Our divisive "wanna-be" progressive politicians who advocate and lead us to an Apartheid State and the "wanna-be" self-proclaimed progressive prosecutors still behind Mass Incarceration.
February 20th, 2022 | JoJo Deogracias Ejonga Wow... What a way to start an article or essay. But I see no other way to start this piece. "Wow" is the only way to react to the hypocrisy coming from our wanna-be progressive leaders while they lead us into disarray. As a person of Color, a Black Universalist, an Activist, and a person who maintains Constitutional Abolitionist principles like Frederick Douglas, I hold a strong belief in peace through unity like Nelson Mandela and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. As a black man and a person who immigrated to the United States, I find it so despicable that politicians who claim to be progressive use their platforms to spread and implement divisive measures that push for racial segregation and use race as a tool to implant hatred, division, and segregation. This ultimately results in leading us to a de facto Apartheid State... The people who point fingers and call others racist, are some of the same people who not long ago were pushing similar, or worse, agendas that embody some of the most devastating measures that have affected the people they now claim to be fighting for...I beg to question their motives and intent, especially with respect to criminal justice and immigration policies... No better example exists than that of the sitting President of the United States, Joseph Biden(D). President Biden, then Senator Biden, once stood on the floor of the U.S. Senate advocating for the implementation of the 1994 "Crime Bill", a set of racially devastating measures that can be seen as vastly responsible for mass incarceration and the expansion of the Prison Industrial Complex (PIC) in the United States. The then senator is the same person who referred to young Americans and People of Color as "Super Predators". Bearing the blame is also Former First lady Hillary Clinton (D), Former President Bill Clinton(D), Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer(D), and Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D). Despite this sordid past, these leaders now try to show moral superiority over their political opponents and others who don't agree with them. Not too long ago, Joseph Biden, Schumer, the Clintons, and some of those who currently claim to be their progressive backers were all supporters of tighter border security and border walls, even voting in favor of such measures, but now they all claim to be on the opposite side of the fence on these particular issues. This seems to be a good thing indeed and a great change of mind. However,I find it hard to accept that such a change of mind has been made in good faith due to these politician’s prior actions and appeals to people’s racial hysteria coupled with the devastating results that have since unfolded. Thankfully, history is there to enlighten us about their past. When we look back in recent history, we'll realize that these people are nothing but a bunch of hypocrites who are willing to use race, even if it is to the detriment of the people they are elected to serve, in order to advance their political careers and status. It is becoming dangerously scary to see our leaders using their own citizens against each other...We see the same tactics in conversations that involve COVID-19, elections, education, criminal justice, and even the judiciary in our society today. They turn us against each other while they all eat, laugh and drink among themselves. The wanna-be progressive leaders are much like prosecutors who will do anything to secure a conviction at all costs, even if it means breaking the law. However, this hypocrisy is not limited to politicians alone. There are also wanna-be, so-called “Progressive Prosecutors” that claim to be Pro-Justice Reform and against racism who also fit this mold. They spend time demonizing their opponents as evil racists who are locking up kids, while simultaneously remaining silent about their own past misdeeds in this regard. There is no better example of this than the two hypocrite neighbors, King County Prosecuting Attorney Daniel T. Satterberg, and his partner in crime, Pierce County Prosecuting Attorney Mary Robnett. It is no secret that not long ago – less than 5 years ago to be precise -- Daniel T. Satterberg was a registered Republican whose office policy was based on locking up kids and seeking convictions at all cost. King County and Pierce County are the biggest contributors to the increase in the prison population in Washington State, as well as responsible for the mass incarceration of kids and youth in our state. In spite of his background, Daniel T. Satterberg now wants people to believe that he is a ‘progressive prosecutor’, juvenile defender, and youth sentence reformist -- with a dedication to reform and the ending of youth detention. Wow.... The same sentiments have been proclaimed by the Pierce County Prosecuting Attorney Mary Robnett. Nevertheless, their actions and practices have been contrary to what they have been saying and preaching to the public. One good example is the action taken by both the King County and Pierce County Prosecuting Attorney's Office in 2021. In a case involving two youths, they both petitioned the United States Supreme Court in order to challenge the decision of the State Supreme Court that it would be necessary to consider the two defendants’ age during sentencing. The court held that under the Eighth Amendment, a sentencing court must consider mitigating circumstances of youthfulness when sentencing juveniles and youths. See In re Per. Restraint of Domingo-Cornelio.No. 97205-2(2020), and In re Per. Restraint of Said Omer Ali. No. 95578-6. Their challenge to the highest State court’s decision and appeal to the U.S. Supreme court wasn't just disrespectful to the Washington State Constitution, it was also a clear example of their hypocrisy and serves as clear evidence that they will do anything and everything to win an election and save face in public -- even if this means using race against kids, young adults, and disabled individuals. Advancing their political agendas and scoring prosecutorial points in the form of convictions is all the wanna-be progressives care about. While they also try to portray themselves as progressives by speaking in progressive-sounding language, the clear hypocrisy shown by their actions makes it harder to consider or believe them. They are far from progressives... The wanna-be progressive prosecutors have been the leading force opposing many youths who petition the court for resentencing under the State Supreme Court Decision, such as in: re Per. Restraint of Monscke, and re Per. Restraint of Bartholomew, but then go on TV and claim to be in favor of ending youth detention. This is clear hypocrisy..Wow.. It is horrifying when our leaders, elected officials, and even law enforcement officials engage in political football and use serious subjects, such as race, to divide the people they are elected to protect, defend, represent, and serve equally... It is time for the so-called progressives to own up to their past first – something they have never done. Never has Joseph Biden apologized for his past actions and statements, nor have the Clintons, Nancy Pelosi, or Charles Schumer apologized for the mass incarceration of kids and people of color. We must also keep in mind the sins committed by Daniel T. Satterberg – he is also guilty of having never apologized for locking up kids, separating mothers from their children, or breaking up poor families. Additionally, the same applies to the Pierce County Prosecuting Attorney who was elected as a progressive reformist that had promised to reform the system by taking a different approach from the one implemented by the disgraced former Pierce County Prosecutor Lindquist. Her actions have proven that she is no different than her predecessor, and a reasonable inference based on her inconsistencies could lead one to no other conclusion than that she is a hypocrite. Neither of these wanna-be progressives -- acclaimed “progressive prosecutors” in name only -- have apologized for their own past sins. Using the same standards utilized in society and currently embraced by these leaders to identify others they disagree with as racist, it is not far-fetched to apply these same standards back to them and show that they are also guilty of the same actions. Therefore, they are no different than the people they now brand as evil. Yes, it is true that people change, but a person must first acknowledge his or her own past wrong/s and trespasses and apologize...Clearly, none of these wanna-be progressive leaders "By Name Only" has yet to do so. Until then, they will never be true progressive leaders and will continue to serve as lipstick progressives and divisive leaders. Using their own current standards, these leaders, regardless of what they claim to now represent, have records and histories that align them with racism. When analyzing their past racist actions, the similarities to how they currently portray their political opponents are not easy to miss... These leaders need to stop taking one step forward and two steps back and stop hiding behind race when they can't get their way or have no real policy alternatives to advance... We don't need segregation, discrimination, isolation, division, hate, inequality, hypocrisy, injustice, or an Apartheid State. What we need is the opposite. We need leadership that will bring us together and bring down the "Injustice System" without pitting the public against one another. We can speak about race and inequality without insulting each other. Most importantly, all of our leaders must stop preaching the message of hate and division of any kind. Our leaders must embrace fairness, sympathy, and justice.