In the Face of Victim Privilege, Truth Outs Itself at the University of Minnesota

 

I don’t write all that many posts whose primary purpose is to link to another webpage and discuss, either in terms of stern outrage or drooling hagiography, what is being said elsewhere. (I suppose it’s because, in defiance of the old adage, I’d actually rather do my own copious and–I think–generally effective, barking.) On the rare occasions that I do link to such pages, it’s usually to celebrate good news (photographer in lockdown captures amazing photos of wild birds through kitchen window) or to have a robust belly-laugh at the antics of fools (Google “AOC” and start anywhere).

Once in a great while, though, one of the sites that I follow in a desultory fashion (no “push” notifications here), comes up with a gem that I think is worth sharing. Powerline threw up one such, just yesterday: Defund The Bastards.

It seems that a student at the University of Minnesota was stopped by university cops (so, not the actual Minnesota Police Department which, Lord knows, has had its own set of public relations disasters over the past few years), who were investigating an armed robbery on campus in the wee hours of February 1. The encounter with law enforcement was so horrific that this student felt compelled to tell his story on Instagram. Naturally, the brutality of the officers, and the suffering he experienced at their hands, plays a huge role in his recounting. A portion of his Instagram post follows:

Now, after having some time to think about this, to process, and to come to the senses that the thing/the situation that I hoped would never happen to me – happened. It was brutal. What if that was another black or brown man not able to prove their identity or maybe they were in the wrong place at the wrong time – what then? We can’t keep sending armed police as a solution for student safety or community safety. If anything, that was the most traumatic thing I have ever experienced from the people who are supposed to be there for me. No. Defund these bastards.

(I pass over the fact that this person’s sense of outrage seems to have developed only after having had some time to “think about,” and “process,” his experience. I’m guessing–and this is just a guess–he thought about, and processed it with a bunch of his friends. And I’m imagining–and this is just my imagination–that “post-processing,” his emotions recollected in tranquility–I doubt this is the sort of thing Wordsworth meant–bore about as much relation to the actual series of events as “processed cheese” does to its primary antecedent.)

Unsurprisingly, the Instagram post was accompanied by a “call to action,” and exhortations to email the UMN administration with demands to hold the police accountable and to defund them.

So you know how the rest of this story goes, right? The university administration caved and the Department of Public Safety apologized, threw its own officers under the bus, and called for its own defunding. Right?

Not so fast.

This time, the university responded quickly with a press release, and the complete audio transcript of the encounter, together with the actual video taken as it happened. Transcript follows. Note that, contra the “narrative,” the officers began by thinking this guy was white, and that this clown was so “traumatized” by the brutality of the officers involved that he asked them for a ride to where he was going:

February 1, 2021 at 01:42am Transcribed by DPS Records Department on February 3, 2021

Squad 1830 (Officer 1): So the guy walking on the sidewalk, he is kinda out of the area but not so much. I don’t know, it’s worth checkin’ and chattin’ with him or not.

Squad 1831 (Officer): [inaudible]

Squad 1830 (Officer 1): It’s a white male, dark hoodie, but he doesn’t have a mask. But.

Squad 1831 (Officer): [inaudible]

Squad 1830 (Officer 1): Alright.

Squad 1830 (Officer 1): U of M 1830

Dispatch: Squad 1831

Squad 1830 (Officer 1) : I’ll be out with a suspicious person possibly related to this call at 11thAve Se and 5thSt Se.

Dispatch: Okay, copy

Squad 1830 (Officer 1): Hey, how’s it going?

Unidentified Person: [inaudible]

Squad 1830 (Officer 1): You just walking home? Did you see anything occur today or tonight a couple of minutes ago or so?

Unidentified Person: [inaudible]

Squad 1830 (Officer 1): Ah, we just had a robbery of a person and you kinda match the description, as far as someone wearing a dark hoodie.

Unidentified Person: Oh no, oh no ..[inaudible] .. I swear.

Squad 1830 (Officer 1): U of M 1830 it’s not going to be the party. Okay

Unidentified Person: I am a University of Minnesota student

Dispatch Background: 1830 copy, if you can get back on the Minneapolis channel

Squad 1830 (Officer 1): Okay no, I believe you, I appreciate it, you are good to go. We just have a lot of cars around here

Squad 1830 (Officer 2): You’re good man, you’re good.

