Manns Medium

When you have high profile shootings where everyone tends to have an opinion and none seemed to be even slightly wishing to listen to the other sides, you get a well-thought out and programmed response from those whose job is to dispense equal justice within the law.  For those on the other side of that line, finding a reason to allow those officers a way out instead of jail is the only course of action they feel is best because of the situation that they find themselves in.  For those on the side of the line where voices are never heard and often ignored, the results is all the proof they need to demonize police , prosecutors and judges.  Both sides lack true conviction is making things right and neither wishes to see nothing but what they has deemed a clear victory.  In the end, no one wins, we all lose and none of us seem smart enough to know the difference. From the prosecutor’s side having to work closely with the police, they tend not to wish to alienate t...

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 f...

If anyone still wonders, is still confused or even still care about why the Klan still has power, the Holocaust still bears us pain, the Trial of Tears still rings in the ears of Native Americans and slavery still has not been reconciled by a nation, this may just help you understand why.  I simply call it the absence of closure because with any event or occurrence, there must be closure in order for the wound to heal and those wounded or effected by it to move on.  We have not moved beyond these things because we have gotten no closure to them and now add to this wound more damage caused by the failure to get closure on the Wall Street wreckage of the economy and now the rising number of police involved shootings of unarmed people.  Mount St Helen was once a quiet volcano until the heat built up and it blew.  These situations must be fixed and the newer ones need to stop before this entire nation blows over. I’ve reached this conclusion after reading this artic...

I and so many others tried to warn millions that there were more to the recent rash of cops acting as judge, jury and executioner than met the eye.  We attempted to educate you that there was more than that thin blue line that gave some cops the arrogance to see themselves as above the law and beyond questioning.  Well for those who doubted us, take a look at this article titled “ Outraged and Indicted Officers Declare War on Patrick Lynch ” written by Will Bredderman for the New York Observer and now say that what you were not warned about has any truth to it. The article mentions “a slate of insurgent Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association trustees and delegates—three of them under indictment for their involvement in the 2011 Bronx ticket-fixing scandal—announced their intention to unseat incumbent President Patrick Lynch and his reigning ticket of union officers.  Led by hulking Brooklyn South trustee and Lynch rival Brian Fusco, who is not in any legal trouble, the “...

Supporters of police will wrench when they read this story because even those harden supporters who think that police officers are above the law knows when something is really wrong with our society, the only question is are they willing to correct the problem or just simply ignore it?  The article is titled “ Family outraged after son's mug shot found used in target practice by Miami police ” written by Nina Golgowski for the New York Daily News and in it she reports that “a bullet-riddled photo of Woody Deant was discovered by his own sister last month when she visited the shooting range. North Miami Beach Police Chief J. Scott Dennis has defended the use of mug shots for target practice, saying it's vital for facial recognition drills. These six mug shots were being used for target practice by North Miami Beach Police last month when a National Guard soldier discovered the face of her own brother among them. A trip to a Florida gun range left a National Guard soldier in tea...

For all of you citizens who think that there are no “good” cops and for you cops that this that there are no “good” citizens, this story is for you and it is all the proof you may need to understand why I say evil will never win.  The article is titled “ Florida teen saves life of Fort Lauderdale police officer as he is being arrested ” written by David Edwards for The Raw Story.  It reports “A Florida teenager was honored on Tuesday for helping to save the life of a Fort Lauderdale police officer who was processing his arrest for a parole violation.  Video released by the Fort Lauderdale Police Department shows Officer Franklin Foulks processing Jamal Rutledge after he was arrested for criminal mischief and burglary probation violations, according to WTVJ.  When Foulks suddenly collapsed, Rutledge “immediately began to kick the security fence and yell to alert officers in the area,” a statement from the Fort Lauderdale Police Department said.  Sgt. Todd Bunin ...

Nothing annoys me more than those who are hired be proactive and prevents things from ever escalating sitting on their hands, watching things grow and doing nothing until someone loses a life.  These are the same people who steps in front of the cameras and claim that they care about this nation and its citizens.  How can you care about something and stay cowering on the sideline while those whom you are supposed to care for are hurt or killed? Classic example can be found in an article titled “ The Cleveland 'Heartless Felons' Gang Issues Threat Against White Police Officers ” written by Tom Edathikunnel for an Unknown Publication.  In the article it is reported that “the threat orders members to avenge black lives taken by white police officers.  Cleveland’s notorious Heartless Felons gang has issued its members orders to kill white police officers to avenge the black victims of police brutality inflicted by white police offices, including the November 21 Tami...

One of the most interesting phases of these rampant police shootings is the fact that many cannot say what training appears to be missing in today’s police academy training.  Well one of the most important is dispute resolution training.  In this course officers learn many ways to ease control and resolve situation which arises from time to time between citizens.  They learn to carefully listen to all sides and then present a suggestion that can be agreed to by both parties.  This often times will lead to a better relationship between cops and community as well as lower prison population and avoid the need for further actions by law enforcement.  It appears to be this further action which has led to many of these shootings. An article titled “ Police fatally shoot ‘sovereign citizen’ after he refuses to show ID when turning over stray animal ” by Travis Gettys for the Raw Story, demonstrates this point quite clearly.  It reports that “Police fatally sh...

