Rodney King dead at 47

[N7WR]

Steve,
I totally understand your desire to NOT turn this into a tit-for-tat thread. As I said before, I have a great deal of respect for you, and you are someone whom I truly wish, I had the time to befriend, before I leave this state. Sadly, that is not going to happen, as my move is nearly imminent. But, I do hope we will always be good QRZ pen pals.
The reason I recommended the Lt. Col Grossman article, is that it points out, how most people (for the sake of his analogy) are sheep, and being that kind of sheep, is a good, and noble, thing. There is no shame in being a productive, docile, member of society, who wishes no harm, on another. But, there are those of us, who understand the nature of evil, and evildoers. We are forever vigilant, and happy to serve the flock. It is our duty. We are called to it. And, we understand that we often must do things that the flock considers unpleasant. We accept that, and go on with our role, as sheepdogs, just like the sheep go on being productive, docile members of the community. I have no problem with evolving tactics, and changing them to fit current societal norms, so long as they do not promote further evil behavior, of the wolves amongst us. Evolution, like this, is a good thing. It means we are learning from our previous ways, how to better care for the flock. That, is a good thing.
But, when those ways are changed in a manner which promotes more evil behavior, by the wolves, for the political gain of a small number of hustlers and pimps, (politicians and race-hustling poverty pimps, like Al and Jesse), it is NOT a good thing.
Anyway, enough with that. We each understand the other's point.
I still have the same high respect for you, that I previously held, and it is not diminished, by our differing beliefs.

Jerry,
Yes. I enjoyed it immensely. It made me laugh out loud, and cry real tears. My wife read it, and she is less prone, than I, to outward displays of emotion, and she laughed, heartily. I believe that the part we both laughed the most at, was the shetland ponies.
I am looking forward to my friend Terry, N6EED, to return from his vacation, to loan him the book, even though he says he will buy it, too. It was a real trip down memory lane. I was too young to remember many of the details, as they happened, but having gone through Rio Hondo Academy, in 1980, and having a bunch of former LAPD, PDID guys, for instructors, and a former 77th St. Sgt., as a partner, I heard many similar war stories. I had some recollection of a few of the incidents you were involved in, as I have had my share of LASD friends, over the years. Terry, being the most prominent.
Thanks for the trip down memory lane, when life was much simpler, and law enforcement was fun.
I believe that the guys, like you, who started up Irvine PD, and the experience, and insight which you guys passed down, are a good part of the reason, it is still considered the safest city, in America.

73,
de W3RXO/6
Dan

Steve and Dan
Steve, like Dan I have a great deal of respect for your knowledge and the fact that you go out of your way to share it here on the zed and elsewhere particularly with new hams. I have often thought that your perspective on some issues would be different if you had the opportunity to view the "other side" of Los Angeles from the front seat of a patrol car--not just once or twice but on a daily basis.

Dan
Thanks for your kind comments and I am glad you and your wife enjoyed the book. With your background you certainly could relate to much of it. I exxchanged e-mails just yesterday with Terry and hope to work him on the air at some point. We worked with many of the same people though I preceeded him at Firestone by 8 years. Take care guys
Jerry

[AF6LJ]

I*t's good to read all the throughout posts regarding Rodney King, and the issues that surround what happened on that fateful day. I'm of two minds regarding this situation, Everyone involved was in the wrong, that's usually how these situations go.....

What I don't believe King deserved was to have the weight of years of bad relations between the police and the public heaped upon him when the cops were acquitted. Regardless of what any one of you might think I behave that is the most unfair aspect of this whole incident. His trial was the straw that broke the camel's back and hence his name will forever be attached to one of the two largest LA riots in the last fifty years. That in itself demands a few months of thearpy to have the weight of that label thrust upon your shoulders. Nobody ever seems to really want to address this. I wouldn't want to go through the rest of my life knowing that my quest for due process ended with the Susan Robins Riots, nor would I wish that upon anybody here, and yet the news media and all of us affirm that blame and add to that weight by acknowledging those riots as the Rodney King Riots. I don't support what King did, however I believe it's unjust to use his name for the 1992 LA riots, King doesn't deserve to have his name be the name of the 1992 LA Riots. Nobody deserves to be the indirect scapegoat for poor police community relations.

