Why America ignore the historical factors that African Americans are afflicted with "Racial Trauma."

What is Racial Trauma for African Americans/blacks in America? 

In addition to the mental health symptoms of individuals who have encounters with law enforcement, those who witness these events directly or indirectly may also be impacted negatively. In an attempt to capture how racism and discrimination negatively impact the physical and mental health of people of color, many scholars have coined the term "racial trauma" or race-based traumatic stress. Racial trauma may result from racial harassment, witnessing racial violence, or experiencing institutional racism (Bryant-Davis, & Ocampo, 2006; Comas-Díaz, 2016). The trauma may result in experiencing symptoms of depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, feelings of humiliation, poor concentration, or irritability. 

Effects of Racial Trauma on Communities of Color 

Decades of research have noted the impact of discrimination and racism on the psychological health of communities of color. Although not everyone who experiences racism and discrimination will develop symptoms of race-based trauma, repeated exposure may lead to the following. According to a report on The Impact of Racial Trauma on African Americans, Dr. Walter Smith notes the following effects of racial trauma: 

Increase vigilance and suspicion – Suspicion of social institutions (schools, agencies, government), avoiding eye contact, only trusting persons within our social and family relationship networks 

Increase sensitivity to threat – Defensive postures, avoiding new situations, heightened sensitivity to being disrespected and shamed, and avoiding taking risks 

Increase psychological and physiological symptoms – Unresolved traumas increase chronic stress and decrease immune system functioning, shift brains to limbic system dominance, increase risks for depression and anxiety disorders, and disrupt child development and quality of emotional attachment in family and social relationships 

Increase alcohol and drug usage – Drugs and alcohol are initially useful (real and perceived) in managing the pain and danger of unresolved traumas but become their own disease processes when dependency occurs 

Increase aggression – Street gangs, domestic violence, defiant behavior, and appearing tough and impenetrable are ways of coping with danger by attempting to control our physical and social environment. 

  

Racial Trauma Causes 

During the Obama Administration: According to the United Nations Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent in 2016 "Citing the past year's spate of police officers killing unarmed African American men, the panel warned against "impunity for state violence," which has created, in its words, a "human rights crisis" that "must be addressed as a matter of urgency." The group of experts, which includes leading human rights lawyers from around the world, presented its findings to the United Nations Human Rights Council on Monday, pointing to the continuing link between present injustices and the dark chapters of American history. 

"In particular, the legacy of colonial history, enslavement, racial subordination and segregation, racial terrorism, and racial inequality in the United States remains a serious challenge, as there has been no real commitment to reparations and to truth and reconciliation for people of African descent," the report stated. "Contemporary police killings and the trauma that they create are reminiscent of the past racial terror of lynching." (Washington Post, 2016). 

In its report, it specifically dwells on the extrajudicial murders that were a product of an era of white supremacy: Lynching was a form of racial terrorism that has contributed to a legacy of racial inequality that the United States must address. Thousands of people of African descent were killed in violent public acts of racial control and domination and the perpetrators were never held accountable. 

The reparations should come in a variety of forms, according to the panel, including "a formal apology, health initiatives, educational opportunities ... psychological rehabilitation, technology transfer and financial support, and debt cancellation." 

On August 13, 2017, a White Nationalist hate group came to profoundly erupted an evil protest in a quiet town Charlottesville, Virginia to exercise their 1st and 2nd Amendment rights. They arrived with machine guns, dressed with military uniforms and shields, "without masks" with bare faces shouting out hateful racist remarks provoking fights with young college students and counter-protesters ready to start a race war. In America, these White supremacist groups have a legacy of racial inequality shaped by the enslavement of millions of black people. After the era of slavery was followed by decades of terrorism, during the period between the Civil War and World War II, thousands of African Americans were lynched in the United States. Lynchings were violent and public acts of torture that traumatized black people throughout the country and were largely tolerated by local, state and federal officials. These lynchings were terrorism. "Terror lynchings" peaked between 1880 and 1940 and the 21st century claimed the lives of African American men, women, and children who were forced to endure the fear, humiliation, and barbarity of this widespread phenomenon unaided. 

