Those were the words with which commentator Paul Harvey1(right) always ended his radio program.
We need to hear “the rest of the story” on many stories we hear on tv and read in what’s left of the press. (Getting the full story from biased blogs is an impossibility.)
IT USED TO BE, back when this scrivener was a newspaper printer and later reporter than editor, that newspapers could be depended upon to give complete stories — ALL the facts — while most people realized both radio and tv only had time for headlines. Radio talk shows and “in depth” tv coverage too often was slanted to suit the deep pockets behind the program.
Unfortunately, newspapers are disappearing and newspaper readers are scarce.
Magazines that once crowded shelves in news kiosks and stores and offered differing points of view are, as with newspapers, a footnote in history.
BLM – really?
This entry is prompted by the GEORGE FLOYD murder at the hands of a Minneapolis cop. (The cop since has been arrested and charged with second degree murder2; three other cops are facing charges as accessories.)
As a reporter I learned to withhold judgment until both sides of the story are told.
It LOOKS like the cop had his knee on Floyd’s neck for some time.
Reports state that Floyd repeatedly complained he was unable to breathe.
I wasn’t there, so as far as this scrivener is concerned, until all the evidence is produced — on all sides — everything is “hearsay,” cell phone images not withstanding.
The media, getting its information from what sources — so far unnamed — reported that while Floyd had run-ins with the law in the past, he was now trying to redeem himself.
Going on less than a full accounting and background, protesters hit the streets in a number of cities and cartoonists around the world used their pens to attack America as “racist” and filled with “white extremists.”
Unfortunately, the more-or-less peaceful protesters were joined by opportunist looters and others taking an opportunity to destroy anything and everything. (What justifies spray painting obscenities on a synagogue in Los Angeles? It happened “in the name of George Floyd.”)
AND NOW another version of the George Floyd story is being told.
By a black woman, or, if you prefer, a “woman of color.”
Candice Owens posted a 17-minute video on Facebook3 presenting additional information and explaining why she does not support the protesters.
She does not give the cops a free pass, but she provides a great deal of background both on Floyd’s recidivistic proclivities and his multiple incarcerations up until the time of his latest arrest.
According to Owens, the stories that Floyd was making a new life for himself are not entirely true.
It is worth listening to her Facebook comments — assuming Facebook’s censors don’t remove it — to hear another side to the George Floyd story.
As with the protesters’ allegations, Owen’s report has the same “hearsay” value.
All the facts need to be brought forth by aggressive lawyers, both for the state and the family.
Blacks killing blacks
Protest the Sergeant Schultz4 (right) attitude of “I know NOTHING” when the cops come around asking questions in order to catch the shooters.
Dade County (Miami FL and environs) has almost daily black-on-black killings and woundings. Many are indiscriminate; toddlers are as likely to be shot as seniors in their sleep.
Other cities, e.g., Chicago, are worse.
If a white person shots a black person, Al Sharpton and others of his ilk immediately are on the scene and in front of the ubiquitous tv cameras.
If a black person shoots a black person, the Al Sharptons are nowhere to be found.
- If the video at https://youtu.be/ylAh9VjLTiU is any indication, black lives matter only to Caucasians. A young Washington (D.C.) woman tells a group or mostly white demonstrators to “go to Chicago” where there are more black-on-black killings.
Good cop, bad cop
Over the years I have known a lot of cops, “Law Enforcement Officers” or LEOs.
My first born is a LEO.
For many years I was assigned to the police and fire beat (as well as other things).
I’ve known good cops.
I’ve known cops who should never have been given a badge and a gun.
I’ve seen cops go out of their way to help people — without regard to race or ethnicity.
I’ve seen cops who simply had ugly, “in your face” personalities.
Most LEOs are somewhere in between.
Often the department’s top cop (chief of police, sheriff) determines which way the department’s LEOs interact with the public.
I have seen abuse heaped on LEOs just because they are LEOs. (I also have seen abuse of men and women in the military just because they were in the military.)
It is my understanding that the Minneapolis police department now is being investigated by a federal agency. Given the political climate in America today, no one will be satisfied with the investigation’s outcome. Still, an outside review is in order.
Bottom line
The bottom line is that the George Floyd incident never should have happened.
The cop should have managed to restrain Floyd in another manner. (I understand Floyd already was in handcuffs. All hearsay.) There were at least three other LEOs present.
Not the first to die
Eric Garner died on 17 July 2014 after New York City cop Daniel Pantaleo put him in a choke hold while arresting him.5, 6
On December 3, 2014, a Richmond County grand jury decided not to indict Pantaleo. This decision stirred public protests and rallies, with charges of police brutality made by protesters.
Pantaleo was fired on August 19, 2019, more than five years after Garner's death.
Six years seems ample time to train LEOs to find a way OTHER THAN deadly force to subdue a person, even a person on drugs and endangering everyone in the area. Neither Floyd nor Garner were armed combatants threatening to kill the LEOs.
LEOs make mistakes Cops, especially inexperienced cops, make mistakes. Some can be fatal. An area LEO killed a mentally ill man in Miami Gardens FL who attacked the cops with a broom stick.7
A cop in North Miami Beach FL wounded a mentally ill man’s caretaker because he thought the mentally ill man had a weapon.8 The “weapon” was a toy truck.
Sources
1. Paul Harvey: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Harvey
2. Murder definitions: https://tinyurl.com/yd36au5t
3. Candice Owens: https://tinyurl.com/y8m3du7d
4. John Banner: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Banner
5. Eric Garner: https://tinyurl.com/puh38da
6. Eric Garner: https://tinyurl.com/y7dv8n77
7. Miami Gardens: https://tinyurl.com/y9obj2t2
8. North Miami: https://tinyurl.com/y73f58wq
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