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DeBlasio vs. DeBlasio
A Staten Island grand jury voted not to indict a police officer in the death of Eric Garner. In August, Ofc. Daniel Pantaleo attempted to arrest Garner for allegedly selling loose cigarettes, employing a chokehold which led to the man’s death.
Since Pantaleo is white and Garner black, the case is often compared to the Mike Brown shooting in Ferguson, Mo. That has only intensified since the decision not to bring criminal charges was made public earlier today.
In a brief statement, President Obama tied the case to Ferguson and the “concern on the part of too many minority communities that law enforcement is not working with them and dealing with them in a fair way.” Obama said he had already asked Eric Holder to look into the situation. Unfortunately, Al Sharpton said that he too talked to Holder. Great.
Despite being in charge of New York City, Mayor Bill de Blasio inveighed against the decision and repeatedly called for public protest. “Anyone who believes in the values of this country should feel called to action right now,” he said. “We are dealing with centuries of racism that has brought us to this day. That is how fundamental the crisis is.” Watching hundreds gather in Times Square, it appears New Yorkers are following the mayor’s advice.
Although I didn’t sift through grand jury testimony, Garner’s death seems much more worthy of an indictment than Mike Brown’s. The decision has surprised many people across both government and the media. But I find it odd that the New York’s Mayor is demanding that the public protest against the NYPD, an organization that he ostensibly runs. The Mayor seems to be protesting himself.
This is a continuing problem we see with many elected leftists. The romantic view of the protestor speaking Truth to Power maintains a steel grip on the progressive imagination. It is hard for De Blasio, Holder and Obama to shed the language and tactics of protest even though they run the establishment, top to bottom. Not only does the Left run the federal, state and local governments of New York, they run the media, the academy, the world of entertainment, and much of big business.
When a CEO is disappointed with his company’s performance in Q3, he changes policy and personnel to improve in Q4. He doesn’t carry a sign through the parking lot shouting “Hey Hey, Ho Ho, Joe in Accounting’s Got to Go!” He just makes the changes; that’s his job.
If De Blasio wants to change the culture or procedures of the NYPD, meet with the police chief and get it done. You can’t keep fighting The Man when The Man is you.
Published in General
That would require a lot of time and effort. And taking responsibility for results. Things the Left despise more than somewhat.
Marxists don’t follow the rules of the CEO.
“STICK IT TO THE MAN! DOWN WITH ME!”
The City of New York would be wise to put out a public service announcement that states; do not resist arrest. It is a separate crime from the crime that initiated your arrest. Resisting arrest may cause you serious physical injury or even death. If you are found not guilty of the crime that caused your arrest you will be found guilty of resisting arrest. I’m sure that it will be a cold day in hell before that happens.
In this particular case a citation in lieu of arrest might be a better way to handle the crime of selling unlicensed or untaxed cigarettes. This is a city that worries about 32 ounce soft drinks. Cite the guy and hope he consumes copious big gulps and your next arrest becomes carrying a concealed 64 ounce big gulp mug.
There may be a chance that Mr. Garner would ignore the cite and court appearance date. That would lead to a warrant being issued for Mr. Garner’s arrest. People like Mr. Garner usually end up arrested at some point and going to booking whether they like it or not.
All Mr. Garner had to do was put his hands behind his back and allow himself to be cuffed. He was out on bail for a previous offense, he knows the drill. He makes bail and is back out on the street again.
Stop teasing us, Jon. You know perfectly well that to a progressive, activism trumps everything else.
There’s a distinction between aggressive policing and racial harassment. The protesters are trying to portray them as the same thing, as if all aggressive policing is really just racism in disguise.
I can do both at the same time, without contradiction.
The videotape in the Garner case looks as if the cops confronted a guy, and he didn’t like being confronted. Now the thing is, I don’t like cop arrogance any more than the next guy. I also don’t buy the idea that the general public is expected to treat the police with submission and sheep-like compliance. Whether a cop is being overly aggressive is a judgment about specific situations and prudence.
But just because I don’t buy a universal blank check for any kind of police behavior, that doesn’t mean I agree that aggressive policing is always racist. The same applies in reverse. The fact that I don’t think a situation is racist doesn’t mean I condone all forms of police behavior.
The funny thing is, I don’t like the police’s behavior in the Garner case. But is this a sign of a national war against young blacks? No.
Putting aside whether the Grand Jury verdict is correct or not, Mayor DeBlasio is acting in his former role as a community organizer, not in his current role as mayor. Unfortunately, the Left views every police force in America as an occupying army, not as a force to protect and serve the community and to safeguard its citizens.
This whole problem would go away if we stopped arresting minorities. Not sure why we expect minorities to follow white law.
This may be Ricochet’s best paragraph of the week.
Completely agree. Well put.
As Kissinger said about the Iraq vs. Iran war, “It’s a pity they both can’t lose”, so too with DeBlasio vs. DeBlasio.
Interesting Ben Shapiro piece over on Breitbart.
To the lawyers out there- I understand from the chatter of late that a prosecutor is duty bound to only bring cases to trial that he thinks he can win. (hence the grand jury). If that’s a high bar for a charge of murder or manslaughter, why don’t they indict on lesser charges? Why all or nothing?
If a chokehold is prohibited, and it’s clearly used, why is there “nothing to see here?”
I don’t even play a lawyer on TV, but there appears to be some question over whether a prohibited “chokehold” or a permitted “submission hold” was used.
DeBlasio likes street protests because, in addition to raising the issue at hand, it gives folks a chance to break out their communist and anti-Israel banners. But knowing his responsibilities as mayor, I am sure that at some point DeBlasio said, “Hey Al, ixnay on the ootinglay.”
I live in NY, actually Staten Island where the incident occured. I heard DeBlasio’s statements while driving home. It was sickening. There is no evidence of racism here. Centuries of racism? Garbage demogogury, purely inflamatory, though he called for peaceful protests. Whatever the merits of the Garner case (and I just commented on a different post here on it, stating that I think the police should have been indicted but probably would have been cleared at a trial) citing racism is absurd. Are police not supposed to arrest black people if they commit crimes? Are they not supposed to subdue them if they resist arrest? I’m sick of all this race B.S. We elected (without my vote) a black president, supposedly proving racism had ended.
That is a very good idea.
There’s a story at Gateway Pundit about the supervising officer at the arrest of Eric Garner. She is a black police sergeant named Kizzy Adoni.
The other sergeants were given immunity for their testimony.
Anyone care to wager whether this will ever see the light of day in the MSM ?
Certainly weakens the case of the racemongers.
Kizzy Adoni , remember that name. She was “in charge” of the arrest.