The Bully (Archives)

I wrote this a while back but looks like nothing much has changed, if anything the bullying has taken a persona of its own and it is terrifying if not downright disgusting.

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“Bullying is the result of an unequal power dynamic – the strong attacking the weak.” Maria Konnikova

Trump is toxic, he is dangerous and he is a bully through and through. He has used the bully pulpit to his advantage and used his power to belittle those he deems not worthy of compassion or kindness. The man is ruthless when it comes to spewing insults. His motto is, “Talk first, think later,” and this approach has got him into hot water more than once. It seems his toxic nature is part and parcel of his makeup, character wise I mean. Furthermore, he is sorely lacking in how a President should present himself because everything comes down to one thing and that is himself. It is not about the people but about loud-mouthed, asinine Trump and that is why he goes from one gaffe to the next all the while with that Cheshire cat grin plastered on his face.

According to James Barber, who published a well-known study on presidential character, a good President should have the following leadership qualities:

A strong vision for the country’s future.

An ability to put their own times in the perspective of history.

Effective communication skills.

The courage to make unpopular decisions.

Crisis management skills.

Character and integrity.

Wise appointments.

An ability to work with Congress.

Furthermore, he added that Presidents must wear many hats and they “must somehow symbolize what American citizens believe to be the essence of their country. They must represent what is valued now and in the past. But even more importantly, they embody the direction of America’s future.”

Do you see Trump doing any or all of the above? He is first and foremost a playground bully who marches to his own drumbeat and that fact alone makes him more than dangerous. One thing he is good at is name-calling and he does it with such prowess that it is mind boggling. From “Crooked Hillary,” to “Pocohontas,” for Elizabeth Warren, to “Shifty Schiff,” for Adam Schiff and “Sleepy Biden,” for Biden but that is just touching the tip of the iceberg. Mr. Trump does not hold back when it comes to throwing punches of the unsavory kind. He takes it all in stride and moves on like the master manipulator he is.

He is single-handedly changing the characteristics of a President but not for the better. ”From referencing a television host’s menstrual cycle to using vulgar phrases to describe opponents to his encouragement of violence at rallies, Trump’s insults have known no bounds and have been a dominant storyline of the campaign,” and continue to be so even today. Other candidates have used insults and mud-slinging but not to the extend that “Orange Jesus” has. ”His speeches have crossed lines, pushed fact checkers to their limits and incited backlash – all the while further stoking the passions of his most ardent supporters.” Just look at his recent debacle where he said he would “encourage” Russia to attack any NATO country that does not contribute 2% of its GDP to the alliance’s coffers. It was a reckless threat which has contributed to fierce backlash in Europe. Does he care? What do you think?

Add to that his constant posturing like a peacock, running his mouth like a loose faucet and his GOD complex mentality and you’ve got a bully at his very best alas to the detriment of the country. Biden’s mental acuity is concerning but Trump’s playground antics and all out temper tantrums are far more terrifying if you ask me.

The Muzzle?

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A friend asked me yesterday, “Why don’t you write more about politics?” My answer to him, “I’m trying to stay away from it and trying to keep it at a bare minimum.” I do mean that but the current administration makes it hard to do so. If it’s not one thing than it’s another. Drama and plenty of it is at the core of this administration.

Associated Press refused to refer to the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America and that set a chain of events in motion. They were barred from access to the Oval Office, Air Force One and events held at the White House. The AP has filed a lawsuit calling it unconstitutional.

“The constitution prevents the president of the United States or any other government official from coercing journalists or anyone else into using official government vocabulary to report the news.”

Does it matter? Not one iota!

A district judge and a Trump appointee declined AP’s request for full access to the White House temporarily.

Trump has said, “We’re going to keep them out until such time as they agree that it’s the Gulf of America.”

Do you see what’s happening here?

Joy Reid, a political commentator and television host was fired by MSNBC due to network restructuring, that was the official claim. The lady is Black and is an outspoken critic of Trump and she voices her opinions on diversity, equity and inclusion policies. Her reporting is of the no holds barred variety. Katie Phang, of Asian descent, also lost her show but she will remain at MSNBC in a less visible position.

