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Jersey City Native Launches WatchThatNegro.com

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As a social media tool, Facebook has become the perfect site for sharing funny cat memes, photos of last night’s dinner, and the images from the family reunion. Try using it to spark a political dialogue, however, and you’re likely to end up in Facebook jail. For the uninitiated, “Facebook jail” happens when a person repeatedly posts content that violates the site’s standards. On its surface it sounds like a good practice, but talk to nonwhite users of the site who have tried to discuss race issues on Facebook, and you’ll find many have been “Zucked” for posting what the site calls “hate speech.”

Meanwhile, the Facebook page for “Kenosha Guard” was allowed to stay active, despite encouraging “armed citizens to protect our lives and property.” The page remained active even after Facebook received complaints from the public, due to the implied threat of gun violence.

The apparent double standard can be emotionally exhausting for people of color and other groups who feel the social media landscape too often mirrors the worst of what already exists offline. While organizations like Color of Change seek to reform platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, others hope to create new online spaces that can succeed where the industry leaders have failed.

Enter Jersey City native Quinn Williamson and WatchThatNegro.com. Williamson, who is nonbinary and uses the “they/them” pronouns, created the site in 2016 so that “uncomfortable” speech could exist without censorship.

“I have a friend who is an influencer who had a post Instagram around that time. The post wasn’t harmful, but it may have been uncomfortable for some white people. And I though, just because you are uncomfortable with a post doesn’t mean it should be taken down, especially on these public platforms,” Williamson recounted. “So, that made me think we need a space for us, by us where you can say exactly what you want freely and unapologetically, so long as you aren’t encouraging violence.”

They say the site’s origin also coincided with the rise of Blue Lives Matter, a phrase meant to pushback against the Black Lives Matter movement.

“At the time, a lot of people were posting on different social media platforms, in very short form, explaining their grievances around social and racial injustices,” Williamson said. “And I shout it would be great if we had one singular platform where people could really thoroughly explain their opinions that might be seen as soundbites on Twitter or Instagram.”

The site also includes posts from LGBTQ+ writers who address social justice from their unique perspective.

Williamson was a college sophomore at Howard University at the time doing a double major in political science and philosophy. Life and school being what they are, WatchThatNegro.com eventually took a backseat to classes and homework. The site came off of hiatus this year following Williamson’s 2019 graduation from HU and return to Jersey City.

Williamson admits the site will likely be “uncomfortable” and unsettling, even among people who may see themselves as allies.

An open letter on the site titled “Dear cisgender idealism,” by Afro’Man Blac notes, “To be transgender is to acknowledge the manipulation of gender through patriarchy and to resist it through existence. Trans threatens your identity and failing systems; you all fear it and all that defies your androcentric gender complex. Hence transphobia.”

Elsewhere, the site’s editors suggest their Top 10 List of literary works by black writers that should be, in their opinion, mandatory reading for high school students, a list that is sure to invite much debate. (The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison is there, but not Alice Walker’s The Color Purple? Zadie Smith’s White Teeth makes the cut, but not Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates? Lols, guys.)

But that’s point, said Williamson, who is now a first year grad student at Tufts University, though studying remotely in JC due to the pandemic. The point is to provoke.

Speaking of provoking, there is the site’s rather jarring name, Watch that Negro. Over the summer Roger Stone, an advisor to Donald Trump, got in trouble for allegedly referring to black radio host Morris O’Kelly as a “Negro” on-air. So, is “Negro” the new n-word?

“When I decided this was going to be the name I was fully aware that it was going to be off-putting to a lot of people — a lot of black people — because we don’t use that term anymore,” Williamson acknowledged. “But I think this is just another case of reclaiming a word that we didn’t initially call ourselves, taking the power from the word, which I think is necessary.”

The site’s title, though, has its roots in an unreleased song lyric that is very much in synch with its stated purpose. The lyric refers to a black man moving on a dance floor — freely, un-self-consciously, without fear of intervention from anyone.

Council Meeting Ends in Defeat for Police De-funders

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In a contentious virtual city council meeting on Tuesday that lasted close to nine hours, Jersey City residents sounded off on the administration’s $658 million 2020 municipal budget. And sound off they did, with a majority of speakers criticizing both the scheduling of the meeting and the the fact that the budget would make minimal cuts from the Department of Public Safety while making vastly larger cuts to the Departments of Health and Human Services and Youth Development and Recreation.

