> ...and that makes it all ok when Wichita police and SWAT show up, knock on your door and MURDER the very first person they see in the house. <
Absolutely this was murder. The poor guy was shot, the police say, because he reached for his waistband. And I doubt that even that is true. The guy probably just moved his hand randomly. We all do that when we walk, or even when we stand still.
An innocent black is right to fear the police. Hell, I’m an older white guy, and I fear the police.
I wish I could remember who it was, but another FReeper here said it perfectly: The police used to have a job, to make us feel safe. Now it’s our job to make the police feel safe.
They are easily startled.
From reports, there was only one shit, the fatal one, and many police on scene. That means only one nervous, trigger-happy cop pulled the trigger. The rest saw no danger from the victims actions.
I've never been a cop hater, nor am I indifferent to the difficulties and danger they sometimes face...but like you said, nowadays they seem menacing to me, and I've never been in trouble with the law (I'm 66). I want cops to go home safely too, but given the nature of their work, and how they relate to the public It must be understood that the places where police are perfectly safe are called police states. This, on the heels of the Daniel Shaver incident is disgraceful.