Hey Cyberspace.
Let's get right to it. I don't know if you've heard, but there was an absolutely disgusting incident that happened last year in Fullerton, California - the police literally beat a homeless man to death. The officers' hearing was earlier this week, and a judge has told them they must stand trial. You can read the article from Tuesday here and the article on cnn.com from today here.
Whether you go and read either of these articles, the fact remains that up to 6 officers relentlessly beat and tased a homeless man until he stopped breathing. While being recorded by a security camera. If you watch the video, you can clearly see Kelly Thomas (the victim) complying with what the police are telling him to do - then begging them to stop, and finally screaming for help. Only the two officers that originally started the confrontation have been arrested and will stand trial. To top it all off...they have been on "leave" with pay since the incident.
So why no Trayvon Martin-type backlash? Why were there no protests, no giant news stories dominating the media, no call for these officers to be punished, or at least not be paid? It's disgusting - and the reason is that the man was homeless. Even in the apathetic world we live in today, such gross abuses of authority should be met with so much public outcry that California would have no choice but to convict these men. Instead, their lawyer has tried to argue that there is 'insufficient evidence' - even with the whole thing caught on video. Disgusting.
Let's think about this for a second. The police are sworn to 'serve and protect.' They are sworn to uphold the law. Most of us know that this is not the reality. Even in a metropolis as small as the Halifax Regional Municipality, there are a shocking amount of these types of incidents - I've been a witness many, many times. There are two officers in particular on the Halifax Regional Police force who have to be mentioned; the Fairbanks. These guys are two bald brothers who are allowed to patrol together. I've literally watched them tell someone to get out of a car and block the car door closed, then use that as an excuse to reach INTO the car and zap the guy with a taser. I've heard them slinging racial slurs. I watched them tackle someone in a pizza shop downtown, pin him to the floor and call in 'reinforcements.' When they arrived, four officers each picked a limb and held it down while the other two officers proceeded to beat the man with their batons. There was also the whole Occupy Nova Scotia situation, where the mayor told the police to arrest people for something they weren't even allowed to be arrested for (breaking a by-law is only a ticketable offense)! These are just a couple of examples, and this is only Halifax. I can't even imagine the type of things that go on in California, or any other large city.
So how do you police the police? Internal affairs can't do it alone. The people have to stand up for what's right. If you see something terrible happening, get it on video (that's the only evidence that will hold up in court) and send it to the local newspaper or TV station. If we don't do something soon, we will lose our chance. The Riot Act can be enacted at any time, which allows the police to arrest absolutely anyone at anytime for literally any reason they choose. The worst part is, at least in Halifax, the Riot Act is read once a year so the police don't even have to read it to you before they arrest you. Does this sound a little like V for Vendetta or George Orwell's 1984's police states? That is where we're headed...I'm just waiting for the curfews to start.
An abuse of authority is an abuse of each and every one of our human rights. Let's use them while we still have the chance.
Peace and Love
The Critical Stranger
As always thoughts, comments and suggestions are encouraged and appreciated!
If you to read a first hand account of the Occupy Nova Scotia debacle, there are a few articles written by a great local blogger who is and has been involved in ONS pretty much since the beginning.
What Is Occupy?
Remembrance Day - The Deception
Remembrance Day - The Eviction
Remembrance Day - The Detention
Occupy: Justice
Watching the video of the man being beat to death literally made me sick to my stomach. Its these situations where I'd like to flip my stance on the eye-for-an-eye system of justice.
ReplyDeleteI would likely smile if I where to see a crowd of angry Californians detain and mercilessly beat these offices to the same bloody pulp they beat the homeless man to.
Not only should all of those officers be fired, but the first 2 should certainly be sentenced as the murderers they are.
There is no doubt that the group of people who have been most discriminated against are the poor. It has always been the case and it always will be the case. Sad.
ReplyDelete