We need more middle ground |
I visited a person I love the other day who complimented my column a while back on the shooting of Renee Good by ICE. The person said he appreciated my efforts at truth-seeking rather than finger-pointing. I thanked him. Then I foolishly asked if he had seen the footage and what he made of it all.
Turns out he had strong feelings that should not have surprised me, but did. He was sorry Good was shot but felt the officer was justified in fearing for his life. He was highly critical of Good's wife for provoking the officer, and of Good for blocking traffic, as well as not following the orders of ICE officials who told her to get out of her car. He is uncomfortable with protests and far more trusting of the government's handling of the case than I am.
I found the ICE officers repugnant and inappropriate in their commands. Bullies. Their credibility as good guys in law enforcement was undermined for me by their language and demeanor--throwing F-bombs toward Good and then in reference to her as she lay bleeding out. I didn't like how Good's wife talked either, but she was unarmed and powerless to hurt anyone, certainly not those masked men. For me, there was no correlation between her actions and any justification for Good being shot in the face. I find protests admirable and protesters brave.
I often wish more protesters, including those in Minnesota, conducted themselves like disciples of Martin Luther King and Gandhi--calm, quiet, and resolved; unbowed as Nelson Mandela was in prison. Doing otherwise undermines their causes and invites criticism like my loved one offered above. Being above reproach is the genius........