Page 1
Page 2
Page 3
Page 4
Page 5
Page 6
Page 7
Page 8
Page 9
Page 10
Page 11
Page 12
Page 13
Page 14
Page 15
Page 16
Page 17
Page 18
Page 19
Page 20
Page 21
Page 22
Page 23
Page 24
Page 25
Page 26
Page 27
Page 28
10BODYOFCHRISTNEWSOCTOBER2014OnAugust19theWashingtonPostrananarticlewrittenbyaformerLAPDpoliceofficerSunilDuttathatseemedtogivecredenceandsupportfortheshootingofMichaelBrowninFergusonMissouri.Seehttpwapo.st1n4PsJ3.ItwasveryoffensivetomethattheWashingtonPostwouldevenrunthisarticle.Itseemedlikeafeebleattempttojustifythepolice-manandthecold-bloodedkillingofthisteenagerevenbeforethefactsofthekillingwerein.Imustadmithon-estlythatportionsofthearticleareverydifficulttodisagreewith.Muchofwhathesaidisspoton.Howeverlikealotoflawenforcementstate-mentsitiswhatwasnotsaidthatoftengetslostonthepublic.HereareafewexcerptsofwhatwassaidinthearticleDontarguewithmedontcallmenamesdonttellmethatIcantstopyoudontsayImaracistpigdontthreatenthatyoullsuemeandtakeawaymybadge.DontscreamatmethatyoupaymysalaryanddonteventhinkofaggressivelywalkingtowardsmeDowhattheofficertellsyoutoanditwillendsafelyforbothofyou.Wehaveajusticesysteminwhichyouarepresumedinnocentifacopcandohisorherjobunmolestedthatsystemcanrunitscourse.Lateryoucanaskforasupervisorlodgeacomplaintorcontactcivilrightsorganizationsifyoubelieveyourrightswereviolated.FeelfreetosuethepoliceJustdontchal-lengeacopduringastop.Policeofficersshouldbetreatedwiththeutmostrespect.Thereisarightwayandawrongwaytospeaktothoseinauthority.Onecannotbethreateningorcondescendingwhenaddressinglawenforcement.Wehavearesponsibilityasparentsandcom-munitytoimpressthisuponourchil-dren.Policeofficersdealwithreallivecriminalssomerealbadfolk.Buttheyalsoencounterfolkwhosimplydonotfitthatbillanditisuptothemtoknowthedifference.Whentheydonotdiscernthatdif-ferencethepublichastherighttoquestiontheirjudgment.Wecannotaffordneithercanweteachourchil-drentonotquestionthetacticsandtheunjustpracticesofpoliceorpoliti-ciansinauthority.Thegrowingmilita-rizationofourpoliceforcesinDenverFergusonandthroughoutthenationdemandthatwequestionthemotivesandintentofthoseweelectandpaytoprotectourpersonandourrights.Sincewhenwerepoliceofficerssocalledpeaceofficersgivenunques-tionedpowerWhenwasthepowertakenfromthepublictoquestionthoseinauthorityIfwefollowtheofficerslogicthentherewouldbenoAmericaThiscountrycameintoexistencebecausethecitizensofthisfledg-lingnationhadthecouragetoques-tionBritishauthority.TherewouldbenoIndiahadGandhinotchallengedBritishauthority.ThecivilRightsgainsofthe60sneverwouldhavehappenedifMartinLutherKingJr.hadnotchallengedAmericanpoliticalauthority.ThecouragetochallengeauthorityisarightandcannotbetakenawaybysomeonewhowearsabadgeThedangerofsuchaviewofthejobandresponsibilitiesofapeaceofficersworntoserveandprotectisthattheGod-givenrightsofpeopleareterminatedwithanyinteractionwithlawenforcement.Historyisfullofthesekindsofdictatorialattitudesandregimesthathaveledtounspeak-ablehumancatastrophes.SeeAdolphHitlerandNaziGermanyorIdiAminandUganda.ThroughfurtherreadingofthisarticleyouwillfindthattheofficerdirectedmostofhiscommentstowardtheMichaelBrownshooting.Othercommentsaremaskedasgeneraliza-tionstothewiderpublic.IhavenodoubtthoughwithouthimimplyingitthatthemajorityofhiscommentsaredirectedtotheBlackandBrowncommunitiesspecifically.Soletmerespondaccordingly.Asmentionedearlierwhatspeaksvolumesinthearticleisnotwhattheofficersaidbutwhathedidnotsay.Yestherearepersonswhoaremeantocopsandsaydespicablethings.HoweverwhathefailedtomentioninthearticlearetheingrainedandinherentracialbiasesandattitudinalprejudicesthatexistwithinthepsycheofeverylawenforcementagencyanditspersonnelinAmerica.Theevi-dencecannotbedenied.BlackandBrowncommunitiesareoverlypolicedatalevelthatismuchmorediscriminatethanothersthusincreasingtherateofunfortunateoutcomes.BlackandBrownpeoplehavehistoricallyfeltandcurrentlyfeelthedegradingeffectsofthisattitudeandpolicyofoverpolicing.ArecentcommunityforumaroundsafetyheldatManualHighSchoolthatwasspon-soredbytheMayorandtheCityofDenverwasquitetelling.ForreasonsthattotallyescapemetheCitysawfittoprominentlyparkmilitarystylevehiclesandmilitarycladswatofficersattheentranceoftheevent.Suchadisplayofforcewasinsensi-tivethreateningandoverthetopforaneventsupposedlydesignedtobringthecommunitytogetherandlowerthetensionthatexistsbetweencitizensandlawenforcement.Insteaditonlyheightenedfearsandgavecredencetothebeliefthatoverpolicingisnotanaccidentbutanactualpolicyforthismunicipalgovernmentandothermunicipalitiesnationwide.Giventhisrealitythepowersthatbewillhavetoexcusesomeofusfornotbeingverycordialandwell-manneredwhenweencounterlawenforcement.Ifsuchapolicyisdesignedtoinstillfearthenunderstandweandourchildrenmayapproachpoliceencountersmorefear-fulthanrespectfulTheminoritycommunitiesfeelthefearandexperiencethenegativeeffectsofthisoverpolicingandmilitarizedattitudeonadailybasis.Thefrivolousinfractionsweencounteronlyfuelourfearsconcerningthemotivesandintentofgovernmentandlawenforce-ment.WWBBWalkingWhileBlackorBrownDWBBDrivingWhileBlackorBrownandWWSWalkingWhileSaggingarenotcrimesbutareracial-lyprofiledinfractionsthatareille-gallyinstitutedandenforcedbyeverylawenforcementagencythroughoutAmerica.Whattheofficerfailedtomentionisthecontinueddisrespectourcommunitiesexperiencewhenwearemadetofeelthatcrimeissohor-rificandprolificinourcommuni-tiesthatpolicingusshouldhavenoboundaries.ItisamatterofrecordthatImmigrationandCustomEnforcementICEhasgoneintochurchesintheSouthwestduringworshipandarrest-edIllegalsasifGodfamilyvaluesandfamilyunityarenotimportanttoBrownpeople.ItappearstobetotallyjustifiableforDenverCopstoinitiateashootoutataLatinofuneralhomeduringafuneralbecausethesacred-nessofgriefisofnoconsiderationorconsequencewhenitcomestoLatinos.AblackmancanbechokedtodeathonthestreetsofNewYorkinbroaddaylightbypoliceofficersforsellingsinglecigarettesonaside-walk.ThesamethinghappenedtoMarvinBookerrighthereinDenveratourbrandnewdetentionfacilityallbecausehewantedtogogethisshoes..TheevidencethelistandthebeatgoonandonineverymajorandminorcityinAmerica.WherearetheboundarieswhenitcomestopolicingourpeopleandourcommunitiesAccordingtothisofficerandDistrictAttorneyseverywhereitiswewhoneedtoapologizetothepoliceandlawenforcementforthetoughjobtheyhave.Itiswewhoneedtoapologizefortheiractionsagainstusactionsthatseemfartoooftenunjustifiedandunwarranted.Itiswewhoneedtoapologizefornotunderstandingthattheyarejusttryingtomakeithomesafelyfromthejobandtheymustdoeverythingandanythingpossibletoinsuretheydo.Itiswewhoneedtoapologizefornotbeingmoreunder-standingofwhytheytreatusthewaytheydo.IfthatbethecasethenallowmetobesomewhatpresumptuousandbethefirsttodosoonbehalfofBlackandBrownPeoplehereinDenver.Weapologizethatourcolorkeepsgettingintheway.Cantdomuchaboutthatonebutwearesorrynevertheless.Sorryforthebadattitudewehave.Sorryyouwanttogohometoyourfamilymorethanyouthinkwewanttogohometoours.Sorrywecanttakebeingoverlypolicedaswellasyoumaythinkweshould.SorrysomanyofusintheBlackandBrowncommunitiesaresoimmor-alanddepravedthatwedeservetofillyourjailsatsuchanastronomicalrate.Sorrysomanyofusaresocrimi-nalizedandunethicalthatyoumusttargetusforarrestmorethanyoudothemajoritycommunity.Wearesosorryweareconsideredtobesovio-lentbytheverypoliticianswhorefusetoenactsensibleguncontrollawsthatwouldlimitaccesstogunsbyyoungpeopleinourcommunities.Wearesosorryforallthelowleveldrugusersanddrugdealersinourcommunitieswhocantaffordtoimportillegaldrugsfromforeigncountriesbutyetgetarrestedandaregivenfirst-classsen-tencesforbeingsecond-stringplayersinthedrugtrade.SorrybutitwasnttheBlackandBrowncommunitieswhocausedthecriminalcollapseofoureconomy.WearesorryaboutalloftheWallStreetPonzischemeswheresomanycor-ruptinvestorsandbankingexecutivesweresounworthyofpunishment.Wearesosorryforaskingbutwhynotpoliceandgoaftercrimeandcrimi-nalsequallyNoitisnotwhatthisguysaid.ItiswhathedidnotsayQuitoverpolic-ingourcommunitiesWearenotthesoleproprietorsofcrimeinAmericaandwearenottheenemy.WhatmakesussodeservingoftanksandarmoredvehiclesExcuseusforbeingatadbitedgyforbeingoverlypoliced.Ourfearsandmistrustoflawenforce-mentarequiteoverwhelmingandnotatallunwarranted.WhattheOfficerDidNOTSayReginaldC.HolmesBlackandBrowncommunitiesareoverlypolicedatalevelthatismuchmorediscriminatethanothersthusincreasingtherateofunfortunateoutcomes.BlackandBrownpeoplehavehistoricallyfeltandcurrentlyfeelthedegradingeffectsofthisattitudeandpolicyofoverpolicing.POLITCALByPastorReginaldC.Holmes