Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2003/12/11
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]From: "Johnny Deadman" <lists@johnbrownlow.com> > anyone who runs from or decides to fight with the police is putting > themselves in a very bad place, and I'm afraid that is as it should be. The police in most cases do have "overwhelming power"; therefore brutality on their part is not necessary. Their job is to apprehend, not beat-up. In the case of resistance they should immobilize, not mete out instant punishment . Unfortunately police in this country, partly because of the level of violence they encounter, partly because they have the power of the badge, partly because of their ego, after all this is a macho society, in many cases they become judge, jury and executioners. In my county alone, recently, four sheriff deputies handcuffed a suspect, threw him on the ground and all four of them set on him until he ran out of breath. The fact that he screamed that he could not breathe made no difference. The corner decreed "accidental death". The family is suing. Last year other sheriff deputies chased a 16-year old 140-lbs kid on foot. When they caught him they bashed him on the head with their flashlights to make him stop. The result was brain damage and 2 million dollars in compensation. In an other case a man brandishing a knife and threatening suicide was obliged by no less than 5 police "officers". They shot him. Five burly and combat-trained men could not disarm a single man with a knife. Innumerable cases have been documented where the police shoots first and asks question later (NY, Detroit) and where the police have been known to murder suspects and throw down a gun to show that the suspect was about to fire (Dallas). No, the problem is that we accept police brutality in the name of law, peace, and order. As a society we have become blasé by violence thanks in part to Jean Claude Van Dam, Swartzenegger, and others. Now I know that many will respond by saying that other countries are worse. That may be true but then, they do not claim to be the "best, best trained, best paid, and most civilized, in the world". Their job is a hard and scary one. That however is no license to maim or kill. Joe - -- To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html