Green Time TV
The Social Environment: Racism
by Don Fitz
The social environment, including how we are treated and mistreated by others, is as much a part of our environment as green spaces, rivers and climate change. What is it like to grow up in a world where people are as afraid of the police as they are of street gangs? While whites often find it hard to understand this as an environmental question, many black and brown Americas immediately grasp the connection. This is what June 2015 episodes of Green Time TV explore.
How does the police killing of Michael Brown in Ferguson fit into the history of racism, especially in the St. Louis area? The first June episode of Green Time looks at where the civil rights movement is still unsuccessful and how improvements can be made. Activist Kathi Corbett-Otto and Johnathan McFarland, of Scene Everywhere, explore the myth that we are living in a post-racial society. How can we pull together the many different movements for racial equality, human rights, women’s rights, labor rights and LGBT rights?
The second June Green Time asks why were the Governor’s Commission on Ferguson and the President’s Task Force on Ferguson set up? Rasheen Aldridge, of Young Activists United, was appointed to the Governor’s Commission, which he believes has the power to make people feel uncomfortable from the questions it asks. Katie Gore, of Scene Everywhere, explores what white awareness and activism means for the anti-racism movement. Should activists hold back protests in order to avoid embarrassment to commissions and tasks forces?
What happened immediately after the August 9, 2014 killing of Michael Brown and October 11, 2014 killing of VonDerrit Myers? What did residents of Canfield Apartments see when they came out of their homes? Why did their reactions spark a movement that spread across the country and then around the world? Kayla Reed, of Organization for Black Struggle, Michael T. McPhearson, of Veterans for Peace, and host Don Fitz explore these issues in the third June episode of Green Time.
Much of Ferguson burned on November 24, 2014, the night of the announcement that Darren Wilson would not be charged for killing Michael Brown. During the final June show, John Chasnoff, of the Don’t Shoot Coalition, Michael T. McPhearson, of Veterans for Peace, and host Don Fitz discuss how protest organizers attempted to work with police prior to that evening. They address ways that police violate law with practices such as intimidation, sending agent provocateurs to demonstrations, limiting protest time and duration, falsely arresting non-violent protestors, and “kettling.”
June shows include “August 16, 2014 Protest at QT,” “August 30, 2014 March from Canfield to Ferguson Police Dept.,” “September 2, 2014 Night-time Protest,” “Mike Brown’s Memorial – Canfield,” “I Believe That We Will Win – Rally Cry for VonDerrit Myers Jr,” “#FergusonOctober – St. Louis Police Tear Gas Protestors – October 11, 2014,” and “VonDerrit Myers, Jr. – #BlackLifeMatters.” “
Green Time appears at noon on Saturdays in St. Louis on Channel 24-1 and at 8 pm on Mondays in St. Louis on Channel 24-2, Springfield on Channel 39, Joplin on Channel 36 and Marshfield on Channel 17. Green Time programs air on these dates:
- June 6 & 8: “Another Look at Ferguson”
- June 13 & 15: “Ferguson: The Ongoing Struggle”
- June 20 & 22: “Police Violence in Ferguson”
- June 27 & 29: “Police Accountability.”
“Like” Gateway Greens on Facebook and click “Get notifications.” Also see Green Time on greentime.tv. To help produce Green Time TV call 314-727-8554 or email [email protected]
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