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The beating of Chris Linton was sad to watch. A 16-year-old black male was beaten by Boston Police until his face was bloody. When I took a look at the video on YouTube, it had been viewed nearly 30,000 times, reminding us of the perils of doing your dirt in a world with cell phone cameras.
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The event in question took place at Roxbury Community College, where Linton was inside one of the buildings charging his cell phone. He is not a student at the university, but had stopped to get the cell charged so he could take pictures of his new daughter at the hospital.
While it is not clear why police were following him, the story is that Linton had just escaped from a local youth detention center and had been tracked to the university. That's when the beating began.
The commentary on the video comes in loud and clear, as the woman holding the camera curses at the officers and tells us she's going to put the video on YouTube. Linton is now facing a plethora of charges, including resisting arrest and possession of marijuana with the intent to distribute in a school zone. Other circumstances surrounding the incident remain unclear.
The beating of Chris Linton is a shame. We have to feel empathy for anyone in that situation. The problem, however, is that the officers can certainly argue that they were justified in using force to apprehend a suspect who'd previously escaped from police custody.
Additionally, from what I saw on the video, I am not sure there is clear evidence that police used excessive force. In other words, the case of Chris Linton is not as clear-cut as the case of another teenager, Jordan Miles, who was beaten by police on his way to his grandmother's house. In that situation, Miles didn't appear to be doing anything wrong, and police have yet to present any reason for chasing him in the first place.
Without knowing what happened in the case of Chris Linton one way or the other, there are a few things that seem clear: The life of Chris Linton seems to be stereotypically sad and familiar. Here is a situation of a 16-year-old boy who allegedly broke out of juvenile detention to visit the new daughter who he likely isn't in a position to provide for.
He wasn't a student at the university, but was stopping through to charge his cell phone. Oh yeah, he also happened to have marijuana on him that he was allegedly attempting to distribute. I am certainly not one to write Chris Linton off one way or the other (there's always hope and I've seen people come back from worse), but my heart drops when I picture this young man's journey through life and the criminal justice system. My heart sinks even further when I think about the life of his new daughter. Yes, we need to stand up and cheer for the power of young black males, but we must also acknowledge when some of us have gone astray.
Either way, there should certainly be an investigation in to the Chris Linton beating to determine if there was any police misconduct. Based on what I've seen thus far, it appears that no one will be disciplined. There is, however, the question of just how much force police should be expected to use when apprehending a suspect.
I keep wondering why men shot in the back by police officers almost always happen to be black, and why those police beatings on YouTube tend to feature black suspects. It appears that black people are still under a police state, where our margin of error is far slimmer than everyone else's. I can say that as bad as Chris Linton's criminal activity might have been, there are plenty of white college students on every campus in America who carry around just as much marijuana. So, let's not pretend that black males are the only people with the capacity to engage in criminal activity.
Dr. Boyce Watkins is the founder of the Your Black World Coalition and a Scholarship in Action Resident of the Institute for Black Public Policy. To have Dr. Boyce commentary delivered to your email, please click here. 
Comments: (27)
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By: britt on 10/31/2010 1:21AM
Bob, you are a big piece of cancer that should be zap with radiation....
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By: bob on 10/31/2010 8:28AM
Yea right! I am the cancer ha ha ha. You and all the other racists on this site are a cancer to this country with your indorcement of criminals, the decline of citys and towns that you inhabit. Look aroung! You say that whites are oppressors, yet you fight tooth and nail to intergrate with the white man. What does that say? What other race on the face of the [planet ever wanted to intergrate with the other that inslaved them? answer that one norman!
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By: Frank Norman on 10/31/2010 10:00PM
Bob
Your inference that there is an outcry of injustice from the Black community when criminals are arrested and jailed is ludicrous. Pure nonsense. Biased drivel.
Our collective outrage is always reserved for incidents in which innocent people--and people who commit minor infractions--are murdered or brutally beaten by mad-dog policemen. We know that if these mad-dogs aren't dealt with, that one day one of us could become they're next victim.
