I agree. Instead of significant issues* (which cross racial lines) being addressed, we get inflammation of racial tensions.
It’s also sad that I counted 5 cops in the video. I wonder what else went down (probably within blocks of this incident) while Garner was being busted (fatally) for selling a few cigs. Talk about misplaced priorities...
*These cases of police “going nuclear” when there are clearly better ways to deal with the situation, are very troubling. Even the Ferguson case is troubling - evidently Michael Brown charged Officer Wilson from as far as 50 ft. away. Why did not Wilson have the means and training to take Brown down, perhaps seriously wounding him, without killing him? In the Garner case, there was NO need to tackle him at that point. To make matters worse, we have the “cops can do no wrong” crowd, who evidently did not read the Coroner’s report and / or certainly must be viewing a different video than the one I’ve viewed several times now, quite carefully.
I don’t think the cops intended to kill Garner — saying so is hyperventilation on the other side of things. But this was a homicide, as the Coroner made clear, and IMO, was unnecessary and a result of poor training.
“Why did not Wilson have the means and training to take Brown down, perhaps seriously wounding him, without killing him?”
He already shot him several times during the charge and that didn’t stop the thug—as he staggered and then resumed the charge.
Doesn’t that count as “wounding” him?
“To make matters worse, we have the “cops can do no wrong” crowd”
And we have the “To make matters worse, we have the “cops can do good” crowd”