SOHH Squad
The controversial shooting of teenager Mike Brown has proven to become more than a regional story as one Philadelphia native decided to protest with an unusual act to promote non-violence.
Instead of resorting to screaming tactics , 27-year-old Keith Wallace acted dead in in Philly’s tourist-driven Love Park.
“I just tried to think about a way I could use my spirit of activism coupled with my artistic passion to make a statement about what’s going on. So I just decided that for me, I’m a very image-driven artist. I think images speak louder than words can, most times. And so there’s some value in forcing a society to look at the most ugly parts of itself and just putting it out there for them to examine and discussed, and to be disgusted by, in the hopes of provoking some sort of dialogue or provoking some social change in an effort to eradicate some social ill, whatever that is.” (Think Progress)
Wallace also cited the fatal shootings of now-infamous unarmed victims like Trayvon Martin for influencing his act.
He settled on the rallying cry of “Call Us By Our Names” because “We hear about Trayvon Martin, Oscar Grant, Michael Brown. But there’s a slew of other faces and names who go unrecognized and unnamed,” he said. “And the media is slanted in cases where the victim is of color, passing them off as thugs, or gang- and drug-related. When it’s someone who is white, they’re ‘troubled’ or ‘disturbed.'” (Think Progress)
A newly released preliminary private autopsy released Sunday (August 17) reveal he was shot at least six times.
One of the bullets entered the top of Mr. Brown’s skull, suggesting his head was bent forward when it struck him and caused a fatal injury, according to Dr. Michael M. Baden, the former chief medical examiner for the City of New York, who flew to Missouri on Sunday at the family’s request to conduct the separate autopsy. It was likely the last of bullets to hit him, he said. Mr. Brown, 18, was also shot four times in the right arm, he said, adding that all the bullets were fired into his front. (NY Times)
Various music stars attended R&B singer Chris Brown‘s celebrity flag football game Saturday (August 16) to promote non-violence in Los Angeles.
At the end of the game, Missouri native Nelly got on the mic and asked everyone to put their hands up and say “Don’t Shoot” in protest of the police shooting that left African-American teenager Michael Brown dead in Ferguson, Miss. Chris, Bow Wow, Trey, Lil Mama, Wale, and the rest of the stadium stood in solidarity with their hands up. “If anybody can sympathize with what my city is going through, it’s this city of L.A. right now on so many levels,” said Nelly, who was wearing a #MikeBrown tank top. “So for that respect alone, I’m asking you, I’m begging you, and I’m pleading for you to just raise your hands for a second.” (Rap-Up)
