Teaching Update & Thoughts on Policing
Hey, friends.
As some of you may have heard by now, I had to move on from Compass, and I felt I owed my students and community an explanation.
This past weekend, Mbody, (another local fitness studio), hosted a fundraising event, misleadingly advertising it as a "9/11 memorial workout". In fact, the event raised the funds for the Rochester Police Foundation, a nonprofit that in turn raises money exclusively for the RPD. Compass, (along with several other local gyms and fitness studios), partnered on this event.
It's absolutely horrifying to me that the Rochester fitness community, which talks so much about inclusivity and the importance of taking care of each other, would support such a corrupt, violent, racist, hateful, and grossly over-funded institution. Horrifying, but not at all surprising. White people have spent way too long ignoring the realities of policing in this country, myself included. The last few years have taught me a lot and I simply refuse to tolerate this kind of behavior any longer.
I emailed Compass when I quit and told them why, in very similar words as I'm sharing with you here. Their response couldn't have been more affable, or more milquetoast. It essentially boiled down to: we're sorry you feel that way and it's too bad that you can't just agree to disagree. They respect my opinion and wish that I was able to respect theirs. As if decades of documented oppression, abuse and corruption is just "my opinion". I'm so very sick of people posing as allies, and being supportive of "social justice" only when it's easy and convenient.
I'm not making this post to be congratulated or acknowledged. I have a moral obligation to my community to use the privilege I have to speak up, and do the right thing - and that means no longer supporting businesses that support the police.
If you think they're here to protect us, or that they're anything other than a boot on the necks of all poor and working class people, I would encourage you to do some research and spend some time in quiet introspection.
It probably goes without saying, but every imaginable Content Warning should be applied to all the links below. Inform yourself, but protect your mental wellbeing.
In Solidarity,
💖 kass
Rochester Area: Further Reading
"Strike the Hammer" Author on History of Rochester's Black Freedom Struggle
Rochester enters the era of the $250,000 police officer
Body-worn camera video shows moments after EMT was arrested in Strong Emergency Room
Bay Street Incident In Context: RPD Reported One Use of Force Every 3 Hours Last Year
“Make Him a Suspect”: Documents Show How RPD Villainized Daniel Prude From Day One
Opinion | Daniel Prude Case the Latest in OAG's Dismal Track Record of Prosecuting Police Who Kill
Police union president says no rules broken after RPD pepper sprays 9-year-old girl
Renewed Calls to Expel Rochester Police Union from Labor Council in Wake of Pepper Spray Incident
Gallery | Protesters Met With Militarized Police Force Saturday
"This Is A Rebellion": July '64 Director On The Lessons Of History
Further Reading
Confessions of a Former Bastard Cop
How Media Copaganda Hides the Truth about the US Punishment Bureaucracy
Police Punish the ‘Good Apples’
Serpico on Police Racism: ‘We Have This Virus Among Us’
The Long Shadow of Racial Fascism
Audio/Video Resources
Podcast miniseries: Behind the Police
Video: How To Cover These Police Riots
Video: A Terrible Montage of Police Brutality
Podcast: It Could Happen Here "The Cult of Policing"
Video: Why America Throws the Poor in Prison
Video: The Murderous Police Gangs of Los Angeles