Gentle Readers . . . and Maxwell,
When I feel devastated and discouraged––as I do now––I often turn to Mama Carol for wisdom and advice.
After Derek Chauvin was convicted of murdering George Floyd, I texted Carol: I hope police officers will think more carefully before they brutalize Black people. Carol responded: I don't think anything will change. There is something inherently wrong in a person who acts that way.
She was right, of course.
So now we deal with the murder of Tyre Nichols. I asked Carol if she had watched the video. Yes, I saw it. It is awful. I think everyone should see it so we don't become complacent with the number of these kinds of events. I don't ever want to "get used to it." I also asked her to help me understand what had happened. She wrote: The only thing I can think of is that this country was built on greed and lack of concern for others. Police across America have shown this mentality over and over. If you watched the video or read about it, you know the events of the night did not take place as the police reported them,
I'm sorry the police report has "the cussing pastor" across it. The person who shared it is known by that name.
Because the proceedings were captured by cameras, we know Tyre Nichols ran from the police only after they attacked him.
The "officers" punched Nichols, kicked him in the head, pepper-sprayed him, and hit him with a baton WHILE HE WAS RESTRAINED. It destroys me to hear him calling for his mom. I can't begin to imagine what this young man's family is going through. That's a pain no one should have to experience.
The officers talked, laughed, tried to get their stories straight, with Nichols propped up against the side of a car. It took 23 minutes before an ambulance showed up. Some EMTs had already arrived, but they didn't do anything for him. He died in the hospital, three days later.
I'll leave you with this image of a 29-year-old man who was stopped for alleged reckless driving near his mom's house. He was a dad, a skateboarder, and an aspiring photographer.
Infinities of love,
Janie Junebug
No words will ever be enough. While there are amazing cops out there, there are so many that are not. And even more caught in the middle of the ones that go above and beyond, and the ones looking to be untouchable, that have no idea what to do.
ReplyDeleteI would fear speaking out about cops who would do that to someone.
DeleteReckless driving is not an offense punishable by death.
ReplyDeleteRunning form officers attacking you s not an offence punishable by death.
All those who stood around and watched, all those who didn't help, all those who participated, should be fired and tried for murder and being an accomplice to murder.
More firings and charges to come, I hope.
DeleteIt doesn't seem complaining to our politicians--federal to local--makes a lot of difference but any change you see always seems to be local.
ReplyDeleteOn the federal level everything is Democrats v. Republicans, with neither side really winning at anything.
DeleteThe story has been reported at length here too - and my heart aches for his family and friends. When will it end?
ReplyDeleteI'm afraid it won't. Another friend and I talked about police officers who are violent and that we had come to realize that being cops didn't make them that way. They joined the police so they could have a legal reason to control and dominate.
DeleteA tragic story. this time no riots to follow because it wasn't cross-racial. The brutality our species is capable of is stunning, and day they we get used to it, it would be even more tragic.
ReplyDeleteProtests have taken place, but I don't think they've become violent.
DeleteAnother heinous incident of injustice and murder. Authority, power, weapons, an "us versus them" mentality and the macho values of toxic masculinity can corrupt any police officer, just as they can corrupt soldiers who engage in war crimes.
ReplyDeleteYes: Us versus Them. We are not one.
DeleteAnother sickening death by thugs operating under the shield of a police uniform. It never ends, does it? This mentality seems to be so embedded that I fear it is resistant to change unless the entire structure of policing is overhauled. Racism is not unique to the United States but these vicious outcomes do seem to be.
ReplyDeleteWe have for far too long tolerated and accepted violence in our country.
DeleteThat is horrendous. What is the matter with some people? We have had more news recently about rapist police here - but it's not just police. When our politicians are amoral and money-grabbing what hope do we have? I get so down when I read about our politicians because we seem helpless to stop them. They - and some police - just get away with anything.
ReplyDeleteI've seen news articles about problems with police in England. It's horrifying.
DeleteIt's devastating and disheartening that tragic events such as these are becoming more and more frequent.The world is descending into chaos! 🥹
ReplyDeleteWe are aware now of events that used to be covered up.
DeleteThe thing that resonated most with me in all of this was Carol's statement that there is something inherently wrong with someone who would beat someone to death. She is absolutely right. Something in that person or persons is not normal. I don't know whether the reason is that they've been broken in their early lives (abuse) or if they're born that way (psychopath) or if broken people are drawn into work that allows them to behave the way they want (policing is a major example), but something will have to change at a basic level to keep this from happening repeatedly.
ReplyDeletePeople are generally a product partly of nature and partly of nurture, but damaged people definitely seem to be drawn to professions that allow them to act out their fantasies of violence/sexual desires.
DeleteWhat's next and when will it happen because we know it will? SMH
ReplyDeleteOh, yes. I also saw that a man came forward to say that the same cops attacked him the day before they killed Tyre Nichols. He thought he was being carjacked.
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