This is awesome. I think too many people buy into the trite narrative the mass-media peddles after every police murder that the victim was probably a thug and deserved it anyways. Itâs so formulaic every time: Young black guy murdered by overzealous or cowardly police. First day after the media shows pictures of the victim when he is younger, looking vulnerable and innocent, so they can exploit the sympathy and outrage (there should be plenty of outrage without manipulating the narrative anyways). Two days later personal photographs are bandied of the victim wearing hip-hop style clothing, or itâs revealed he liked rap music or aspired to be a rap artist, or a picture of him looking gang-ish, and itâs implied that the victim probably had it coming. Itâs fucking outrageous that the media canât just state the facts, which are emotionally charged on their own, so we can do something about this. Instead, they manipulate everything to the point that even intelligent and compassionate people are finally left saying, âoh well, i guess there are always two sides to every storyâ. I have little faith that we as a culture in America are going to stop tolerating police getting four week paid vacations for murdering restrained and helpless victims unless we can hold the media accountable. Itâs not supposed to be fucking entertainment. For most people, and I know this doesnât apply to most of the BoingBoing crowd, cable news informs their view of the world.
Anyways, that whole wall of text was just meant to say, this is great. I am so happy to see Erica Garner stepping up to show America that her father was a real man, with a life just like most of us. I hope she gets a chance to talk about this on a bigger platform. Maybe the gravity of what happened to this poor family will be more appreciated when she has a chance to tell everyone who her father was.
These killings by police, and the the police treatment of protesting citizens - they strike the same nerve with me. That the police are lost in the woods and donât understand what their job is supposed to be anymore.
Iâd like to like this twice.
Respect to her, and best hopes.
âAll they can do is follow procedureâ
Where have I heard this before? - OK, letâs not Godwin just yet
I see a number of âthugs and scofflawsâ in the video - all wearing uniforms of the NYPD. Chokeholds have been illegal for decades, and yet here we see a scofflaw thug using one on a citizen and killing him. If I attack someone and he or she dies, whether or not it is due to an existing health problem, am I not liable? Morally if not legally?
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