Today lynching is such a different form. The rationalization of self-defense and fear of a black person is the "new law" and the logical excuse for the justice system. Such black motorist traffic stops [Philando Castile], black motorists in a "mental crisis" [Ryan LeRoux’s] , sleeping in our beds [Breona Taylor]; knocking on doors to turn down music [ Jaylene Jones ], or asking a question, walking through the neighborhood [Trayvon Martin], jogging through the neighborhood [Ahmaud Arbery], asking a neighbor a question  [Alike Owens] and not resisting arrest [George Floyd]. These unjustified murders give many racists to challenge the justice system on how to get away with murdering a black person. Just watching some of these murders exacerbate "racial terror" similar to ancestors watching their loved ones "hang on a tree" just because they read a book. 

Yet, still today the same protest rule doesn't apply to African American citizens who exercise their 2nd Amendment rights to bare arms; blacks get murdered without any re-approach. Statistics prove that 71% of murdered cops are by white offenders. However, the myth still remains that "Black people owning guns would upset the social order". At this KKK & White Nationalist protest in Virginia on TV lawmakers and police officers didn't say a word to these "hate" groups concerning their weapons as if it's tolerable to have them conceal such weapons to provoke and cause trauma to innocent protestors. We had too many local, state, and federal politicians quiet about these white supremacist hate group protests in Charlottesville, VA and it is traumatizing for minorities. 

It's the truth how African Americans were enslaved for the purpose of "free forced labor" and slavery was the worst oppression of human mankind that America has ever known but the psychodynamics of the racist psychopaths in America wants to return back to slavery.  However, most of the protestors don't desire slavery and are opposed to returning back to those evil racist days. But when racism is not protested, it is still hidden and affecting African Americans in other ways such as systemic or institutionalized bigotry; blacks are still statistically economically, and socially unequal in pay, advanced job opportunities, housing, boardrooms, education and CEOs in companies, etc., however, harassed by police targets and stops, patterns of excessive force, search, fined and arrest black residents at a disproportionate rate; it's not about public safety but for revenue; mass incarceration "free forced labor" (servitude) and unfair justice system that the usual pattern or practice of unlawful conduct that violates the First, Fourth, and Fourteenth Amendments to the United States Constitution and federal statutory law." According to Pew Research Center, Republicans and Democrats politicians both agree that African Americans experience the most racial discrimination from society however local, state and federal civil rights agencies ignore these statistics and refuse to properly investigate complaints from African Americans.

America is not yet a "colorblind" or a "diversified' society in a lot of areas especially when we witness politicians besides Donald Trump who believed there was evil on "two sides" in the quiet town of Charlottesville, Va. which led to a murdered young lady; two helicopter police officers died; and several innocent injured protesters by a car by one KKK member.  The White Nationalist protesters who were aggressively narcissistic dressed in military combat, guns, and shields igniting a "race war" and shouting out racial obscenities to protesters; surprisingly there were no "direct" arrests or injuries against the hate group members because of their "evil" actions in Charlottesville, Va. I am sure there was no "risk or fear" that these racists didn't lose their employment expressing "hate" who are possibly teachers, judges, police officers, etc.,  working in the community with African Americans who have to deal with these racist actions every day.  Whereas if blacks express their rights "silently"  and refuse to stand -stating "no hateful or evil words" to a flag and song that was created during slavery; lose their employment or income without any recourse. That is how powerful "White Supremacy" is in this Nation.

Most African Americans and/or blacks view "White Nationalist" as a psychopathic and evil hate group with a history of lynching, rapes, dominating, and torture, which exacerbates anxiety and trauma to minorities, "How can anyone compare these racists to be "good people?" America watched the actions of Presidents and other politicians negatively handle the situation similar to past politicians choosing to ignore, be silent, or manipulate statements that there were no good "two sides" from the protest in Charlottesville, Virginia. While the White Nationalist represents the (below) picture they are "psychopaths and sadists" that is controlling and in the business of deriving pleasure from the suffering, and/or inflicting physical pain on blacks or homicide.

References:

http://www.people-press.org/2016/12/08/2-discrimination-and-conflicts-in-u-s-society/

DOJ Files Complaint Against City of LA and CRA/LA Alleging They Fraudulently Obtained Millions in Housing Grants for Disabled

"The complaint filed yesterday underscores the Department's commitment to ensuring that people with disabilities are provided equal access to federally-funded public housing, as required by law..."

The United States late yesterday filed a complaint in intervention against the City of Los Angeles and the CRA/LA (formerly the Community Redevelopment Agency of the City of Los Angeles) alleging that together they fraudulently obtained millions of dollars in housing grants from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) by falsely certifying that the money was being spent in compliance with federal accessibility laws.

