UAlbany "CDTA Bus Incident" Women Go To Court
photo Credit: Paul Buckowski/Times Union
It is a sad and confusing situation. One day people are rallying to support these young women, then another day they are putting them to trial to condemn them. Exactly what happened on the late night, early morning of Jan 30th on an Albany, NY CDTA bus is not easily explained. On one hand you have three young African-American women UAlbany students who claimed they were racially attacked and harrassed by a bus full of white UAlbany students. On another hand you have authorities claiming the three women have fabricated their stories and should be charged with assualt. I believe there are many partial truths in each situation but what the whole truth actually is, can only be understood by hearing all possible sides. Maybe this trial will gather all possible information that will result in us finding the truth. But then again maybe this trial will serve as a figurative cruxifiction of these women to make sure people will think twice about ever embarrassing the establishment with such allegations of racisms again. We will see.
Here is a link to the video from the bus:
From this footage we see a chaotic situation that can be assumed identifies when things got physical. Although audio can be heard in this footage it can not be determined what was said directly to the three young women or what the three young women said to the other students they accuse of attacking them. But it does appear that one of the three women did approach the other students in aggressive manner. I believe that action was provoked however, and that is the issue with this situation. Was what was verbally communicated enough to warrant an aggressive response? Even more complex is the understanding that the answer to that question is quite subjective. It is based on personal views and ideas. What someone may believe to be nothing to worry about, can trigger an entirely different reaction from someone who may believe that it is everything to worry about.
The other thoughts that come into play are wondering what happened before the students boarded the bus, and what happened after the incident occurred and the students got off the bus. There is no way to know for sure of either, and because the only factual evidence we have is the bus video footage that is solely where all judgements will be based.
My hope is that the resolution will be one that is beneficial for all involved, and that a healing and learning process takes place where all sides sees each other point of view. Where apologies are made and forgiveness is given. Where division becomes unity and confusion becomes understanding. What is truly the problem in my opinion is that we live in a country where racism was once a normal way of life. Segregation and oppression were simply the way the world functioned at one time. We cannot forget to acknowledge that fact. No matter how many changes or how much progess has been made in race relations in this country I believe the best way heal a wound is to never have been wounded in the first place. Had the society of this country not cut blacks and minorities to begin with, there would never be a need for a bandage. That is the biggest acknowledgement that I believe needs to occur.
Check out the NY Times article on this trial:
And check out the local news station in Albany interview of Alice Green (Center of Law & Justice)
