Brace Yourselves… (Bleeding Heart Ahead)

I know it hasn’t been something I’ve focused on for a while, but a passion of mine that equals, if not exceeds my love of books is social justice. There’s just been so much going on in the world that I’ve been a bit overwhelmed. (And then with me personally. Life and I have been disagreeing on many levels.)

But there’s something I saw today and it just… well broke my heart. If you watch the video – which is lengthy, grab tissues. I cried. This is the article: Killed at Home: White Plains, NY Police Called Out on Medical Alert Shoot Dead Black Veteran, 68. (I’m going to try and embed the video, but for some reason WordPress has always hated me…)

Police Called Out on Medical Alert Shoot Dead Black Veteran

There’s just… I don’t even have a response for that, other than sorrow, and an utter sense of wrongness. That it was police – responding to a medical alert call doing this makes it… I don’t think I’ve been as horrified since I learned the police duty (or lack thereof) to the public when it comes to you the individual as a member of the public, in Torts.

I can’t believe this happened last year that Kenneth Chamberlain, Sr was shot dead. By policeInside his own home. And nothing has happened.

Where’s the national outcry and outrage about this? (That’s a whole new can of worms though… but you have to admit – there’s the whole sensationalist/popular opinion thing. Not to say I don’t think it’s important to care about and fight for justice with Trayvon Martin’s family – but … consistency. Slow and steady.)

Like with FoxConn taking the heat – so many people are throwing around words like “I’m never buying Apple again! I’m going Dell (or insert other electronics) all the way!” It’s just so… *facepalm* to me. I’ll help you out. Hewlett-Packard, I.B.M., Lenovo, Motorola, Nokia, Sony, Toshiba and others. (Also according to reports FoxConn has changed the factory conditions, and is also limiting everything to a (less than 60 – I can’t recall the exact hours now) work week, with no decrease in pay. Expect to see Apple products reflect that in their prices soon, because I just can’t see the company heads eating that cost. Unless they take it out on their other working grunts.)

So we’ve hit a few issues. I’m obviously not going to, and cannot detail everything.

But – let’s go one more with a death that should never have happened.

On March 21, a woman was beaten to death in her home. There, the police actually did their job [they a) didn’t kill her themselves, and b) launched an investigation] – so um, +1 I guess? (Sorry – you can tell I’m pretty salty about the other cases.) Shaima Alawadi was an American citizen, and an Iraqi-American. If you read about the circumstances, I can’t see how it’s not a hate crime. I’m glad the FBI is stepping in, and I hope they catch the killer(s). I know we’re all still tense about 9/11, especially with the recent incidents with flight attendant(s) and pilot(s) losing their minds… but still.

There might have been media stories about this, but I haven’t seen or heard them. Of course, I’m someone who oftentimes distrusts media spin too…

This isn’t a very happy post, I know. But I think it’s important to think about, and know about. We’re obviously not the happy melting pot we’re supposed to be in America. And for all that people say they’re colorblind, many obviously aren’t. And beyond that, to say one is colorblind proudly… I don’t think that’s actually right or helpful. Obviously race/ethnicity/color is a factor, and pretending that it isn’t is basically sticking your head in the sand.

Nota Bene – I am not not not saying that one incident is more important than the other, or trying to point fingers with the “why care about this and not that?” Or even about everything – because honestly – it’s inhuman to expect being able to keep up. No single person is able to know about every incident, everywhere, and to do something about it. But it’s important to care in general, and do what we can. It’s about raising the level of awareness, and concern.

And uh – if you managed to make it this far… believe it or not, I was mentioned elsewhere! Yes! Lil ‘ol me! And she even made me sound good! What’m I talking about? Elise Rome included me in her Bloggers/Readers section for her insane March Madness giveaway/project/thing. I don’t even have words-  I couldn’t handle it. Anyway, if you want, go visit me there and I’ll… um respond? (Yeah sorry  – can’t offer prizes etc, but if I ever win the lottery I totally would!)

p.s. – I know I didn’t post winners Saturday. Sorry – they’ll be up this week though!

0 thoughts on “Brace Yourselves… (Bleeding Heart Ahead)

  1. Bella @BeguileThySorrow

    I saw your tweet about Mr Chamberlain and couldnt think of anything to say, just sort of left my mouth agape. I know we’re not as progressive in this country as people like to claim, but the fact that in that case it was a medic alert and the police still used deadly force just makes it that much more horrible and insane to me. It makes me think WTF kind of training do they recieve?! And I know that it’s hard dealing with the pubic, especially mentally ill or criminals so you become jaded and on bad days start to think all the public is crazy even when they’re not (and Mr Chamberlain was definitely NOT acting or reacting mentally ill or criminal! he was asleep in his own home for f*ck’s sake) but since when is shoot first, ask questions later any kind of an appropriate or professional response anyway?! I’m just at a loss…I did look up the fb page his son mentioned and joined the group though: click here

    Reply
    1. Limecello Post author

      Lori,

      It makes you wonder about what else that’s important isn’t being reported in favor of… well, like when the news talked about KK and her not marriage, etc.

      As for the commenting 🙁 it’s not me. I even started a whatever thing in the WP forums and apparently a lot of other people are experiencing such issues. WP recently switched their comment whatever over and there’s a glitch.

      Because I’m generally so very lucky… I was affected too. 😐

      Reply
  2. Mary Kirkland (@scarymary66)

    I live in Las Vegas and the police here shoot first or knock the crap out of you and ask questions later. I’m not even kidding. There have been so many police involved shootings here and one cop just got fired for beating the crap out of a guy who was standing in his own driveway and filming the police officer across the street, the cop came over and didn’t like the guy filming so he beat the man crazy…he’s know as the Most Dangerous Cop in America..seriously. Don’t get me started on this subject, I can go on for hours at the injustice I see on the news all the time.

    Reply
    1. Limecello Post author

      Oh Mary,

      That is so terrible. 🙁 I’m getting all sniffly again – because it’s just that added layer of wrong when it’s police brutality, you know? Someone who has not only trained and sworn to protect the public, but is being paid to do so.
      One wonder why that cop is still even a cop. It’s sad when it just seems the authorities don’t care, and that it’s not going to change.
      And of course with police like that, a reasonable person wouldn’t want to protest or would be scared to – because look at the very likely consequences. :

      Reply

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