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By: Frank Norman on 11/01/2010 1:09AM
Bob
First, let's set the record straight. Prior to about the mid-60's, Blacks lived in caring, law-abiding communities, and had no desire to live among whites. What Blacks wanted (and took to the streets to protest for) was fair and equal treatment. Desegregation--not integration.
de*seg*re*gate to free of any law, provision, or practice requiring isolation of the members of a particular race.
You may ask, "What does "then" have to do with "now". My answer, "cause and effect". Let me elaborate.
Effect: Crime, poverty, and all the other ills that besets the so-called inner cities are a direct result of rampant drug addiction.
Cause: Around the late 1950's a meeting took place in Upstate New York. In attendance were the crime bosses of the LaCostra Nostra (Mafia) crime families. The true OGs (original gangsters). A plan was implemented to flood Black communities with cheap heroin. The plan was to utilize the very few who used the drug, as "shills". This was revealed by Joe Valachi--a Mafia soldier who was present at that meeting-- during a late 50's televised Senate hearing, and in the "Valachi Papers", his autobiography.
I was around during that era, and I watched in horror as once vibrant communities were devastated by drugs, compelling many to leave. Now, I'm, going to attempt to read your bigot ravaged mind, and address the retort that "Blacks weren't (or aren't) forced into using drugs". How about this one, "whites use drugs too, but they don't destroy their communities". During that meeting members were threated with death if they pushed drugs in the white communities. In other words, the white community wasn't targeted, but still got caught up in the madness. That's the power of persuasion.
Let me conclude by saying this. I read, and watch programs that address the drug epidemic in this country. Crack and meth are destroying rural white communities, and encroaching on suburbia. That monster that was unleashed on the Black commmunity back in the late 50's has now turned it's attention to the white community. Recently, in my area there was a newspaper account of a 65-66 year-old white man (his picture appeared along with the article) who was arrested and charged with drug dealing) There are (in the local papers) almost daily accounts (pictures included) of whites who are committing armed and strong arm robberies, home invasions, embezzlements, identity thiefs, and other crimes. It's going to get worse. To quote Malcolm, "the chickens have come home to roost".
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By: Derek on 11/02/2010 12:57PM
Bob, you are a funny guy..but sadly you represent a lot of behind closed door, lip murmuring white sentiments across white America about blacks playing the race card...Bob do some research first before applying your wise guy sarcastic attitude to a black venu..You must be kidding trying to put a whole race into a bottle or vaccuum..Yes this kid broke the law..but try to squeeze reason out of your narrow thinking..excessive force was applied Bob..too excessive for any race..But the history of whites continuously and unfairly battering blacks for keeping or breaking the law tempts our nation to rage each time..C'mon Bob...We know there's more to this kids story..but this kids looks like our sons and our brothers..so we feel bad for him..10 armed burly cops.&.1 thinly built unarmed teenage..Really! C'mon Bob..DO YOU REALLY BELIEVE YOURSELF BOB..Bob you could have made your point without the sarcasm and insensitivity..then you eventually showed your teeth Bob..and all that white or whatever race you belong to..all that frustration towards a race of people came out..Ahhh! And you had to have the last word from each comment too..Don't you Bob..Wise guys always do..You'll be alright
Now Bob..seriously..your comments that we wish to integrate with a race that enslaves us..haaa..again man you are hilarious..Bob you act like Blacks had a choice to come to America.. Bob, blacks did't come over here with Visas like some do...Didn't you see Roots man..Probably not, huh Bob.. We were taken from our land..Blacks did exactly what white colonials did..We adapted to our environment when we got here...
Bob..with over 200 million whites and just over 41 million blacks in America..Trust me Bob..Trust the numbers...blacks are not the power or source of Americas problems...Bob..don't you see blacks are outnumbered..We are fighting ALL the time so we can stop fighting ALL the time and live in peace Bob..Do you follow me Bob...
