The Revenge of the Thin Blue Line

Ann needs higher and higher doses
of raw racism to get the same High

Another unjustified shooting of a black person by a scared, dumb, or racist white cop...

Yet another unjustified shooting of a minority by a scared, dumb, or racist white cop... The Fresno Police Department investigated itself and found it did the right thing. The "investigation" tied the young man to a previous shooting, claimed he was known to carry guns, and stated he fled into a daycare. Nicely done! All the components are thus present to allow White America sagely nod, applaud the Officers, and tut-tut those people and their criminality...

This is all done to ensure certain segments of society KNOW, justice is unequal, laws are selectively enforced, and sentences (in this case death) are unequally administered. And conservatives, who are forever warning about the Government lying, greedily accept ever report which exonerates and justifies these killings precisely because conservatives agree with the execution of black people. Conservatives believe all black people are a priori guilty of some crime. Ergo any extrajudicial killing of a black person is, in fact, justified.

As we have seen, even with the ubiquitousness of cell phones, body cams, and dashboard recordings, Police Officers don't have much qualms in shooting down even fleeing suspects. These incidents are Unconstitutional on their face. Extrajudicial executions of persons not convicted of crimes represent the ultimate seizure under the 4th Amendment. The landmark ruling of Tennessee vs. Garner is settled law and is known to every Officer for the past 35 years. But, White America and specifically white conservatives not only justify these killings but, agree with and defend them vociferously.

After every shooting, the Rightwing Wurlitzer revs up to muddy the waters, fabricate evidence, smear the dead black person, and works to undermine Law & Order. Because it serves the purpose of Conservatives to repeatedly show black America and other minority groups that the Law will be unequally applied and criminal cops will be not only afforded every opportunity and defense they denied their victims but, will be heralded as heroes and lionized by White America.

So, Police and Sheriff's Departments have a problem; partially of their own making. Throughout America, communities no longer view Police Officers as the good guys. As with the above killing in Fresno, previous killings in Ferguson, Staten Island, and so many others, Police Departments are concluding Officers use of deadly force is fine, and while minorities have known for years Police Officers are not the good guys, segments of society are having to confront the awful visual evidence.

It doesn't matter if the incidents are nuanced or if it's just a few bad apples or if it is because of the institutional and structural racism built into Law Enforcement & American Society, or whatever the "true" underling issue is; The Truth is Police Officers are killing American citizens, and especially black men, at an unjustified rate and getting away with it.