Friday, July 13, 2007
Those who have the power vs. those who don't
The following is a response to the defensive post by one Mr. Aaron Weiss of KGW, itself a response to The Portland Mercury's post about a lawsuit against Multnomah County Sheriffs Department. The lawsuit alleges that a prisoner who was not resisting received a beating by several members of the MCSO - and the lawsuit is backed up by video courtesy by the Portland Mercury of the beating.Mr. Weiss of KGW took offense to Matt Davis' allegation of "influencing public opinion" - if I understand it correctly, by KGW's choice of someone to represent the side of Multnomah County. Mr. Weiss then makes the argument that KGW is just trying to show "all sides" and, since Multnomah County won't comment on pending litigation, KGW had to find someone to speak for them.
...which got my dander up. I hate the "fake balance" that our media irresponsibly hides behind these days. I deplore what has become of the Fourth Estate. This is what I posted on KGW's blog, on the Portland Mercury's blog, and here, in case it doesn't pass muster at the other sites.
[begin my comment]
What do I see on the tape? I see those with power using it against someone who doesn't have it. I see precious few inalienable rights being upheld or protected.
The myth that "all sides must be represented" is one of the cancers eating away at our representative democracy. It's based on a further myth that all opinions are equally valid.
Does it shock anyone that the opinions of those who have the power are going to be used to justify and validate their use and abuse of their power? It shouldn't be "news" at all, so why waste time on it? Why give the opinion of those in power any more validity or airtime than absolutely necessary? Why seek out a spokesman for the authorities - pardon me, an ex-spokesman in this case - at all? Anyone with any adult awareness at all can predict the opinion of the people who have been given the public trust.
But the idea that our leaders get equal time with the victims of the abuse of power has been promoted by... our leaders and those who benefit from their continued authority.
"Comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable" is a better motto for the media, who likewise have been granted a public trust, but have abandoned it in favor of pleasing those in power.
Until the media puts aside the fake balance, gives short shrift to the opinions of the power brokers, fact-checks our governments actions, and begins simply reporting who has the power, for whom is the power being used, against whom is the power being abused, and what recourse is available to those who don't have the power... our nation will continue to become a police state.
Not that I expect someone who has the power, like Mr. Aaron Weiss, to willingly and honestly report these things. Picking and choosing whose opinion gets validity by using up the precious minutes allocated by their corporate masters, while hiding their own opinions in an attempt to foil any accountability by the public, on whose behalf that trust was granted, tells me all I need to know about how KGW values that public trust.
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I watched the vid and read the posts related. My favorite argument is that "to the untrained eye" it "seems" like brutality but we don't understand.
Obviously there is more to know like what was said, the state of the guilty party... er... I mean "suspect" at the time of arest etc. So far the story of the cops doesn't seem to add up.
Oh and calling body blow punches delivered left, right, left and on and on as "focused blows" is almost comical. Saying "a focused blow was delivered to" whatever, is so ridiculous when the technical term for what those two cops were doing I believe is "punching the shit out of him". That doesn't look good on the report though.
Maybe that's why they hate the paperwork so much.
Obviously there is more to know like what was said, the state of the guilty party... er... I mean "suspect" at the time of arest etc. So far the story of the cops doesn't seem to add up.
Oh and calling body blow punches delivered left, right, left and on and on as "focused blows" is almost comical. Saying "a focused blow was delivered to" whatever, is so ridiculous when the technical term for what those two cops were doing I believe is "punching the shit out of him". That doesn't look good on the report though.
Maybe that's why they hate the paperwork so much.
