March of the Pigs

Today, three detectives were acquitted of manslaughter for shooting an unarmed African American 50, count that fifty, times on November 25, 2006.

First, a moment for the dead. During this moment, count to fifty and with each number, imagine a bullet hitting your body, ripping through the flesh, exploding bones and muscles.

Second, if you haven't heard about this please read this story.

I wasn't at the shooting so I don't know what happened. However, Officer Oliver squeezed off 31 shots; Officer Isnora fired 11 rounds; and Officer Cooper shot four times because they thought Sean Bell was armed.

Thirty one shots from one officer. At some time police officers were called peace officers. This is obviously not the case. Aren't there procedures that are to be followed in instances like this. The officers were not fired upon, so why did they feel the need to keep shooting. Wouldn't one shot be enough to throw the attacker, which Sean Bell wasn't, off guard?

We all know "all men are created equal." Well at least we know those words are part of our historical documents. The acquittal of these officers does not show equality. No in fact, it harkens to a time not too long ago that skin color determined and locked you in to your place in society. There was a time that equality laws did not exist. Thankfully we're past that time, but you wouldn't know it from today's decision.

Stereotypes are so ingrained into our thoughts of each other that three black men coming out of a strip club at night must be armed and causing havoc, not celebrating a bachelor party as they were. Or an African immigrant must be reaching for a gun, not his wallet.

The other issue here, well I'll be honest there are many issues here, is the idea that police officers are above the law, that they're not held to the same set of rules we civilians are. Had a three white civilians shot three unarmed black civilians, this would be considered a hate crime. Why isn't this being broadcasted as a hate crime?

"The judge, Justice Arthur Cooperman, indicated when he delivered the verdict that the officers' version of events was more credible than the victims' version."

Does being a police officer mean your more credible, simply by being a police officer? Simply by swearing an oath to protect the people from the very violence that they committed?

I don't disrespect police officers, I respect, and expect, peace and justice.