lessons from sean bell

 

 

it doesn't surprise me.  i remember expressing outrage after the amadou diallo acquittals to my roommate, an african-american guy from mississippi who grew up running from redneck hicks who tried to lynch him.  i laughed increduously at the time and figured he was simply embellishing for the purpose of telling an entertaining story.  certainly, racism like that didn't occur in this country anymore.  after a long discussion on race-relations and his experiences, he had me marginally convinced.

fast forward 8 years and none of this surprises me anymore.  history repeats itself.  "progress" is a fleeting myth.  i've become jaded and dispassioned.

patrick lynch, president of the New York Police Patrolmen's Benevolent Association, said "there's no winners, there's no losers" in this case.  patrick lynch isn't a far cry from the village idiot.  there are too many losers to count in this case.  you can start from the bell family and continue with every unarmed citizen in this so-called "free" society we live in.

at any rate, this serves as a reminder that we all need to watch our actions around these supposed enforcers of the "law".  no more mouthing off, no more standing up for yourself, no more running from "clear and present danger" when plain-clothed men brandishing firearms accost you.   simply concede and submit.  concede and submit.  you'll lose a bit of your dignity, but at least you won't lose your life.  because if you do perish in a bloody hail of fire, there will be no justice served.