Trump celebrated the firing by saying this:

“Lowlife Chairman of ‘Concast,” Brian Roberts, the owner of Ratings Challenged NBC and MSNBC, has finally gotten the nerve up to fire one of the least talented people in television, the mentally obnoxious racist, Joy Reid.”

Really? Isn’t that like the pot calling the kettle black?

In her final show, Joy Reid had this say.

“How do you resist – when fascism isn’t just coming. It’s already here? So, what, if anything can you do about it?”

She further added: “The first rule is to fight back, to never stop resisting. Do not obey in advance, as (anti-Trump historian) Tim Snyder put it…..Even if it’s scary or uncomfortable or inconvenient, just keep saying no, or finding creative ways to say no in small ways and large.”

Fascism is defined as a “far-right, authoritarian, and ultranationalist ideology characterized by a dictatorial leader” where society and economy is controlled by government and where “free press” as we know it might become a thing of the past. The message is “bow to the king and kiss the ring” or else you will suffer the same fate!

LIAR-IN-CHIEF!

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According to Wikipedia, “Donald Trump has made tens of thousands of false or misleading claims, including during his first and second terms as President of the United States.”

Let’s take a look at some of them:

He claimed that Hamas got $50 million dollars for condoms and then he inflated it to $100 million dollars!

Recently he blamed Ukraine for starting the war in Ukraine! Facts don’t matter as far as the 47th president is concerned.

When asked why he pardoned the January 6th rioters who assaulted first responders, his answer was, “they were assaulted by our government and they didn’t assault.” Yes, a criminal would say that wouldn’t he?

His most famous lie and one he will never give up is this one. It’s about his defeat in the free and fair elections of 2020. “It was rigged!” It’s not about “winning.” The truth is he can’t stand losing! Unfortunately or fortunately, he’s heading in that direction.

The next lie blew everyone’s socks off except his. “Zelensky is a dictator without elections.” Truth is, elections in Ukraine have been suspended since February 2022 and we know why don’t we? The man who claims to be a “genius” and one who has lots of “commonsense” should have known that shouldn’t he?

Just some of his blatant lies and there are too many to put down here. According to one source, Trump made over 30,573 false or misleading claims during his first term. What do you think? Will he blow that record to “kingdom come” during his second term?

He’s well on his way and the problem is he doesn’t care if they’re lies or truths, if they hurt and destroy or if what he says has consequences. It’s all about him and the “me” concept which is front and center every time he opens his mouth and inserts both feet in!

A Power-Packed Speech

In his February 2025 State of the State address, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker gave an eye-opening and powerful speech that still resonates today. Only problem is that what he predicted back then is happening today and in the most horrible and disgusting fashion. The terror unleashed on the streets of Minneapolis and the killing of two innocent civilians, Renee Good, a 37-year-old U.S. citizen and ICU Nurse Alex Pretti, who was 37 at the time, by ICE agents makes for a sickening realization that something else is at work here and it is the rise of what Gov. Pritzker was talking about. It should send tremors down our spines because once that “evil” is awakened again, it is going to take tremendous force and loss of lives to put it back where it came from as history has taught us.

I wrote this piece after Governor Pritzker’s address and it speaks to the sign of the times.

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Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker delivered his ‘State of the State’ address in Springfield Wednesday and although he spoke of many things, it was the last part that made many of us sit up and take notice. He was speaking to the heart of the matter.

Here is an excerpt:

“if you just give Donald Trump everything he wants, he’ll make an exception and spare you some of the harm….I once swallowed my pride to offer him what he values most… public praise on the Sunday news shows…..it turns out his promises were as broken as the BIPAP machines he sent us instead of ventilators.”

He went on to deliver what can only be called a punch to the gut without lifting one finger. It was eloquent, it was persuasive and it was more than powerful.

“The seed that grew into a dictatorship in Europe a lifetime ago didn’t arrive overnight. It started with everyday Germans mad about inflation and looking for someone to blame….I’m watching with a foreboding dread what is happening in our country here…..The authoritarian playbook is laid bare here. They point to a group of people who don’t look like you and tell you to blame them for your problems.”

He further added:

“I just have one question. What comes next? After we’ve discriminated against, deported or disparaged all the immigrants and the gay and lesbian and transgender people, the developmentally disabled, the women and the minorites – once we’ve ostracized our neighbors and betrayed our friends – After that, when the problems we started with are still there staring us in the face – what comes next.