His question on the day of the riots still remains unanswered....
"Why Can't We All Just Get Along?"

[N0SYA]

[WB2WIK]

Steve and Dan
Steve, like Dan I have a great deal of respect for your knowledge and the fact that you go out of your way to share it here on the zed and elsewhere particularly with new hams. I have often thought that your perspective on some issues would be different if you had the opportunity to view the "other side" of Los Angeles from the front seat of a patrol car--not just once or twice but on a daily basis.

Might be interesting but I doubt I could do that.

Heck, I doubt I could wear a uniform and polish my shoes or boots every day to keep them looking nice.

Now, if they'd let me tag along in shorts and sandals...

[AF6LJ]

Might be interesting but I doubt I could do that.

Heck, I doubt I could wear a uniform and polish my shoes or boots every day to keep them looking nice.

Now, if they'd let me tag along in shorts and sandals...

I don't know if they still do....
SanDiego PD and Sharif use to have a ride along program.

[AB3RI]

I never wish ill-will to anyone, no matter who they are. We all have our own personal demons in life. Maybe the world would be a better place if more people acted in kindness, rather than out of hate. Maybe.

[W3RXO]

N0SYA,
GREAT song, and, not a bad version of it, either. But, I am truly "Old School". I much prefer Bill Withers' original hit, of that song. They could have left out the Bob Marley impersonations, near the end, for my tastes. And, I like Bob Marley, to some degree, too.
But, thanks, it was a pleasant 6 minutes of good music, performed well.
The Original, and Best Version, IMHO
73,
de W3RXO/6
Dan
Pomona, CA

[N2EY]

Everything that happened that night was by Rodneys choice and decision....

Not exactly.

-He violated parole by drinking

Not a reason to beat the stuffing out of him.

-He violated parole by associating with know felons

Not a reason to beat the stuffing out of him.

-He sped

Not a reason to beat the stuffing out of him. (How many of YOU have never exceeded the posted speed limit?)

-He refused to stop when indicated

Now you're getting close. That's what the spike strips did, though - stopped him.

-He eluded police for 2 hours thru 3 jurisdictions

Spike strips again!

-He refused to lie on the ground quietly and put his hands behind his back.

NOW you're there!

-He could have stopped resisting when the cops wrestled with him
-He could have stopped the beating by laying quietly

And the cops couldn't subdue him any other way?

They couldn't handcuff him? Tie his ankles together and let him flop around like a landed fish until he got tired?

-At any point, Rodney King could have brought the entire chain of events to a halt.
-Through the rest of his life he validated the original event, by showing his lack of personal control

So that's a reason to beat the stuffing out of him?

The staff in psych wards deal with out-of-control patients all the time. They restrain them, rather than beating them.

It's not as if there was a shortage of LEOs at the scene.

73 de Jim, N2EY

[KI4NGN]

Not exactly.

Not a reason to beat the stuffing out of him.

Not a reason to beat the stuffing out of him.

Not a reason to beat the stuffing out of him. (How many of YOU have never exceeded the posted speed limit?)

How many of US have led the police on a chase through three jurisdictions lasting for hours????

Now you're getting close. That's what the spike strips did, though - stopped him.

Spike strips again!

NOW you're there!

And the cops couldn't subdue him any other way?

They couldn't handcuff him? Tie his ankles together and let him flop around like a landed fish until he got tired?

So that's a reason to beat the stuffing out of him?

The staff in psych wards deal with out-of-control patients all the time. They restrain them, rather than beating them.

Police are not trained and paid to deal with people who are, by definition, sick.

They are trained to deal with potential, suspected, and real criminals who may very well try to kill them rather than be apprehended.

It's not as if there was a shortage of LEOs at the scene.

73 de Jim, N2EY

While many will and are arguing that the beating may have been unjustified, there is no denying the fact that Mr. King could have stopped it at any time by simply submitting.

[WF7A]

Just a thought...

Back when Rodney K. was arrested practical tasers weren't around, yet, so the only tool cops had to subdue violent or non-compliant arrestees was their baton or nightstick to subdue people; had the taser been around he would've been tased and most likely, not had the stuffing being beat out of him.