While a coalition of Allentown minority groups were scheduling a protest over the police shooting in South Whitehall Township, there was at least one stabbing and a shooting in center city Allentown. Three more shootings occurred Tuesday afternoon in South Allentown. Although resident on resident violence has been commonplace, police shootings have been very few and far between. This is not to say that there hasn't been police overreaction elsewhere, but not here. As for the incident on Hamilton Blvd by Dorney Park, it is too early to make conclusions on the appropriateness of lethal force in that case. With the incident being investigated by no less than two separate entities, hopefully a finding satisfactory to the community will emerge.
This particular protest is being organized by various minority leaders in Allentown, some of whom have been both elected and appointed to oversight functions in our local government. I believe that by prematurely questioning and accusing our local law enforcement, they may be inadvertently sending the wrong message to their own youth. Instead of being scared for their children about the police, they should be scared because of the violence within their own communities. While they protest against an isolated police incident, they remain silent about all their own shootings.
I expect that my politically incorrect, blunt appraisal of this situation will not be warmly received by some segments of the community..... So be it.
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Compliance. The minority community in general have no respect for authority and fully believes that they don't have to comply with a police officer; especially a white officer. This attitude pervades our minority community and will be the downfall of law and order in the United States. Most likely Mr. Santos was under the influence of some type of narcotic, not thinking rationally and displayed very dangerous behavior to the police and general public.
ReplyDeleteWhen I saw the organizers of the Monday night forum, [all Allentown minority agitators who had a meeting in Allentown; not South Whitehall], I had to laugh. Whip up the minority community in Allentown so they can act out their frustrations with policing. That is bad politics, no matter from who. With minority leaders like that in Allentown, the city is doomed!
I found the article on the meeting disturbing. IMO those speaking were being political at best, and opportunists at worse.
ReplyDeleteFire the incompetants (sic) writes "The minority community in general have no respect for authority and fully believes that they don't have to comply with a police officer; especially a white officer."
ReplyDeleteI'd be interested to hear how he has come to this conclusion about a very large group of people. Perhaps he has performed thorough research. If he did, he missed all the people of color I know who have told their children to comply with police at all times, lest they be shot.
Generally when people are afraid there is a reason. Many people of color fear police because of isolated incidents when a person of color was shot due to a misunderstanding. For example, a stopped motorist reaches into the glove compartment to produce his registration, as all of us do, and the officer sees a gun that isn't there and fires.
Similarly, many white people fear minorities because of the bad behavior of a few. Throughout history some religious minorities have been persecuted, sometimes on the basis of the bad behavior of a few. In all cases the fears relate to things that are unlikely, but the fear is very real for the individual experiencing it. I have found that when I believe someone's fear is unjustified, empathy needs to come before any expression of my opinion.
"Police. Stop or I'll shoot" was drilled into every kid's head in the post-war years. Not only by parents but also on popular media. Today, assuming there even are parents, the kids are exposed to nothing but media with disdain for authority, including those with guns. Shocking, huh?
ReplyDeleteThe most astute political strategy coming from The Clinton Administration still remains 'Never let a crisis go to waste'
ReplyDeleteIn the advent of social media and cell phone videos it is possible to spread "a false narrative". There are people who seek power by whipping up minority groups. The likes of Black Lives Matter and others like them.
ReplyDeleteIt no longer matters what the facts are, even when there are videos and forensic evidence. These people want to believe the false narrative because it justifies their mistaken feelings of discrimination.
It's always the same: The police shoot a minority person. The first thing is to picket the police station or city hall. They demand the officers be fired. Then they demand the evidence. We all know by this time, evidence isn't released until the investigation is finished. But that doesn't stop them - it's complete stupidity on their part.
The last part of this is when the police are found to act legally then they get another chance to raise hell.
This scenario is really getting old.