Sunday, October 21, 2007

Police Brutality

In a recent Omaha newscast, a family was being interviewed about an incident that happened the night before involving local police. The police had responded to call to the house for the second night in a row. The calls were in concern for a young man in the house that had been making threats on himself and other family members, as well as ensuing violence that occurred. The family had gone to the news and claimed that the police had attacked the entire family and a neighbor that happened to stop by. They claimed that they had beaten several of the adults and pepper sprayed the kids. Pretty intense scene, and the authority hating media was eating it up like Fat Bastard nailin’ a bucket of chicken.
This is a story that is getting bigger and bigger in this state and country, and to tell the truth, it’s starting to annoy the hell out of me. Logic is constantly overthrown to tell a story. I have personally known a handful of cops in my tenure, and to tell the truth, I have never known one to get his jollies by going around and using his badge to kick the crap out of people. I have, however, known my fair share of cooks (including a good amount of white trash, I’m an equal opportunity barrater) that love to make their own stories of civil misconduct sound like a victim whose human rights have been taken out back and slaughtered. One side of the story gets shown. Rather than the part where someone tries to slash a cop with a knife, it’s usually the part where the cop disarms and subdues them. If one would think logically, this would be the case in the Omaha news story. One story says that the police broke into the family’s house and started beating the family like Ike on Tina. The other says the cops try to arrest Arney McInsane, who resists and throws a few punches. The cops subdue him, mommy gets pissed of and throws a pan at the cops, the reverend comes over from the next house and says everyone needs Jesus and you have yourself a headline story!!!

2 comments:

ENG 001: Language & Writing said...

I would like to disagree with you, I believe that police brutality takes place more often than not. What about the civil rights movement, you're telling me that those videos on the history channel where they are using dogs and fire hoses isn't police brutality. Or what about the whole thing with Rodney King. I think that police brutality happens very often and to be honest more often than not, it seems to be a man who was teased in high school and being a police man is his opportunity to get back at everyone. The police as much as I really do love them and respect them, they do use they're badge and start to think that they are above the law because they are the law, just because you know someone that is a cop and don't think he does anything, how do you really know. It happens sadly, but I would rather have police brutality than no police force at all.

Dave said...

Your point of view is interesting and for the most part I would have to agree with you. There are obviously always two sides to every story. The person or persons being apprehended are of course going to claim that the arresting officer used more force than needed. On the other side, the police officer is of course going to claim that they were just doing their job. The real job is finding out who is telling the truth. Were they using excessive force? Or were those being arrested resisting and needed to be subdued. Some cases are clear, and others are not. Either way, its not good to assume one way or another.