Posted on 09/13/2008 7:28:25 PM PDT by marktwain
On Sept 10th, 2008 I watched in dumbfounded amazement a Today Show news report covering the vicious beating of an unarmed man on the Philadelphia subway.
The victim was attacked by a man wielding a hammer and took place over a 5 minute period all the while approximately ten onlookers watched but did not intervene. The surveillance video shows the attacker placing a young boy in a seat, then reaching into his backpack to retrieve a hammer. He then proceeds to, without warning or provocation to attack a nearby sleeping man by repeatedly beating him with blow after blow from the hammer.
The attack lasted 5 minutes with the victim frantically trying to ward off blows after being knocked to the ground. The attack finally stops when the train pulls into a station and the attacker exits the train. At this point with the victim seriously injured, a bystander pulls a notification alarm alerting the train operator that an emergency exists.
WARNING!!! The following video is graphic in nature and contains scenes of extreme violence. (go to source url for video)
It wasn't the attack or the lack of response that left me dumbfounded. After all, I don't need to tell our readers that the world is an unpredictable oft times dangerous place. This is why I and others have chosen to carry a handgun for lawful self-defense. What left me dumbfounded was the response of both the reporter and their guest, the Philadelphia Police Chief Charles Ramsey. They both were simply amazed by the lack of bystander response to intervene or to call for help.
From MSNBC:
Ramsey criticized other riders for standing by when the assailant entered the train with his 5-year-old son, directed the boy to a seat, calmly pulled a hammer from a backpack and attacked a man dozing in a nearby seat.
At least 10 other riders were in the car when the attack occurred last week, yet no one interfered as the man repeatedly struck the victim in the train car and later out on a platform, Ramsey said on "Today."
"They better pray they're never a victim, because if someone was attacking them that way they would certainly hope someone would step forward and help, and it starts with stepping forward and doing something yourself," Ramsey said.
I found myself slack-jawed. For years law enforcement official such as Chief Ramsey have drilled the premise that we (the people) should "leave these matters to the police and other trained authorities". We have been told to comply with the attackers instructions, don't confront them, don't take matters into your own hands, don't look them in the face or antagonize them in any way. Children are taught this from the time they enter into our schools via official "lock down procedures". Why then would the Chief expect them to behave any other way? After years of training to become victims how can you be surprised when they exhibit the behaviors they have been taught and championed by law enforcement? When you raise a nation of sheep, you cannot be surprised when the sheep don't fight back.
Folks, I am amazed that the Chief suggested that presumably unarmed victims should attempt to subdue a maniac with a hammer. Any law enforcement official should know that a blunt object such as a hammer is a deadly weapon and in fact street officers would be justified in shooting an attacker who attempted to assault them using a hammer.
For someone who advocates against carrying or owning a firearm for self-defense, Ramsey is sure cavalier with other person's lives. While he was the Chief of Police in Washington D.C, he was a staunch supporter of the D.C. gun ban. A darling of the Brady Center, he has won numerous accolades from anti-gun groups and his anti-liberty views are well known. A cursory search in Google will yield a treasure trove of anti-gun, anti self-defense quotes from the Chief. Appearing at a rally supporting D.C. gun restrictions in 2005, he was quoted in a Washington Post article saying "the presence of guns in households often results in more violence." On June 28, 2005, Mayor Williams and Chief Ramsey appeared before a Congressional committee to express their united opposition to the NRA-backed legislation that would rollback many of D.C.'s gun laws. Chief Ramsey's testimony included the following statement:
What impact would the repeal of D.C.'s gun laws have on our city? From my perspective, the answer to that question is straightforward—and it is scary. Repealing our guns laws would mean substantially more handguns in the District of Columbia. And more handguns would mean more gun crimes, more gun violence and more homicides, as well as more accidental shootings and suicides. More guns will also mean a greater threat to our police officers.
Chief Ramsey is also a big fan of cameras. When cops were stealing money from the police safes he responded by suggesting cameras:
At least one other theft has occurred since then, and the incidents have so alarmed the department that D.C. Police Chief Charles H. Ramsey said he is considering installing cameras in front of the police safes.... The theft apparently was made easy because the safe was not locked. Terrance W. Gainer, the executive assistant police chief, blamed 'sloppy procedures.[1]
It seems the Chief is a proponent of symbolism over substance when it comes to actual police work.