The complaint in intervention -- which replaces a complaint previously filed on behalf of the United States by a "whistleblower" -- alleges the city and CRA/LA received federal money by falsely promising to create accessible housing for people with disabilities. Instead of creating accessible housing, they used the money to create inaccessible housing that deprived people with disabilities an equal opportunity to find housing of their choice.

The city repeatedly certified its compliance with federal accessibility laws to obtain the federal funds without taking the required steps to ensure it complied, according to the complaint, which further alleges that many of the HUD-assisted apartment buildings failed to meet minimum accessibility requirements. The city allegedly approved the design and construction of inaccessible buildings, with, among other things:

• Slopes and ramps that are too steep for safe passage by persons with mobility disabilities;
• Door thresholds that are too tall for wheelchairs to roll over;
• Steps that prohibit access to common areas;
• Kitchen cabinets, shelves, and surfaces that are outside of the accessible reach ranges of persons who use wheelchairs;
• Sinks, grab bars, mailboxes and circuit breakers mounted beyond the reach of wheelchair users;
• Pipes below sinks and lavatories that are not insulated, thereby posing a physical threat of burns to people who use wheelchairs; and
• Insufficient numbers of accessible parking spaces in garages and lots.

"The complaint filed yesterday underscores the Department's commitment to ensuring that people with disabilities are provided equal access to federally-funded public housing, as required by law," said Acting Assistant Attorney General Chad A. Readler of the Justice Department's Civil Division.

"Despite the federal government investing hundreds of millions of dollars in Los Angeles to create housing for everyone, the City of Los Angeles instead created housing only for some," said Acting U.S. Attorney Sandra R. Brown for the Central District of California. "For 17 years, the city falsely certified that it had complied with federal law and covered up its repeated disregard of historic and important civil rights laws."

The city and the CRA/LA allegedly violated Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Fair Housing Act, as well as failed to fulfill their duty to affirmatively further fair housing. Congress passed these accessibility laws to ensure people with disabilities have an opportunity to live in an integrated society, achieve independent living, and have the same opportunities for economic and social self-sufficiency as other citizens.

By law, the city and the CRA/LA are required to comply with the federal accessibility laws. They could not -- neither directly, nor through contractual or other arrangements -- deny people with disabilities the opportunity to benefit from housing services or subject them to discrimination based on disability.

The accessibility laws require recipients of federal funds to operate their housing programs in a manner that is accessible to people with disabilities. Among other things, they must have a system in place to ensure compliance with the laws. They are required to develop nondiscriminatory policies and practices, hire a coordinator knowledgeable about accessibility, and implement a grievance procedure that allows for just resolution of complaints. They also must maintain a publicly available list of accessible units and their accessibility features so that people who require those features are able to find housing.

The federal accessibility laws also require that recipients of federal monies have a method in place to avoid giving accessible units needed by people with disabilities to people who do not need accessibility features. The laws also require that recipients of federal monies monitor apartment buildings to ensure they are designed, constructed and altered in compliance with the law so that, among other things, five percent of all units in certain multifamily housing will be accessible to people with mobility impairments, and an additional two percent will be accessible to people with visual and auditory impairments.

The United States' lawsuit alleges that the city and CRA/LA failed to meet these legal obligations.

The lawsuit, United States ex rel. Ling, et al. v. City of Los Angeles, et al., CV11-974-PG, was originally filed in U.S. District Court by whistleblowers Mei Ling, a resident of Los Angeles who uses a wheelchair, and the Fair Housing Council of San Fernando Valley, a non-profit civil rights advocacy group. The United States elected to intervene in the lawsuit and take over the litigation, which prompted the unsealing of the whistleblowers' complaint in June. The case is pending before U.S. District Judge Philip S. Gutierrez.

The lawsuit was filed under the qui tam -- or whistleblower -- provisions of the False Claims Act, which permit private parties to sue on behalf of the United States when they believe that a party has submitted false claims for government funds, and to receive a share of any recovery.

This matter was investigated by the Civil Division's Commercial Litigation Branch, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of California and the HUD Office of Inspector General.

The claims asserted against the City of Los Angeles and the CRA/LA are allegations only; there has been no determination of liability.

Published: 2017-08-01 - U.S. Files new complaint against city of LA and a former redevelopment agency to recover millions of federal grant dollars allegedly obtained by making false promises to provide housing to persons with disabilities. For further information pertaining to this article contact: USDOJ Office of Public Affairs (SMO) at justice.gov.