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.

 

  

 

 

Two shootings, two different results.

The first incident happened in San Diego, California a little over a year ago.

"SAN DIEGO - A possibly suicidal man waving what appeared to be a gun was wounded Wednesday in an officer-involved shooting near De Anza Cove, authorities reported.

San Diego police got a report that an armed man was making threats and comments about killing himself in the 2800 block of North Mission Bay Drive in Mission Beach shortly after 11 a.m., SDPD public-affairs Lt. Kevin Mayer said.

Officers tried in vain to persuade the man to drop the weapon and surrender.

The photographer who captured video of the man waving the gun spoke with 10News about being in the line of fire.

"I knew he was going to do something," said local photographer Ed Baier.

Baier was one of the first on the scene and one of the only ones to capture every minute of what would turn out to be a standoff that would last for more than an hour.

He was in the middle, less than 100 yards away as the man already negotiating with officers in the park headed back to his car and re-emerged." [Source]

Goof job by the police. They took inventory of the situation and used appropriate force to neutralize the perp.

The second incident took place almost a year ago in Cleveland, Ohio.

"Cleveland police have released a video showing the moment that officers shot a 12-year-old boy in a park on Sunday. Tamir Rice can be seen playing in the snow with a pellet gun before sitting at a bench for three minutes. As the police drive up he can be seen standing up and moving the gun at his waist. Two officers get out with their guns drawn and the boy falls, disappearing behind the car. Rice died of his wounds the following day." [Source]

Besides the obvious things that the two incidents have in common, one glaring thing separates the two. If you said the race of the victims move to the head of the class.  

One victim, predictably, ended up dead. The other, in spite of trying to kill himself, did not.

Now we are learning that the police officers who killed 12 year old Tamir Rice acted "reasonably".

I would ask you to look at the case again and tell me if you agree.

"Like lightning … you see the lightning first, then the thunder. So I saw him go down immediately and then I heard the click the crack of the shot and then that was it," said Baier.
Medics took the suspect to a trauma center. Police say he is serious but stable condition. The officer who shot the man is a nine-year veteran of the force."

At least this man's family will see him again. The family of Tamir Rice is not so lucky.

Pic from thegrio.com

"The mistake on the lake"?

 A now a word from the governor of Ohio after the acquittal of an officer for the alleged state- sanctioned killings in the city of Cleveland.

"The court has spoken and we must respect its decision. Everyone must have the right for their response to be heard––including when they are angry and hurt––and voicing that frustration in a peaceful way helps us all rise above those forces that would hold us back and tear us down. In Ohio we are working hard to rebuild strong communities where every voice is heard and respected––and we’re making progress, but we’ve got a lot of work to do. Our statewide initiative to improve the way that communities and police work together, with better training, oversight and cooperation, is a model for the country, but we must stay at it. Even in the middle of the strong feelings many have today we can’t lose sight of how Ohio has begun to successfully come together. We are one Cleveland and one Ohio and, with God’s help, together we will keep building for ourselves and our children the kind of world that we all deserve."

Yes, we must respect the court and the rule of law. As we must respect the right of every citizen to protest and exercise their First Amendment rights.

But what we must not allow is a hypocritical politician to make a mockery of the process itself and treat the rest of us as if we have no sense.

Nothing about what is happening in Cleveland, Ohio is a "model for the country". The killing of young Tamir Rice proves that.

Well written press releases will not make the pain and anger of generational poverty and injustice go away. It will not cure the hearts of bigots who only want to wear a uniform to live out some power-trip and take part in self-aggrandizing actions.

Cleveland might win their first professional championship in fifty years. I am sure that the last thing that the powers that be in that town want is a riot to spoil the parade.

"LeBron James urged the city of Cleveland to remain calm and channel its energy into the Cavaliers' playoff run in the aftermath of a judge's decision to acquit a police officer of manslaughter in a 2012 shooting which led to the death of two African-Americans.

"For the city of Cleveland, let's use our excitement or whatever passion that we have for our sport tomorrow, for the game tomorrow night, bring it tomorrow night ... our team we'll try to do our best to give it back to them," James said following the Cavaliers' light workout today."

I love LeBron, but jump shots can't cure injustice, and just "channeling its energy" into a basketball team will not change bad policing policies.

