linecrosser's Blog

     The text of Judge Arthur Cooperman's statement before reading the verdicts in the Sean Bell shooting case is available for the public to read by links on this site. I'm sure I tend to look at things a little different than most, which might be why I feel the need to blog. 

      Hopefully this Judge will never run for a political office, his ability to spin issues is amazing. His statement of why the police were in the neighborhood reads as follows:  "Because establishments known as `strip clubs' often generate criminal activity including prostitution and narcotics, the police dept. club enforcement unit was given the task of infiltrating such places and pursuing violations of law that would lead toward shutting them down."  This generalization of the clubs and it's patrons sounds like profiling, or and least(?) prejudice. Two personal defects the police are supposed to be trained to ignore and behave above. Yet the police go into the neighborhood with three goals. 1. infiltrate, 2. pursue violations, 3. shut them down. "Them", could be used here to mean the violators or the clubs. The Judge doesn't get specific. At one time in my varied past I worked at a local go-go bar, as a chief cook, dishwasher, doorman and bouncer. While it would be stupid of me to say that illegal activity didn't take place, I will tell you one of my jobs was to make sure it didn't. The owners and operators had a real fear of losing their ABC license. In general I would have to say it was one of the most peaceful and honest atmospheres I've ever worked. The patrons wanted what they wanted and the employees wanted their money. There was a unwritten code of conduct and to violate it would ruin the evening. 

      Sorry back to the Judge, later in his statement he said this."It is It is important to note that in analyzing what happened here, it was necessary to consider the mind-set of each defendant at the time and place of occurrence, and not the mind-set of the victims. What the victims did was more pertinent to resolving the issues of fact than what may have been in their minds. "  I'm not here to make comment on the outcome of the trial, I would have to know a lot more of the details to do that. 

      I'm just concerned with the, in the Judges own words, the mind set of the police, and the judicial system as a whole. Not just in New York but everywhere in America. The mind set of the police was spelled out for us. And the mind set of the victims was dismissed, by the Judge. 

      If this standard were to be used in the Ryan Frederick case here in Chesapeake, the behavior of the police would indicate their mind set and all but criminalize their activity and Ryan would never have been arrested. I would love to read the results of the independent study that was done on the Chesapeake police department shortly after that shooting. The timing of the chief of police retirement seems to be a coincidence also. Well at least we can rest a little easier since it appears that the Chesapeake police have now gotten their marijuana growing operation bust without killing anyone. 

       This government and all it's agencies,departments,committees, branches and commissions, act like the general public has no intelligence, and maybe their right all things considered. We trust those in power even when they have been proven untrustworthy. We seem to be content with allowing ourselves to be entertained and drugged into apathy instead of being educated in ways to improve our standard of living, we have allowed the judicial system to pervert itself into a small group of tyrants who have been trained to talk in circles and make convincing arguments on any side of any issue, with their only convictions being self preservation by jailing any opposing voice. No true conviction to protect the constitution,and it's rights and standards. We have grown into or regressed into a public controlled and fearful of the government instead of the way it was intended. That being, the government is supposed to be controlled by the people and should be fearful of the people. The people have let themselves down and the free press has failed in it's responsibility to inform the public of the truth. The truth should inspire us, thus empowering individuals to excel on their own. When the public sees that the leaders, literally get away with everything,is it no surprise that society collapses, the criminal element of our world today is only following the leaders, on a lower level. Unless WE THE PEOPLE hold the leaders accountable, then we should expect things to get worse as they write more laws to hold us accountable.