The Story of Ramarley Graham

Listen Siblings, I come in peace,

“The problem with Europeans and Asians is Europeans and Asians; the solutions for Africans is Africans.” — Onitaset Kumat

Today’s article covers another state-sponsored killing: this is the Story of Ramarley Graham.  Like the three other stories: Rekia Boyd’s, Emmett Till’s, and Trayvon Martin’s; this story relates with the Allegory of the Inevitable Murders.

To this day, the NYPD never shot a non-African woman.  But the NYPD regularly slays our youth.  Ramarley Graham was an 18-year-old man.  Dead over nothing.  Not until we organize, propping up our Community Centers, supporting African leadership, and organize under the African Blood Siblings, can we expect an end to this madness.

Please do your part in moving us forward.  Share this story amongst our people.  It is up to you whether change will be in 2012 or 2112.  Write to help build an African Blood Siblings Community Center.  Subscribe, share, love.

The Story of Ramarley Graham
By Onitaset Kumat

Chinnor Campbell, the 6-year-old half-brother of Ramarley Graham, holds a sign that reads “I love you Ramarley, I am my brother’s keeper, I miss you,” during a vigil for Graham outside the house where Graham was killed.
Andrew Burton/Getty Images

On February 2, 2012, Ramarley Graham was murdered in his house by Police Officers who had no warrant.  At eighteen years of age, in a European dominated community, he had the wisdom to know that his death was inevitable.  On July 25th, 2010, his Father, Franclot Graham,[1] and three brothers were accosted by officers in their Harlem apartment.  On that day, a squad car pulled up, and brutalized the retreating men, knocking out Kadean, capturing Hodean and going into the home to beat both Franclot and Tyrone with batons, feet and fists.  The father lost consciousness.  Upon his regain, he was shirtless and shortless, being dragged in the hallway in his boxers, his legs and ankles continually stomped.  He was handcuffed and the officers called his family ‘animals’ as the men were maced in the Police van.  The charges “disordely conduct” and “obstructing government administration” were dropped.  Still, four days later, police barged into his home, not declaring a warrant, pulling him from bed, alleging he violated probation by hiding shotgun shells.  These charges too were dropped.  Two of Franclot’s sons were later arrested in November 2011, and it is alleged that Ramarley Graham, the murdered son, had two prior arrests for marijuana and burglary.[2]  So what happened to Ramarley Graham?  Did Police target Franclot by killing his son?  Maybe and maybe not.  But Police did target African people by killing Ramarley Graham.  Video surveillance indicates that Ramarley Graham walked into his home, stalked by running, gun-toting Europeans (see video), who brazenly kicked his door, where his grandmother, opening another door, let the villains in, where they shot the boy without any dialogue.[3]  The murdering Officer Haste, claims he felt that he was in mortal danger[4], despite the large police presence on the scene[5], and that he illegally went into Ramarley Graham’s house.  Marijuana is allegedly found in Graham’s toilet[6].  This needs to be considered in light of Franclot’s treatment.  The NYPD has two defenses for this case: The Murderer wasn’t trained in street-level narcotics work or plainclothes work; and the Murderer suspected Ramarley possessed a gun.  Ramarley Graham’s death was inevitable because Europeans view Africans as Property and adhere strongly to myths: thus they never have sufficient training to police Africans.  Our issue is that we believe in the myth that they can.  The Hip Hop Artist KRS-One once sang a song called “Sound of the Police.”[7]  In it he repeats “Overseer” enough times to pronounce the word “Officer.”  He compares the two professions.  This comparison should be basic knowledge to African people.  When will we police ourselves?  To wit, Ramarley Graham’s murder was the third shooting that week by NYPD: this isn’t “few and far between.”[6]

To begin honoring Ramarley Graham, join the African Blood Siblings.  “A pride of Lions can conquer even the Pride of an Elephant.”  Organize to conquer any beast.

[1] http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/father-bronx-teen-shot-cops-sued-city-year-violent-run-ins-law-article-1.1033491
[2] http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2012/02/18/mourners-remember-ramarley-graham-teen-fatally-shot-by-cops/
[3] http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/09/ramarley-graham-new-york-police-_n_1266715.html#s681137
[4] http://www.nydailynews.com/news/crime/fatally-shot-bronx-teen-believed-life-line-colleague-article-1.1032896
[5] http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/09/ramarley-graham-new-york-police-_n_1266715.html#s681137
[6] http://reason.com/blog/2012/02/06/surveillance-footage-shows-nypd-breaking
[7] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1VRZq3J0uz4