Update from Baltimore, Maryland.....

[gimmethesimplelife]

I have been away for awhile lately due to having some problems with pancreatitis (sp?) but today I'm feeling better and checked the news for the first time in a couple of days to find some good news - all six of the officers charged in Baltimore recently have been indicted by the Grand Jury. On the one hand I'm so grateful that it seems that it not entirely impossible that justice may be served here - this is indeed good news. On the other hand though, how many more cities going nuts ala Baltimore before such news as Mr. Grey's unfortunate medical issues being ignored repeatedly by the police happens less often? Not that it should happen period, but right now it seems as the corporate profit/ratings driven media is for once actually HELPING matters by bringing the issues to the public and keeping that sense of inexcusable injustice smoldering strongly. By now I have a hard time believing any police officer is not aware that any actions on his or her part that cross the line can be seen around the world in 0 to 60 flat - you'd think police officers would "get it" but there really seems to be something ingrained in police culture overall that is anti-human rights. There have been enough incidents since Ferguson to highlight this point.....

I see some hope in the officers being indicted in Baltimore - hopefully this will send some fear down the spine of cops who are not in it for the right reasons and who might gravitate towards these kinds of incidents to begin with. One can hope, anyway. Time will tell. Rob

[Yossarian]

Time will tell indeed. If I was a cop I don't think I would go out of my way to prevent anything. Just wait until the Darwinian process works its course and collect a check for tagging and bagging the dumb ****s who were too stupid to know how to create a functional society. Que sera, sera.

[flowerseverywhere]

Rob, I thought it was striking that several of the police officers were of color. Are they racist? Fed up with the bad guys? Brainwashed? Dumb? Careless?

[gimmethesimplelife]

Rob, I thought it was striking that several of the police officers were of color. Are they racist? Fed up with the bad guys? Brainwashed? Dumb? Careless?Interesting indeed and I did notice this. My take is that there is something about police culture that led them to their behaviors.....and I'm not saying that those arrested in Baltimore are not thugs - my point is that once again, this time in Baltimore, MD, it sure would seem that police behavior has crossed the line. This time, were Mr. Gray somehow able to rejoin us, I don't believe untold millions of dollars and a fresh start in a better country would be enough to correct this wrong - if only for the reason that it's not only Mr. Gray or those like him that are vulnerable to such. Something I believe is that more people out there are understanding that to live in the United States is to at some level be vulnerable to such police behavior, though I would add that this has intensified since 09/11. For those who believe in the system, great, I'm glad there's people left who do, actually - but what happens when more and more people, especially younger ones with brains and energy, question if this risk is worth it for what they get in return?

But I'm digressing here. My take is that the answer is at least partly due to police culture, especially with the changes to it since 09/11. Rob

[Gregg]

My take is that there is something about police culture that led them to their behaviors.....Rob

+1 That "something" in their culture might stem from the stress of a constant threat of violence against them. Or from a community that uses them as everything from babysitters to emergency rooms. Or that they know they will be vilified based on the actions of any cop from anywhere. Or that they finally realized politician's path of least resistance is to blame cops rather than actually working to fix the root causes of society's problems. Or...

[gimmethesimplelife]

+1 That "something" in their culture might stem from the stress of a constant threat of violence against them. Or from a community that uses them as everything from babysitters to emergency rooms. Or that they know they will be vilified based on the actions of any cop from anywhere. Or that they finally realized politician's path of least resistance is to blame cops rather than actually working to fix the root causes of society's problems. Or...I am not going to say that you don't have a point here, Gregg, so what I am about to say is not meant to thrash your post at all, I just want to state that right now, ok? I also find beyond your point some intense irony - I'll make it clear here and now what I am getting at. I can tell you where I live there is a constant fear of police violence against the residents......This one is a two way street in lower income neighborhoods unlike IL's. I just wanted to point out once again that this is a two way street and that fear and terror of the police for some Americans is legitimate, and yes, this is one of the Americas with in the United States of today. (and a number of years before today to be quite honest).

The above said, I very much agree with your last line - that cops could be very frustrated with being blamed by politicians instead of having politicians actually work to fix problems. That I can see and understand. Rob

[Gregg]

The above said, I very much agree with your last line - that cops could be very frustrated with being blamed by politicians instead of having politicians actually work to fix problems. That I can see and understand. Rob

I get it that there are whole groups who are afraid of potential confrontations with police and I would be too in their position. As sad as that is I really do believe it is only a symptom with deeper social issues as the cause. There are very few people in positions of authority that address those causes and the ones that do are often pushed aside at the next election or "converted" once they get in office. Its a lot like big pharma... Why cure a disease when you can make so much money treating the symptoms for life?