Every Kill A 'Good' Kill: How Police And The Media Cooperate To Disparage The Dead

[n2doc]

by Tim Cushing

Cops kill a lot of people. Depending on who's counting, they've already killed between 385 and 470 people this year. This isn't to say that some of these killings weren't justified, but when details begin leaking out about the those killed, the amount of force in relation to the threat posed is often questionable.

Because no PD wants to look like the home of trigger-happy thugs, the media spin begins almost before the "suspect" has expired. Usaamah Abdullah Rahim, shot by Boston cops, was instantly memorialized by law enforcement and a compliant press with the following:

"allegedly radicalized by ISIS social media"

"may have been planning to attack police"

"preparing to launch an ISIS-inspired attack"

"wielding a machete"

"under 24-hour surveillance by the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force"

The "machete" turned out to be just a knife, albeit a "military-style black knife," because black knives are inherently more evil and dangerous than those in any other color. #blackknivesmatter

What appeared to be a mishandling of a potentially-dangerous situation is now a fully-justified kill of a terrorist. Everyone is just supposed to take these claims at face value, despite the assertions raising more questions than they actually answer.

more

https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20150603/11024131209/every-kill-good-kill-how-police-media-cooperate-to-disparage-dead.shtml

[geek tragedy]

1. This guy wasn't Michael Brown or Trayvon.

He bought multiple giant-ass knives and was talking about how he was going to behead cops.

He then advanced towards those cops with a giant-ass knife.

[guillaumeb]

3. There are pictures of the knife.

The blade looks to be about 8 inches long. Hardly a "giant-ass knife" as you put it. If he was a white man with a holstered .45 caliber or a long gun he would not be dead. He would be a freedom loving, patriotic American exercising his Second Amendment right to walk around with a big-ass gun.

[uppityperson]

4. Did you read the article in the OP? From what you write, it doesn't seem so as it is about a lot

more than this one guy.

[geek tragedy]

6. The article chooses to highlight this guy rather

than the dozens of other young men who weren't doing anything to justify a shooting.

Very weird choice considering there are so many more appropriate examples.

[uppityperson]

7. You mean like Akai Gurley, Michael Brown, Antonio Zambrano-Montes, Tamir Rice, or Tony Robinson?

All of whom are written about in the article.

Final paragraph of the article, winding up what the article is about and do you see anything about Rahim? I don't. I see it about what the headline says . "Every Kill A 'Good' Kill: How Police And The Media Cooperate To Disparage The Dead"

Even if law enforcement officials bite their tongues when faced with the opportunity to clear themselves and disparage victims, media outlets can't seem to help themselves. Too many media outlets ingratiate themselves with local law enforcement -- not only by rebroadcasting questionable assertions, but by digging up any potentially damning fact that law enforcement left untouched.

[Comrade Grumpy]

2. It happens all the time.

It takes the cops six weeks to get around to interviewing their police shooters, but about six minutes to get out the dirt on the person they killed.

[geek tragedy]

5. I know. I was in NYC when Ghouliani

leaked Patrick Dorismond's juvie records.