i posted this on kgw i still think it applies here. hello I wasn't really sure what to say about the video except thank god I finally got to see it. Knowing him (unfortunately) he is going to wine and try to get all the attention he can. For those of you who think that this was really unprovoked well I will just keep that comment to my self and say that it was much needed his whole fit that night was over that fact he stayed up all night and day on the tenth and the eleventh in what we will just call adult sick f**kers chat. after finally going to bed at what time I cant say (it is public record go look it up)I come over and bring him and Kelley dinner did he get out of bed no he goes back to sleep and what happens next (well again I will say go look it up it is public record) so what do you get to see of that, night this video, not a "man" that threw a fit cuz he did not have dinner so he kicked the crap out of one of his girl friends. Do you see me or my son or the other abused? No brianm you don't you see you see this video where he looks to be just standing there. Brian might I ask why in the hell did you think he was there to clean the floor? So might I add, beyond my pissed of rambling, The people in power are the ones that helped me and every one you don't see in that video. the people in power gave you the right to say the dumb opinion you gave. they even gave me the right to look like an ass for knowing I cant spell and still righting this and might you think about the 11 restraining orders 2 stalking orders and god knows what else you find out after.(and trust me I did) I think to be on the safe side I would have taken him down for disobeying rather than letting him get the upper hand so might I just say up yours as a survivor of his "power"
Evans, who is still in jail, was convicted on charges including assault, a weapons charge, and 15 counts of sexual abuse. by the way brian i think you forgot this part.
moca_pie@yahoo.com
Evans, who is still in jail, was convicted on charges including assault, a weapons charge, and 15 counts of sexual abuse. by the way brian i think you forgot this part.
moca_pie@yahoo.com
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posted by 
:: 7/19/2007 6:56 PM
:: 7/19/2007 6:56 PM
Michelle:
Thank you for commenting.
My condolences for what you've gone through.
I can certainly understand that a victim of abuse would want to see their abuser given a beating... or more. Were I in your shoes, I would absolutely be feeling that.
I'm sure that, knowing that Evans was accused of sexual assault, that the vast majority of the public wouldn't feel much sympathy for him if he had just "vanished" from the prison system.
In fact, I did know, at the time I wrote my original post, what Evans stood accused of. I did, in fact, consider what his victims would have felt, seeing him get assaulted by the men in uniform. I do understand and empathize with victims of crime.
Perhaps, because of what you've gone through, though, you're unable to see my position: that the punishment of a crime belongs to a separate but equal branch of government from the branch that enforces the laws. That people who stand accused of a crime are to be treated with respect, until and even after they've been judged guilty of that crime, and if punishment is determined to be necessary for that crime, that it be applied in a humane manner, not delivered by the fists of a mob.
I didn't know the details of why that man was in custody. I considered it at the time of posting, but in the end the details didn't matter to the principle that I was defending.
Because that's what I was defending: the principles that those in authority do not have the right to abuse those without authority, no matter what accusations are leveled against the powerless.
I was not, emphatically not, defending Evans. I guess that makes me the enemy in your eyes, but I'll bet you hope that those rights are there for you if you're ever accused of a crime, right?
I don't think that the inalienable rights which are protected by the Constitution and hundreds of years of legal evolution are rightfully called "a dumb opinion" but, OK, you've a right to your anger.
Those inalienable rights are there for everyone. Not just people we don't like, not just the un-accused, not just the rich, not just the poor, not just white men, not just victims of crime, not just "good" criminals or the innocent or the guilty, not even just citizens or legal immigrants.
All people. Everywhere.
Thanks for posting your comment, and thanks for helping me clarify my original remarks.
Thank you for commenting.
My condolences for what you've gone through.
I can certainly understand that a victim of abuse would want to see their abuser given a beating... or more. Were I in your shoes, I would absolutely be feeling that.
I'm sure that, knowing that Evans was accused of sexual assault, that the vast majority of the public wouldn't feel much sympathy for him if he had just "vanished" from the prison system.
In fact, I did know, at the time I wrote my original post, what Evans stood accused of. I did, in fact, consider what his victims would have felt, seeing him get assaulted by the men in uniform. I do understand and empathize with victims of crime.
Perhaps, because of what you've gone through, though, you're unable to see my position: that the punishment of a crime belongs to a separate but equal branch of government from the branch that enforces the laws. That people who stand accused of a crime are to be treated with respect, until and even after they've been judged guilty of that crime, and if punishment is determined to be necessary for that crime, that it be applied in a humane manner, not delivered by the fists of a mob.
I didn't know the details of why that man was in custody. I considered it at the time of posting, but in the end the details didn't matter to the principle that I was defending.
Because that's what I was defending: the principles that those in authority do not have the right to abuse those without authority, no matter what accusations are leveled against the powerless.
