No shield for Tamir.

The loved ones of Tamir Rice suffered unspeakable pain yesterday when the grand jury empaneled to decide the fate of the officers who killed the 12 year old decided that they acted properly.

I could get into numerous reasons why this case was handled improperly by prosecutor Tim McGinty,  (11 months?!)but what is done is done, and all the "Monday morning quarterbacking" in the world won't bring this child to life or bring justice for his family.

Every time I watch the video of that child being executed I think of the reckless disregard the officers showed for his life and the way they came out with guns blazing. (Here is an analysis I found quite interesting: "A caller to 911 told the police operator that Rice was pulling a gun out of his pants and pointing it a people, but also said the gun was “probably fake,” and that Rice was “probably a juvenile,” although it appears the dispatcher did not pass this information on to the officers. In dispatch audio released by police, the officers call in the shooting, and identify Tamir as a “black male, maybe 20” years old.

All of this has led people like Moms Demand Action’s Shannon Watts to ask why Rice was shot when it is legal to openly carry firearms, including handguns, in Cleveland. It has also led blogs like Wonkette to wonder why the usually-vocal open carry movement hasn’t been loudly proclaiming the injustice in this case. In a press conference following the shooting, Deputy Chief Edward Tomba said that Rice made no “verbal threats,” and there was no “physical confrontation.” If the police really believed that Tamir Rice was 20 years old, and the pellet gun was really in plain view, then the open carry law would seem to complicate their justification for killing him." )

"The Cleveland Police Patrolmen's Association said it was pleased by what it called the grand jury's "thoughtful decision." But Steve Loomis, the union's president, said the decision not to indict the officers was no cause for celebration.

 

"While there is absolutely no upside to this issue," he said in a statement, "there are lessons that should and will be learned by all."

 

There are lessons that "should" be learned; whether it will or not is a different story.

 

Contrast what happened to Tamir Rice to what happened to Elaine Rothenberg.

 

"Ahead of the non-indictment of the officers involved in the death of Tamir Rice, a woman in Connecticut was reprimanded for a similar offense – only she was not killed. Elaine Rothenberg, 66, was outside of a Torrington police station with a faux weapon, attempting to provoke civilians and officers on Christmas Eve. She later stood near an employee-only entrance and ordered officers, NBC Miami reports.

 

“What are you doing? Shoot me!” Rothenberg told the Torrington police. “Boom, boom, boom.”

A 911 call was placed at about 7:30 p.m. on the night of the incident. Rothenberg reportedly purchased the BB gun with the intent to pass it off as a real weapon."

 

Ms. Rothenberg, if you are trying to commit suicide by cop you are going to have to work a lot harder. Your white privilege shield is just that strong.

 

*Pic from Wikipedia.