Phila. Police Chief Criticizes Hammer Attack Witnesses
17 September 2008
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Philadelphia Commissioner Charles Ramsey is clearly disappointed at the witnesses to a brutal hammer attack that took place on Philadelphia public transportation. On an appearance on the Today show he states that it is a sad situation when people will not intervene. I have heard many different points of view on this and a previous blog received significant response. After watching the following segment do you think that commissioner Ramsey was right to criticize the witnesses?
You know, Charles Ramsey is no Commissioner Sylvester Johnson. I agree that the witnesses should have done something to help and they get no excuses from me, but they are a product of the direction that the people who desire to be in leadership in this country have taken.
If Charles Ramsey feels that it is ok to air these opinions, I feel that he should have had some helpful words and actions for the many individuals in Philadelphia who have clearly been victims of police brutality (The innocent man shot to death at a New Year’s Eve Party, the man who was shot while in his grandparents home when they were on vacation, the man the police killed in his home because he had an clothes iron in his hand, the woman and children who were maced and beaten, etc., etc.). As he criticizes the victims, why doesn’t he speak out against the judicial, insurance and healthcare systems who allowed this man, who has been said to have mental health issues, to be let out on the street after multiple violent crimes, including rape; who at some point must not have gotten the mental health attention he required. Where’s that criticism?
What bothers me equally is that Ramsey would feel the need to air his opinions on the Today Show, or any of those so-called morning news shows, who have so-called journalists, that only report negative stories about black people and have a clear pro-republican, pro-McCain format.
It’s all very ridiculous and sad that these are the people we count on to provide us with so-called law enforcement and so-called news.
The whole thing is really ridiculous. As I said, he’s no Commissioner Sylvester Johnson.
The man at the New Years party was shot AFTER another man with gun ran into that house. Sooooo….the man that ran into that house is JUST as responsible for the mans death as the cop. But I DO agree with you on the clothing iron case. If you have a clothing iron and I have a baton or a heavy flashlight, as well as backup, I’ll have the advantage :). The most you should have suffered was perhaps a broken arm from the baton strike, and some bruises after you’re tackled by 3 cops. But 9 outta 10 times, the VILLAIN is the VILLAIN, not the cop :D! The he put a hurtin’ on usually has a rap sheet a mile long, with MANY BLACK victims.
I think Commish Ramsey showed his true colors when he said he was suspending (with intent to fire) those cops who beat down those young Black men while they were searching for the dunkin’ donut shooter of the cop (I may have my cop shooters mixed up but anyway…). Weeks later we found out that he changed his mind ! Of course he didn’t come back to the community to tell them. He didn’t even tell the media. So he is obviously a business as usual Negro and while he is in this very powerful position he will help maintain the status quo and doesn’t mind misleading the public while he does it. Another H.N.I.C. What became of the cops that maced the babies and women at the baby shower ?! Don’t believe cops when they say “the shooter ran into the house or the shooter was part of the baby shower” etc. These are lies that cops have learned keeps them from having to face consequences for their brutality against us. They have canned phrases that they repeat over and over and then the Top Cop will say “well if the cop is in fear of his life, any amount of force is justified”, case closed. The End.
To be honest with you…I’m not shedding any tears for career criminals whose resume includes BLACK victims. Its time to be blunt. And if a lot more blacks felt this way, the neighborhoods wouldn’t be overrun with thugs. Alright , I can see if it was “Steve Urkel” or a working professional. But I’m not going to sit up here and show sympathy for someone who could have just as easily victimized me and YOU. And if that ever happens, we both will depend on LAW ENFORCEMENT officers to assist us, not these criminals that deserve SO much sympathy.
Anyway, there was a 6-1, 350 pound black man that was SAVAGELY beaten at the 13th street station on the El, by, of course, ANOTHER black man :). The victim’s mother was wondering how the supposedly 6-2, 170 pound attacker could have overtaken her son. I wonder about that too…at 6-1, 350, a suckerpunch wasn’t going to do it. The attacker obviously used some kind of blunt object to blindside her son. But what happens next is what I’m talking about when I say we, black males, have issues with EMOTION, RAGE, and ANGER…the guys knocks his victim to the the floor, and CONTINUOUSLY stomps him in the head, in an obvious attempt to…KILL…him. He only stopped after some other patrons pulled a trick I do, yell that a Septa Police officer is coming. Those people save that mans LIFE. Now, you have to remember that all this was over…hehe..an ARGUMENT! WORDS! What could they possibly been arguing over, that put ENOUGH rage in this man to kick a guys skull in?! Who was TOUGHER?! A woman?! We need anger management classes in our schools!