I understand this kind of rhetoric coming from the  governor. He is, after all, a politician. But I think it would have been best if the star of the Cleveland basketball team had said nothing at all.

"Searching for something."

So this Myron May dude who shot up his alma mater had some issues.


The fact that his mental issues are being reported is surprising, because Myron May(Picture) was a black man.


Usually when Negroes commit these types of crimes we are told how evil and malevolent they are. The folks in the majority population who commit such crimes are always viewed as "troubled" or suffering from some type of a mental problem.


"...We have not found any info at this time why (he) chose this morning to act (or) why he chose to attack our library,” said Tallahassee Police Michael DeLeo.
But May, a Bible-quoting Christian who had been working as a lawyer in Texas and New Mexico, “was in a state of crisis,” DeLeo said, citing the cell phone, journal and videos they confiscated from May’s car.


“He referred to government targeting,” the police chief said. “He was searching for something.”


Then last month, May was hit with a harassment complaint by former girlfriend Danielle Nixon who told cops the lawyer had recently developed “a severe mental disorder” and believed police were bugging his house and car."


Hmmm, a lawyer with a "mental disorder". So what else is new?


Speaking of mental disorders, folks in law enforcement should really get better training to learn how to deal with individuals who struggle with mental issues.

When you throw in the "color arousal syndrome" you get a recipe for disaster.


"Tanesha Anderson, 37, of Cleveland, Ohio, was pronounced dead Thursday, November 13 after a police takedown maneuver caused her to lose consciousness, reports Cleveland.com.


“They killed my sister,” said her 40-year-old brother Joell Anderson. “I watched it.”


Anderson, who suffered with schizophrenia, was “disturbing the peace,” according to her family, so they called police. Upon their arrival, she began struggling against police officers who had the family’s permission to take her to St. Vincent Charity Medical Center for evaluation. As Anderson kicked at police officers, one of them allegedly slammed her head against the concrete pavement and put his knee into her back.
Read more from Cleveland.com:

Two male officers escorted Tanesha Anderson, who was prescribed medication for bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, to the police cruiser. She sat herself in the backseat but became nervous about the confined space and tried to get out, Anderson said. 

Police struggled to keep her in the car and an officer eventually drew a Taser. Joell Anderson said he begged the officer not to use the weapon on his sister. 

Tanesha Anderson called out for her brother and mother while an officer repeatedly pressed down on her head to get her into the backseat. After several attempts, the officer used a takedown move to force her to the pavement, Joell Anderson said. 

The officer placed his knee on Tanesha Anderson’s back and handcuffed her. She never opened her eyes or spoke another word, her brother said.

This is the second time in recent weeks that a Black woman has been killed by police officers.


As previously reported by NewsOne, two officers with the Ann Arbor Police Department  have been placed on paid administrative leave after they shot 40-year-old Aura Rosser to death while responding to a domestic violence incident on Sunday, November 9.


Officers claim that Rosser was coming at them with a knife so they were forced to use deadly force. Family of the victim, however, don’t believe that’s possible.


“She would have fainted at the sight of the gun being drawn on her,” said Shae Ward, 38, about her sister. “She would have been extremely docile, no aggression whatsoever towards police.” [Source]


We always knew that our men weren't safe from the po po, but now we have to watch out for our women as well.













  

Lake Erie over South Beach.

Places can be overrated. People are ripping LeBron for leaving South Beach to go to Cleveland, but honestly, when you are worth millions of dollars, what's the difference? Besides, as Stephen Smith said, LeBron made seventy million last year and might have spent two million of it. Dude likes to chill at home with his family and not hit the party scene. I bet he won't be broke within years of retiring like so many other professional athletes.




I tweeted this earlier: When I was young,dumb, and full of.... well, you know what; I partied in places like Vegas, Toronto, London, Cancun, New York, Los Angeles, and....yes, even South Beach. But the most fun I ever had partying was in a small town in South Louisiana, right outside of Opelousas.


Trust me, you haven't lived until you get your zydeco on at three in the morning, with a table full of corn on the cob, red potatoes, and boiled crawfish at your disposal. Throw in a room full of beautiful South Louisianans and some hurricanes and....well, you can keep your South Beach. (I think Richard's is still there.)




Don't believe the hype about a place just because it has a name and a rep. Everyone can find happiness doing different things and in different places.