Bob we want peace and we want to abide by the law.....less than 3% of blacks are incarcerated Bob..that means more blacks do the right thing than not Bob...We want good homes, neighborhoods and schools for our children too Bob..White hicks as they say in trailers outnumber blacks in the city projects and their neighborhoods are run down too..C'mon Bob stoping looking into opaque windows.
Bob in reality, as a nation we need to stop crimes in your neighborhood and mine..work to improve every poor condition.no blame games Bob..Because Bob numbers don't lie..If we really want to know who we can attribute Americas troubles too.. And Bob stop jumping into blogs to exhort your hate and disdain..Chill out..eat a sandwich and watch the game..Leave Blacks alone man..We're not going to stop doing what we do..You can't fight a nation Bob..Live in Peace man..
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By: jessie maxwell on 11/03/2010 8:31PM
Well seeing this video was gut wrenching I feel that this young man was wrong, and some of your comments are on the one,but it really brings tears to my eyes when you can pick out the race buy reading the comment and be correct 99.99 percent of the time. Why do we as humans no see that these officers were wrong. There was two wrong but only one can be right,the white. We must realize that these officers did not have to knee him numerous times box him repeatedly. Put their knee in his back even while he was asking for them to remove it.Continually assaulting him,and all we see is righty whitty.It must stop The police department needs a makeover. the KKK with badges and not hoods.I have seen it all. NO MAYBE NOT.
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By: Tom on 11/05/2010 3:48PM
I made the second comment here and I don't know what good it may have done; especially after reading the rubbish that Bob has been printing. As a white man I can't say I fully comprehend the anger that others may feel. I do believe that there is a racial concern regarding what transpired in that clip; however, there appear to have been some black police officers present and I wonder what their opinions regarding that incident are.
What concerns me the most is that attitude of police officers in America today. Racist actions by police should not be tolerated full stop and any police officer who is a racist (regardless of the color of his/her skin) should be fired.
Nonetheless, I believe it is true that if the man being beating by the police was white the story never would have made the news. I can't stand police brutality regardless of who is being beating or why. That said, as one of the earlier commentators stated one must have some understanding; if the police are given someone a kicking because that person really did something horrible and the police were just acting out human anger some understanding should be given.
I just can't figure out what that young man did to get such a kicking so it seems that it was a racial incident and therefore it was unacceptable. I believe all the police present need retraining and the two who were punching and kicking him should be suspended and probably fired.They had no right to hit him like that.
I took a break from writing this comment and watched the clips of John Hinckley's assassination attempt, when he shot President Regan and other people in the street. The strange thing is that the police officers who grabbed (and hence arrested) John Hinkley didn't punch or kick him!
Maybe the secret service and DC police are better trained. Maybe, one may say, nobody was beaten because half the cops appeared to be Black officers. Whatever, I just can't figure out why a kid in Boston, on the run from DYS, get's a kicking from the police and some scumbag who just shot the President, and his press secretary, gets pushed to ground, hand cuffed and then escorted into the back of a police car with no punches thrown or kicks delivered.
What is the problem? Having asked that question I can only say it involves racism and that should not be tolerated. I don't just blame the cowards who were taking cheap shots at the young man I blame the whole system because they foster and tolerate such actions.
One last thing, many years ago I was severely beaten by a white police officer in a local city. The cop punched me repeatedly and kicked me in the back (several times) so hard I had a damaged disk. Years later failed a physical for a truck driving job. Luckily for me the cop's partner didn't join in and years later when I met him he said I had done nothing wrong that night. I had no charges made against me.
This punk cop even slapped me, whilst I was handcuffed, after taking me out of the car, and in front of a superior. Nothing was done about the police officer assaulting me. When I called the ACLU and asked for help they told me there was nothing they could do for me. I have always wondered if I had been a Black man if they would have acted different.
As I said earlier the police have a real attitude problem. I believe they see civilians as the enemy and are basically scared. In closing I repeat all racist police should be fired! And they should never have been hired! The system must change!
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