Original Message Date: 12 May 92 05:53:48 From: Dick Gladden on 1:381/5 To: Tom Jennings on 1:125/111 Subj: FNEWS919 editorial ^AINTL 1:125/111 1:381/5 We in El Paso received almost no SF coverage, so I can't comment on that part of your editorial. We got lots of LA news, though, beginning the first night... in fact, NBC preempted "Nightline" and substituted local LA NBC channel news. From what could be determined, on the afternoon of the King verdict, rioting began with rock throwing at _one_ intersection. A local news helicopter happened on the melee, hovering above it, broadcasting live (wunnerful, wunnerful) fully revealing the absence of police or any other authority. What does one do when one is at home watching live TV coverage of their local neighborhood being bludgeoned and looted? Stay home or join in? A few joined in and the rioting/looting/killing was on. Apparently several hours passed before police took any action and, by that time, the situation was beyond their control, requiring Federal help. Next to a couple of TV news editors, for failing to realize the consequences of live broadcasting, LA police bear the brunt of the blame for their impotence, in light of the King verdict. Mayor Bradley also earns a dishonorable mention for throwing gasoline on the situation in his "verdict protest" speech at a church assembly late that afternoon. Also turns out he and Chief Gates hadn't been on speaking terms for a year. (There had been no contact between these two individuals for more than 13 months so no coordinated contingency plans had been made.) Whether "class vs class" or "race vs race" or "class vs race", there is no excuse for what transpired that afternoon and subsequently. A generation of trust and respect was destroyed in those few days. Incidentally, down through history, shooting of looters who fail to stop/surrender... whatever, has been SOP. It shouldn't have been a surprise to you; absence of it in LA was a surprise to me. As to the King trial, I suppose the outcome was predictable. Change of venue, jury mix, and prosecution's dependence on 90 seconds of tape wasn't enough to render a "beyond all doubt" verdict. What you and I and everyone else saw via the tape we really didn't see. Taping was done at a telephoto setting which compressed the scene (in other words all were not in as close proximity to one another as they appeared). Remarks made over police radio were inexcusable but I assume they weren't being made by the participants, rather by onlookers. The judges' charge to the jury was proper, that a true verdict must be rendered on evidence alone. If prosecution was bungled, lacking, whatever, the jury could not render a verdict based on "feelings"... no matter what... only on the pro and con evidence presented. Lemmie tell you, I performed Federal jury duty from January through April last year, and it's hard work. One case I was assigned to was the first bank failure/fraud (criminal) trial to arise out of the FDIC mess. Defendant was a female bank president of Western Bank, here in El Paso, was found guilty though not of all charges (there were 6). Over 100 documents were entered into evidence plus there was testimony from several dozen witnesses. All in all, it was a mind boggling experience. Contrast this with the 6 week Simi Valley trial, multiple defendants, etc. and I can imagine the ordeal those jurors were subjected to. It ain't easy and it ain't quick, like a 90 second tape sequence would make it seem. To fully understand, one has to serve and emotions play no part... not in _criminal_ proceedings. Conclusion... and sad to say, don't count on police for protection. I'm presently shopping for a .357 to carry in my Blazer and fully intend to shoot the first individual who smashes out a window to grab at me. Bev suggested a 16 round Glock instead, but it won't fit into my pensioners budget. This is a heck of a way to wind up life. Both Bev and I have been physically attacked since your June visit here... she in a school hallway several months ago, and me in LA last October, but that's another story. Here's something of interest from a local echo, particulary the last paragraph: Original Message Date: 10 May 92 13:22:04 From: Daniel Hagan To: Jason Duke Subj: Rodney King and Riots > I think it's a bunch of malarky! I don't care if he [Rodney > King] was speeding, doing drugs, or whatever! They [the > four police men] had no right to beat the heck out of him. > "They feared for their lives..." BULL! Four agains one is > not fear; it's hatred! Afraid not my friend. I've worked on many patients 'loaded' on PCP...I can tell you all day long how much strength there is in these people, and you just wouldn't beleive it unless you saw it. My worst case, the patient broke loose out of the restraining belts on our CT machine...incidentally, the belts are the same used in cars and were pretty new at the time (we change belts based on dirt, not wear and tear - none have ever been broken before). After the guy "got loose", it took six of us over 5 minutes to get him under control...the advantages we had were that he had one of four belts still holding him down. The two physicians near his shoulders were being elevated completely off the ground! At one point he had 4 out of six of us off of the ground (that's about 600-700 lbs. of body in the air if you're averaging). Now King was found *not* to be on PCP, but you can't tell until the lab test...if I'm ever picked as a juror and there's PCP involved, the guy's history...I don't care what ethnicity he is. In King's case, they probably could've gotten him under control a little earlier, but I noticed that the other officers were doing the same thing that happened in our room when the patient went bezerk...they stand there and wait for someone else to move in first. A couple of us that were caught in close on the patient really took a beating waiting for the 'others' to quit wimping out and jump in. >--- > * Origin: Health Professionals BBS (915) 590-9798 (1:381/61) Original Message Date: 13 May 