VivirLatino

Last night I was watching the local news and saw that an arrest was made in the racist and homophobic murder of Jose Sucuzhañay.

Hakim Scott, 25, was arrested yesterday in connection with the beating death. Police are looking for another suspect, identified as Keith Phoenix, 28, of the Bronx. Both are African-American.

The reasons why I mention the race of the suspects are many. Certainly the race of the suspects will Be held up as proof that it’s not white racism that is to blame for the 40% rise in hate crimes against Latinos. I have no doubt that it will be said that it’s all the people of color killing each other. As if anti-immigrant hate organizations spending money on divide and conquer ads that point the finger at Latino immigrants for unemployment bear no responsibility? As if ICE who just conducted another raid, bears no blame?

I am also concerned with the arrest of one of two suspects being used as an excuse for the NYPD to lay their heavy hands inside of communities who are already constantly harassed. I want to be clear, D.A. Hynes, who failed to prosecute killer cops who shot young Latino men in the back like Anibal Carrasquillo and Frankie Arzuaga, is not going to be the man to bring real justice to Latino communities and these arrests do not equal license to abuse other people of color.

What should justice look like? Something more than arrest and jail time.

Add to this to how now the Brooklyn District Attorney is defending the manhood of the victim by pointing out that Jose was walking close to his brother to keep warm, not because he was gay. Pero what if Jose had been gay? Would it have been ok then?