All the atrocities of human history lurk in that answer to that question. And if we don’t want to repeat history – then for God’s sake in this moment we better be strong enough to learn from it.”

Nothing more needs to be said.

RIP Renee Good and Alex Pretti

Here We Go!

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The 47th President, Donald John Trump was sworn in with pomp and circumstance and the celebrations still continue as Americans celebrate, well some are while others look on with mistrust and even horror at a new era of who knows what. Coming back to the inauguration, it was a peaceful transfer of power and it was for all purposes democracy in action as it should be. Remember what happened 4 years ago when Trump lost and the instigated attack that ensued on the Capitol? This time around there was none of that and you know why.

The new president has promised, “Your head will spin when you see what’s going to happen,” referring to his plans for Day 1 of his administration. Nothing new here because President Trump is known to run before he can walk.

On the agenda are immigration raids in major metropolitan areas to deport undocumented migrants. Following that or perhaps not in that order are the January 6, 2021 defendants waiting for pardons to be handed down which Trump has promised and others across the globe will be awaiting to see what plans he will put in action as far as “tariffs, land grabs and an end to grinding wars.” He has promised to issue more than 100 executive actions during his first week in office.

A new sheriff is in town folks and he’s going to make it be known that he’s the boss. All just hot air? It could be but it could be different this time around according to one of his advisors as told to CNN. “We want to come in and show just how serious we are. Trump is back, it’s go time. Like a shock to the system.”

Hmm….

Yes folks, the spin cycle is on and it will be dizzying to say the least. What about retribution? Remember he promised to “investigate and punish his adversaries, especially those involved in his four prosecutions and the congressional investigation of the Jan 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol. However, President Biden might have made a preemptive strike on that one. Joe Biden has issued last minute pardons to Anthony Fauci, retired Gen. Mark Milley and members of the House Committee that investigated the Jan 6 attack on the Capitol, including former Representative Liz Cheney.

Did this move take the wind out of Trump’s sails? You can bet your bottom dollar it did but who knows what else he has up his sleeve. All will be made clear in time as a new Trump era dawns in Washington. Will we see a kinder, gentler and classier Trump now that he has the tech giants by his side or will it be business as usual. You know the schoolyard bullying antics of throwing temper tantrums when he doesn’t get his way. Will there be more of the same?

I think the real Trump will show up sooner or later. It is just a matter of time before he steps out thumping his nose at rule of law. Donald J. Trump is not known for “grace under pressure” and so I say, don’t hold your breath as far as the person he presented yesterday, the one who wants to Make America Again and his role as a peacemaker and unifier notwithstanding all the promises he rolled out. Many have tried and failed and if it was as easy as that, it would have been done already. The problem is wanting it and getting it are two different concepts altogether. It takes more than a scripted speech to do that and he is fully aware of it or perhaps not.

One thing is for sure, there will be much for the press to talk about, to decipher and shred as he takes office and goes about showing America and the world that he is the “new Messiah” and only he and he alone can right the wrongs and get everyone back on track. A big job for an old man who can’t even keep his thoughts in line, let alone one who has trouble making complete sentences that make sense!

Good luck and may God Bless America and the rest of the world.

The Musk Hoopla!

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I wrote this article last year when Trump was running to be the 47th president and since then he has bagged the presidency. However, the man behind the scene, Elon Musk, is where we should be placing our attention. Can money buy an election? The man in question is now dabbling in politics and how. It seems he has a love affair with far-right organizations. Take it across the pond and that’s where he is zooming in with a hawk-like presence. His lovefest with Alice Weidel was evident as he backed her as the leading candidate to run Germany. She is currently the chancellor candidate for AfD. The multibillionaire is deadset on using his global platform as a megaphone to get his views heard and maybe more than that.

He once asked his 211 million followers if “America should liberate the people of Britain from their tyrannical government,” by voting. To which, Robert Ford, a professor of politics at the University of Manchester, had this to say. “Musk has a very distorted understanding of British politics, and yet he’s got a megaphone.” That megaphone and the money behind it could distort, derail and maybe even get the wrong person elected. Just saying.