I was not, emphatically not, defending Evans. I guess that makes me the enemy in your eyes, but I'll bet you hope that those rights are there for you if you're ever accused of a crime, right?
I don't think that the inalienable rights which are protected by the Constitution and hundreds of years of legal evolution are rightfully called "a dumb opinion" but, OK, you've a right to your anger.
Those inalienable rights are there for everyone. Not just people we don't like, not just the un-accused, not just the rich, not just the poor, not just white men, not just victims of crime, not just "good" criminals or the innocent or the guilty, not even just citizens or legal immigrants.
All people. Everywhere.
Thanks for posting your comment, and thanks for helping me clarify my original remarks.
ok.. seeing him get beat up is not what i want furthest from he is still alive what i want is people not to cry for this man i am not saying that every cop has the right to beat the crap out of the acussed what i am saying is the officers just aressted him one of the officers could here kelley crying from the edge of the street not to mention had to take 2 guns that he had thretend her with previously in this case he allso made it very clear he is a bad ass in his eyes you allso dont know about letters that he wrought saying that he got tazed and trying to make it sound like it was just so bad but knowing michael he would have mentioned that the broke his nose in the letters did he? no. now in another letter he wrought he said he took on 4 of the bigest bades cops in there (the smallest was the arresting officer) he all so was not going to just give his fingerprints if you watch when "he" gose to put his arm up the officer is having "help" him i know that i know more than anyone should ever have to but do not cry for this man this is his fault not mine not kelleys not my sons not anyones but his the officers in this case were more than right concider all the facts befor making a stament like you did there are other more important things in life and people (yes i know i cant spell)
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posted by :: 7/20/2007 8:10 PM
:: 7/20/2007 8:10 PM
Are you kidding me mea911? Ok so I know Portland is known for its libralism and that is great I am libral myself, but there are far too many of you that are bitching about this video just for the sake of bitching about the authoraties. Anyway point being mea911, what are you talking about obviously twisting his arm up? Are you blind or do you see only what you choose to see? It is obvious the officer is trying to get Mr. Evans to put arm forward and he is resisting, all he has to do is put his arm forward, but instead he struggles and creates a situation that was unnessecary. I have seen an original copy of this video and know the man personally. I can tell you, do not cry for this man. He is a stubborn ass who creates his own problems.The reality of what happend here is they asked for his fingerprints and his response to the officers was, "If you want them you're gonna have to take them from me" Which is exactly what the officers did. They weren't out of line in any way whatsoever, They did there job and they did it well. This man is a sick and twisted individual who has slipped through the legal cracks for far too many years, Just remember one thing about this guy, he was quite recently convicted of assault, harassment, and I forget the acutal name of the charge but threatening someones life with a gun... He also has 15 counts of sexual abuse pending, and let it be known the sex abuse charges, are against children! He is a sick man. Also he has 11 restraining orders placed against him and 2 stalking orders. Now yes he has a bad background and bad history, does that give the police the right to treat him badly? No, and they didn't at this point, at booking the officers had no idea he was such a sick f***, all they knew is that they picked this guy up from a house where his girlfriend was cowering in a corner crying and covered in fresh bruises. Stop saying "oh this poor poor guy". Are you seriously gonna beleive that someone who has history of violence is gonna get booked peacefully and without trying to be the bad ass he wants to beleive he is? Of course not... Like I said previously, he got away with so much in his life, why wouldn't he go down with a fight? Especially when he knows that once those fingerprints are taken he could get caught for all the crap he's pulled in his life. C'mon, don't be so naive people. The police did not use excessive force, end of story! booked peacefully and without trying to be the bad ass he wants to beleive he is? Of course not... Like I said previously, he got away with so much in his life, why wouldn't he go down with a fight? Especially when he knows that once those fingerprints are taken he could get caught for all the crap he's pulled in his life. C'mon, don't be so naive people. The police did not use excessive force, end of story!
this by the way is one of the others that were in the house that night
this by the way is one of the others that were in the house that night
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posted by :: 7/20/2007 8:19 PM
:: 7/20/2007 8:19 PM
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