Police State

These days I'm more afraid of being shot by the police than I am by anyone else, including downtown gang members.  I took a few minutes to gather the following list:

Tarika Wilson, shot to death by police who couldn't see the target clearly (Tarika) and who thought Tarika was shooting at them.  Turns out she was unarmed, holding her one year old child who was wounded by gunfire.  Her children were nearby when Tarika was killed.

Linda Hicks, shot to death by police.  Linda was mentally ill and was lying in her own bed, in her own bedroom when police kicked in the bedroom door and started screaming commands.  Linda failed to respond correctly and was killed.  At the time of her death she was armed with a pair of scissors.  Linda was over 60 years old and not physically fit at all.

Aiyana Jones, shot to death by police.  Aiyana was seven years old and sleeping on the couch when police raided her apartment.  She was killed by a stray shot - but no one knows just why that shot was fired.

Mike McCloskey, shot in the back and paralyzed from the waist down by Ottawa Hills police officer White.  White was put on unpaid leave for one year until the system could find time to try him for felonious assault with a gun specification.  The jury found him guilty, but it was a very long way from the open and shut case that the police dash cam video shows.  One juror was interviewed and said:

He [anonymous juror] says emotions ran high behind closed doors. "There were 4 of us that was kind of couldn't really decide or was favoring the defendant Mr. White. We found out that later 8 of the jurors believed he was guilty."

Watch the video and explain in simple terms just how anyone could possibly not convict White.

There are other incidents but I see no point in listing them, as the events serve no purpose other than to reinforce what is obviously going on.

A long time ago, not that long ago, a good friend of mine entered into training to become an Ohio State Policeman.  The training was extensive, and when it came time to decide to use your pistol or not the prospective officers were told that, "You'll take an ass whippin' before you draw that pistol."  An officer I spoke with later on told me, disparagingly, "That's pretty old school.  There's no reason for an officer to get hurt when he doesn't have to."

Well, there is.  I listed four reasons and I'm pretty sure others can be found.