Thursday, September 4, 2014

PBA president: Councilwoman Robertson race baited officers



ROBERTSON
In his first public appearance since becoming president of the Police Benevolent Association, Sgt. Tom Hoffman called on the Ethics Committee to investigate, and possibly remove, Councilwoman Anastasia Robertson, D-District 2, for trying to incite white police officers into becoming physical with a group of blacks.
Many residents were outraged by Robertson’s comments regarding the race riots in Ferguson Missouri, but that’s not why Hoffman was upset.
Hoffman relayed a story that happened on Aug. 30, at about 5 p.m.
He said officers on patrol first heard a disturbance – yelling and screaming and what not - in the area of Fifth Avenue and 101st Street. When they pulled over to find out what was going on, one woman took off while one stayed. The woman who ran was white and the woman who stayed was black, he said, and she was upset “and could not calm down.”
As officers were learning from the woman she was having a domestic dispute with her female partner, a crowd began to gather and “became unruly towards them (the officers) with insinuations of racial bias because the young lady who stayed at the scene was black and the young lady who left was white.”
He said many of the bystanders had their cell phones out, and tried to “bait the officers into a physical confrontation.”
“Because of the professionalism of our officers they remained calm and inverted in a potentially dangerous situation,” he said.
He said one of the bystanders with their cell phones “in the face” of officers was Robertson.
“’This is why the black community doesn’t respect the police,’” he said she told one of the officers. “’You only go after black people.’”
“Councilwoman Robertson assisted and incited and encouraged public unrest and anti-police sentiment, all while not knowing all the facts of the case,” Hoffman said. “Councilwoman Robertson was unethical, unprofessional and acted in a manner detrimental to her position on the city council and to the residents of this city. You can’t talk about public safety and aid in public unrest.”
As Hoffman was finishing his speech, Robertson packed up her things and left the chamber – which was met with a mix of catcalls and applause from the audience.
“I have been a proud member of the Troy Police Department for almost 25 years,” Hoffman continued, “and I have never witnessed more disrespect towards the group of men and women who put their lives on the line every day for the members of this community.
Unlike Councilwoman Robertson, members of the Troy Police Department do not see black and white.”   
Earlier this week, many residents were upset with Robertson’s comments that included spelling America, “AmeriKKKa” and for stating that there is a concerted effort by whites to exterminate blacks.
She responded to critics prior to the public comment period of Thursday’s Council meeting.
“When I responded I was, like many other people, struggling, trying to understand what was happening in Ferguson and other situations throughout the country,” she said, adding the comments were made as an individual and not in her capacity as councilwoman. “I do recognize that my word choice was unfortunate and offensive to some of the citizens of Troy. That was not my intent to be offensive or alienate anyone.
“I am looking to create a more stable environment in a community where we can all live in peace together. I only want what’s best for the residents and the citizens of Troy.
It’s unclear if the Ethics Committee will investigate Hoffman’s claims. Earlier this year, the Ethics Committee opted not to look into a complaint about another Facebook post Robertson made urging residents to sue the city in light of the melee at Kokopellis and accusations of police brutality.   

 

 

25 comments:

  1. and I have a strong feeling that this too will get swept under the rug. One party rule no checks or balances

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  2. Get her off the council immediately! She herself is the definition of a racist and anti AmeriCan. She is putting police officers in harms way. We don't need a officer killed like Rochester NY did yesterday.

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  3. Way to go Tommy. I saw the whole entire incident AND things others didn't see when the police left. I had to listen to the 'rioters' bragging about spitting on police, white motherfucker this, white motherfucker that, fucking white pigs...blah blah blah. Small children standing by listening to this crap, people urinating out in the open, garbage strewn everywhere. Branda Miller from the Sanctuary For Independent Media was right there but she'll deny seeing or hearing anything because the Sanctuary is the property owners. All of this at a spiritual gathering to bring peace to the neighborhood. Well.....it failed.

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    1. Setting a great example for the next generation... Fabulous.

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    2. Branda Miller and the Sanctuary are funded by ......Lou, Pete and Rodney. They now have turned on Lou and Pete but Rodney's their guy. They produced the Kokopellis anti police videos and their purpose is to create unrest and racial divide.

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  4. " She responded to critics prior to the public comment period of Thursday’s Council meeting.

    “When I responded I was, like many other people, struggling, trying to understand what was happening in Ferguson and other situations throughout the country,” she said, adding the comments were made as an individual and not in her capacity as councilwoman. “I do recognize that my word choice was unfortunate and offensive to some of the citizens of Troy. That was not my intent to be offensive or alienate anyone.

    “I am looking to create a more stable environment in a community where we can all live in peace together. I only want what’s best for the residents and the citizens of Troy."

    It is an unfortunate situation when persons behave badly then blame the law and cry abuse when they are called to task for their behavior. This councilwoman's comments show her to be a bigot. People seem to forget half of our country fought to abolish slavery. Yet this bigot and her followers ignore that little historical fact and commit the very sin they accuse all whites of doing. We are Americans, our country has a long history that has been well documented, warts and all. We should learn from that history and attempt to keep our conversations based in reality.

