US abuse of black men a prelude to scandal

[G_j]

THIS sure needed saying! G_j

http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2004/05/12/us_abuse_of_black_men_a_prelude_to_scandal/


US abuse of black men a prelude to scandal

By Derrick Z. Jackson, Globe Columnist | May 12, 2004

DEFENSE Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said the abuse of Iraqi soldiers by American soldiers was "inconsistent with the values of our nation. It is inconsistent with the teachings of the military to the men and women of the armed forces, and it was certainly fundamentally un-American." In his Rose Garden press appearance with King Abdullah II of Jordan, President Bush said he told the king: "I was sorry for the humiliation suffered by the Iraqi prisoners and the humiliation suffered by their families. I told him I was equally sorry that people who have been seeing those pictures didn't understand the true nature and heart of America.


"I assured him Americans, like me, didn't appreciate what we saw, that it made us sick to our stomachs. I also made it clear to His Majesty that the troops we have in Iraq, who are there for security and peace and freedom, are the finest of the fine, fantastic United States citizens, who represent the very best qualities of America: courage, love of freedom, compassion, and decency."

Of course, all of the apologizing over un-American behavior comes only after the global equivalent of the Rodney King tape.

What happened in Iraq is a natural extension of the humiliation that has gone on for two decades in this country. Whether Americans' behavior in Iraq is due to racial, religious, or other cultural feelings of superiority -- or a numbed acceptance of government sponsored violence -- the abusing soldiers and the commanders who let it happen assumed that they were dealing with people who had no voice. So thought the Los Angeles police who clubbed King in 1991 -- until the videotape.


..more..

[doubles]

1. interesting stuff... it's beyond Rodney King though, more like Apartheid

all over again.

[G_j]

2. "prelude" was a good choice of words

but yes, apartheid is a pretty good analogy. Black males in particular experience America's unique version of Apartheid.

[charlie]

3. Or Abner Louima

walking around today with broken teeth and no colon from jailhouse "pranks."

[G_j]

4. as I recall

an almost identical act of torture was cited in the report on Iraqi "abuse".

[donsu]

5. we might look at who trains our cops

name some names

[Karenina]

6. What? You missed Mumia

talking about his "close encounter" with Charlie Graner? Wonder if Charlie is a Rush fan... Forget "SIX degrees..."