Nationwide Law Enforcement Excessive-Force Database

It sounds very “official” and important, right?  Even overdue.  Many policing organizations and jurisdictions already utilize this tool and the information contained therein.

Sounds great.  Sounds like a positive point at which to start.

But… it’s not enough.  It will never be enough. 

How many African-Americans, Black people, people of any color have to give their lives in order for law enforcement officers, police officers, state troopers, county sheriffs to do the right thing?   

Rayshard Brooks is the latest.  Just a few weeks ago it was George Floyd.

Banning one single move, a chokehold, is a start, but right now those moves require mandates and suggestions.

That’s a frame from the police bodycam of the Atlanta officer administering a breathalyzer test on Mr. Brooks, after that same officer already knew who he was dealing with.  He was patted down and no weapons were found, so, Mr. Brooks was unarmed.

The ensuing moments resulted in Rayshard being tased and subsequently shot in the back. He died on scene.

These are the two officers, now charged with murder and aggravated assault:

Neither officer was ever in any imminent danger, as scene in bodycam or surveillance videos, so, they got to go home to their respective families.

Rayshard Brooks was denied that.

The charges came rather quickly within a few days, and hopefully justice will not be displaced or lost on these two – Mr. Brooks deserves justice.  His family and friends deserve justice.  Moving forward, we, as a nation, deserve justice.

Are policing reforms needed and long overdue?  Absolutely.

George Floyd wasn’t placed in a chokehold, but he was pinned down, with a knee on his neck for almost 9 minutes.  EMTs arrived after those 9 minutes, and Mr. Floyd was pronounced dead while en route to the hospital.

Derek Chauvin, who pressed his knee on Floyd's neck for nearly nine minutes, was charged with second-degree murder, and the three other officers on scene -- Thomas Lane, Tou Thao and J. Alexander Kueng -- have been charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder.

Officer Thao, it should be noted, stood by, actually keeping bystanders from interfering with a police investigation.  

Left to right: Derek Chauvin, J. Alexander Kueng, Thomas Lane and Tou Thao

So, pretty easy to see why, as good as it sounds, that database tracking system just doesn’t begin to scratch the surface of the systemic racism occurring regularly, daily by the men and women in blue.

Solutions?  For starters, reaching out to those overlooked and under-served populations – Latinx, Asians, Indigenous, Blacks, and Hispanics.  Making a concerted effort to recruit them into your ranks.  More foot patrols involving community policing.  Involving communities in your decision making processes. 

We can do this list all day, but for me, bottom line, those changes have to come from within that field and recognize that systemic racism exists, Black Lives Matter.

Trump: Tower Of Mush

For all of his Twitter tirades, screaming in the Oval Office, demanding more troops, more guns, and bigger, BIGGER bang for our buck, what does the widdle-fat-manchild do?

Retreats to his bunker underneath the White House, and NO, not for "an inspection", but for  his personal protection, and has active duty members of his (as he calls them) armed forces patrol the streets of The District of Columbia (D.C.) quieting down and removing demonstrators.  Of course, during those removals, things devolved into riots.  

Trump, so brave inside his "fortress".  And no, you can't see Lafayette Park (the one across the street from the White House), so he had no idea what he'd caused in encouraging troops to go up against civilians.   

The city's status as a district, not a state, allows the President, and in turn the federal government, more leeway. Combined, at least 5,800 troops, agents, and officers have taken to the streets of the District.  

Among them are personnel from the national guard, US Secret Service, US Park Police, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Drug Enforcement Administration, US Marshals Service, Bureau of Prisons, Customs and Border Protection, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Federal Protective Service and the Transportation Security Administration. 

He's grasping at straws now, frightened, afraid, cowering, dying a little inside and at the same time raging about to pop a vein in his neck.  For all his bluster, arrogance, entitlement and frustration with the swamp/the system, he hasn't done anything to try and learn how to work within it.

Safe to say that, yes, his time is coming to an end he's not happy about it.  The rest of the country, the rest of the world, however, we can't take another 4 years of him and his policies and executive orders.  He's done enough damage for several generations to come.

