Somehow I don't think there is going to be a run on New Orleans Police Department tee shirts any time real soon. I just watched the tape of New Orleans business owner Robert Davis getting the living shit beat out of him by three NOPD cops, and this time it seems pretty clear that the police were wayyyyy out of line. (http://www.cnn.com/2005/LAW/10/12/taped.beatings/index.html) Now I'll be the first to admit that all too often video of a police beating can be misleading. The Rodney King video that we all saw over, and over often left out the part where he was tazered three times and kept resisting. I know a guy whose career as a local South Florida cop was ruined by a misleading video and a spineless departmental administration, but in the New Orleans case I don't think there is any doubt that the three officers went too far. They claim that the 'perp' was resisting arrest, and visibly intoxicated. Davis claims that he hasn't had a drink in 25 years. The video shows Davis, calmly facing a wall, apparently obeying the commands of the officers. Then something quite disturbing happens. Another officer, on horseback, purposely interposes his horse between the arresting officers and the camera...twice. When the camera operator finally gets a clear shot the cops are beating the man senseless. I can't say what happened while the horse was blocking the view, but unless the 64 year old Davis pulled out a pair of nunchakus I can't imagine he did anything warranting such a beating. Once Davis is cuffed and bleeding on the ground another officer attacks a reporter, shoving him up against a car and cursing at him.
This incident is being classified as 'a few bad apples' by New Orleans officials, but I see it as something more insidious. The flood waters of Katrina have uncovered much more than mud and ruined houses. They washed away the scab that covered a corrupt and festering police department that seems, in my opinion of course, to be used to doing whatever it wanted with impunity. We have heard stories of police brutality, desertion, looting, misappropriation of relief supplies, and greed that go far deeper than simple stress-based misbehavior. I lived in Louisiana for three years, and I saw first hand the levels of corruption and unabashed public abuse that exist there.{there was actually an ad campaign for a local car dealership that essentially said 'come buy from us, we won't screw you anymore'} The NOPD doesn't seem to understand the their cover has been blown, and they are expected to act like real public servants, and not as warlords and thugs. If anything good is to come from this unfortunate incident, let's hope that it inspires the department to get rid of its bad apples, and to start protecting and serving the public like it's supposed to.
Marius
6 comments:
People across Louisiana are crying for justice for Mr. Davis. Some thugs in New Orleans wear bandanas, others wear badges. That has got to change. There is no excuse for this incident.
And you just know secretly, all the big rich white fat-cats in DC
are just defending those cops to the end.
As a person with a few family members in law inforcement, I understand that the police put their lives on the line everday.
But when someone takes the power given to them to protect the innocent and "keep the peace" and use it to beat whomever for whatever....then I say give them a taste of the baton my friend, right to to their big, fat, racist heads.
whew.
done now.
Why don't human beings get it?
The world is one disaster after another lately...maybe it's Mother Nature's way of telling us "you don't play nice! Game over"
Do unto others etc???
Better learn it fast
K
Well said, Sir Marius. Well said. :)
you did say it right.
Getting angry about something is a really good way to get rid of that "ghost" like feeling. . . I think we all feel like that now and again. . . I'm glad you're back!
Oh, and on my blog, I have something else you can be angry about, if you care to.
Post a Comment