I actually became sick to my stomach while watching the videos. The apparent lack of concern shown by the police officer for the condition of his victim is troubling, and the fact that there is no indication of distress, regret or even dismay upon learning that the victim was unarmed, is frightening.
These situations are becoming more and more common place. The lack of outrage by a vast majority of society about these occurrences is shocking. One expects the police to deny any wrong doing, but the fact that one Grand Jury after another has failed to indite is baffling.
The paragraph in italics at the end of this post, is a poem, but I am not certain of the author. I hadn't thought that it would ever apply in this country. However, it is becoming relevant in several areas, since we are either brain washed by propaganda or blinded by denial.
I am not certain why the majority of Americans seem to agree with the actions of the police, the government, direction of the country. Perhaps, they want to believe that the police and government are the noble heroes and idols that their PR claims they are. Perhaps, they just don't know what to do. Perhaps they think these things can't happen in a country that was based on personal freedoms. But in the following paragraphs, I have described a few of the situations we appear to accept, which are in-congruent with democracy and personal freedoms. And it is partly due to these examples that I think the poem is beginning to feel relevant.
We have the knowledge, expertise, and ability to safely land a space probe, million of miles away, on a moon of Saturn, from where it sent pictures and detailed information back to earth. There can be no justifiable reason that we haven't been able to develop safe renewable energy sources that are both affordable and efficient, especially with the consequences of global warming looming in our near future. But we continue to buy into Big Oil's claims that Natural Gas is safe, that we need Big Oil to create jobs, there is little risk in deep ocean drilling, fracking is good for the economy and not environmentally harmful, and global warming is a natural cycle.
Millions of Americans depend on Social Security and Medicare, which they paid into while working, just to keep and roof over their head, a minimal amount of food and some medical care. Yet, we elect a majority of Republicans into office, who have been quite vocal about their intentions of doing away or at least drastically cutting Social Security benefits. Yes, they have big Wall Street money with which to advertise and get their name known. But their agenda has been no secret.
Ever since 911, the government has been cutting our Civil Rights in the name of protecting us. And we have obediently handed them over. Who is going to protect us from the government? We aren't even protecting some of our citizens from the police.
The list of offenses is vast. That Fox News is still considered a legitimate and accurate source of news and reporting, especially after their latest deception of editing the audio to sound like an offensive chant, is a great example of the fact that power, success and authority are no longer effective indicators of character.
HONEST hard work, determination, and sacrifice can still sometimes beat the odds and result in success. However, just because an individual has gained a position of authority, or success, wealth, power, prestige or respect, doesn't mean he gained them through good character and ethical behaviors. We continue to put them on a pedestal, treat them as innately superior, justify CEO's 20 million dollar per year and up salary, (even after bankrupting their companies), remain certain that they are principled in their behavior or justified when they are not, and view white collar criminals - whose crimes usually effect more people and whose thefts/frauds result in larger dollar loss than common criminals - as not really immoral in the same way as normal criminals, not really bad, just made a mistake. Even if that mistake took intricate planning, incorporated lengthy strategies over large periods of time.
Our individual power and rights are being bled away. But together, we still have enough power and some remaining rights, to demand change. Maintaining a free, democratic country takes work and commitment and a little sacrifice. But regaining our freedoms and one person one vote rights, that takes quite a lot more, with no guarantees.
When the Nazis came for the communists,
I remained silent;
I was not a communist.
When they locked up the social democrats,
I remained silent;
I was not a social democrat.
When they came for the trade unionists,
I did not speak out;
I was not a trade unionist.
When they came for the Jews,
I remained silent;
I was not a Jew.
When they came for me,
there was no one left to speak out.