The Vulgar Bully Pulpit

Community Bail Fund Open Meeting and Discussion

January 3, 2023
  Public encouraged to share ideas on creating a system that emphasizes support rather than imprisonment Columbia, MO, Jan. 2, 2023 -- Race Matters, Friends (RMF) will evaluate one of its core strategies for combatting the police-industrial complex by hosting a Community Bail Fund meeting. The public is invited to attend the open discussion at […] Read More

We Need Bodies at Tonight’s Citizens Police Review Board (CPRB)

July 13, 2022
The recent hot flashes around the (CPRB) are in response to December L. Harmon’s 11-page proposal called New Model Concepts For The Citizen’s Police Review Board (2/22/22). The proposal is in response to SB26, which egregiously limited the board’s ability to do the oversight mission. Overall, the proposal reconceptualizes the oversight infrastructure and structure of […] Read More

Murals in the Courthouse (Boone County, MO)

September 29, 2021
The Courthouse of Boone County, Missouri has prominent murals adorning its walls that give an unflattering depiction of BIPOC and women. While conversations may be held as to the historical or artistic relevancy of such work, the primary concern is that these images set and reinforce an insidious tone within the halls of our Courthouse. Read More

RMF Shares City Manager’s Alleged Retaliation Over Rumors

July 19, 2021
This letter addresses a recent issue of some city employees being put on administrative leave. (The narrative below is obviously sourced by city employees.) They are concerned about an allegation, based on a rumor, which maintains certain employees organized and plotted to get a sitting council member to make a motion to hear their grievances […] Read More

CPD shooting Wednesday shows callous disregard for citizen safety

May 27, 2021
Author: Pat Pratt While an investigation is currently underway to determine if the Columbia Police shooting Wednesday of 38-year-old James Sears III was justified under Missouri law, one aspect of it is perfectly clear.  His immediate arrest on a drug warrant was far more important to officers than the safety of the public they are […] Read More

Action Alert! Missouri Senate Bill 487

March 21, 2021
The RMF Community Bail Fund is tracking Senate Bill 487 in the General Assembly. Its provisions would prevent judges from releasing defendants on their own recognizance while they wait for trial. It would increase the number of pretrial detainees in the Boone County Jail despite years of efforts to decrease the jail population. It may contradict a 2019 Missouri Supreme Court order designed to limit pretrial detention and bail. Full text of the bill: https://www.senate.mo.gov/21info/pdf-bill/intro/SB487.pdf Read More

Protect Our Incarcerated!

January 18, 2021
We urge Sheriff Carey, Judge Crane, and the 13th Circuit Court Judges to work immediately at releasing our Boone County detainees and limit further actions that would increase the jail population. Read More

RE: Columbia Police Department - Yet Another Call to Do Better

December 10, 2020
Columbia Police Departments' actions, including the disparate racial outcomes related to vehicle stops, is an institutional and organizational problem that leadership has failed to fix. Read More

RE: The Silenced Majority; Capitalism; Fascism

December 10, 2020
Last night, Citizens Police Review Board member Alex Hackworth asked Chief Jones about the demographic composition of the CPD force and Chief Jones said he didn't know. It sounded to me like Chief Jones believes the PRETEXT for the Sept 2, 2021 POLICE STOP -- fits a guardian-mindset practice of community-oriented policing AND his July 1 policy change. Read More

"No Wrongdoings" in Violent Crimes Unit interaction

December 5, 2020
Columbia Police Department finds "no wrongdoing" of Violent Crimes Unit's handling of traffic stop where non-violent driver and passenger are cuffed, searched. Read More

Sells' Racist Comments and Apology

September 20, 2020
This ridiculous conflating of kneeling to demand justice as somehow an offensive gesture to veterans is a bunch of made-up gobbledygook out of white ignorance and fear. Read More

