TymelPlummer

11/5/15

SocialJusticePaper

Faith&Religion

ThearticleIchosetowriteaboutisaboutpolicebrutalityinAmerica.Thearticlegoeson

totalkabouttheadebatefromaNBCshowcalledtheDragnetin1968withLAPDofficers.The

topicsofthedebatewereabouttheongoingontopicsthatweregoingoninthattimeinLos

Angeles.Thecrazythingisthatthisarticledescribesalltheissuesthatweregoingoninthat

timein1968,andalotofwhatwasgoingonnowisstillgoingonuntilthisdaythanksto

cellphonesandcameras.In1968thereunfortunatelywerenocellphonestobeabletocatch

thesepolicebrutalitybeatings.It'sjustsaidduetothefactthatnearly50yearsagowearestill

havingthesediscussionsaboutpolicebrutalityinAmerica.

TheLAPDwasdeemedtobethishonorablepolicedepartmentbackin1968,andthe

showtriedtomakethemseemthatway.Dragnetwasalie,duetotheyearsofscandalthatwould

eventuallycomeoutabouttheLAPD.TheyearsofRacism,andInjusticethattheydispersedin

thosedayswerejustunfair.Unfortunatelythewritersdidnotknowthatatthetimebutyearslater

itwouldeventuallycomeout.ThisissomethingweseetodaywhichhappenedinFerguson,

MissouriaftertheshootingdeathofanunarmedteenagerMichaelBrown.Thegovernmentwent

inanddidaninvestigation,andfoundoutaboutthecorruptionthatwasgoingonwithinthe

Departmentwhichmadethepolicechief,andfewofficersresign.


TheArticlethengoesontotalkabouttheactualdebatethathappened,andthebroad

topicsthatweretalkedabout.Justlike
thenasnowlawenforcementmadeacompelling

argumentforitsgeneralimportanceandforthesometimesforgottenhumanityofindividual

cops
.Inthedebatetheyrefutedtotalkabouttheirdysfunction,andabuseagainstcivilians.The

showtriedtomakethetheLAPDseemhonorable,butlikestatedearliertheydidnotknowofthe

scandalthattookplaceatthepolicedepartmentatthistime.

Thearticlethengoesontotalkaboutthedebaters,whocameintotalkwiththeofficers,

anddebatethem,andshowcasetheirfrustrationswithpolice.Oneoftheseprotesterswasaman

bythenameofProfessorHiggins,whowasfrustratedbythepolicewhoseemedtobemore

reactionary.HegoesontostatethathewishesPolicewouldplaymorecopsandrobbers

ratherthanbeingsomegoonwhocouldpotentiallyshoothimorbreakhisskull.Hethengoes

ontotalkabouthowjustbecausetheyhaveabadgeandgunitsomewhatgivesthempower,and

howsomedonotlikepeopleingeneral.

Thecopthengoesontotalkabouthowhewisheshecouldsticktojustplayingcopsand

robbers,andthattheyarenotsocialarbiterstheyrepolicemen.Hewouldthengoontogivean

exampleofhowiftheypresidentwastovisittheywouldhavetoprotecthimfrompeoplewho

areviolent.ThenthenextprotesterwasablackquestionairebythenameofMamboMabanda,

andtheywouldtalkabouttheLAPDbrutalityofblacks.Hewouldtalkabouthowthepolice

droveupdownWatts,asectionofLosAngelesandcopswouldtryandcatchoneofthemby
themselvesandbeatthemup.Theshowthentriedtoaddresstheissuewithaseriesofquestions

wheretheprotestersquestionedthepoliceaboutcommunitypolicing,andcopkillers.Theshow

seemedtobetryingtoputthecopsinseemhonorablewhenthequestionswereaskedan

answered.Amexicanmanthenpickedupthemicandaskedwhyhewasdeniedwhenapplying

fortheLAPD.Theofficersontheshowsimplytoldhimhewasdeniedmostlikelyduetohis

heightrequirement,notbecausehewasMexican.Thesocialinjusticethatwentonnearly50

yearsagostillgoesontoday,thisarticleshowedalotofthesimilarities.

http://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2015/06/thebrutalfactsthatsergeantjoefrid

ayignored/395591/

MyarticlereflectstotheCatholicsocialteachingsofRightsandresponsibility,andRoleof

GovernmentandSubsidiarity.Reasonbeingbecauseeveryoneisduetothefactthateveryone

hasthefundamentalrighttolifeduetohumandignity.Thestateaswellisaninstrumentto

givingpromotinghumandignity,humanrights,andbuildcommongood.ThesearetwoofThe

CatholicSocialTeachingsthatmyarticlereflectsupon.

Myreflectionofthisarticleisthatwehaveahugeissueinthiscountrywhenitcomestopolice

brutality.Manypeoplestillseemtoturnheadswhensomethinglikethisisdone,andit'samajor

issue.Justbecausesomeonedoescommitacrimeitdoesnotwarrantthemtobeshotdeadright

thereonthespot,orbeatensobadlythattheyareparalyzed,ordie.Inthiscountryweare

supposedtobesubjectedtoafairtrial,andsomepeopleseemtoforgetthat.Idoagreethattheir

aregoodcopsouttherebutunfortunatelybadcopsovershadowthemespeciallywithtechnology
nowadaystoshowtheworldofthebrutalitybeingsetuponcivilians.InconclusionIwishmore

therewasawaytomakepeoplewakeupandseethateverythinginthiscountryisntsogreat.

Mostofthetimeittakesforasituationtohappentothembeforetheycanactuallyseethelightof

amajorissuethatishappeningintheworld.