Monday, July 25, 2005
Lord Stevens Is A Monster
This is a horrible, horrible man:
This horrible, horrible man is Lord Stevens, the ex-commissioner for the London police.
This horrible, horrible man penned a column for Sunday's News of the World called "Shooting to kill saves lives..one tragedy will not change that."
An innocent Brazilian electrician, Jean Charles de Menezes, was shot five times in the head by the London police on Friday under circumstances that the police have already repeatedly lied about. The full facts aren't known (and may never be told). Perhaps the death of the 27-year-old man was justified, but until an investigation is completed, and until the British police stop lying, it's wrong to say one thing or the other about it.
But this monster, Lord Stevens, has written a disgusting op-ed justifying the murder and warning of future murders, which may or may not include the deaths of more innocents.
This monster, Lord Stevens, writes this of the policeman who shot an innocent man five times in the head:
"My heart goes out to the officer who killed the man in Stockwell Tube station....How horrifying, how terrifying...and, yes, despite the way events unfolded, how brave."
Lord Stevens doesn't give a shit about Jean Charles de Menezes. The name of Jean Charles de Menezes doesn't even appear in his horrible, horrible op-ed. This monster instituted the "shoot-to-kill-to-protect" policy. This monster sent "teams to Israel" to learn this lunatic policy, which adapts terrorism to fight back against terrorism:
"There is only one sure way to stop a suicide bomber determined to fulfil his mission: Destroy his brain instantly, utterly."
Lord Stevens has no shame. Lord Stevens has no regrets. Lord Stevens is the hate that hate produced; a man who became a monster while hunting monsters.
I did not intend to write a post like this. I wanted to wait until more facts were established before defending or condemning the police actions. But an article in today's New York Times by Elaine Sciolino entitled "Regrets, but No Apology, in London Subway Shooting" mentioned the Lord Stevens article which made my blood curl. Lord Stevens has issued a rush to judgement to protect his monstrous policy which has killed one hundred percent more people than the second bombing attack did. Lord Stevens writes of "security at home" but glosses over the unsecurity that may result from his bloodthirsty policies.
Until the facts are known, I will not condemn the actions of the London police officers involved in this horrible tragedy, but Lord Stevens is a monster for advocating terrorism to combat against terrorism. The proper thing to do is complete the investigation before justifying it. The proper thing to do is to tell monsters like Lord Stevens that they let the terrorists win if the accidental killing of civilians is applauded and taken for granted.
In a law and order sociey, just like the cops who fired 41 bullets and executed Amadou Diallo on February 4th, 1999, the police who shot Jean Charles de Menezes have proven themselves unqualified for their jobs. While it's arguable whether or not the four police officers from the now-defunct NYPD Street Crimes Unit should have gone to prison, there's no doubt that they should have lost the right to carry guns on the streets.
Police officers have tough jobs. Police officers need to be tough and brave. Police officers that shoot innocent civilians out of fear - or possibly racism - should be immediately remanded to desk duty or drummed out of the police force. Police officers that shoot innocent civilians should not get a second chance. Police officers that shoot innocent civilians don't deserve unreasonable job protection that wouldn't apply to any other industry. Police officers that shoot innocent civilians may not be found guilty of a crime or may be tragic participants worthy of support and consolation, but they do not deserve to keep their jobs.
Let's get this straight.
If it's true that Jean Charles de Menezes was singled out because he left a house under watch by the British police, then it is absolutely monstrous that the police allowed him to reach a crowded subway before they acted. Are the scared and unsuspecting British subway riders being used as live bait by the police? To save innocents, are the British authorities willing to sacrifice innocents?
The police should not act as death squads. The police should not act as judge, jury and executioner.
No British citizen is going to get the chance to say "Give me liberty or give me death" if the police seem to be acting in fear and shooting people in the head indiscriminately.
The Bush and Blair Administrations decided they would rather invade an oil-rich country than, with full force, pursue the wicked terrorists responsible for 9/11. The Bush and Blair Administrations have decided that they would rather cozy up to a dictator who took over his country in a military coup, harbors terrorists, and sold nuclear weapons to who-knows-how-many terrorist groups and rogue nations. The Bush and Blair Administrations kiss the ass of President Pervez Musharraf of Pakistan while they oversee the deaths of tens of thousands of innocent Iraqi citizens.
One last question.
Have NYPD teams also been dispatched to Israel to learn barbaric law enforcement practices used to justify and defend occupation?
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