Earlier in the month, Mayor Fulop had lauded his proposed budget for “plugging a gaping budget hole” caused by $50 million in revenue losses coupled with $20 million in added expenses related to Covid-19.  In the same press release, the mayor highlighted “approximately $25 million in immediate and long-term savings from voluntary employee buyouts, hiring freezes, restructuring personnel, elimination of overtime costs, reassessment of operational efficiencies, healthcare cost reevaluation, program inventory assessments, reducing and eliminating operating costs and contracts, internal audits, and debt restructuring.” With these cuts, the mayor said, residents would be spared a “tax increase.” Left unsaid, however, was an impending hike in school taxes brought about by cuts in state aid and a drop in revenue from a city payroll tax.

At Tuesday’s meeting, property taxes and the niceties of budget balancing were far from uppermost in speakers’ minds. The perception that the mayor and his council supporters were attempting to ram through a bloated appropriation for the police department at the expense of social justice for Black and brown people in Jersey City raised the ire of many.

Jenny King’s remarks were typical. “The timing of this meeting at 2 p.m., which was called four days ago, is unfair and inconvenient to Jersey City residents who are unable to make the time to speak in the middle of a weekday.” Jena Lichtenstein went further, telling the council, “You should be ashamed of yourselves. I’m deeply disappointed that this vote is taking place at 2 p.m. on a workday at a meeting called as hastily as the council rules of order allow.”

But if the timing of the budget hearing caused consternation amongst administration critics, a proposal by councilmen Rolando Lavarro, Jr. and James Solomon to redirect $5 million in savings away from the Jersey City Public Safety Department and into housing assistance, youth jobs, and community-staffed anti-violence initiatives was enthusiastically supported by those same speakers.

Pamela Johnson, Executive Directory of the Jersey City Anti-Violence Coalition was one.  “The $5 million are pennies in the grand scheme of things … the South Side is already over-policed, and that hasn’t prevented one single act of violence … homicides have taken place while police are sitting in their cars on the corner.” She went on: “Is policing the only answer?  Because if it is, we are truly in trouble. We are in no better position because of more police. Police have not been defunded yet, and yet [violent incidents and drug dealing] are happening and continue to happen.”  But, she added, “defunding doesn’t mean abolishing.” Activist Frank “Educational” Gilmore called the 42% cut to the recreation budget “almost criminal.”

Brian Long argued that “when you cut from youth services and recreation and … bring the total [number of police] to 950, a number which is double the median of cities our size … the answer becomes clear … this budget does not help the people of this city especially its most vulnerable communities … members of this council love to say that we can fund the police and the communities, and yet time after time you defund the communities, you defund education, you defund youth services, but you always seem to fund the police.”

Police union president Carmine Disbrow was having none of it. Claiming that the police had been “outgunned” by terrorists during the kosher market siege in December, he warned  that the budget cuts proposed by Lavarro and Solomon would make it less likely that police protection would be there in the future. He credited the police with keeping protests over the killing of George Floyd peaceful, claiming that it was evidence of the “important bonds” the police have built with “the communities they serve.”

Retired detective Mark Rizzoli held nothing back.  “Councilman Solomon, you’re clearly a socialist.”  Lavarro and Solomon, he said, were “giving in to the mob and the criminal element.”

Speaking as a rookie Jersey City policewoman, Christina Freeman tried to strike a balance. “Am I for defunding the police department?  The answer is no. And it’s not because I’m a police officer. It’s because I grew up in Ward F. We’re already defunded. Our stuff at the academy—we pay for. The equipment we wear—we pay for.  The only thing the city provides for us is the radio, the badge, and the bullet proof vest, which isn’t adequately fit for females. Am I for social services here in Jersey City? Absolutely. We need drug rehab. Do we need recreation for the children? Yes.” Citing the effect of potential cuts on new police officers she added, “I survive on $1,200 every two weeks. I can make more working at McDonald’s. I took an oath. I love my city. As far as people saying that the police don’t live here in the city? It’s a lot of us that do.”

