Investigators working on the scene of the shooting. Yahoo News/AP.
Two police officers were shot and killed in Brooklyn, New York in an apparent revenge attack in response to the Eric Garner and Michael Brown cases. Yahoo News/AP. Ismaaiyl Brinsley, the suspected gun man ambushed the two police officers, Wenjan Liu and Raphael Ramos, before killing himself. The suspect is also accused of wounding his ex-girlfriend. Brinsley's instagram page, since removed, said that he was "...Putting Wings On Pigs Today" (sic) and mentioned the Brown and Gardner cases by name. The shooting has exposed tension between the NYPD and New York City Mayor Bill de Blassio. Police have criticized they mayor for comments they found supportive of the police during the Eric Garner case. Some NYPD officers went so far as to turn their backs on the mayor during the press conference. The families of Brown and Garner, along with Al Sharpton, denounced the attack.
My Comment:
This is the inevitable consequence of the deterioration of race relations in this country over the last few years. The media, along with Democratic politicians, have convinced the African American community that they are under siege from police departments across the country. It isn't true of course, but, as it so often is, the truth is irrelevant. Perception is king and the media and the Democratic Party has shifted the perception of the African American community. It was only a matter of time when a disturbed person decided to act.
And this is in no way justified. Even if the Brown and Garner cases had been examples of brutal murders, then this would not be justified. As it stands, the Brown case was a clear case of self defense and the Garner case, at worst, was a tragic mistake. This? This was a choice. Someone decided to murder two police officers, neither of who were white, for no other reason then that they wore a uniform.
Revenge is never the answer, even in circumstances seem to justify it. Not only is killing out of spite wrong, you are opening yourself up to retaliation. And even if no cop ever does decides to get street justice for Liu and Ramos, every cop in the country is now wondering if he or she is a target. Cops are people too and they get scared. And now every single one of them, regardless of race, has to look at every young black man as a potential murderer. Maybe not on a conscious level but it has to be in the back of their heads somewhere. For people concerned about the treatment of African Americans by the police, this is the worst possible outcome. I talk about self fulfilling prophecies all the time, and in this case, it is coming true.
On a more personal note, I have several friends who are cops so this issue hits home for me. I don't like thinking of something like this happening to them. The whole situation needs to be diffused and diffused fast, but I get the feeling that all that will happen will be a further fanning of the flames...
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