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The South Seattle Police Department is investigating what they're calling "an assault of an officer" today, and the video of the incident is fast becoming an object of controversy.
KOMO News of Seattle reports that the incident took place on Monday, when the officer witnessed four teenage girls jaywalking across Martin Luther King, Jr. Way (gotta love it). According to police officials, the young women became "verbally antagonistic" when the officer asked them to step over to his patrol car.
Apparently, the officer approached one woman who started to walk away. He then attempted to physically escort her to the vehicle. The woman resisted and an altercation ensued. Shortly thereafter, a second young lady intervened to try to help her friend. According to Seattle police, the officer believed "she was attempting to physically affect the first subject's escape."
As seen in the video, the second young lady shoved the officer, who then punched the girl in the face (very awesome). Police backup soon arrived, and the women were taken in to custody.
Sgt. Sean Whitcomb allegedly told reporters that punching is a trained tactic and the department defends the officer's actions.
Okay, I know I'm supposed to be all outraged and whatever because I'm black and stuff like that, HOWEVER, I don't know whether it's because I'm a jaded '80s baby tired of young people's lack of respect for authority or I'm just an insensitive b*tch, but I think the girls in this video absolutely deserve what they got.
Therefore, I'm not upset, nor appalled, nor preparing my picket sign for the sure-to-come NAACP rally.
Of course, jaywalking is a bogus offense that most cops don't acknowledge, let alone enforce, but when will this generation realize that they need to show respect for adults? Maybe your mom wants to be your best friend, and your teacher is just waiting on her retirement date and your dad (if he's around) just wants you to not be mad at him, but it's time young people grasped the concept of authority.
Maybe it was a ridiculous waste of time for an officer to cite this young woman for jaywalking, but what happened to the day and time when we respected the authority of policeman? I am older than the girl and probably the policeman, but I will tell you that if an officer told me I was being arrested for having nappy hair and to put my hands behind my back, my hands are going behind my back and I am going to STFU.
Why did this woman continue to resist this officer once given an official command? Life is not a game.
Is there any doubt that if they had just done what they were told in the first place this would not have happened? I don't know about you, but I was told that when it came to interacting with the police all I should be saying is "yes sir" and "no sir." If these women had responded in an appropriate manner when they were approached would we be watching any of this?
And don't get me started on her idiot friend. I'm very sorry she got punched in the face (not really), but you have a lone cop faced with a growing mob, and then her friend, a citizen interfering with an arrest, actually puts her hands on him? I would have popped the sh*t out of her, too.
You see she fell back once he got her in the mouf one good time. And she will likely think twice before putting her hands on a police officer again.
Frankly, I think this video says more about these young ladies and their view of authority than it does about a policeman acting inappropriately. We are so used to cops behaving badly and kicking ass and killing black people for no reason that we sit back and all but encourage young people to challenge them. You can see the anxious bystanders just hoping to get a shot of the latest YouTube sensation, salivating for a juicy clip of police brutality.
I will never support police brutality, and there have been actions of police against the citizens that are inexcusable, but this ain't one of them.
This video falls in the "you-get-what-you-asked-for" category for me. Perhaps next time an officer approaches these ladies, they will respect his authority and do what the hell he tells them to do instead of cursing him out.
Somewhere along the way, someone sent the message that young people can treat adults any way they want to (including police). And it's high time someone had a counter point.
Too bad it had to be a counterpunch. I'll save my tears for real victims.
Look at it this way: Just think of all those times when you encountered a group of rowdy young people on a bus or subway or walking down the street and thought to yourself, "Someone needs to whip their *sses." Consider it done. Courtesy of the Seattle Police.
Update! NAACP has now gotten involved. Did I call it?
Comments: (513)
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By: Miss A on 6/16/2010 9:18AM
I have to totally agree with the author of this article. WHen I first heard this on the news I was outraged! How can a cop punch a young black girl in the face! Then, I saw the clip and was like, "dam, she trying to fight a cop"! I have continously witnessed the disrespect and nonchalance of young people these days, and can attest to their lack of respect for adults and authority. They walk around feeling privileged, swearing and fighting, carrying multiple babies, and acting as if these are their rights to do so. Whether the charge was bogus or not, these young ladies should've done what they were told and abided by what the cop was saying instead of being hood rats and running off at the mouth. Maybe next time an adult or authoritative figure asks something of her, she will handle it with more respect and be humble about it.
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By: alie on 6/16/2010 9:43AM
@Miss A Bull! which planet our you on? the cops called her over and wanted to start something!
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By: Michelle on 6/16/2010 11:20AM
When a person is caught jaywalking by an officer, the offender usually receives a ticket for their action, normally. However, if you refuse to address the officer and you refuse to cooperate with the officer, then the officer has every right to make you cooperate.
