Comic, Amanda Seales says she “can’t perceive” why nobody stepped in to assist after the loss of life of a homeless Black man on a New York subway this week. Seales says Black individuals who had been current through the ordeal ought to have achieved one thing to cease it.
Seales, 41, took to her Instagram Stay to talk out in regards to the loss of life of Jordan Neely, a 30-year-old homeless man who was choked to loss of life by a white subway passenger in New York. She says within the video, “I’m attempting to determine why folks suppose that is all common, or that is okay.” She continues, “I’m attempting to know how a Black man might be murdered once more in entrance of your face and [you can] be like ‘I imply it’s loopy on the prepare in New York.’” She careworn once more, “I can’t perceive that…If I’m being sincere, we’re not doing sufficient.” One person commented beneath Seales’ stay video, “You proper.” One other stated, “A person died on nationwide television once more.”
Neely, referred to as a Michael Jackson impersonator, died on Monday after being positioned in a chokehold by an unnamed 24-year-old U.S. Marine Corps veteran minutes in response to police stories. A passenger on the prepare, Juan Alberto Vazquez, stated Neely complained about being “fed up and hungry,” in response to CNN. Neely additionally stated he was “bored with having nothing.” He additionally stated “I don’t care if I die. I don’t care if I’m going to jail. I don’t have any meals … I’m achieved,” in response to Vazquez. Regardless of his statements, the witness recalled that not one of the passengers had been attacked by Neely earlier than he was restrained and put in a lethal chokehold, in response to NPR.
Rolling Stone reported that New York Mayor Eric Adams stated on CNN, “We now have so many instances the place passengers help different riders. We don’t know precisely what occurred right here till the investigation is thorough. … We can’t simply blanketly say what a passenger ought to or mustn’t do in a state of affairs like that,” when requested about passengers intervening in issues akin to this on their very own accord. The video of Neely being restrained has struck a nerve within the Black neighborhood together with Seales, because the loss of life of one other Black man is televised. Activists proclaiming that Black Lives Matter took to the streets to protest harking back to the George Floyd homicide.
Issues about how homeless folks and folks with psychological sicknesses are handled additionally surfaced. Vocal-NY echoed Seales’ considerations in a assertion, “The homicide of Jordan Neely is a direct results of the sustained political, systemic abandonment and dehumanization of individuals experiencing homelessness and psychological well being complexities.” “Neely’s blood is on their arms, and any semblance of justice right here requires accountability and a reversal of Adams’ austerity finances and Hochul to cease blocking progressive coverage in Albany.”
Nobody has been arrested for Neely’s loss of life and Amanda Seales continues to battle for justice.