Aaron, I hear u but what has that got to do with police brutalizing innocent Black men just because they are black? My point was that every Black person that the police call a “perp” is not a perp. Some of us are innocent and labeled as criminal so that the police can justify their abuse of us.
I’m just sayin’. Don’t get so jaded by Blk on Blk crime that u cannot feel anything for your own people-innocent or guilty.
Alright, we’re going to do this. Tell me the incidents in Philly that you know, where the guy WASN’T a criminal (with BLACK victims), and he didn’t antagonize the cops. You’re being very vague with your accusations. I’m not talking about a traffic stop, heres your ticket, bye-bye! I am talking about a BLACK WORKING PROFESSIONAL or a “Steve Urkel” type that was BRUTALIZED. I will RESEARCH the incidents you mentioned. I’m aware of Frank Rizzo and the Black Panthers during THAT era, and some RECENT things in NY by the NYPD. But list some PHILLY things.
I understand the anger and Aaron, all to well; however I can’t look only at a man that is a career criminal, w/o checking the judicial system for allowing him back on the streets repeatedly and/or not providing any true rehabilitation. I also can’t blame a person for being mentally ill (we don’t even know why he is mentally ill) but not a system that does not do a very good job at providing mental health services or intervening when that person is not taking medication. Chances are if they are mentally ill, that may affect their judgment in taking their medication. Additionally, if you take a look at police brutality, it is very rare when we find that police are brutal to any other race but blacks; that includes brutal officers of any race. As far as the New Year’s incident, I think that if that officer would have been in a different type of neighborhood, or not chasing a black suspect, he would not have been so quick to shoot into a home without knowing that a family was inside celebrating.
Right is right and wrong is wrong. Yes, when crime is committed, not certain races, but all races should receive appropriate punishment and/or psychiatric treatment, but we cannot excuse officers who shoot first, ask questions later and excuse their crimes because the criminals are doing what criminals do. The officers take a pledge to respect the law and there is really nothing that should shake them from that. If they can’t handle what is required, they should remove themselves from their post.
Continued below……….
I have been touched personally by a group of heartless, cruel murderers and a part of me wants all kinds of hell to rain down on them for eternity; however, the larger part of me knows that things have to be handled in a better way. In my case, the justice system let my family down. In spite of it all, I have to remain civil and not turn into the monsters that negatively altered my family forever. And just the same, officers cannot turn into criminals and we can’t defend them when they do, just as we should not defend criminals who don’t where a blue uniform and a badge.
I can get into why our men are in the position they are in; that it is systematic targeting, but I don’t think I have to do that. I hope that it does not take another family being touched by police brutality, mistaken identity, other crimes or mental health issues before we can understand that vengeance is not the solution to our 400+ years of problems.
I’m going to throw some figures at you, and I wonder if you think these figures are TRUE…
We committ 50% of all homicides in this country (if we’re ONLY 12-13% of the country, lets say that only 6.5% of that are black males…)
65% of all assaults
50% of rapes
What I’m TRYING to do is STOP you from PUSHING law enforcement away…for the safety of our communities. Put pressure on them to clean some things up? YES. But the solution is NOT to completely vilify them. You’re going to keep having sympathy for these thugs until you push law enforcement away, and our communities REALLY turn into a third world jungle.
Aaron,
You make an interesting point but it doesn’t seem to have anything to do with the topic. In general terms you think that by questioning the behavior of police officers and the commissioner we are “pushing them away?” I disagree. We have the right and responsibility to make the police recognize our issues with their behavior and tactics. We should also hold ourselves responsible but even with the statistics that you stated, the police do not get a free pass to criticize and abuse African American communities.
I fully support the vast majority of officers who do an extremely dangerous job and do it well. But I will never stop being outspoken about police officers who step over the lines.
-Bill A
Aaron-
4 murderers killed my brother, 2 rcvd what some call proper sentences, 2 received lenient sentences (one of their parents worked as a bailiff in Philadelphia criminal court and it’s believed that played a part in that person’s lenient sentencing).