"I think he gets an A for public relations, but for actual substance, I think he gets a D," said Ronald E. Hampton, executive director of the National Black Police Association and a former D.C. police officer who was a member of the citizens panel that interviewed Ramsey and two other finalists for the job. But Michael A. Mason, executive assistant director of the FBI, said public relations is a "huge part" of the job. "What police do is the embodiment of public relations," said Mason, who once headed the FBI's Washington Field Office.[2]
Philadelphia also tried, unsuccessfully, to overcome statewide preemption against handguns. In fact, Ramsey tried to get his officers to enforce illegal orders, until the city attorney said such charges would be illegal and she would not prosecute them. Background information here and here).
So after decades of advocating for disarmament and creating a culture of victims the Chief is now suggesting that unarmed bystanders are supposed to take on hammer wielding maniacs? Any beat cop facing such a threat would be justified (and have been in the courts) in using deadly force against a person who attacks them with a hammer because it is a deadly weapon. Would he have suggested that an unarmed off-duty police officer intervene?
In fact, this contradicts statements issued by the Public Affairs Unit. From Philly.com:
Lt. Frank Vanore of the Public Affairs Unit, however, said it was difficult to say whether others should have done more. Vanore said that he would not fault the other riders for not coming to Taylor's immediate aid, but that he had a problem with their not coming forward to tell police what they saw.
"The best thing to do is to be a good witness and call authorities right away," Vanore said. Police still want the other riders to call Central Detectives at 215-686-3093 and let them know what they saw, he added. The assault was recorded by a digital camera inside the train, one of 36 installed in SEPTA's 135 trains since the agency launched a new electronic security system. The entire fleet should be equipped with digital cameras in the next couple of years, Maloney said.
"This is a very strong law enforcement tool," Maloney said. "The message should go out to evildoers that if you do it on the SEPTA system, you're going to be seen and you're going to be very quickly arrested."
We have been spoon-fed this kind of tripe for years such as "If you give them what they want you won't be hurt" What if what they want is to hurt, rape, beat, or murder you? What sage advice do they have then? Much was made in this instance that security cameras caught the attacker on tape? So what? Did that stop the attack from happening? Do you expect me to believe that the fact a camera was present changed the attackers actions one whit? He made no attempt to hide his face and apparently believed (correctly) that the feed was not monitored live and no one would stop him. In fact, he rightly dismissed the camera as having no impact on his initial decision to attack, nor to discontinue the beating until he determined it should stop.
The fact that tape allowed authorities to detain a suspect the next day should be a cold comfort to the victim. At least he was arrested....again (Chief Ramsey admitted the attacker is no stranger to the justice system). Police said the man was apprehended after family members called police. Ramsey did not identify the man or say whether he had been charged yet, but said he had a lengthy record.
"He has a long criminal history including rape, robbery, assault, narcotics violations," Ramsey told the media.
Yet here he was out on the streets again ready to prey on the unsuspecting.
I suspect that the outcome might have been different had one of the bystanders been carrying a handgun for lawful self-defense. I was unable to locate an official SEPTA policy prohibiting the carry of a handgun for lawful self-defense. Pennsylvania has a strong preemption law regarding firearms and again I was unable to locate any law forbidding lawful carry of handgun for self-defense on public transportation. However that doesn't stop authorities from "discouraging" legal concealed or open carry by stopping or detaining person who carry for their own protection.
A search of the popular Pennslyvainia Firearms Owners Association forums detailed encounters where gun owners were mistakingly informed they could not carry on public transportation. Readers here in Ohio are familiar with this tactic: even after our 2007 firearms preemption law was passed some municipalities are still defiantly posting "no guns" on public transportation.
There are a number of lessons to take away from this attack. You are responsible for your own safely, not the police or bystanders. Refuse to be a victim or to buy into the victim mentality of "giving them what they want". Maintain your situational awareness of your surroundings. You may not be looking for trouble, but trouble may be looking for you and you had better be prepared.
As for the victim of the subway beating, he was dozing didn't stand a chance as he was oblivious to his surroundings. He was caught completely unaware. In his own words from the Philly.com article:
Taylor said he'd had no interaction with the assailant before the attack. He was resting, listening to hip-hop on his iPod, when the man came after him, he said last night.
"Honestly, I didn't even notice him," said Taylor, a 20-year-old laboratory assistant at the University of Pennsylvania and a regular SEPTA rider. "I was in my own world."
