I never discuss political affairs, or issues that involve public outrage, outcry, justice, etc. Not that I don’t notice them, but I get exhausted because no matter how angry I get or how much I speak, nothing will happen so I try to look at the good in life instead.
I avoided the Eric Garner details today because trying to make sense of that would simply give mi a headache.
Then, I found myself watching the Darren Wilson interview on ABC, and I couldn’t not get mad. Before I even get into the interview, I want to point out that I never comment on issues like this because there is usually only one side to most stories in the media. I am a firm advocate, or at least I attempt to be, in hearing every side of a story before I make my judgment.
In the light of the above statement, this write up is based, to the best of my ability, solely on the interview below.
The interview portion focused on the events which occurred on August 9th starts off with Darren Wilson describing his day - presenting the protagonist as the ‘concerning/caring’ person, whose day took a drastic turn that ended with him ‘fighting for his life’. I say protagonist because what Darren Wilson goes on to describe relates like the plot of quite the unrealistic movie - something similar to Crank (yes, I did not like any of the 'Cranks').
I won’t retell his tale, the link to the youtube interview is below for those interested. I would, however, point out a few things, among the many, that astonished mi.
First what happened in the car. Wilson’s explanation, basically brought this scene to mind: Brown is hitting (or hits??) the left side of Wilson’s face with his right hand (first holding the cigar rolls), pauses, switches the rolls to his left hand, reaches back and gives them to his friend. He then returns to punching Wilson - but this time, he hits Wilson on the other side of his face. This takes place through the front window of Wilson’s car, and in the span of 10 seconds. I guess since I’ve never been hit through the window of my car, it should be understandable that I’m having a hard time picturing the scene above. More so because at no point during Brown’s apparently numbered pauses, did Wilson find a window to either start his car and drive, roll up his window, or etc.
Next, we have the list of weapons/defense choices. During the 10 second scene above, Wilson states that he goes into training mode. In training, the officer learns a number of ways to defend him or herself, prior to reaching for a weapon. First was the mace - he rejected that option because, and I quote, it disables him. If he reached for the mace and managed to spray it on Brown, he might also be affected…. #NoComments. Next, we have the baton. This was ruled out because it was located in his back pocket, and he couldn’t safely reach for it. Understandable. The taser was ruled out because Wilson does not carry tasers, as they are uncomfortable.
Now thats odd.
For someone who, adamantly for 45mins, stated and tried to reenforce the belief that he was an officer who went by the strict guidelines of his training, why would discomfort be an acceptable reason to not carry a taser? Is that reason valid for other officers too?
Moving on naturally, with all other options 'justifiably' ruled out, the only logical step was to pull out his gun.
Now thats odd.
For someone who, adamantly for 45mins, stated and tried to reenforce the belief that he was an officer who went by the strict guidelines of his training, why would discomfort be an acceptable reason to not carry a taser? Is that reason valid for other officers too?
Moving on naturally, with all other options 'justifiably' ruled out, the only logical step was to pull out his gun.
Then there is the timeline. Science has shown that the human mind does not remember things as accurately or as precisely as we tend to believe. That being said, it is astonishing to mi that Wilson’s recollection of those 90 seconds is so detailed and clear, including his thought process. If this were a movie, this might make some more sense maybe. There is also the inconsistency, at least to mi, in his emotional state. Wilson states that he went into training mode, was calm and not agitated. At the same time, he was afraid for his life, and of the 'demon' he saw in Brown's eyes. Can you be afraid for your life and be calm and not agitated - kinda like he was in the interview I would imagine - all at the same time?? I am now genuinely curious.
Watching the video, here is what I, a layperson, saw. I saw a man who had practiced a story, very accurately and down the the finite detail. A man who had convinced himself that what he did that day was his job. A man with a story that was just perfect; so perfect for a script, absurd for reality. Every second was accounted for. So well detailed and framed to back the idea that he had no choice in the matter. Every reaction that occurred in those 90 seconds was backed by an action beyond his control. Nothing he did that day could have occurred differently because of the choices Brown made. Nothing that occurred that day was his fault.
Wilson never once made eye contact with Stephanopoulos when he was answering a question. And the more times Stephanopolos repeated his questions at several points during the interview, the angrier I saw Wilson get - in his controlled and calm manner of course.
Wilson never once made eye contact with Stephanopoulos when he was answering a question. And the more times Stephanopolos repeated his questions at several points during the interview, the angrier I saw Wilson get - in his controlled and calm manner of course.
I don’t know what happened that day. There are no videos and I wasn’t there. Brown could have tried to pick a fight with an officer. Maybe Brown did hit Wilson, maybe he committed a crime, maybe Wilson did simply shoot an unarmed man for no concrete reason like the eyewitnesses stated.
A lot of maybes.
What I do know is I would first need a play by play video reenactment of the 90 seconds to even begin to accept it as a plausible scenario, before we discuss if it did occur in reality.
So a grand jury accepting this, to me, is quite remarkable.
A lot of maybes.
What I do know is I would first need a play by play video reenactment of the 90 seconds to even begin to accept it as a plausible scenario, before we discuss if it did occur in reality.
So a grand jury accepting this, to me, is quite remarkable.
I have a good bullshit radar, and its tingling.
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