I’ve had a relative beaten to death with batons on his head by a group of transit cops who were never charged.
I had a wonderful cousin who was a Philadelphia police officer who took his own life because he could not handle what he was experiencing out in the streets of Philadelphia.
There were detectives that were good to my family during the investigation into my brother’s death. However, some of his valuable belongings held by the court during the investigation came up “missing” when it was time for them to be given to us.
A police officer helped me tremendously upon the death of my mother; however, when my son was very sick and needed to be rushed to the hospital, I was unfortunate to have a very cruel police officer dispatched to my home. She was very cold and cruel to my son and me.
I’ll go a little further and tell you that there is a part of me that felt sympathy toward one of my brother’s murderers because he really seemed to realize that what he did was wrong.
I ‘ve shared my personal story cuz, as I’ve said in a previous note, I do not want any more of us to have to experience the horrors that go on out in our streets, in order to be able to see beyond what we are are normally presented with when it comes to black people in the criminal justice system.
Also Aaron, you must not be aware that black people are charged and incarcerated more than white people. So, you will not get true statistics on what really goes down in society.
We have not always behaved they way we are behaving now. We began to loose control when cocaine and guns flooded our streets and homes. Where did it come from? We don’t grow it and we don’t make them.
We can say, just say no, but we are human and those who seek to tear us down and separate us from ourselves know that humans can’t resist temptation whether your habit is too much cigarette smoking, bad food that tastes good, alcohol or drugs.
Loot at the what happened to the Native American population when they were given alcohol as a gift, it’s now an epidemic in their community that I believe has lasted longer than b4 we were brought here against our will. How about the aborigines of Australia; most people probably don’t even know that the black man is also the original man of that land and that they also have a huge alcohol and drug problem due to the gift giving of their house guests that never left.
I also ask that you consider those police officers (black and white) that report bad police in their units and are punished for it within the ranks and often by their superior officers?
Not saying you should not be upset when crime is committed or that you should not feel anger when you look at the news and see or hear about the deeds of the “accused” criminal. Just asking you to consider that maybe we should not be so quick to give police the ok to be brutally and criminally derelict in their jobs when they become judge, jury and executioner.
Sometimes I just throw my hands up :D! You’re not going make me give up here :)! No you’re not! SOMEONE is abusing the black community, and it CERTAINLY isn’t the police. SOMEONE is killing, raping, and assaulting our people at an outrageous rate. When the police arrest someone and there’s scuffle, there’s always an *ASTERISK. The guy has a rap sheet a mile long (populated by black victims), and did something to provoke the officers. Its never “Steve Urkel” or a black professional! But black criminals dont discriminate like the police :)! Their victims range from other thugs to 5 year olds to Yeaden entrepreneurs to Mantua youth activists. CRIMINALS ARE SMART! Not in a book kind of way! That way they’re dumb as a doorknob! But after they’re done BRUTALIZING black people, they’re smart enough to provoke a cop and turn it into a racial thing to get off! And who pays for that? The black community!
I’m sorry, but I WANT black criminals HARRASSED by police :D! Sorry if they dont like it!
Aaron,
My problem with your perpsective is it lets the police off the hook. There are very few people in our communities who think that criminals should be given a free pass. The problem is you are willing to give criminals a free pass if they happen to be police officers. The individuals who beat rodney king were criminals, regardless of whether or not he was speeding. The people who brutalized Amadou Diallo and Abner Louima were criminals regardless of the ridiculous justification given for their actions.
Yes, I have a problem with police officers playing judge and jury and handing out punishment on the scene. Their job is to detain and arrest, not harrass. You completely ignore the fact that there are to many examples of individuals who were thought to be guilty as sin only to be cleared later. Your thought process allows the police to make spot judgements on the scene and abuse as they see fit, simply because you want to define someone as a criminal. I am quite certain that you wouldn’t want to suck up that beating if you were the one who was on the wrong side of a relatively minor infraction. Again, Rodney King was SPEEDING…that could very easily be you or I. Would you accept the harrassment if that was you? After all by your definition you would in fact be a “criminal.”
I will continue to say that I support the police officers who do a great job in an extremely dangerous situation but much like former Commissioner Johnson use to say, “it is not ok to break the law in order to enforce the law.”
-Bill A
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