9 according to autopsy reports also said he had a "clean conscience" and that he was "simply doing his job", a surprisingly cold, over-simplified conclusion to a complex and real situation that has evoked extremely emotional reactions from many people.

Granted, the officer felt that Michael Brown was a threat to his own life.  He is a police officer.  He has been trained to react when encountering just such a situation.

Granted, Officer Wilson was taken aback when a twice-shot, bleeding but unarmed Brown came running towards him again.  Was his training inadequate in providing him a tactic for subduing a wounded man instead of shooting him multiple times in the head?

Granted, Michael Brown may have been belligerent, large and scary to Wilson, but Wilson was and is not the complete justice system contained in one human package. 

Granted, the grand jury rendered their decision but the conduct of the prosecutor and Wilson himself show a remarkably insensitive disposition to the entire episode.

Something is fishy and less than 'just' in this situation.

What do you think?
Tell me at
http://www.rayjozwiak.com/guestbook.html 


OHO's "Ocean City Ditty," the CD single is now available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/oho4
(and, if you're in town, at Trax On Wax on Frederick Rd. in Catonsville, MD) OHO is Jay Graboski, David Reeve & Ray Jozwiak

My latest solo release, '2014' of original, instrumental piano music, can be downloaded digitally at:

(or you can copy-and-paste this URL directly to
your browser:  http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/rayjozwiak4)

Also, be sure to visit:
http://www.rayjozwiak.com

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Legend. . .

(from http://www.northjersey.com/arts_entertainment/102321329_Hidden_sound_of_Charm_City.html?page=all)

The Left Bank Jazz Society, launched in 1964 by jazz aficionado Benny Kearse, arrived at a time when Baltimore's jazz scene was in decline and its racial tensions were worsening. Against that background it was a progressive, integrationist group that, over the course of more than 30 years, brought most of the great names of jazz to its Sunday soirees: Dizzy Gillespie, Duke Ellington, Herbie Hancock, Stan Getz, John Coltrane, Art Blakey, Maynard Ferguson and many others. - See more at: http://www.northjersey.com/arts_entertainment/102321329_Hidden_sound_of_Charm_City.html?page=all#sthash.clUxO6rD.dpuf

The Left Bank Jazz Society, launched in 1964 by jazz aficionado Benny Kearse, arrived at a time when Baltimore's jazz scene was in decline and its racial tensions were worsening. Against that background it was a progressive, integrationist group that, over the course of more than 30 years, brought most of the great names of jazz to its Sunday soirees: Dizzy Gillespie, Duke Ellington, Herbie Hancock, Stan Getz, John Coltrane, Art Blakey, Maynard Ferguson and many others.

On May 17, 1967, concert-goers were unaware that they were listening to world-renowned saxophonist John Coltrane's last live performance, writes Cathleen Carris, in a profile of the Left Bank Jazz Society included in "Music At The Crossroads: Lives & Legacies of Baltimore Jazz."

Coltrane died two months later of liver cancer at 40.

What do you think?
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http://www.rayjozwiak.com/guestbook.html

My latest release, Black & White Then Back,
can be downloaded digitally at:

(or you can copy-and-paste this URL directly to
your browser:  http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/rayjozwiak3)

Also, be sure to visit:
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