Good luck LeBron, Cleveland deserves a break.




Speaking of places to visit, a lot of people like to visit Florida. But if you happen to be in that part of the country, you might want to stay away from Fruitland Park.




"A Florida police department is seriously wondering where they went wrong after they learned last week that two of their officers were allegedly members of the Ku Klux Klan — especially since, five years ago, they had to fire another officer for being a KKK recruiter. (That is three Klansmen too many for an organization.)


The Fruitland Park police department received evidence from the FBI alleging that two of their own, Deputy Chief David Borst and Officer George Hunnewell, were secretly Klansmen. Though it’s technically not illegal for them to associate with the Klan (despite its classification as a hate group by the FBI), the conduct led Chief Terry Isaacs to investigate. Borst resigned of his own volition, but denied that he was a secret Klansman. (Hunnewell was fired for other performance issues.)


In a statement to the Orlando Sentinel, Isaacs said that the department was upset at the accusations. “The last thing I was expecting to hear in the year 2014 was for a professional law-enforcement officer to be a member of a subversive organization,” he told them.


Which is funny, because in 2009, the Fruitland Park police department had the exact same problem:

A city police officer has resigned after allegations surfaced that he was a “district Kleagle” and “staff sergeant” in the Ku Klux Klan. 

James Elkins, 28, resigned Jan. 20 after the Police Department launched an internal investigation when it received information that Elkins was distributing fliers in Sumter County promoting the Klan, police Chief J.M. Isom said Friday. 

The Lake County Sheriff’s Office also received photos earlier this week that show Elkins dressed in KKK gowns and hoods. Isom confirmed that the pictures are authentic.

One Klan member in your police organization is bad. Two Klan members is probably worse. But discovering that your police organization’s hired three Klan members? You might as well bury your head in shame." [Source]


No need to "bury your head", Fruitland Park. I am sure that you are not alone.


Your klansmen were just not as smart as the others.



Finally, Donald Chump Trump might want to spend less time on FOX Views bashing the president and pay more attention to his business interests and his brand.




If it didn't mean the loss of almost 1,600 jobs in the Atlantic City area, I would be celebrating the fact that Trump's property is going under.




But this is a sad time for Atlantic City, as competition from legal gaming in Pennsylvania-- and other areas close by-- are driving gamblers away from the city by the shore.




It will be interesting to see what the city does to try to reinvent itself, and what they will do with the growing number of empty properties.




I think that as long as they keep Mr. Trump  out of their city in the future they should be fine.















 

News day.

It's a busy news day here in America.

Let's start with the sink Hillary in 2016 hearings down in Washington. (Question for wingnuts: What if you try to create a scandal and no one cares but you? Honestly, you all have got to let this Benghazi thing go. If Americans didn't care about W and his merry band of neo cons lying about a war that cost thousands of Americans and Iraqis their lives, what makes you think that they are going to care about four Americans being killed in Libya?)

It's not looking good for the FOX NEWS crowd. I am quite sure that O isn't packing up to go back to Chicago just yet. The I word will just have to wait.

Out in Arizona Jodi Arias was found guilty. Sorry Jodi, America already let one guilty white girl go free; Nancy Grace and company were not going to let this one go.

Personally, unlike the cable news execs, I am glad that this circus is finally over.


Then there is the case in Cleveland. The more you read about it is the more sick it makes you.

The po po in Cleveland was playing more defense than the 1985 Bears at their news conference today.

One thing is certain, they did not give the people in that neighborhood where those girls were found the same attention they would have given the citizens of a more affluent neighborhood in Cleveland.

I believe that those people called the po po about that house, and I believe that the po po ignored those calls or downplayed them. I might be wrong, but I doubt it.

Finally, I have a question for my pro life friends who decry the "killing of babies" by American women by way of abortions: How does the following story out of India make you feel?

 

"300,000 day-old babies die each year in India: report                    

India accounts for 29 percent of all newborn deaths worldwide. The report added that more than 300,000 babies die within 24 hours of being born in India each year from infections and other preventable causes. More than 300,000 babies die within 24 hours of being born in India each year from infections and other preventable causes, a report said Tuesday, blaming a lack of political will and funding for the crisis."[Source]
 

This is what poverty does. And this is what poor people who do not have access to proper health care go through everyday all over the world.