This is the article I wrote last year:

Trump’s major interview with Elon Musk almost got derailed because of a huge technical problem but it got back on track after a 40 plus minute delay and when it did, the bromance flourished between the former president and the Space X Founder.

The former president felt so safe in Musk’s presence that he went off-script and unleashed at least 20 false claims. He ran the gamut and let loose his falsehoods with Elon Musk giving him his undivided attention. The former Commander in Chief and all around liar gripped about crime rates, inflation, Global warming (of which he knows nothing about) and anything else he saw fit to throw into the mix. It didn’t matter if they were lies or gross exaggerations. Things like that don’t matter to a seasoned pathological liar and a true narcissist.

According to NPR, he told 162 lies and distortions in his news presser at Mar-a-Lago within 1 hour. The NPR team found at least 162 misstatements, exaggerations and outright lies in 64 minutes and that’s more than two a minute. “It’s a stunning number for anyone – and even more problematic for a person running to lead the free world.” They further added that, “what former President Trump did this past Thursday went well beyond the bounds of what most politicians would do.” The Musk interview was no different.

EU’s commissioner for Internal Market, Thierry Breton, cautioned X founder and Tech mogul Musk asking him to censor the interview to avoid “the amplification of harmful content.” He went on to say that Musk “has a legal obligation to comply with the Digital Services Act to fight the spread of misinformation as the man in charge of the platform used by over 300 million people worldwide.”

Musk’s reply went like this. “Take a big step back and literally f**k your own face!” The man is not a novice when faced with censorship. In July, EU charged X for failing to respect its social media laws. He also faced recent criticism for fanning the flames as far-right riots broke out in the UK claiming the perpetrator of the Southport stabbings was Muslim which was an untruth.

How smart is Musk? According to Noam Mendelssohn, a Software Engineer, “Elon Musk is not very bright. He’s an economic and business bully in the same line as Trump, but nothing more. Any engineer worth his salt, any person with basic physics knowledge or computer knowledge can shred his ideas.” He went on to add, “His solar plans are flawed, his calculations on his TED interview are about 100x off, Tesla was not his idea, he strongarmed his way in and his hyperloop idea being even worse.” So how did he make his money? Mendelssohn had this answer. “He has a hype that is believed by simpletons and he is making his money by being a snake oil salesman.” Two peas in a pod? No wonder the bromance took off like a rocket and is till flying around in space somewhere!

Joseph Costello, Harris campaign spokesperson, had this to say about the interview.

“Trump’s entire campaign is in service of people like Elon Musk and himself – self-obsessed rich guys who will sell out the middle class and who cannot run a livestream in the year 2024.”

The interview was a flop in more ways than one. Nothing new, same old lies, exaggerated insults coming from an “old” man who is trying to give his sagging and deflated campaign a helping hand but unfortunately for him, it is going to take more than what he has in that thing he calls a brain to do that!

Alice Weidel

Update:

Germany’s Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) party has been designated as a right-wing extremist entity and Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla said the decision was “clearly politically motivated” and a “severe blow to German democracy.” The AfD attracted the support of two leading figures in the Trump administration. Elon Musk called on Germans to vote for the AfD and repeatedly posted his support for Weidel’s party and JD Vance said there was no place for “firewalls,” saying that free speech was in retreat in Europe. I guess there is a difference between free speech and hate speech. What’s in the future? It’s a wait and see approach.

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The woman is openly gay, she lives in Switzerland, has two sons AND has a Sri Lankan partner. She is also now officially the AfD’s chancellor candidate as of this weekend.

Der Spiegel magazine had this to say: “If someone accuses the AfD of being misogynistic, homophobic or racist, they can say they have Weidel….”

According to Weidel, the first 100 days of an AfD government would see the total closing of Germany’s borders and turning back anyone with no documents as well as large scale repatriations. “I say to you quite honestly, if this must be called remigration, then let it be called remigration.” Those were her words but do you see some resemblance to you know who and his words? She also happened to describe Hitler as a “communist” and a “socialist” but conveniently left out “Nazi” in her chat with Musk.