Guest Post: Biases

September 9, 2020
Source: Cyndi Smith Frisby. This blog was copied from a Facebook thread excerpt dated 9/9/2020. Shared with Permission. Confirmation Bias What It Is The tendency to selectively search for, interpret, and recall information that confirms one’s pre-existing beliefs. These beliefs persist and get stronger even when presented with contradicting evidence. Example of Confirmation Bias A […] Read More

Rethinking the City Budget

July 14, 2020
With the proposed 2021 City of Columbia budget allocating far less than $1 million to the proposed public safety mental health collaboration between CPD and the county health department, how will the intended outcomes be achieved? Harrington explores the future of community policing in Columbia and calls for unity to establish and maintain a community where everyone feels safe and can thrive. Read More

Race Matters, Friends Sends Open Letter RE: Violence at Local Protests

June 10, 2020
Our organizations call upon the police to prioritize the arrests of any person(s) who use(s) a vehicle to intimidate or injure protesters - and complete transparency to the public about their response. Read More

Race Matters Friends Responds to Vehicle Stop Report (2019 data)

June 9, 2020
According to the data, ​racial disparities for Columbia, Boone County, and the State of MIssouri have increased yet again in 2019. Read More

RMF Debuts New Volunteer Sign Up Process!

June 6, 2020
Whatever your levels of comfort, confidence, skills, or capabilities, we have a need for your dedication in order to best DO.THE.WORK! Read More

RMF Requests Community Uploads

June 4, 2020
https://bit.ly/2MrcXl9. Race Matters Friends is providing a link to our Google Drive for uploading any media - photos, video, audio recordings - associated with the protest activities occurring in Columbia, MO Read More

CPS Pandemic Survey: Fixed It!

May 26, 2020
Please feel free to respond to CPS with the concerns for public safety that we hold, irrespective of whether you have children currently attending their system. This is a question for all of us to deliberate upon. Read More

COMO: RMF Community Response to COVID-19

May 14, 2020
There are inherent conflicts with both Mike Trapp and Fred Parry’s indulgence in throwing the City/County Public Health and Human Services Department under the bus during a crisis as elected officials, ostensibly representing the very agencies undermining public health officials. Read More

Critique: CPS Board of Education

May 11, 2020
I believe the CPS board and their employee Dr. Stiepleman have struggled to be transparent on issues that matter to parents whose children have been marginalized and harmed by their institutional practices. Read More

RMF Says NO to Contract Extension for Columbia's Dr Stiepleman

May 11, 2020
Traci Wilson-Kleekamp summarized Race Matters, Friends position of ongoing disappointment with Dr. Stiepleman's performance, administrative process, and lack of transparency and accountability. Read More

Confidential Survey: Child's CPS Experience

January 17, 2020
A confidential survey RMF has created in an effort to proactively respond strategically to what we believe are persistent abuses of children of color and children with special needs. Read More

Change in RMF Executive Board

November 21, 2019
As racial disparities for discipline are commonly recognized as a reflection of the school-to-prison pipeline, RMF engaged several school administrators and was assisted by the ACLU in requesting records about the CPS’ equity practices. Read More

Columbia Warrant Amnesty Dec 9-20, 2019

November 21, 2019
"This warrant amnesty applies to outstanding warrants from Columbia Municipal Court for anyone facing arrest for failing to appear for traffic and parking tickets or other City of Columbia ordinance violations." Read More

Open Letter to Columbia School Board Members

November 14, 2019
We are writing with regard to RMF’s call for Carla London’s resignation.This letter is a response to the ongoing lack of engagement ... Read More

CPD Officer Faces Discipline for Wrongful Arrest at Smithton Middle School

September 16, 2019
I object to arresting kids on the whims of school officials' use of hearsay and no investigative effort, not to mention zero conflict resolution effort. Read More

Two Misconceptions About Systemic Racism, Debunked

April 11, 2017
Public reactions to events and the protests they sparked have run the gamut from threats on social media to “kill all the blacks” to open approval and support of student protesters’ demands for social justice. Read More

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