Squad 1830 (Officer 1): Alright sorry about that man, we just had a robbery that occurred in this location and whatnot, so were are just checking it out, we just wanted to chat with you. See a lot of cars out here. You’re free to go. Where you living at these days?

Unidentified Person: I am a CA, [inaudible]

Squad 1830 (Officer 1): Okay, well you have a good night.

Unidentified Person: Would you mind giving me a ride?

Squad 1830 (Officer 1): No, I can’t, I can’t give you a ride.

Unidentified Person: Okay, thank you

Squad 1830 (Officer 1): Thank you

Squad 1830 (Officer 2): We are still looking for the guy, that’s why we can’t give you a ride alright

LOL. I think they need to send this little twerp off to–what is it Katie Couric calls it–oh, yes, “deprogramming” school to get his mind right.

You can view the video of the encounter here.

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There are 18 comments.

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  1. Fake John/Jane Galt Coolidge
    Fake John/Jane Galt
    @FakeJohnJaneGalt

    I agree.  Defund the police.  Let’s see how he enjoys living in a world without them.

    • #1
  2. Jerry Giordano (Arizona Patrio… Member
    Jerry Giordano (Arizona Patrio…
    @ArizonaPatriot

    Thanks for the post.  So we have another black liar, falsely accusing the police to promote the BLM narrative.  We’ve seen this often enough, from Jussie Smollett to the justified shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson.

    I wish that we had good, empirical evidence of the prevalence of such false accusations.  Is anyone aware of any studies of this?

    I hesitate to draw conclusions on the basis of a handful of incidents.  It does appear that false accusations of police racism exist, but it would be helpful to know whether, say, 5% of such accusations are false, or 95%.

    • #2
  3. Fake John/Jane Galt Coolidge
    Fake John/Jane Galt
    @FakeJohnJaneGalt

    Jerry Giordano (Arizona Patrio… (View Comment):

    Thanks for the post. So we have another black liar, falsely accusing the police to promote the BLM narrative. We’ve seen this often enough, from Jussie Smollett to the justified shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson.

    I wish that we had good, empirical evidence of the prevalence of such false accusations. Is anyone aware of any studies of this?

    I hesitate to draw conclusions on the basis of a handful of incidents. It does appear that false accusations of police racism exist, but it would be helpful to know whether, say, 5% of such accusations are false, or 95%.

    I have no doubts that studies exist and if they show the police did were not racist drop / lost / hidden / etc

    • #3
  4. Doug Watt Member
    Doug Watt
    @DougWatt

    Just another moron looking for some internet love, and his right to 15 minutes of fame.

    • #4
  5. DonG (2+2=5. Say it!) Coolidge
    DonG (2+2=5. Say it!)
    @DonG

    These witness statements like “male in hoodie” are useless.  Here in Texas, where it is warmer, we get things like “male in jeans, Tshirt”.   All young dress alike these days.   Note to witnesses, observe shoes and tattoos. 

    • #5
  6. Percival Thatcher
    Percival
    @Percival

    Doug Watt (View Comment):

    Just another moron looking for some internet love, and his right to 15 minutes of fame.

    He’s got to try harder. Wood shampoo or forget it.

    • #6
  7. Mim526 Inactive
    Mim526
    @Mim526

    She:

    So you know how the rest of this story goes, right? The university administration caved and the Department of Public Safety apologized, threw its own officers under the bus, and called for its own defunding. Right?

    Not so fast.

    This time, the university responded quickly with a press release, and the complete audio transcript of the encounter, together with the actual video taken as it happened.

    We can only hope such glimmers of common sense continue in our institutions of higher learning.  Well done, University of Minnesota.

    • #7
  8. Hang On Member
    Hang On
    @HangOn

    Jerry Giordano (Arizona Patrio… (View Comment):
    So we have another black liar, falsely accusing the police to promote the BLM narrative.

    She: Squad 1830 (Officer 1): It’s a white male, dark hoodie, but he doesn’t have a mask. But.

    ????

