Cops Murder another unarmed Man, Iowa Community and America stays silent

While it can be greatly understood why the protests and outrage was so clear and correct in the Tamir Rice, Michael Brown, Trayvon Martin and Eric Garner killings, I still find myself at a loss to explain why we are not as upset, angered and pissed at this recent killing of another unarmed man at the hands of police.  I would truly hate to think it is because he is white that we are not all up in arms right now but based on current events, that appears to be the only viable answer and it is a shame that a country which claims to be about all people would elect to ignore the same travesties being inflicted upon any people.

According to the article titled “Police Killed an Unarmed White Man in Iowa and His Community Didn’t Seem to Notice” written by Nick W for The Huffington Post.com, it is reported that “A few minutes before Des Moines police killed Ryan Keith Bolinger Tuesday night, the 28-year-old white man was dancing in the street, according to an officer. Police didn't find the display funny. In a news conference Wednesday, Des Moines Police Sgt. Jason Halifax said Bolinger had earlier pulled up beside the squad car of an officer who was conducting an unrelated traffic stop, parking his 2000 Lincoln sedan so close that he blocked the police cruiser's driver's side door. Bolinger then left his vehicle and danced around before getting back in and driving away. Officer Vanessa Miller, a seven-year veteran of the force, gave pursuit, following Bolinger in a low-speed chase that hovered around the 35 miles-per-hour limit, officials said. The Des Moines Register reports that Officer Ian Lawler, who had earlier been boxed in by Bolinger, radioed that he was joining Miller in the pursuit. He also suggested that they may be dealing with a drunk or mentally ill suspect. About two minutes into the chase, Miller cut Bolinger off as he attempted to make a U-turn, forcing his car to a stop. Bolinger exited his vehicle and approached Miller's squad car "walking with a purpose," Halifax said. As he advanced, Miller, who is white, fired a single bullet through her rolled up driver's side window, shattering the glass and striking Bolinger in the torso. He later died from the gunshot wound at a local hospital.  Halifax has said Bolinger was unarmed, and the Register reports that he had no criminal record. It remains unclear why he was behaving erratically. Halifax said he expects the case will eventually be considered by a grand jury, though in the meantime, the Des Moines Police Department is conducting its own investigation.”

Have we gotten so used to separating this country by color that we only feel it’s relevant to protest white cops shooting blacks or does “All Lives Matter”?  This is the question that all of us should be searching very hard to find and a situation that sorely deserves a very quick fix.  Maybe our law enforcement training has gotten so focused on number policing that it has forgotten to serve and protect.  Maybe our law enforcement training has gotten so concerned with stopping terrorism that it has ignored race sensitive training, self-defense training, dispute resolution training and so many other less glamorous aspects of law enforcement.  Have we truly begun a “shoot first ask question later” law enforcement community?  Bottom line, another life is lost taken by police officers who are supposed to be the adult in the room of children.  White, black, blue, green, or purple, it should never matter the color and when this occurs we all should be greatly angered because “All Lives Matter” period.