I have seen teenagers (with my very own eyes) try to "ignore" a police officers' commands. I witness a teen jumping a turnstyle at a subway station, completely unaware that there was an officer standing on the other side, and then the kid proceeds on trying to go about his business, after the officer told him to stop walking. I witness a teenaged girl shouting at police officers (truancy patrol) because they were arresting her loser boyfriend, because he had a dime bag in his pocket and they had just finished smoking.
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By: tg on 6/16/2010 11:27PM
I totally agree this generation of today for the most part have no respect for anyone not even themselves. I am so sick of people using their plight as a reason to behave badly. Nobody has a perfect story we all could go around with a attitude. If they had any sense at all they should have complied with the officer and settled it civil court if they were being mistreated. Instead they both are going to jail and probably can't post their bonds.I am sure the ticket would not have cost as much as they paid.
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By: BIGMOMMA on 6/17/2010 8:39AM
FIRST OF ALL THIS WAS NOT ABOUT 4 FRIENDS WALKING ACROSS A STREET, APARENTLY JAYWALKING, NOW this generation OR Black and Latinos NOT EVEN swearing and fighting, carrying multiple babies, and acting as if these are their rights to do so, HAVE TO DO W/THIS. WHAT I TOOK FROM THIS VIDEO IS THERE WAS 4 FRIENDS LOOK LIKE THE YOUNG LADIES COULD HAVE BEEN COMING FROM SCHOOL THEY HAD BOOK SACK'S SO THEN THE YOUNG WHITE GIRL AND THE YOUNG BOY, HOWEVER YES IS WAS WRONG FOR THE YOUNG LADIES TO BE CURSING AND SWEARING AND IT WAS ALSO WRONG FOR THE OFFICER TO PUNCH THE YOUNG LADY IN THE FACE, THE OTHER YOUNG LADY WAS WRONG FOR NOT LISTENING TO THE OFFICER AND CALMING DOWN. BOTH WAS IN THE WRONG AT THIS POINT, BUT HITTING IN THE FACE WAS NOT CAUSE FOR NOT ONE TIME DID THAT GIRL HIT THAT OFFICE WHO KNOWNS SHE COULD HAVE CALM HER FRIEND DOWN, SO THIS WOULD NOT HAVE ESCALATED. WE DON'T KNOW BOUT ALL THOSE OTHER FACTORS YOU READER'S STATED MAY JUST BE A LITTLE SADDNESS OR SHAME, BECAUSE BLACK PEOPLE HAVING BABIES HAVE BEEN PART OF OUR LIVES FROM THE BEGINNING, THAT HAVE NO BARRING ON THIS VIDEO. SHAME ON YOU FOR BRING OUT WHAT YOU MAY WANT TO SAY TO SOMEONE YOU KNOW TO STOP HAVING ALL THESE CHILDREN BUT THOSE YOUNG LADIES DID NOT APEAL TO ME AS BEING ONE OF THEM, ONLY STUDENT'S AND THAT'S MY TAKE ON THIS VIDEO. BIGMOMMA.
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By: "DimePiece" on 6/17/2010 10:30AM
Ms. A
You said, " They walk around feeling privileged, swearing and fighting, carrying multiple babies, and acting as if these are their rights to do so. Whether the charge was bogus or not, these young ladies should've done what they were told and abided by what the cop was saying instead of being hood rats and running off at the mouth"
Why does it have to be like that? Why are you assuming and STEROTYPING ALL YOUNG BLACK YOUTHS like that? That is EACIAL! There are disobedient, rebellious whites, and other races that do the same thing, having babies, ect.. SO DON'T GO THERE! Why are you on the black race? Ok, the young girl should not have pushed the officer and I am not saying she was right but the Police Officer should have handled the situation better! This young girl didn't punch the officer, have any weapon, or was endangering anybody or him! He had NO RIGHT, rolling up his fist and PUNCHING HER! The young girl was not trying to fight this cop! People can get caught up in emotions and don't realize what they are doing? She was just trying to get the officer off of her friend by PUSHING NOT PUNCHING this SO-CALLED DISRESPECTFUL, WRONG OFFICER! YOU CAN'T BE SERIOUS WIT THAT BULL! This doesn't justify! All what this officer should have done was to just handcuff the young woman. Do you live under a ROCK? Cops are always in the media beating up or killing people for NO REASON! THAT IS THE TRUTH! These ignorant cops live ABOVE THE LAW! These officers are suppose to SERVE and PROTECT US! I'm not saying all officers are like that but something should be done! People are scared of officers like him! He could have punched her in the right place in the temple of her head and she could have DIED! So, please with these young "Black Youths" ect., ect.., they need to be more respectful and do what they are told ISH! These officers should not have a DAMN BADGE and need to be off the streets! Look, in Pittsburgh PA there was a Kappa Student, minding his own damn business going to his grandmother's house. 3 or 4 under cover cops beat the ISH out of this young black man for no DAMN REASON! These so-called ignorant, racist officers thought that this young black man had a GUN, WRONG! IT WAS A DAMN POP BOTTLE! These ignorant, disrespectful, racist officers ripped his BRAIDS OUT of the side of his head. This poor young youth's lip was big, eyes shut, blood every where, ect...! Now you tell me, what's wrong wit this picture? HE COULD HAVE DIED! NOT RIGHT AT ALL! These officers are off on leave but with DAMN PAY! NOT RIGHT! This young youth was minding his damn business and was not endangering NOBODY! I hope these officers get what they deserve! Officers like this, do not PROTECT NOR DO THEY SERVE US!