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  5. Where can we see Mrs Robertsons video?

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    1. You can see it here:

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQgJxkCeLpc

      Tom Hoffman lied about what happened in general, and he lied about Ms. Robertson's actions.

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    2. Just when we get rid of Fitzy now we have this tool running the PBA. Troy is doomed

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  6. She has been a problem from the beginning-- She needs to resign immediately!

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  7. I motion to remove Ms. Robertson from her position on the Troy City Council, all in favor say aye!

    AYE!

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  8. Good to see all the people of Troy revealing themselves to be just as conservative as people in the rural South.

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    1. Nice try. Conservatives in the rural south probably wouldn't mind the KKK reference. For the rest of us non-racist whites, it's offensive.

      I'm supposed to be OK with being labeled a bigot and a murderer because I'm white? Lol. Wake up. SHE is the one with the hate and the prejudice.

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  9. It is difficult to understand Anastasia's comment's without understanding her history. Many people were directly or indirectly impacted by the brutality of racism in this country, especially during the struggle for civil rights. Before we condemn her words, we should walk a mile in her shoes.
    I cannot imagine what it was like watching a cross burning on your lawn, debating whether to go out to possible death against staying in the house which could go up in flames at any moment.
    I cannot imagine what it was like watching husbands, brothers, and sons going off to work wondering if we would find them hung from a tree by the men in the white hoods.
    I cannot imagine what it was like marching through the streets for the basic human rights that Jefferson wrote about in the Declaration of Independence facing dogs, water hoses, and police who were more concerned about the status quo than basic human rights.
    I cannot imagine watching brothers and sisters being tried in front of an all white juries, knowing that no matter the evidence, jail was coming.
    I cannot imagine being told to go through the other door (if we were even allowed in the building), denied access to basic education, or being told to sit in the back of the bus because we looked different.
    I cannot imagine watching loved ones dying in our drive ways because they dared to want equal rights.
    I cannot imagine being called despicable names because of being valued less as a human being because I looked different.
    Before we condemn the words, let us understand why.

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    1. I cannot imagine being denied housing because of my heritage.
      I cannot imagine being persecuted because of my religion.
      I cannot imagine being starved by an Imperial nation.
      I cannot imagine a country I risked my life to get to would herd me into pens on Ellis Island
      I cannot imagine looking for work trying to feed my wife and kids only to see....IRISH NOT APPLY.
      Explain why to me. And go fuck yourself.

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    2. When are we going to move beyond this??? We keep using history as the excuse for behaviors, and for what? To prove WE are right and THEY (insert race or nationality) are wrong??? Its easy to fall back on history, lets just move on!

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    3. Im sure she wasn't a slave...so please stop using history for why people act the way they do..

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    4. So because the persecuted and ridiculed aren't black we should "forget history"?

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  10. What an angry anti american bigot. I realize there is racism, however I have taken diversity training. In my experience blacks were the racist. When they were called out after calling me a "cracker" I was told blacks can't be racist. The race card is used too often as an excuse for misbehavior.
    On a side note she should have been kicked off the council months ago cause she has done squat.

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    1. You sound not only hurt, but just as bigoted as those you are accusing. I stand in solidarity with you and e ill agree that those of my ethnicity can be racist just as you are too. But i ask of you, do continue to harbor hatred, or do you allow yourself to heal? Forgiveness is for you, not them. They iwn real estate in your mind as long as you harbor hate and forgiveness.

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  11. Sadly, i have yet to meet ANYONE in the human race that is not biggoted toward someone that does not look like them, or lacks the same socioeconomic background as they are from. For any of us to say we do not make derogatory comments toward another ethniciy you are telling a lie. We all do it, no matter how religious or righteous you believe you are. We are all different, and my only issue is the lie tom hoffman told with regards to his officers not seeing color. Puuuuuhhhhleeeeeeaassee! Unless you are 3 and under, you see color. Tell that crap to someone else, cause i wouldn't buy it with a wooden nickel. For the other comments as to her never being a slave and what not, participation in slavery is not manditory. You are admitted into the stigma with just the shade of your skin. If you feel I'm wrong google the show made by rapper Ice Cube Black White. Then get back to me and let me know who's jaded, Robertson or the angry folks who still feel like racism is dead. The cracker comment is just as evil as the nigger one, cause both words incite hatred and a history full of abuse and so forth. Cracker came forth due to the sounding of and the cracking of the whip. Nonetheless, we ALL need to grow up and realize there is one race with countless shades of color- the human race. In our own rites, we are ALL IGNORANT OF THE REALITIES OF LOVING AND EMBRACING WHAT IS DIFFERENT AND DOES NOT COME NATURAL. So i challenge EVERYONE. to pray for tolerance, respect and the childless abandon to ask what you don't know.

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  12. Does the City of Troy still have a Human Rights Commission? Is Nan Goldsberry still alive? She would set this whole thing straight.

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  13. Alas, Nan passed away years ago.

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