 

Sorry to interrupt your gallop while you enjoy the view from your high horse.

 

You can go back to reading Psalm 137: 8-9 now.    

Mr. Fetchit goes to Washington.

*

I am getting ready to watch Le Bron's return to C-Town. It should be fun. The haters are out and in full effect. I am sure they are going to let my man have it for treating them like the girl he dated all through high school then dumped for the homecoming Queen.

But don't worry Le Bron, you need haters. Haters can serve as a great source of motivation.
-I am with my man Kat Williams. Paraphrasing: If anyone out there is looking for someone to hate on, please feel free to hate on me.- Still, Le Bron looks like he is somewhat of a sensitive guy. Unlike Kobe, I am not sure my man can thrive on the "hateration". He strikes me as a guy who needs love. That is not a good thing. Now if he drops 40 on the Cavs tonight I will change my tune. But until then, I am thinking that Le Bron might be regretting his decision to bolt for South Beach.

Staying with the sports theme: The Eagles are my team, but I have always liked the Ravens. They play with a certain amount of swag and the players on that team have never been afraid to speak their minds. Now comes this shot at the NFL from Terrell Suggs:

"The hottest trends for winter 2010 are prints, jungle themes, chambray and bashing Roger Goodell. One day after Hines Ward.. ripped Goodell's NFL for hypocrisy on a number of issues including player safety, Baltimore Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs... said the league plays favorites with Tom Brady(notes) and Peyton Manning...., and doesn't care about other quarterbacks.

[Related: Star defender threatens to retire over rules]

He made the comments after being asked about the fines levied this season against James Harrison(notes), who will take the field opposite Suggs and the Ravens on "Sunday Night Football":

"I think they are looking at [Harrison] more closely than they are everybody else in the league. In the referee world, they kind of red-flagged him.

"The league has their favorites. One being in Indy and one being with that other team up north. Besides those two, everybody is fair game. Some quarterbacks are getting the calls right away. Some quarterbacks they don't care.

"Like I always said, Carson Palmer(notes) got hit in his knee in 2005 but there was no rule made. Then Tom Brady got hit in his knee and all of a sudden there is a rule and possible suspensions, excessive fines -- it's just getting ridiculous." [Source]

Of course the suits in the NFL have their favorites; and Suggs just named the two biggest ones. Can Manning and Brady ball? Yes, they can. (BTW, what's up with our boy Brady putting plugs in his hair? Is it that stressful hooking up with a "super model"?) But Stevie Wonder can see that they get special protections from the hypocrites who run the NFL.

Finally, I have ripped the CBC in the past, and lord knows I am not a particularly big fan. But if you are a black elected official in Washington, wouldn't you want to be a part of that organization? And, if you think, as I do, that they have some issues; wouldn't you want to become a part of it and try to change it from the inside? Not my man, *Tim Scott, he wants to look forward, and silly things like racial distinctions are a distraction.

"The new Republican representative from South Carolina was the focus of many Congressional watchers after this year's midterm elections in regards as to whether we would be joining the Congressional Black Caucus. His membership would have made him the first Republican in the group since Rep. Gary Franks was defeated in 1996.

While new Florida congressman Allen West who has accepted the invitation to join, Scott has chosen, quite publicly, to decline the invitation extended from the CBC. West promised to "shake up" the group -- whatever that's supposed to mean.

However, Scott, who will represent South Carolina's 1st District, says he won't be joining because "the future is more important than the past."

He says the black community will benefit basically when capitalism fixes everything for everybody and there's no need to look at black folk as special.

"...reducing the tax burden, decreasing government interference in the private sector, and restoring fiscal responsibility, and I don't think those ideals are advanced by focusing on one group of people."

For Scott, apparently, history means nothing, disparities in education, housing, health, crime, economics in the black community are not significant enough to tackle for a politician whose campaign was "never about race." Apparently, in his district, there are no black people, so he really won't have to worry about them.

Indeed, the area votes largely conservative and is almost 75 percent white with only a 21 percent black population, 2.5 percent Latino, and 1.3 percent Asian populations. So maybe what he's scared of is riling up his major voting constituents -- who likely couldn't care less about issues in the black community -- by joining a legislative caucus whose primary focus is the black community." [Source]

Jig Tim, Jig!