I fully understand that there are some serious problems between law enforcement in some communities and racial profiling. I cannot even begin to understand the fear that some must live with to know that their actions could easily be misunderstood by police and feel watched and preyed upon by the very people that are meant to protect.
What I also do not understand... is the reaction in Ferguson.
From what I have seen and heard of the issue... a cop got a call about criminal activity. He confronted two very large young men about said activity. One young man threatened the police officer. The young man acted very aggressively and even punched the cop in the head more than once. The young scared officer used deadly force on the large criminal. It was a sad circumstance and it all took place in about 90 seconds.
Should the cop have waited for back up? Probably
Should the teen obeyed when ordered to stop? Absolutely
Should a young person die for stealing cigars? No, but then again, he didn't just steal cigars, he brutally attacked a store clerk and then a police officer responding to said attack.
The decision was made to NOT indict the officer.
INDICT = hold criminally responsible. This does not mean that he has no consequences and that he goes about his business as though nothing happened. He still lives with taking the life of a teen. He resigned and will hopefully not return to law enforcement.
Police are trained to use deadly force and are issued weapons. They have to make split second decisions in life or death situations. To hole someone criminally repsonsible when they are doing their job honestly and in good faith is wrong. We do not charge Doctors who make mistakes with murder, if an EMT makes a life or death choice and a patient dies, we do not charge the EMT with murder. They may have consequences, as anyone should, but holding them criminally responsible for doing their job is not OK.
As for the riots... how does it make any sense? Even if this was a case of racial injustice - the cop shot a black man because he though he was a scary black man... how does hundreds of people acting like violent scary criminals change anyones mind? If you are working to overcome an unjustified stereotype, acting exactly like the stereotype is not the right way to do it.
Rantz
What I also do not understand... is the reaction in Ferguson.
From what I have seen and heard of the issue... a cop got a call about criminal activity. He confronted two very large young men about said activity. One young man threatened the police officer. The young man acted very aggressively and even punched the cop in the head more than once. The young scared officer used deadly force on the large criminal. It was a sad circumstance and it all took place in about 90 seconds.
Should the cop have waited for back up? Probably
Should the teen obeyed when ordered to stop? Absolutely
Should a young person die for stealing cigars? No, but then again, he didn't just steal cigars, he brutally attacked a store clerk and then a police officer responding to said attack.
The decision was made to NOT indict the officer.
INDICT = hold criminally responsible. This does not mean that he has no consequences and that he goes about his business as though nothing happened. He still lives with taking the life of a teen. He resigned and will hopefully not return to law enforcement.
Police are trained to use deadly force and are issued weapons. They have to make split second decisions in life or death situations. To hole someone criminally repsonsible when they are doing their job honestly and in good faith is wrong. We do not charge Doctors who make mistakes with murder, if an EMT makes a life or death choice and a patient dies, we do not charge the EMT with murder. They may have consequences, as anyone should, but holding them criminally responsible for doing their job is not OK.
As for the riots... how does it make any sense? Even if this was a case of racial injustice - the cop shot a black man because he though he was a scary black man... how does hundreds of people acting like violent scary criminals change anyones mind? If you are working to overcome an unjustified stereotype, acting exactly like the stereotype is not the right way to do it.
Rantz
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