Editorial for Tuesday, August 17, 1999

Cops and Guns

A white cop shoots a black woman who held a flathead screwdriver in her hand, killing her. Another white cop shoots a Hispanic man in the head who had his wife at knife point, threatening to kill her. In both cases, the general community is outraged on how a cop could kill someone. In the first case, the cops were fired, and the people in the area want them tried on murder charges for killing "[A]n innocent, homeless woman." The second, which happened very recently, the cousin of the suspect asks the media "Why couldn't the cop have shot him in the leg or the arm instead of the head?" These situations are driving me nuts. These are just two recent cases in Southern California news about cops killing people. Its just not in So Cal, either. I was on vacation in Texas (Dallas Area) and cops there were criticized for the same thing. And I'm fed up with it!! The main reason that the cops are being criticized is cause they are white and the "victims" were minorities. I don't care about race. Its the fact cops are being penalized for protecting the innocent. In the first case, the woman was holding a flathead screwdriver, and was jabbing it at the cops. The cops told her to stop, yet she did not, coming very close to the officers. So, the officers draw their weapons, but she continues. Sure, maybe they shouldn't have used deadly force, but when you're under attack, you don't hold your fire cause you're afraid that you might kill someone. If you were about to be stabbed, and it was either your life or the person attacking, whose would you choose? My point exactly. And if you don't think that a flathead could do much damage, do the following exercise. Buy a watermelon. Get a flathead screwdriver and a knife. Stab the melon with both. They both pierce the melon. The melon's thickness isn't too much unlike the human skin. So, a flathead is a deadly weapon. Then in another case, some guy is demanding that a special division of the LAPD, the Special Investigation Section (SIS), be disbanded because they are "abusing their power." He claims this because when 2 members of this elite platoon killed a man recently. They had a warrant for his arrest, and they went to arrest him. But when they showed up, the guy walked outside and grabbed at his waist. So the cops, assuming that he is reaching for a weapon, shoot and kill him. You'd think that would be OK. But this guy, who is a long time critic of the SIS, says "[T]he suspects didn't have a weapon on them. So, why would an unarmed man reach to his waistband? Its just a cover up by the LAPD." Hmm... have you ever heard of a BLUFF? Or how about the guys might have forgot that they didn't have their pieces with them? If the cops had waited to see for sure if they had sidearms, they would have been shot. Self-preservation instincts kick in. Anyone of us would have done the same. We need to stop the double-standards, people. If someone shoots someone in self-defence, they are a hero. But if a cop shoots someone, saving their life, the other officer's lives, and innocent victims lives, they are called murderers. Stop the madness people!!

Until Next Time,

Tomthinian


Next Editorial- Eventually
Subject- Students + Video Games = Killers?

Summary: A brief look into my views of Columbine and the causes.


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