In a message dated 9/6/2002 10:04:22 AM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
I think it was irresponsible to post such claims, and
then say, oh well they may not be true at all. I mean,
you're not even sure there was a party, much less
arrests, but your accusations sure were detailed, and
other people may very well be repeating them as fact.
I read the account on Indiamedia (sorry, no address). The person used disclaimers because he/she was not accorded a ring side seat. However, they since followed up through "more credible channels??", and, lo and behold, the report is true. This time reported by poor, bashed, police.
Society (all of us) have a responsibility to report excessive force and other conduct of police officers in the hopes that civilized minds will prevail and correct such occurences before it escalates into all out bloodshed. Police are trained individuals, given the responsibility to serve and protect the citizenry against the very acts they are perpetrating!! How dare anyone try to justify that. Oppression is oppression. It is not somehow mitigated into civil acceptance because the perpetrators are hired police. Even in the heat of anger (is that the motivation for this raid against this family?) one trained in combat can quickly assess the level of threat apparent in a confrontation, especially when confronting elderly women and young children.
It is apparent that we have "rogue policemen", arbitrarily using excessive force in the pretext of conducting police affairs. They do not care about the reputation they are bulilding in community and police relations, and they are hurting the hopefully greater number of officers who carry out their responsibilities without ulterior motives controlling their acts. As a society we must be concerned with this, and committed to correcting the problem swiftly, for the good of the whole. I commend the efforts of this reporter. Since it is reported by the police, will the Strib, Pioneer Press, or any other media run the story? Or does it not warrant press coverage? Is there a black-out of news coverage of a certain ilk? Or is this retaliation by the press for their injuries in the melee you mentioned? Inquiring minds want to know.
Robert Anderson
Candidate for the House 61B
Field-Regina