    • #8
  9. Paul Stinchfield Member
    Paul Stinchfield
    @PaulStinchfield

    Seems to me  that defamation should be grounds for expulsion.

    • #9
  10. Percival Thatcher
    Percival
    @Percival

    Hang On (View Comment):

    Jerry Giordano (Arizona Patrio… (View Comment):
    So we have another black liar, falsely accusing the police to promote the BLM narrative.

    She: Squad 1830 (Officer 1): It’s a white male, dark hoodie, but he doesn’t have a mask. But.

    ????

    He interrupted himself. He made a statement, added a conjunction, and

    • #10
  11. Jules PA Inactive
    Jules PA
    @JulesPA

    All anyone can do is expose deceipt and fraud when it happens, and apologize when one errs, which everyone does at some point.

    Like the university says, that kind of interaction builds trust. 

    Does anyone wonder why trust is so broken in our culture? Deceipt is applauded. Any error or misstep, and it’s off with their head.

    Unless, of course, the powerful want to preserve the narrative of the transgressor, in which case, drop the curtains, Katie bar the door. Nothing to see here. 

    G-d is the judge. May he come swiftly. 

     

    • #11
  12. Basil Fawlty Member
    Basil Fawlty
    @BasilFawlty

    Jules PA (View Comment):
    All anyone can do is expose deceipt

    Nice portmanteau!

    • #12
  13. TBA Coolidge
    TBA
    @RobtGilsdorf

    Paul Stinchfield (View Comment):

    Seems to me that defamation should be grounds for expulsion.

    I lean this way too. 

    • #13
  14. Charlotte Member
    Charlotte
    @Charlotte

    She: this person’s sense of outrage seems to have developed only after having had some time to “think about,” and “process,” his experience

    [emphasis added]

    A dude posted this on Instagram? A male human?

    Jeeze, buddy, have some self-respect.

    • #14
  15. Jules PA Inactive
    Jules PA
    @JulesPA

    Basil Fawlty (View Comment):

    Jules PA (View Comment):
    All anyone can do is expose deceipt

    Nice portmanteau!

    Not on purpose at all. 😹

    • #15
  16. Jules PA Inactive
    Jules PA
    @JulesPA

    Charlotte (View Comment):

    She: this person’s sense of outrage seems to have developed only after having had some time to “think about,” and “process,” his experience

    [emphasis added]

    A dude posted this on Instagram? A male human?

    Jeeze, buddy, have some self-respect.

    Funny, go listen to Candace Owen show. 

    Guest brought up about synthetic estrogen in so many products, water, pesticides, etc. 

    Research being done to track effects. 

    Wouldnt surprise me if some our social insanity is actually chemical. 

    • #16
  17. Fake John/Jane Galt Coolidge
    Fake John/Jane Galt
    @FakeJohnJaneGalt

    DonG (2+2=5. Say it!) (View Comment):

    These witness statements like “male in hoodie” are useless. Here in Texas, where it is warmer, we get things like “male in jeans, Tshirt”. All young dress alike these days. Note to witnesses, observe shoes and tattoos.

    I listen to the scanner in my city.  It is funny how far they will go not to mention a race other than white.  If a white person is a suspect it is broadcast far and wide.  Scanner, TV, Radio, Internet.  If it is a minority it is all person wearing pants and shirt stuff.  Occasionally they slip up and a picture will show in the news so you can see their ethnic make up.  But those are rare and far between.  

    • #17
  18. tigerlily Member
    tigerlily
    @tigerlily

    Jerry Giordano (Arizona Patrio… (View Comment):

    Thanks for the post. So we have another black liar, falsely accusing the police to promote the BLM narrative. We’ve seen this often enough, from Jussie Smollett to the justified shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson.

    I wish that we had good, empirical evidence of the prevalence of such false accusations. Is anyone aware of any studies of this?

    I hesitate to draw conclusions on the basis of a handful of incidents. It does appear that false accusations of police racism exist, but it would be helpful to know whether, say, 5% of such accusations are false, or 95%.

    Here’s a site – fakehatecrimes.org – that I came across a couple of years ago which has a fairly extensive data base of false claims of hate crime/racial discrimination.

    • #18
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