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By: ralph on 6/17/2010 12:03PM
I have to say that the cop shouldn't have punched the girl. I realize that the two girls were resisting and pushing the cop. Police officers have hours of training on reacting to different situations. Who is to say what one will do in the heat of the moment, however. The cop could have called for backup or used his pepper spray to defuse the situation.
What I like to highlight on is the fact of the quick and easy use of the word "racism" by the Black community when a white is involved with a black. It seems that the black community has been indoctrinated over the years to assume race is automatically the cause of any infraction by a white person. Be it by the police, business, social or economically. it is alway because the white "establishment" is trying to keep the Black man down. In my opinion, it is why white people take attitudes that are negative towared the Black community. It seems that a majority of Black folks will always play the race card in situations such as this. It not about the fact that the two girls were resisting, it was about the fact that the two girls were black and the cop was white. If the cop was black, this would not even get a second look.
A survey taken, after the Presidential election showed that the majority of the Black community voted soley for President Obama, because he was Black. Are you kidding me? That is like saying you voted for Hitler because you liked his mustache. Look what Hitler did.
My point is that the Black community seems always to "jump the gun" when it comes to responding to situations where there may be the slightest indication of racism. When a white crys racial foul, it falls on deaf ears. Why is that?
I have always heard Black people say,"Well your not black and can't understand what we have gone through." Well, I have heard this so many times over the years that it is like a crutch for Black people to validate themselves as being oppressed.
When will it be time to put that crutch down and move forward? When will the attitude change and the indoctrinated ideas that have been taught to generations of black people both young and old, that white people are the devil and we(whites) are all out to keep Black people down?
I have seen white peoples attitude change over time about black folks, who never had a predujice bone in their body. What I have been told by white people is that it is the constant idea that they always have to defend themselves as why they are not racist. The constant "blaming the white man" by the Black community for all problems have shown itself for what it really is. It is a "cop out"(no pun intended) of the idea that the black community can not move forward, because the white so called supreme establisment, is keeping black folks suppressed. Hence the stereo typed idea that black folks want everything handed to them. Entitlement if you will.
In closing, I can only say that the answer for Black equality does not lie in the constant 'blame game" on White people. In fact it has to come with in the Black community itself. That the idea that a Black man or women can become successful in life with hard work and positive attitude, without the attachment of being taught that they are second class citizens in a white world.
As a young boy in the 70's I was once told by a respected black women in the commmunity, that Black people were a very proud and giving people. I have to say that what I have seen over the last dozen years or so years is that the Black community is a very self serving people. Demanding without realistic justification, owed without earning. President Obama ran on the idea of "change". Well that idea should be the "rally cry" for the Black community within itself. Change the attitude, and embold the idea of self worth and watch success bloom.
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By: kenney on 6/16/2010 11:08AM
u would have put ur hands behind ur back, u think she deserves it. u r the problem and ppl like u a passive, money-made piece of !!!!! i wish i was there
it would not have done that to a white girl at all, they cuss the police out completely and do not get arrested. when we get rid of ur kind or u completely change ur skin color. maybe we can get some respect. i'm sick of house n@@@@@s just because that have been educated in the system and have money, everything is ok. u r still a n@@@@@ to them.
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By: alie on 6/16/2010 1:35PM
@kennedy true true you never spoke a truer word some of the brothers and sisters debating on here probably forgot how it was for us/is, lets see if they are of the same opion if they were back in the hood, hood or no hood remember Gates the professor of Harvard! how quickly we forget, they treat us differently period slave or no slave
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By: harriet on 6/17/2010 1:35PM
I agree completely with you adults be the ones to lead our children the wrong way, but when these children grow up and have hate in their hearts, adults will put the blame anywhere but where it is suppose to be. I have learn all things will be taken care of the Lord said it.
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