Musk who? You know him. The Tesla guy with one foot in space and the other meddling in politics. You know what they say about Jack of all trades, master of none. Well, in his case, it’s working just fine for him. However, the billionaire is showing his true colors. He loves the AfD which stands for Alternative for Germany. It is a far-right and right wing populist political party in Germany. It opposes immigration especially that of Muslim immigration and it has been classified as a “suspected extremist” party. However, Musk in his wisdom claims that “only the AfD can save Germany.” He has become very vocal about his support of far-right, anti-establishment parties across Europe and more recently has been accused of meddling in Germany’s election process.

Have money, will meddle? Apparently so. The scary part is that Musk’s endorsement of AfD seems to have emboldened its presence and boosted its acceptance among the German electorate. He has gone on to say, “Chancellor Oaf Schitz or whatever his name is will lose.” Olaf Scholz responded with, “There are a lot of people on social media who want to attract attention with snappy slogans. The rule is: don’t feed the troll.” However, I like this one better. Elmar Brok, a former German MEP, called Musk’s comment, “the world domination fantasies of the American tech kings.”

Coming back to Weidel, AfD owes its prime-time position in German politics to her. It’s neo-Nazi image has been airbrushed and being promoted as a polite, and decorous populism thanks to the pearl necklace touting and pantsuit wearing Weidel. Under her guidance AfD’s vote share has risen to 22 percent, its highest ever at the national level.

However, it has been said that AfD has little chance of advancing or being part of Germany’s next government since working with the far-right is considered a major taboo because of its Nazi history. Needless to say the party is gaining momentum and it is making some people sit up and take notice.

Weidel once said, “As a woman, I also want to be able to take the last train home at night without fear,” referring to foreigners as her bone of contention. The well-traveled and educated Weidel’s entire career and lifestyle is in direct contradiction to her right-wing populist party’s doctrines which has led many to question her motives and what she is really about. Her former colleagues at Goldman Sachs have been posting videos and asking, “Here is Alice. What happened to her?” Is it the business woman or the right-wing populist?”

I’ll add, “Will the real Alice Weidel please stand up,” and “Mr. Musk, please sit down and be QUIET!”

Loose Lips Sink Ships

An article about President Trump and his inability to keep “secrets.”

I wrote this article when Trump was the 45th president.  Fighting like a schoolyard bully to jumping in feet first before thinking and starting debacles was all part and parcel of his administration.  He is now on his way to taking office as the 47th president and he will be the oldest individual to serve as president and the first to take office after having been impeached and not only that, he will be the first convicted felon to take office as well.  Will we see more of the same?  You can bet your bottom dollar  we will.  He is off and running again.  Talks of buying Greenland to annexing Canada to using military force against a NATO ally and the list grows as the man who loves using “I” takes office.  He has little regard for norms and often he lets his mouth overload his you know what!

The article I wrote back then.

The 45th President is in hot water again and this just days after the controversial firing of FBI Director, James Comey. The president alleged that the firing was due to Comey “not doing a good job,” and instead of leaving it at that, he went on to tweet a thinly veiled threat suggesting that there was a taped recording of his conversation with Comey further adding, “James Comey better hope that there are no ‘tapes’ of our conversations before he starts leaking to the press.” That threw him into the eye of the hurricane where he has been ever since.

As if that wasn’t enough to throw his presidency into a downward spiral, the president was off and running to his next debacle. This one involves allegations that he divulged classified information to Russian diplomats in the Oval Office. The Washington Post reported that Trump revealed highly classified information on the Islamic State group during his meeting with Russia’s Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov and Russian Ambassador, Sergey Kialyak. Yes folks, ignorance is bliss and where the new President is concerned, it’s enough to “sink ships,” or his Presidency.

The latest morsel of “red meat” was just what the press needed to send them scrambling to get the best angle on the developing story as dreams of “impeachment” riddled through the minds of die-hard Trump haters. Not so fast people. There is such a thing as damage control and the White House has been doing just that sending in the “big guns” to take care of business. If Spicer’s “stare down the press” tactics hasn’t worked, well, maybe sending in National Security Advisor HR McMaster might just do the job. In his no-nonsense fashion, he denied that the President had revealed, “Intelligence sources or methods,” but reviewed, “a range of common threats to our two countries including threats to civil aviation.” Was that enough to calm the “storm” and bring it to a screeching halt? Guess again.

