New NYPD vests with ‘Crusader’ emblem will cost 7.3 million

In an attempt to mend his broken relationship with the NYPD, Mayor Bill De Blasio is allocating 7.3 million dollars to buy 13,000 hi-tech combat vests which will cost about $700 a piece. Besides the ridiculous waste of money going into this unnecessary ass kissing of the biggest armed gang in the United States, the vests will come with a shotgun resistant plate in the front that dons the emblem of Christian crusaders – people who were sent by the Catholic Church and European monarchies to murder Jews, Muslims, and other non believers (including Christians who refused to obey Rome). The vests are made by a company called Paraclete (which means advocate or helper, usually in reference to the ‘Holy Spirit’), who proudly display their crusader logo on their website.

We found this rather amusing, especially since videos on CBS New York clearly reveal the emblem. Clearly, De Blasio’s office feel like they have something to hide, otherwise why would they have edited out the plates from their press conference video? This little fuck up is insensitive at best, and outright racist at worst. Maybe because even NYPD officers, particularly those of color, have themselves attested to the insane racism exhibited by the NYPD.

Many people may remember the recent Reuters study of 25 retired and active duty NYPD officers of color, where all but one reported having been victims of racial profiling and/or violence at the hands of the NYPD. On top of this, it was recently reported that an Orthodox Jewish ex-NYPD officer is actually suing the NYPD after he endured explicit and relentless anti-semitism from his colleagues. Writer Terrell Jermaine Starr recently shared his experiences with various fascists on his recent trip to Ukraine in a piece called “A cop in Ukraine said he was detaining me because I was black. I appreciated it.”

As bad as the experience sounds, I appreciated the young cops’ forwardness. He made it clear that his stop was motivated by race and nothing more. In New York City, where I now live, the NYPD immediately rejects any suggestion that racism can motivate officers’ behavior, even subconsciously.  They categorically dismiss research that shows black people are habitually treated more severely than whites when suspected of the same crime. They swear that policing policies like “stop and frisk” and “broken windows” aren’t racially motivated, even though studies have repeatedly shown that they disproportionately target minorities. These knee-jerk denials breed distrust and allow tensions to fester. Conversations about race in the U.S. descend into vile name-calling and our fears of social and professional retribution hogtie desires to explore each other’s worlds in meaningful ways. Essentially, any cross-cultural breakthroughs we could have about race in America are, in large part, held captive by defensiveness and political correctness.

As for the company selling these vests, “PARACLETE,” which is a subsidiary of aptly named “Point Blank Enterprises, Inc,” the owners are ex-military, ex-secret service, and venture capitalists.

They’ve been in the business of selling protective gear to cops, militaries, and mercenaries for almost 2 decades, and their last CEO was investigated for fraud when the company filed for bankruptcy in 2010. Maybe a good slogan for “Point Blank Industries” would be “made by oppressors, for oppressors!”

Link : http://revolution-news.com/new-nypd-vests-crusader-emblem-will-cost-7-3-million/