Let that be a lesson to those of us who carry, just because you carry a handgun doesn't mean it makes you immune from attack. It isn't a magic talisman which can ward off potential trouble. It is a valuable tool, but a tool nevertheless. Like any other tool, it can fail you, and you need to plan accordingly. You need the proper training and mindset to utilize a handgun for self-defense. Ultimately you are responsible for your own protection, you cannot count on others to help you. It is better to have a gun and not need it, than need a gun and not have one.
but no. attack the police. just keep pushing your own agenda. pathetic.
Chiefs of Police and County Sheriffs are not cops....
They are politicians.
In general, real cops support those of us that choose to carry and protect ourselves and those around us.
The politicians are running for re-election.
He wasn’t attacking the police. He was attacking Chief Ramsey.
“some people will take any opportunity to bash cops. hey, genius, how about chastising the attacker or the justice system as a whole for him being on the street.
but no. attack the police. just keep pushing your own agenda. pathetic.”
I really do not see what you are talking about. Police have given the opposite advise that Philadelphia Police Chief Charles Ramsey is stated as giving. It appears to me that it is the advise and the attitude that is being attacked, not the police in general.
i've been a new york city cop for over 5 years. if i was on that train, i would have shot the guy immediately. if i didnt have a gun on me at the time, i would not have been required to take action, but i like to think i would have.
and yes, i believe law-abiding non-cops should have concealed carry rights.
Oh for pity's sake, the Chief would be the first one to arrest us if any of us shot the perp with (horrors) a (hitherto concealed) gun.
Talk about a no-win situation!
Exactly, it’s not the officer’s who are to blame, it is the Establishment in Philly or where ever a Chief is a politico.
I’m glad the victim was not injured severely, but the reaction on the train is downright frightening, no one pulled the emergency lever because they did not want to be hit with the hammer.
In my mostly conservative county, our Sheriff is a conservative, no nonsense, law and order guy.
But, because he seeks re-election, on a regular basis, he demonizes those of us that apply for handgun permits.
His Deputies are thankful for the support we provide......
Quietly.
Just a little reminder that Ramsey used to be Chief in DC.
Why do police carry handguns? It’s not to carry out normal, day to day duties. It’s so that they can defend themselves. Why aren’t we allowed to do the same?
Do you support Ramsey's vehement anti gun positions and the way the Philly police harass legal gun owners?
We have that same situation here in GA. In June governor Perdue signed a preemption bill into law that reserves the power to make all gun laws in the state to the General Assembly, and all laws enacted by a city or county government are invalid and are not enforceable.
But Atlanta's idiot mayor and the Atlanta Airport manager say they have authority to ban firearms from all airport property, including distant unlighted parking lots and and all areas inside the terminal building that are not covered by federal laws. He has threatened to arrest and prosecute anyone who brings a gun on airport property, including the General Assemblyman who wrote the new law and worked hard to get it passed.
GeorgiaPacking.org quickly filed a lawsuit against the mayor and the airport manager to force them to obey the new state law, but a very anti-gun urban area judge has postponed a hearing on the lawsuit until later this month and I fully expect him to postpone it again when that time comes. Surely he knows that he can't allow the local preempted laws to override state law, but he can drag out the lawsuit as long as possible so that the gun ban will remain in effect as long as possible.
IMHO the governor should station several GA state police officers at the airport and order them to arrest any airport authority cop who tries to enforce the old and invalidated local law, and then arrest the airport manager and mayor for ordering local cops to ignore state law and arrest people who are not breaking any valid law.
Isn't this the kind of mentality that made 9/11 possible. With the exception of one plane, the terrorist were able to execute their plan with flawless precision because the people sat by and did nothing. All because we've listened to this kind of rhetoric for so long, the idea of standing up and confronting evil is now a foreign concept to many of us.
There would be less police bashing if they did not act like a uniformed street gang with a code that prohibits speaking out about bad cops ... the policy just breeds more slugs and resentment
but us against them is part of a street gang mentality
.
***Ultimately you are responsible for your own protection, you cannot count on others to help you. It is better to have a gun and not need it, than need a gun and not have one.***
This should be repeated every day, more than one time, by people with influence.
Where do you work in NYC? It’ll be great to know I won’t be a lone Conservative in NYC.
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