John Boamah, a police officer living in Ward F and a member of Blacks in Law Enforcement Servicing the Community, argued that cuts to the budget would harm minority cops. “We’ve had so many officers come on the job from the community who are making a difference. I understand that we’re not popular, I get it.” But, he continued, “There is so much wasteful spending, these bike lanes. For so long the city has had problems finding funding for kids programs. Give us a Boys and Girls Club in Ward F.”

When the speakers had finished, Councilman Solomon made the argument in favor of his amendment. “At the end of the day this budget only offers one solution to the issue [of violence and disinvestment], and it doesn’t offer anything else.” He cited jobs and mentoring programs from Chicago and Philadelphia that that have caused drops in violence by 30% to 50%. “There is incredible evidence that [these programs] will reduce violence. Investment leads to that safer community we all want.” He cited Newark, which has allocated 5% to anti-violence community groups, as an example to emulate. He then warned that it would be no easier in the future to fund these programs with declining payroll taxes, state budget cuts, tax appeals, and declining PILOT income.

For his part, Councilman Lavarro pushed back against “gaslighting and fear mongering” by the amendment’s critics. He cited a petition signed by 800 people in support. He asserted that the amendment wouldn’t lead to cuts of personnel or the raiding of pensions as some critics had charged. “Why are these investments so important?” he went on. “Police don’t prevent crime.  They react to crime. I’ll be the first to say that it’s a damn shame that we don’t provide funding for uniforms and guns [for the police]. We also need to give people what they need. We need to invest in the community. I will not give up the fight.”

Like his colleagues, Councilman Daniel Rivera commended the amendment’s intent but voted against it. Citing increases in crime in New York City and Chicago, he explained his vote. “I wasn’t a fan of defunding the police department. I’m very passionate about it.” He added, however, that “I wish we could have more solid discussions. Let’s start in November to really engage with these conversations we want to have.”

Councilwoman Denise Ridley pointed to the need for better relations between the police and the community. “A vote on this budget does not mean we don’t believe that Black lives matter. I’m Black. I would be crazy not to believe that my life matters. I believe that the residents of Ward A support the budget overall and definitely have been calling for more and more and more police in the area.”

Council president Joyce Waterman noted that because of the killing of George Floyd, “people are paying attention and want cuts.” She agreed that there is a need “to expand mental health, recreation and anti-violence … I work with people who are less fortunate. I live with racism, so what makes you think I don’t want to combat it?” But, she added, “I know one thing, you don’t want to demonize all police officers.”

Councilman Jermaine Robinson agreed on the need for more services.  “We need to take care of the kids.” Then, offering a mild critique of some callers, he added, “I’ve heard a lot about the Black and brown communities. I want to know if you’ve gone out and talked to the Black and brown communities. I’m there every single day. They’re all trying to find police officers. We have to sit down, and we have to make this plan.”

Councilwoman Mira Prinz-Arey called the Solomon-Lavarro amendment “well intentioned” and urged the council to begin work on the issues it raised sooner for next year’s budget.

Councilman Yousef Saleh explained that “as well intentioned as it is, it doesn’t really address the pervasive issues in the Heights. The vast majority of residents in the Heights want the police. I personally would like to see more police in the Heights. A lot of calls go unanswered.”

Councilman Boggiano complained that many inaccurate statements were made about policing and offered to meet with police department critics.

In the end, the Solomon-Lavarro amendment was voted down 7-2.  The budget passed 6-2-1, with Councilman Saleh abstaining.

At 10:49 pm, a meeting that started at 2 pm ended.

 

City Council Meeting Focused on George Floyd

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Chorus of Residents Calls For Police Department Reforms

In the wake of recent protests spurred by the killing of Minnesota resident George Floyd, residents of Jersey City called on the City Council to divest the police department of funding and invest more money in social services instead. To that end, the council voted Wednesday night to pass a resolution, initiated by Council President Joyce E. Watterman, that establishes an advisory committee to review the department’s “policies and procedures relating to police enforcement and discrimination.”

“In May, the situation that happened to George Floyd was horrible,” Council President Watterman said. “Being a black woman, I know what it’s like to be discriminated against. To deal with racism, you have to start somewhere. It’s an ugly thing and not easy to tackle. We have an opportunity now to get rid of some of the ugliness black folks have been facing for centuries.”

