This morning, I read They shot the "wrong man" , smintheus’ diary on My Left Wing, relaying the news that the man who was shot in the head five times, at point blank range had nothing to do with the London bombing. This is all, of course, very sad, distressing, disheartening, and a few other frowny-face words I can think of. But one of my thoughts, "How typical!" was actually pretty uninformed. Like a lot of people, I get used to thinking of the world events through an American-centric lens, and I forget important details that I actually do know somewhere in the back of my mind. Like the fact that in the U.K. police typically don’t carry guns, so the British people are likely to have a different perception of this tragedy than many Americans do. Charlie Grapski, who runs the online Democracy University , and who spoke at DeanFest last month, shared some thoughts on Blog for America earlier today that helped me put things into better perspective. That, and some on-topic satire by The Frantics below the fold.
Charlie Grapski’s comments, in the wider context of the discussion he was participating in, can be found in this Blog for America thread.
As far as I am aware – it is illegal in neither the US nor the UK to wear a heavy coat. It is certainly not a threat to anyone that would justify that person being murdered in cold blood (that is what happened – five shots, point blank, to the head while he was being held down on the floor of a train).
As far as I am aware – not “stopping” when police order you to stop – does not justify taking that individual’s life.
As far as I am aware – there are many reasons why someone wouldn’t stop in such a situation.
For example:
The “officers” were in PLAIN CLOTHES – and were not clearly identifiable as police. Someone yelling at you and chasing you – is reason to NOT stop.
Some people are DEAF.
Some people don’t speak ENGLISH (and don’t understand when it is spoken to them – or YELLED at them).
etc.
This is why police in the UK are generally NOT ALLOWED to carry guns (because, ordinarily, they are quite a bit “smarter” than we in the US when it comes to such things. And by and large – they have LESS crime (and far less VIOLENT crime) in the UK. And far less abuse of power by police.
Followed up in a later comment…
There is no way to “know” what motivated the officer. Most likely – it was the CONTEXT.
He was given a gun. Told to use it. And was put into a situation that would have a high probability that would cause someone, in that context, with those instructions, to do that very thing.
Unlike in the US – where we as a nation would likely just say – “Oh, OK. Simple mistake. Lets move on.” (Only because it is an “authority” that made the mistake – when individuals make the same mistakes – the same people scream for them to be executed as a result); in the UK – this has raised the ire of the average person, who DISTRUSTS giving authorities guns and the power to use them AT THEIR DISCRETION.
One thing that occurred to me, when reading this, is that you probably get a different kind of recruit–in personality profile, career interest inventory terms–joining the police force in Great Britain compared to the U.S. Certainly, there is some overlap, but there is a type of recruit they most likely aren’t attracting, for the most part, in a police force where you don’t expect, up front, to be carrying a gun. Having just heard this bit on the Dr. Demento Show this morning, I immediately thought of the “Army Careers” sketch by The Frantics. You can download and listen to the MP3 of Army Careers here. Here are the words, lovingly transcribed by yours truly:
Ed: Hey you! Is this where you join the Canadian armed forces?
Recruiter: This is the recruitment center. Would you like to enlist?
E: Do you have guns?
R: Yes we do.
E: I’m in!
R: Well done. Welcome aboard. First the paperwork…Name?
E: Ed. Ed Gruberman. I can’t wait to boot some head!
R: All right. Well, would you like Army, Navy, or Air Force?
E: Who has the most guns?
R: Uh…Army.
E: I want Army!
R: Okay, now, which courses would you like?
E: Courses?
R: Yes, to learn a career.
E: I don’t want a career–I want a gun. I want a biiiig gun!
R: Everyone wants a free education. It’s our incentive to enlist. Now, pick three from this pamphlet…
E: Introduction to International Politics…Computers 101…Antique Restoration?!
R: Yes, that qualifies you to work on our helicopters!
E: Look–don’t you have any courses with guns?
R: Well, yes. Last page…
E: (with increasing enthusiasm) Intro to Ammo…Advanced Wounding…Creative Bazookas! Ooh–ooh! I’ll take all these!
R: Fine. Any mental diseases or physical deformities?
E: Okay, I’ll take paranoia, three nipples and a really—
R: No, no, no–never mind. Would you like in on the pension plan?
E: No.
R: Christmas club?
E: No! Look, I want a gun! I want to kill people!
R: Who?
E: Uhhh…Afghanis!
R: But we’re not at war with them.
E: We will be after I start killin’ em!
R: No, we don’t kill people.
E: Not even Al-Qaida?
R: Oh, no, no, no! They’re dangerous–we don’t want to get them angry!
E: What a wimp!
R: I’m not a wimp! I’m extreeemely tough. I do advanced pilates!
E: You’re a wimp. Have you SHOT anyone lately?
R: The Canadian army isn’t ABOUT shooting people–it’s about career training and being all you can be on a limited budget.
E: I want to bathe in a geyser of enemy blood!
R: That hardly sounds sanitary.
E: Screw sanitary–I want to blow things up like in Shaving Ryan’s Privates!
R: The movie was “Saving Private Ryan.”
E: What movie?
R: (Confused stammering and “What? Huh?)
E: Look–let me explode a few buildings!
R: No!
E: One stab wound–
R: No! Our insurance rates will go up!
E: What are you–a bunch of girls?!
R: No! Well, except for the girls.
E: There’s GIRLS in the army?!
R: And they’re just as tough as the men!
E: So they don’t shoot anyone either, huh?
R: That’s not what we do!
E: Wimp! What DO you do?
R: Peacekeeping
E: Wimp!
R: Border patrol
E: Wimp!
R: Parades..
E: Wimp!
R: Typing
E: WIMP!!
R: Filing…
E: WIMP!!
R: That does it! Get out of here before I do something!
E: Oh, I’m real scared. What are you gonna do–FILE me out?
R: Wait–wait a minute. Just what are you doing here anyway?
E: I told you–I want a gun, I want a lot of guns, I want to start killing anyone I disagree with!
R: (Laughing) Oh–you want the AMERICAN Army!
E: Oh, okay! Thank you–bye bye!