 

Trump Becoming A Shining Example Of A Human Being?

What makes people think that the p*ssy-grabber, immigrant bashing, racist, homophobic, xenophobic orange slime ball in the White House (Trump, in case there was any confusion) will suddenly, miraculously, magically turn into some shining example of a decent human being, let alone anything close to resembling "presidential" ?
We've known who Donald Trump is for decades and yet, apparently, The United States was okay with Him being in charge of the country?
Not all of us, not even most of us.  
Remember the Mueller Report?  Seems like years ago instead of just over 1 year.  In his report he didn't indict the president, because he couldn't according to the Justice Department rules ("You can't indict a sitting president), but he did find massive Russian interference in our elections in the form of intrusive political ads on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.   
MASSIVE interference, and all the while, the Cry-baby-in-Chief whining about, "Rigged elections.  They're coming!"  That's code for - No way I'll win again without MORE outside help.
And now, some fun images of Mr. Crybaby.  Enjoy!

#BunkerBoy

Happy Pride 2020!

Go forth.

Be safe.

Be out and proud!

Be yourself.

Spread the love and joy!

Happy Pride Month, June 2020

There Are No Instruction Guides That Come With Newborn Infants

We rely on what we remember from our childhoods as a basis for information, thoughts, ideas, and so on in regards to bringing our own children into this world and then doing the very best that we can given that limited database of information on how to raise and nurture them.

Dr. Spock, for many of us, was the expert on childrearing.  Bar-none, the best.  And over time as infancy and middle childhood were studied in clinics, some labs and colleges and universities, some of Dr. Spock’s work was updated and revised. 

And all the while, you as the parent, are buying new clothes, trying new techniques and trying out new foods in order to again, do your very best with this amazing little person who depends on you 24/7, one hundred percent of the time. 

But, again, you’re making this up as you go.

Somewhere in there after you’ve exhausted your family-leave from work, you have to about the daunting task of finding someone who can trust and feel comfortable with leave your precious bundle of joy.  Maybe it’s a church-based program.  Maybe a trusted neighbor or family member, or like most of us, a daycare near your home.  It’s basically a crap-shoot trying to decide where your little one lands, and yes, it’s absolutely nerve-racking, and not unlike leaving junior with a babysitter for the first time.

And keep in mind, this isn’t even for a special needs child, just a regular run-of-the-mill Dick and Jane type kid.  (Let me clarify because I know you’re scratching your head – run-of-the-mill refers to most average children, non-special needs ones.)

Which brings me to the point of this piece, the following Facebook post:

Here’s a young mom, don’t know if she’s single or not (not important) who is struggling with her baby, trying to get him to eat properly, something most young parents work on.  And the daycare, in its infinite wisdom fires back with this mean spirited, snarky remark:

“NO! Put him on a diet & GO AWAY!”  

Seriously?

Instead of just reading the note to Kyler, what does the daycare worker do?  That!

Clearly the worker is lacking empathy and understanding and could use some pointers in those areas, but beyond that, maybe find another line of work where you can see outside yourself and truly enjoy what you’re doing.  Parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and other adults trust you with the care of their delicate little ones while they’re at work.  Be helpful here, not hurtful.  She could have been having a bad day, but that's no excuse.

Having worked at a few daycares early on in my education career, I can tell you it is very hard and challenging work.  But, that’s no excuse for this behavior.  There were a couple of the daycare centers in my city that I helped shut down for their egregious procedures in regards to child care.  Little things like, “Let us know when you are going to stop by for an impromptu visit.” 

NO, don’t do that.  You have to catch the daycare going through their regular, day-to-day routines, not some scripted set up.  

Final point:  Ms. Easdon is absolutely correct.  You HAVE TO monitor closely the daycare in which you put your child’s safety.  Shop around, like you would with any service and find one with which you are comfortable. 

Are they perfect?  No, none of them are. 

Are some better than others?  Absolutely, but you have to do your homework.

In some states, daycare facilities are licensed and sanctioned by those states, Department of Human Services, Department of Child Welfare, and/or similar departments.