92 11:59:02 From: Tom Jennings on 1:125/111 To: Al Koller on 1:374/3 Subj: re: Fidonews 19 ^AINTL 1:374/3 1:125/111 I think you misunderstood my point about "the whole LA thing" -- I was depressed, annoyed and angered at the broadscale simplification of things. I did not state nor imply I thought the "riots were good", in any way. I simply meant that they were "inevitable" -- ie. they were provoked by a complex combination of factors. If somehow you think I meant that the "four black guys" beating that dtruck driver was OK, or even tolerable, then either I screwed up in my presentation or you are reading into it because I didnt touch upon the usual, expected "I condemn this" points. I thought it more than obvious that those people, and anyone else doing more than immediate self-defense, are criminals, period. So likely we're in agreement more than we might have thought... PS: I wonder how many people thought, that because I said "I was there" re: SFs rioting/looting, that I was taking part. What a curious assumption, that I had not anticipated (my problem!). Actually, I was working two blocks from it (Folsom/2nd) and the bus I needed to take home was shut off. My other choice was to go across town and get another bus that approaches my (remote) neighborhood form another angle. I decided to detour through the downtown area and observe. I observed and stayed out of trouble. There were lots of "office people" doing the very same thing. Original Message Date: 13 May 92 12:09:21 From: Tom Jennings on 1:125/111 To: Dick Gladden on 1:381/5 Subj: re: FNEWS919 editorial ^AINTL 1:381/5 1:125/111 Thanks for your message. I've already gotten flamed for some assumptions I didnt cover in my little editorial; some I skipped intentionally, some I didnt think about. Mainly, my take on this whole thing is that it is very complex. The crux of it wass, it didnt start Thursday and is not over now. It is a historical piece, and not very many are blameless. The mere fact that a (pick one) "crazed black guy attacked the cops and was taken out ASAP" or "the cops excessively and systematically beat a black man" turned into a full-scale riot, is a little odd, no?! One can certainly imagine a localized response; what did happen indicates larger troubles, whereever they may lie, and I have my guess. I believe they will overlap your in some areas, and be diametrically oppsed in others. Oh well! :-) In any case it will be fun to watch the responses come in, one already did. They person assumed I thought the riots were "good", that I was simply opposed to all cops forevcer, that I took part in the SF rioting (I was *there*, he took it to mean I took part...), and because I added data that wasnt pretty (the nurses accounting of gunshots no in the media) that I am taking some leftoid stance. Actually, I wish I had stated my distaste with peoples responses to this thing more. Both law'n'order types, as well as "alternative types" like some of my friends (heyt I've got cop friends too dont forget). The leftists looked eeven more foolish as even, the more extreme ones with "REVOLUTION IS THE HOPE OF THE HOPELESS" banners, Sigh. I hope for a revolution too, but it hadnt ocurred to me breaking windows was part of it. The one I hope and work for quite explicitly is the one in your head -- learning that you (collectively, not you DIck, youve figured this out way back!) have control over things in your own life, and that a lot of beaurocracy and "authority" is like what Dorothy found in Oz -- "IGNORE THE MAN BEHIND THE CURTAIN!" when Toto revealed the Great Wizard. Ie. a belief system, and a not very imaginative one at that. I have been contemplating a great graffiti -- I'm sure you hate the very htought, but it will actually be more like a mural on say an outof the way highway onramp buttress wall, not someones house/biz! -- a great soloar system mural with the huge sun in one corner, Mercury close in, Venus, Earth, Mars, etc (throw in some out-size but otherwise correct sattelites, moon, etc) with a schematic orbit of the Viking (Mars lander) with a slogan in two piece, huge leters, top and bottom --- FUCK THE MILITARY -- LET'S GO TO MARS!! In other words, the Mars expoloration could be the bigges tboondoggle ever, since the Pentagon and the Cold War. It would be a coup fo r Bush and the big biz piggies, AMerican supremacy (damn right here!), massive developmental programs, civvie offshoots, non-lethal to boot (OK the ozone holes punched by chlorine-based propellents is bad, but thats part of development) its such a pure, squeaky-clean project... infinite in size... ... and sadly, a measure of the dimwittedness of the players today; too busy looking for Enemies Within to look outwards. The stupid shits. Original Message Date: 13 May 92 12:25:43 From: Tom Jennings on 1:125/111 To: Dick Gladden on 1:381/5 Subj: re: FNEWS919 editorial ^AINTL 1:381/5 1:125/111 Two points in your mention of my ed: Juries *can* vote their conscience. It is the final check in the balance of power, and exactly *why* juries are the last word. It may be "legal" for the judge to say that, but that doesnt mean its any good. It cetainly is not in the intereest of prosecutors to tell juries of FIJA... I think the escalation part is complex too. OK, so this Bad Thing happened out on the street. People hear/see it, and go to watch; some with preconceptions (where did they get them), some not. Some cops angrily yell GET AWAY people say huh? Oh yeah? anger rises, some back off, understanding, stupid people take it personally, some hate the cops Just Because, some say "we dont know what happened" then see one asshole cop push someone away... the whole cast of characters in one giant mess of complex interactions. The solution to the problem is NOT AT THIS LEVEL -- its too late once it gets here, witness the unfolding ov events. I do think it was inevitable, and I also think it was preventable, but it doesnt involve the short loop of "more cops on the street", but the larger one of: why is it this way in the first place? Easy to say, huh.