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News & ArtsMonday, November 30, 2009
Crime "I feel sorry for every husky black male with a mole on his face"
Posted by Dominic Holden on Mon, Nov 30, 2009 at 11:16 PM
The Seattle Times reports that the search for Maurice Clemmons is creating unease for black men:
[Oscar] Eason, chairman of Washington's African American Affairs Commission, came to one painful conclusion: For African-American males between ages 20 and 50, he said, "I would caution them to be very careful and only travel when necessary."While expressing condolences to those affected by the slayings, African-American leaders nonetheless are concerned that the furious manhunt for Maurice Clemmons, 37, the man believed responsible for the crime, could raise the potential for racial profiling.
2
Sorry - that's not racial profiling. That's looking like a specific suspect.
If you look something like someone who has recently committed an awful crime, you should expect to be interviewed repeatedly. I am not a big fan of a lot of things cops do, but interviewing people who look like a specific suspect is their job.
And I am glad they do it.
If you look something like someone who has recently committed an awful crime, you should expect to be interviewed repeatedly. I am not a big fan of a lot of things cops do, but interviewing people who look like a specific suspect is their job.
And I am glad they do it.
4
The problem is not being interviewed and treated like a suspect. The problem is that sometimes, and maybe most times, confrontations between cops and cop killers ends up with the cop killers riddled with a hundred and thirty bullets. What happens if you fit the description and three or four policemen call for you to stop while walking down the street. What happens if your initial reaction to a group of police approaching you is not ease of mind?
Would you be glad to have collateral damage in the form of several dead look-a-likes in exchange for this guy's blood?
I've seen probably a hundred threads on Slog where some cop beat the shit out of someone for no reason, or shot a guy in the back of the head for no reason, et cetera. In every one of them, almost everyone starts clamoring about how awful The Pigs are and what have you. I've seen less than ten threads where cops have been killed by some shithead with a grudge(Not counting the fifty posts on this and the one last month) and in every one of those, the police are being lionized like someone killed everybody's parents at once. Can't you idiots find a middle ground?
Would you be glad to have collateral damage in the form of several dead look-a-likes in exchange for this guy's blood?
I've seen probably a hundred threads on Slog where some cop beat the shit out of someone for no reason, or shot a guy in the back of the head for no reason, et cetera. In every one of them, almost everyone starts clamoring about how awful The Pigs are and what have you. I've seen less than ten threads where cops have been killed by some shithead with a grudge(Not counting the fifty posts on this and the one last month) and in every one of those, the police are being lionized like someone killed everybody's parents at once. Can't you idiots find a middle ground?
5
@4: "I've seen probably a hundred threads on Slog where some cop beat the shit out of someone for no reason, or shot a guy in the back of the head for no reason, et cetera." Total bullshit. How many people do Seattle cops kill in an average year, one? One half? Good grief.
6
As one of those 'idiots who cannot find a middle ground'....My middle ground is this:
* I am not saying that good people don't panic and do stupid shit when approached by cops.
* I am not saying it is impossible that an honest person will get hurt because of that.
* I am not saying I LIKE that truth.
* I am not saying they deserved it for running away.
All I am saying is that if that person was approached by the cop because he bore a strong physical resemblance to a suspect in a crime, then he wasn't a victim of /racial/ profiling - just of mistaken identity. Still sucks to be him, of course. Just like it would suck for me if there was a heinous crime committed in my neighborhood by a tall white dude with short brown hair.
* I am not saying that good people don't panic and do stupid shit when approached by cops.
* I am not saying it is impossible that an honest person will get hurt because of that.
* I am not saying I LIKE that truth.
* I am not saying they deserved it for running away.
All I am saying is that if that person was approached by the cop because he bore a strong physical resemblance to a suspect in a crime, then he wasn't a victim of /racial/ profiling - just of mistaken identity. Still sucks to be him, of course. Just like it would suck for me if there was a heinous crime committed in my neighborhood by a tall white dude with short brown hair.
7
Right. I would also differentiate this from a case in which the police were simply trying to find someone identified by the victim as "a black guy." Arguably in that case the police might indiscriminately harass black men, and it might be racial profiling. But in this case the suspect has been identified, his general appearance is known, and the police will be vigorously looking for him. It's hard to see what else they should do.
8
@7
Hey minderbender - I think in this case we are just going to have to agree to agree - because you are balls-on correct.
Hey minderbender - I think in this case we are just going to have to agree to agree - because you are balls-on correct.
9
as a black guy who's 5'7", 160 lbs, i went running tonight but unlike most times that i go running, i carried my ID because i didn't want to get into a situation with the cops being called to Wallingford. But yea, as a black guy I feel really cautious about being out in general with this guy on the loose.
10
I hear that most of the help he has been receiving has been from really old white men who have concealed weapons and belong to the Socialist Republic Party of No.
Maybe the cops should crack down on them?
Maybe the cops should crack down on them?
11
Slog attracts every national cop brutality and cop killer story, Billy. I was not talking about just Seattle
12
@6 - As long as you're not saying those things, and you are saying that, there's no problem. I don't think this is racial profiling either. But there's nothing to make light of in a warning that people fitting this man's description should be wary of being anywhere near cops. Something terrible could easily happen, and it's much easier if cops feel they have carte blanche to do whatever they want to seek their revenge
13
I can't believe how quick some of you people are to jump to conclusions! Did you even read the article? No one is accusing anyone of anything -- community leaders are just concerned, and advising people like @9 to be cautious, which he is. Why are you so defensive about black human rights leaders suggesting that people be careful so a horrible mistake doesn't occur? Racial profiling does happen, and we've already seen that some people want to play vigilante. Cops get nervous, people get nervous, and completely unanticipated coincidences and mistakes occur. To say "boo fucking hoo" or start nitpicking about what racial profiling is -- that's just cold. Have some respect for the way this tragedy is affecting everybody, okay?
15
Man my only fucking resemblance to this cunt is my skin color and the fact that I've eaten way too many burgers in my day. Fuck you silly assholes who say "what ya expect niggers, a nigger killed a cop so all niggers are suspects?" Give me a fucking break. I need to grocery shop, shit i need to live my life and I would like to do it without the fear of having an automatic weapon pointed at my head.
16
@15:
" I need to grocery shop, shit i need to live my life and I would like to do it without the fear of having an automatic weapon pointed at my head."
I think that is what we would all like. So let the cops do their job.
" I need to grocery shop, shit i need to live my life and I would like to do it without the fear of having an automatic weapon pointed at my head."
I think that is what we would all like. So let the cops do their job.
17
every bald husky black guy with a mole under their left eye knew what they were getting into when they put it there.
18
@13 oh look at you paying attention to what's actually happening instead of using other peoples' experiences as an excuse for airing your personal grievances!
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