Eric Garner

Sometimes I feel like what’s the point about talking about this issue anymore.  The issue of police violence against poor people, especially brown people.  But how can I just sit by and not call out what I see? 

Eric Garner’s case seems to be the most clear-cut of the ones we have seen recently.  His “crime” was selling loose cigarettes.  You can argue about whether that should be a crime or not, but you can’t argue he was not engaged in anything violent.  He didn’t attack the police; he just expressed frustration with being arrested again.  Why is this an offense that requires arrest anyway?  Can’t they just fine him?  There’s no violence, no theft. 

We have a video, so we know what happened.  There’s no question regarding the behavior of the police or Mr. Garner.  In the Mike Brown case, you can wonder if he really reached into the police car as the police claimed, and we know (pretty certainly) that he shoved that clerk at the convenience store.  There’s no video to show if he was coming toward the officer or not.  But in the case of Mr. Garner, there is no question.  They choked him to death because he didn’t want to be arrested.  And because he was a large black man, which means dangerous, no matter what he does. 

And now he’s dead.  I think sometimes when we see these news stories so often, we forget he doesn’t get to go on.  His family doesn’t get to see him at family dinners and holidays.  He doesn’t get to contribute his perspective to society.  It’s over for him.  And no consequences for the police officers who killed him.  What message do you think that sends to other people who have interactions with the NYPD?  Do they trust them to protect their rights?