Friday, October 14, 2005

Rant of the Day: The New Orleans Police

I hate cops, I really do. OK, not all cops, but a vast majority because the many that I have come in contact with continuously abuse their authority and try to bait you into saying some slick shit, so they can arrest you and hit you on the back of the head multiple times. But I must admit, to the men and women who protect and serve and do their job the right way, I have nothing but love and respect for them. In my 32 years on this planet, when I have been in the wrong and the cop treated me like a man, I fessed up to the crime I committed and addressed them with "sir" or "Ma'am", respectively, because they lay their life on the line on a daily basis. But unfortunately, I have come in contact with too many ex-high school outcasts, who are mad that they were unpopular in high school or didn't get "the girl", so they work their frustration out on your ass. To those bastards, they get nothing but disrespect and backtalk, because they smear the memory of every good officer who put on that uniform before them.

This brings me to the beating of a retired 64 year old teacher, Robert Davis, who we have all seen get beaten on a New Orleans street corner by a few overzealous police officers. This morning I saw the full video released by the Associated Press, I wanted to get a more in depth look at the beating. To me, it looked like the gentleman was taking an unnecessary beating, but I couldn't tell if he was giving the cops a hard time verbally or resisting. But still, even if he did resist, it took 4 guys to subdue a man in his mid 60's who had to be like 5'8, 170?? I don't care what kind of police apologist you might be, claiming that the man might have been on PCP or whatever hair-brained excuse you might have, it doesn't make any sense why it took so many kicks and punches to the face and four men to simply pin one man's arms behind his back and cuff him. To me, it was a combination of the cops being incompetent and being first class punk bitches.(But hey, that is just my opinion)

I hope these cops get some sort of punishment, because shit like this goes on all the time, as much as people try to categorize it as black paranoia, it goes on. Shit, I even have my ultra right wing, Rush Limbaugh listening to, Fox New watching best friend Danny becoming a believer from one night years ago when two cops treated the back of my head like a pinata. I still remember the look on his face, like a kid that just realized that Santa Claus doesn't exist, as he said, "Damn HumanityCritic, that shit really does go on!!"

12 comments:

glory said...

yes, it does go on. i'm not saying i don't have any respect for any police. but i am suspicious of all of them at all times. cause under the "right" circumstances, they abuse their authority, which puts every black man i love in my life in danger. sucks but true. and let's not talk about the time a henrico county cop harassed me for "no reason."

Anonymous said...

I get so angry when I see the police commit small acts of indiscretion (i.e., running the red light and turning on their lights). So anytime I see blatant disregard for human life, I become irate.

As far as disbelief about the Black paranoia goes...sometimes the in-your-face, critical moments are necessary before some of our more naive, in-denial sisters and brothers acknowledge that overt racism occurs on a daily basis by those who proudly don the blue and white.

Id it is said...

It was reminiscent of what happened to that innocent unarmed South American immigrant in London who was SHOT multiple times by some five or more policemen because he was suspected to be a terrorist. Turns out the over zealous cops committed that heinous act simply because he happened to be 'over dressed' for the weather, happened to be carrying a bagpack, looked like he was scared, and was on the train the day after the London bombings!

These incidents certainly do not inspire confidence in the law enforcement agencies. If anything, they tell you to beware!

Good post.

qta said...

This shit does indeed go on... and has been going on for hundreds of years. What really sucks here, as well as in the other recent cases that were televised blantant cases of police brutality against a black man... they will probably get off with a slap on the wrist at best, or scott free at worst. This shit saddens me to no end.

Anonymous said...

what's messed up is that they're saying that they were acting responsibly.

that shit pisses me off.

i share your... um.. suspicion. never met one i felt was trustworthy, and although i have to believe that in the everyday course of 'business', they're doing what's right, i continually come across examples of mistreatment of my people.

almost makes me cry sometimes.

Unknown said...

That shit was fucked up. My fiance is a deputy sheriff and it really ticked him off. It's people like that who make him look bad and put the good ones like him in more danger because we feel like we have to be on the defense with law enforcement or we'll get knocked the fuck out.

Chele said...

How is it that police officers get suspended for stealing fountain sodas but something this cruel and blatant gets a pass? Cocaine is a hellava drug.

Inside Man said...

Those cops deserve the shower scene from "American History X."

TiffJ said...

@Chele...
hahahahahaha.
Indeed it is.
I don't know when pig... um... pardon me... cophood became synonymous with diplomatic immunity.

Breez said...

It's a well known fact that NOPD will fuck you up. Don't even begin to doubt it. The cops have been brought up on criminal charges, but already, the police association is coming to their defense. Personally, I don't know why any black person would spend their time on Bourbon St. in the first place, but to kick the shit out of a dude eligible for a Shoney's discount and leave him lying is his own blood is beyond anything I could have imagined. We'll see if they decide to give them more than a slap on the wrist.

Unknown said...

wow, only 11 comments.. wow

i feel you on this brother. the excuses the NO police department give are borderline science fiction. in the last 20 years the NO has had one of the most corrupt police department. scandal after scandal has come out. the only reason why folks don't know is because of the LAPD and NYPD.

it seems like after Katrina everyone forgot that.

Richard said...

It's really interesting how most white folks (I am one so I know) have no clue of the kind of shit that goes on in the black community as far as cops, etc.
They cannot even fathom the abuse the cops can dole out because they've just never seen it. Sad. Sad.
So when they see a video (a video!) of some shit like what happened to the ex-teacher in New Orleans they think that he must have done something to deserve it. This is because if they allow that the poor bastard just got his ass kicked for being black and in the wrong place and the wrong time, then they'd have to realize how unfair life really is and have to re-evaluate their whole world view.
Well it's much easier to just think that he must have done something wrong. Then they can change the channel, have that martini and fall asleep in the lazy boy guilt-free and with the faith that all is right in the world.
Sad, Sad.