Agitator In Chief
On Twitter: @BaltoSpectator
"Freedom is what you do with what's been done to you."
~ Sartre
The simple reality is this; for a large portion of the community, the Baltimore Police Department has absolutely no credibility. None. Zero! And it's their own fault. It was destroyed ages ago and any hope of regaining it gets continually eroded by repeated actions of misconduct and egregious violation of the public trust.
Are all officers corrupt? Of course not. But as an agency it's just foolish to think decades of harm could suddenly be undone.
How many times have we seen a citizen beaten down and manhandled by the police only to learn later it was a false arrest predicated on complete fabrication of charges and falsified police reports? Do you need me to list them all? This is a post not a book!
How many federal indictments, guilty pleas and prison sentences must we see to recognize a pattern and a practice?
To take a singular incident, put a microscope on it and attempt to use it as excuse or justification to act like jackasses in our community is the ultimate copout from those expected to live up to the responsibility and oath officers were sworn to and expected to uphold. In short it becomes propaganda. Or as I prefer to call it, copaganda!
To attempt to immediately discard and toss out the many acts of abuse suffered by the public at the hands of police whenever something bad happens to a cop is a glaring example of hypocrital bias.
We're told not to judge all officers by the actions of a few (and "a few" is debatable). Likewise we need officers and their more rabid -- often racist -- supporters to not judge our people and our community by the actions of a few as well.
Officers should be able to do their jobs properly, constitutionally and without interference from the public. Period.
But on the other hand, the law abiding public should be able to not feel as if they need to constantly be on edge, on guard and having to watch their back every time the police are around.
Respect only works when it's mutual and consistent. It has to be given before it can be gotten.
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"As long as I continue to breathe, as long as there's injustice in this world, I will use the voice that God has given me to speak against it."
-- James MacArthur