What Is This World Coming To.

[MelissaH]

No I'm going to say one more thing - he was not shot in the back. He was driving a vehicle. His back was against the seat of the vehicle. He was just shot. Not anywhere specific.

 

It's a tragedy he was shot at all, but we can't go back and change what happened that night. But it's even more tragic that this is doing nothing but breeding hate and racism.

[melody]

It is very tragic for everyone involved. I truly feel for the family. I cannot even imagine what it must have been like listening to the verdict. Almost like loosing their son/fiance all over again.

[Angel]

I think it just hits home for some people.

The world will always be affected by hatred and crime unless people start changing they way they think about others.

[starchild]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Angel I think it just hits home for some people.

I agree. DH & I aren't employed by the police here, nor are our families, so maybe I'm as biased as those of you who are cops or are married to one. I think the biases are obvious and to be expected.

Having that said, I live in L.A. where our police are notorious for shooting first asking questions at the funeral. This is a tough city with major gang activity, more than anywhere else in the country. These cops are in danger every time they work....not by people in shitty areas driving cars at them, but by people shooting guns at them from the streets and rooftops. That's a serious threat. I commend the good ones, it is a hard job with little respect.

I'm no legal scholar but I do know they are entitled to a civil trial. I guess we will see what happens. It seems the popular view is the police are right. I certainly wasn't there so who knows, and surely someone who drives his car at police officers is an idiot. It just seems like they could have shot out the tires and got out of the way, then murdered him if he did in fact present a weapon (read:gun). I'm not sure why they are trained to kill a person but not to hit a tire? Seems like that would be the first try before killing.

Someone here said accuracy goes down with adrenaline, and I agree with that. Couple that with fear and the thought that the last 5 people you arrested were black then you may just have a murder on your hands. I'm just saying...

This isn't breeding hate and racism, one might argue that murder breeds hate and racism. I think what this does is this raises questions, based upon a legacy of abuse, as to whether a man of another race would have been shot at so many times under similar circumstances. That's a question rooted in reality and saying it's playing the race card is borderline ignorant.

[MelissaH]

Sorry if I was unclear, I should have quoted what I was responding to when I mentioned "playing the race card" as I was responding to a direct statement regarding race...and I'm sorry but I think bringing race into this at ALL is borderline ignorant.

 

I'm really of the opinion that you have to put yourself in the officer's situation...it's you or him. I think ANYONE regardless of career, social standing, race, ANYTHING, would choose saving your own life over someone else's when you feel that someone else is putting your life in danger.

 

I'm done.

[Angel]

Yes, playing the race card is ignorant but you know what, it happens. Regardless if the person is black, white, green yellow or purple. It happens!!!

My first reaction would be to protect myself if put in a situation, but not kill while doing it.

Like I said before, it affects one more than the other, I think that's why different people have different opinions and reactions.

[lucy106]

Quote:

Originally Posted by LadyP Ok I and FI are licensed to carry am I a legal threat because I carry a weapon in my vehicle. Racial profiling is a terrible thing. I hate to think that because my son who likes to at this point of the age 5 with a hoodie jacket jeans and boots. Does this make him a threat because he looks like the next black kid? 51 bullets would take down an elephant. The office had to take the time to reload his weapon so in that time he could not tell that Bell was no longer a threat. I think it went way overboard and for nothing to happen. It is just becoming way to common for the police to shoot at an individual and it be justified. A young man was shot 13 times on New years eve because the police thought he was a threat. The boy 17 had one of the sound makers blowing it at 12. They are suspended with pay. A PAID VACATION

I am sorry you feel this way LadyP. I also feel I was giving my opinion that was backed by my 8 1/2 years in law enforcement. I did not mean to offend and I will no longer comment on this situation.

[starchild]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MelissaH Sorry if I was unclear, I should have quoted what I was responding to when I mentioned "playing the race card" as I was responding to a direct statement regarding race...and I'm sorry but I think bringing race into this at ALL is borderline ignorant. I'm really of the opinion that you have to put yourself in the officer's situation...it's you or him. I think ANYONE regardless of career, social standing, race, ANYTHING, would choose saving your own life over someone else's when you feel that someone else is putting your life in danger. I'm done.

I hear what you're trying to say. I know you're done so I don't expect you to respond so I'll just type to myself...lol I think race can be a factor. Ignorance is pretending it doesn't exist because you aren't of the group that gets the short end of the stick.....historically and sometimes currently. The black officers that killed him could have still factored race into their decision, it's not just a white vs. black thing.

That may not make sense...let's change the race. Say the criminal was Japanese and these officers deal with a lot of Japanese criminals in their precinct. They arrest a lot of Japanese drug dealers, robbers, whatever. If a Japanese man was in this situation I think that human nature is that they are more apt to think "typical Japanese criminal" and use excessive force. I know someone who was raped by a Mexican man and she does not like Mexicans because of it...wrong? Yes. Conceivable? Yes.

Back to my question, and maybe an officer here can elaborate, but is shooting out the tires and/or getting out of the way of a speeding vehicle ever an option? Or is it just "he's coming right at me - shoot"? No matter what the race I just wonder what the training is....maybe that varies by state.

[starchild]

I agree Mo, and as I said before there are good cops out there. Good cops that deal with the worst of environments every day, and get little respect from the communities they are trying to make safe.

 

Once I did an internship and rode along with different officers for 2 weeks and let me tell you, some of that stuff was scary! Most of the cops were cool, there were a few who obviously were biased or too gung-ho (like the rookie who had me follow him into an abandoned building with his gun drawn looking for homeless criminals, while I with no gun was just standing there?!? Don't think he thought that through...lol)

 

I don't want so seem anti-police because I am not. I have a background in history so I look at things from a different perspective, that's all. Fortunately I haven't had to call police too many times in my life but you bet your bottom dollar I would in a heartbeat if I needed assistance.

[LadyP]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MelissaH No I'm going to say one more thing - he was not shot in the back. He was driving a vehicle. His back was against the seat of the vehicle. He was just shot. Not anywhere specific. It's a tragedy he was shot at all, but we can't go back and change what happened that night. But it's even more tragic that this is doing nothing but breeding hate and racism.

that is true and i am tired of the killing. I am venting because we have so many killings here in the city of Philadelphia for no reason at all. I am tired of it It needs to stop