The council voted to designate May 25 as Black Lives Matter Day. It also voted unanimously to appoint Elizabeth Castillo chief financial officer of Jersey City, to re-appoint Carlo Abad  chief judge of the Jersey City Municipal Court, and on an urban farming initiative and other ordinances and resolutions.

Divesting and Investing

During the public comments section of the meeting, Jersey City resident A’driana Williams spoke to the City Council about attending a rally outside City Hall, last week, where more than 4,000 people voiced their support for Black Lives Matter. Williams and several other callers advocated defunding the police department and re-allocating that money to Jersey City’s public schools and to public programs that serve the needs of the community.

“I’m a student, and I know how much this district has failed me in terms of how much money has gone into the resources in our schools,” Williams told the council. “We have more security guards and police than nurses. We need to put more resources into our communities instead of more police. Our city’s budget is a reflection of its priorities. We need to show the city that our black citizens matter. Our education matters. Our tax dollars matter. Everything about us matters.”

Septuagenarian Doud David Williams said he believes a community review board is necessary to get rid of “bad apples” on the police force. He also said Jersey City police officers should be required to reside in Jersey City.

“If we had policemen who lived here, there would be a different attitude,” Williams said. “I remember Glenn Cunningham and Charlie Jackson, all of them lived in Jersey City in the black community. We need good policing and redistribution of funds that could go to social services that perhaps would be better in some areas than police.”

Another resident, Stanley Smith, presented a list of stipulations for police reform in the wake of the killing of George Floyd. He is seeking increased accountability for the use of excessive force, a community policing model that puts officers back on the beat, mandatory police de-escalation training, and increased mental health support for law enforcement.

Scott Welfel of Jersey City called in to say this moment in time presents a unique opportunity to re-imagine what Jersey City residents want from their police department.

“If you have a family member who suffers from addiction or has a mental illness and has an episode, who do you want to show up?” Welfel said. “Do you want someone with a gun who is trained with a command and control mentality, or do you want a professional and what they know about mental illness, what they know about addiction? What they know is to respond to this person as a human being to talk them down from that crisis, to get them the resources that they need. So, a council resolution that talks about an advisory committee? That is not re-imagining … no. Let’s take this moment to fully and fundamentally re-imagine the society we want to live in.”

The council voted 8–1 in favor of the resolution to establish an advisory committee with Ward C Councilman Richard Boggiano abstaining.

Urban Farming

Up for a vote was a resolution authorizing Jersey City to contract with AeroFarms for $987,646 to construct and maintain indoor vertical gardens at 11 city-owned properties.

Back in September 2011, the city contracted with Friends of the Lifers Urban Farming Initiative to create a fully-sustainable hydroponic farm and farmer’s market in impoverished areas of Jersey City, but it was eventually abandoned. Now, the city hopes to grow vegetables (specifically lettuce) hydroponically to give away to Jersey City residents.

“We used to have community gardens; now they’re gone,” Councilman Boggiano said. “At a time like this, we don’t need this.”

Ward E Councilman James Solomon said he didn’t see the need to rush the resolution forward. “Without local job guarantees in the contract, there’s way more detail to go through,” he said.

Council at Large Rolando Lavarro, Jr.,  pointed out that although the vegetables would be free to Jersey City residents, they should only go to those in need.

“While it’s great the vegetables are free, I’m not sure of the cost analysis,” Councilman Lavarro said. “The one thing I will point out is that it is eligible to anyone who is a Jersey City resident, and I would urge Jersey City to put income qualifications on this. We should provide food for those who need food.”

The resolution was approved 6–3 with Councilmen Boggiano, Solomon, and Lavarro dissenting.

Black Lives Matter Day

To honor the death of George Floyd, Ward F Councilman Jermaine Robinson introduced a resolution declaring May 25 Black Lives Matter Day. The council voted unanimously to approve it.

“That horrific incident prompted communities all over the globe to acknowledge the inequalities of black life in the United States,” Councilman Robinson said. “I grew up in a household where I was told by my parents I mattered. On May 25, the world recognized that black lives really matter.”

For other coverage of the Black Lives Matter movement in Jersey City, click here.