So a guy who spent federal time for felony gun possession shoots his ex-girlfriend in the stomach in Maryland in the morning, then drives to Brooklyn and murders two police officers, nominally to avenge the death of Eric Garner and Michael Brown. Maybe Ismaaiyl Brinsley knew his life was spinning out of control. Maybe he wanted to go down as some sort of outlaw hero instead of a two-bit criminal. Maybe he was just nuts. But he took his only tool, godawful violence, and thrust it like a monkey-wrench into the gears of justice, peace, and reconciliation. The only thing worse than senseless murder is purposeful murder, and this was both. He ruined two families, not counting his own. He took the lives of two innocent men, officers Wenjian Liu and Rafael Ramos, whose only crime was wearing the uniform of those who swear to protect the citizens of New York City. And sadly, Brinsleys violence will only beget more violence. He let the dogs out: the malevolent opportunist Rudy Giuliani, the demagogue police union leader Patrick Lynch, and all the howling, barking horde of journalists, racists and apologists who would use this awful murder as an excuse to prevent any discussion of the problems that led to the deaths of Brown and Garner. We wont let that happen. As if we needed any evidence, Brinsleys horrible acts have shown again that violence is not the solution. Standing strong is the solution. Loving and trying to understand ones neighbors is the solution. Working together -- black, white, rich, poor, police, civilians -- to achieve liberty and justice for all is the solution. The road to that solution just got longer. So we pause on it, to mourn the lives of officers Wenjian Liu and Rafael Ramos, to pray for the safety of all those who take on the almost thankless task of policing our cities, and to try to make sense of it all. Then we march on, together.
Posted on: Sun, 21 Dec 2014 17:33:21 +0000
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