Trump’s questionable tweets and actions have put his Presidency in turmoil once again and not even all the President’s men and women can put it back together again. This latest drama is one of his own making and if he doesn’t stop shooting off tweets from the White House during the early morning hours instead of getting some sleep, this situation is only going to get worse. Perhaps, he should take a tip from the 44th President, Barack Obama.  When the going gets tough, go golfing. There is no better way to let off some steam than by shooting a small ball into a round hole at the same time cussing under your breath about all the wrongs of the world that needs righting. A surefire way to keep the lid on an explosive situation and you come off looking like a winner.

One last thing, the office of the President deserves a modicum of decorum and spouting off “secrets” at the drop of a coin and shooting off tweets like a teenager is not the way to get it.

 –

Stephon Clark, A Senseless Killing

LEST WE FORGET

pexels-photo-923681.jpegMarch 18, 2018 dawned like any other day for Stephon Clark, a 22-year-old African-American male but before the day was done, he would belong to the same club as all those killed before him, the likes of Michael Brown, Tamir Rice and Trayvon Martin just to name a few who are now card-carrying members of the “shot dead by the police” club.

On that particular evening, the officers of the Sacramento Police Department were looking for a male suspect who was captured on film breaking windows in the Meadowview neighborhood.  The police camera shows officers breathing heavily as they run around the neighborhood trying to apprehend the suspect.  They come across Clark standing in the yard of his grandmother’s house with a cellphone in one hand.  What ensued is hard to watch as is and was the case in many other shootings involving black males in the U.S.  The camera footage takes you through the encounter and then one officer is heard shouting, “Gun! gun! gun!” and a barrage of shots follows.  The aftermath shows the victim on the ground his life seeping away.  The officers had fired 20 rounds, eight shots found their mark, six of them in Stephon Clark’s back. He died about 3 to 10 minutes after being shot.   The officers opened fire just seconds, six seconds in all, after they encountered Clark.

This is nothing new.  The “overkill” by law enforcement of black males is nothing new.  It is a recurring event.  The horror and anger is nothing new either and so are the  protests that ensued as hundreds if not thousands took to the streets looking for justice.  We have yet to see justice prevail in such shootings because police officers are held to different standards and they march to a different drum beat or so it seems in this country.

According to the police, they believed that Clark was holding a weapon in his hand as they chased him into the backyard and opened fire at an unarmed man.  The weapon was a white iPhone.  The officers have claimed that they “feared for their lives.”  We’ve heard this excuse too.  Take Michael Brown for instance.  Officer Darren Wilson, who shot him claimed that he feared for his life against an unarmed  Brown. The young teenager  had been shot six times at least twice in the head, those were the last two shots  delivered.  According to Darren Wilson, it was a “fight for survival” and he shot him because he feared for his life.  Sound familiar?

Coming back to the case at hand, no aid was administered to Stephon Clark after the shooting.  It took about 5 minutes before a female officer is heard saying, “We need to know if you’re OK. We need to get you medics, so we can’t go over and get you help until we know you don’t have a weapon.”  Right, how many bullets does it take to believe that a shooting victim is no longer a threat?  After five minutes, they walk over and handcuff the man  bleeding on the ground.  More officers arrive at the scene and one officer is heard saying, “Hey, mute,” and that was the end of the audio recording.

This is just another shooting of yet another black male in the scheme of things.  The use of deadly force is also the norm where black males are concerned.  Shoot first and ask questions later is the stance law enforcement takes when it comes to black suspects.  The latest incident has sparked protests but this too is nothing new.  The anger will simmer long after the protests have died down but justice will take a long time coming, if at all.

California lawmakers are pushing to make it easier to prosecute police officers who kill civilians.  According to the author of the bill, Shirley Weber, “It seems that the worst possible outcome is increasingly the only outcome that we experience.”  How right she is.  These killings can only be described as an “overkill” to say the least.

In the meantime, another black male is dead, the victim of a police shooting.  Far too often we hear, “we feared for our lives,” from the officers after emptying their barrels into the victims but in most cases it was not the officers who had to fear for their lives, it was the victims who had no weapons to protect themselves and are no longer here to give an account of what took place.