Much is being made of the booing that New York Mayor Bill de Blasio received while giving a speech at the Department’s graduation but I think more investigative reporting is needed to truly understand why.  Not sure if it will ever happen with today’s media because we all know that only sex and controversy sells and nothing is more important than keeping opposing views at each other’s throats instead of the table to solve these problems.  Articles like the one titled “ De Blasio booed before vowing to protect police ” as written by Jane C. Timm proves that.  It reports that “Mayor Bill de Blasio was booed just moments before vowing to protect police officers at the New York Police Department graduation on Monday, two weeks after the execution-style killing of two NYPD officers.  “On this day that we want to focus on your great achievement. A day that so many of you have looked forward to — I’m sure it is a day you simultaneously feel some apprehension and your famil...

You may believe that it is not your fault if a police officer, regardless of color, shoots and kills another person, regardless of color but then you would be wrong.  Every decision we make will affect others either directly or indirectly and those decisions that we make are ours be responsible for.  Organizers of protests stand responsible for not making sure that those joining their ranks are peaceful or just looking to blend into the crowd and create trouble.  They are responsible for making sure that a peaceful protest be just that and those involved remain peaceful.  You cannot claim to be representing anyone if you fail to properly represent them.  The biggest division between Martin Luther King and  Malcolm  X was that King wished for and demanded non-violence while  Malcolm  was tired of being pushed around and wanted to push back.   Anyone with any sense of history can clearly tell which movement actually achieved...

Multiple media agencies wishes people to believe that the only reason the rash of recent shootings were is because of color, now while there are several good points that may bear that out.  The reports of some shootings fly in the face of that narrative and have to make one begin to wonder if recent over-reacting police officers are no also blinded by race but something else which mixed with race is deadly to others. The article titled “ Native American Attends #NativeLivesMatter Police Brutality Rally, Next Day He’s Killed by Police ” by John Vibes for The Free Thought Project is one such article.  It reports that “This Saturday evening, 30-year-old Allen Locke was shot and killed by police, just one day after attending a protest against police brutality. Locke is a Native-American man who attended a #NativeLivesMatter rally that was being held locally, according to his family.  The police claim that Locke charged the officer who shot him with a knife, however, this...

There is an article titled “ Obama tells BET audience despite grand jury decisions 'things are better ' written by Sara Fischer for CNN which tells “After weeks of racial protests across the country, President Barack Obama is taking the time to deliver encouraging words about the future of race relations in America to a network that reaches a predominately young African-American audience.  "What I told the young people who I met with -- we're going to have more conversations over the coming months -- is, 'This isn't something that is going to be solved overnight,' Obama says in an interview with BET that will air Monday. "'This is something that is deeply rooted in our society. It's deeply rooted in our history.'"  Once criticized for shying away from the topic of race early on in his presidency, Obama has more recently been forced to lead a discussion on the issue.  In his interview, the President says African-American youth need to ...

Every once in a while there comes an incident which gives rise and credence to an old saying.  The old saying is “sometimes the best defense to something that is indefensible is to keep your mouth shut”.  Someone should have told Jeffery Follmer that. In case you didn’t know Jeffery Follmer is the President of the Cleveland Police Patrolmen’s Association and he was a guest on MSNBC’s All In with Chris Hayes.  He had to have known he was going to be a guest before he appeared and should have practiced his talking points and possible questions that he might face on that show.  I am sure that they would have given him the time to better prepare so that he came across as rational and reasonable.  In my opinion, that would have been time well spent, but he did not and said some things that not only offended me as a black man with young black male and female children but offended me as a former law enforcement officer and U. S. Marine.  If he had a point, he...

Here is a question for all you who feel that police are getting the raw end of the deal lately with the non-indictments of shooting, killing and over-reach when dealing with subjects.  The recent flier put out by the Uniformed Police Union talks about their sacrifice and how government should stand with them instead of throwing them under the bus.  Which group sacrifices more?  Is it the cops who patrol our streets or our military?  If you say our military then ask yourself why there is such a disparity in how each is treated. In the military, we have something called honor and valor.  We have something called responsibility but lately this seems to be the only entity where those principals exist.  In the military if you violate the law, you will be held responsible and to account but in the civilian world this seems not to be the case for cops.  Below is a recent story which proves this point. “Philippine prosecutors on Monday filed murder ch...

Recent articles on cops being judge, jury and executioner and getting away with it, has made so many paint entire departments with the same broad brush.  These are the same people who say that evils done by a portion of any community paints the entire community is wrong.  How can anyone say that what one percent does makes the other ninety-nine percent just as guilty?  We need to stop judging the entire world by the actions of a few.  There is a story which proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that there are good cops out there, putting their lives on the line just like the bad ones except the good ones do not pre-judge people based on color or economic conditions. The story was brought to us by Fox News 17 out of Nashville, Tennessee titled “Woman Caught Stealing Food for Family Gets Police Delivered Donations”  It took place in Tarrant, AL and reports that “a woman who stole three eggs and the officer who decided to help and not arrest her are topping nation...