Together We Stand, Divided We Fall

The beating of a passenger around the time of Juneteenth festivities in East Austin is receiving international attention.

The driver of a Ford Taurus hit Michael Hosea Jr., a 2-year-old, during activities commemorating the day when Union soldiers arrived on Galveston Island to tell then-Texas slaves about the Emancipation Proclamation. David Rivas Morales, a passenger in that same car was fatally beaten, by people while attempting to shield the driver from their attacks after he got out to check on Hosea. The attackers were upset about Hosea’s minor injuries.

Since Juneteenth is supposed to be a unifying day for celebration and community empowerment, the timing could not have been more ironic. Even incoming police chief Art Acevedo had made a festival appearance, pledging to mend racial divisions between citizens and the department.

Some very traditional and very ugly racial politics fester beneath Austin’s laid-back and ‘weird’ image. The Justice Department is reviewing Austin Police Department policies and procedures after the NAACP sent a 16-page briefing alleging misuse of force on minorities. Historically, minority communities in south and southeast Austin (where the Juneteenth celebration were held) carry frustration about not receiving their fair share of public services.

Attempting to locate an interview site which just happened to be located in East Austin, I notice a lack of sidewalks, lamplights, or crosswalks. The stoplights which I expect to assist me cross busy intersections safely are inexplicably covered up and non-functioning. I think about what exists in all of the places where I previously lived and currently reside, certain basics comprise a functioning neighborhood and a thriving community. Ultimately opting to forego that job, I also recognized that other people must take jobs and live where I decided not to.

With everything Austin already has going for it, this beating was not something that needed to occur. International reports claimed that up to 500 people witnessed the attack and the ambulance stalled in arriving at the scene. Quickly correcting the erroneous statistics, Mayor Will Wynn, City Manager Toby Futrell and Police Commander Harold Piatt held a City Hall press conference accepting responsibility for prior event coverage. EMS Director Richard Herrington clarified that unarmed paramedics wait until the police tell them that entry into a potentially violent scene is safe before moving in and administering treatment.

I enjoyed myself at the "Keep Austin Weird" festival, which wrapped up with a much happier ending. I hope there is a time when all communities in our city truly will come together as one.