Stephon Clark was the father of two young boys, ages 1 and 3 and at the time of his death, he was trying to turn his life around.  He had a criminal record but that is not the point here.  His record is irrelevant, the shoot to kill mentality is.  The case is under investigation but don’t hold your breath. The killing of black males will continue in a culture where it is condoned by the system.

His grandmother asked, “Why didn’t you shoot him in the arm?  Shoot him in the legs? Send in dogs? Send in a Taser?  Why? Why? Those are my questions too. but I will add one more question to that.  Why was Clark shot six times in the back if as the officers claimed that they had feared for their lives when they delivered the shots?  Finally, did Stephon Clark deserve to die even if he had broken some windows on that late March evening?  What do you think?

Update:

As of 2024, Stephon Clark’s family is still waiting for justice to prevail in this case.  The body camera video sparked national attention, outrage and calls against police brutality. It was announced in 2019 that then District Attorney Anne Marie Schubert  wouldn’t file charges against the two officers who shot him, Terrence Mercadal and Jared Robinet. However, California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed in the Stephon Clark law in 2019 altering  the Sacramento Police Department’s body-worn camera policies. And that was it.

The Killing of Christopher Lane

LEST WE FORGET

A series on murders that made sensational headlines because of the “senselessness” of the crime.

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He was a young man from Melbourne, Australia.  He was handsome, he was ambitious, he was in love and he had everything going for him.  He was two weeks away from celebrating his 23rd birthday when his life came to a screeching halt when a bullet from a passing car found its way to his back and he was pronounced dead within a matter of minutes.

Christopher Lane had won a baseball scholarship with Oklahoma’s East Central University and he was feeling on top of the world on August 13, 2013. What happened on that hot, humid day and how he lost his life is beyond imagination.  His father, Peter Lane, put it this way as he tried to make sense of his son’s death.  “It is heartless and to try to understand it is a short way to insanity.  There is not gonna be any good to come out of this, cause it was just so senseless.”  He was right.  The senselessness of the killing would make headlines around the world and would make many of us sit up and take notice at man’s inhumanity to man.

They are James Edwards, 15, Chancey Luna, 16, and Michael Jones, 17, and they were at the other end of the spectrum.  All three were restless with no future in sight.  They had spent the night partying away, smoking meth amphetamine, drinking alcohol and taking Xanax.  On the day of the murder, Edwards and Luna stepped into Jones’s Ford Focus for a joyride.  It would quickly turn into tragedy for Christopher Lane.  He was jogging, minding his own business when Chancey Luna saw him and decided to take aim from the backseat of the car.  The bullet penetrated just below Lane’s shoulder blade piercing his heart and lungs leaving him gasping for breath in a  roadside ditch.  There was no chance for survival.

According to Jones, “We were bored and didn’t have anything to do so we decided to kill somebody.”  Remorse was a long time coming if at all.  Instead they were on an euphoric high and the exact words used were, “You got that n***a, you shot him, you got him.”

The three teenagers were sentenced as adults.  Jones 17, was charged with accessory after the fact of first degree murder, later upgraded to first-degree murder.  James Edwards, 15, was sentenced to 25 years jail with 10 years off the sentence suspended and triggerman, Luna was sentenced to life in prison without parole.  However, in 2016, Luna’s conviction was overturned by the appeals court because, “the juvenile’s chronological age and immaturity” were not taken into account at time of sentencing.  No date has been set as to when a new sentencing will be held.

This is a story that needs retelling because no matter how much time has gone by between then and now, the senselessness of the crime is horrific to say the least and will never get old.  Violence has become an all too familiar part of our lives and killings are nothing new.  Each new day brings another story of killing or killings and we have become jaded to the violence all around us.  However, in this case, the brutality of the crime stands out because the victim and perpetrators had no prior history.  Christopher Lane lost his life because he was seen as a thrill-inducing object not as a human being and therein lies the horror of this specific crime.

“Evil begins when you begin to treat people as things.”

Terry Pratchett

Update:  

A Stephens County Judge has upheld the sentencing for Chancey Allen Luna in the shooting death of Chris Lane.  He was convicted of first degree murder but Luna attempted to appeal the conviction because he was a juvenile at the time.  However, rulings from the U.S. Supreme Court and the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals has upheld that a juvenile can be sentenced to life without parole.