A Tough Call

This week, the Schloss-Blog had a tough call to make as to what to write about.

The Chauvin verdict?

The Daunte Wright shooting and funeral?

The North Carolina shooting? 

The Columbus, Ohio, shooting?

A lot of shootings, huh? How come so many white officers shoot at or otherwise kill Blacks, especially young Blacks?

The image of Derek Chauvin's cold stare, hands in pockets with his knee firmly planted in George Floyd's neck is haunting, chilling.

Young Darnella Frazier, 17 at the time, bravely, boldly continued videotaping the event as Floyd died. Without her, remember, Chauvin is probably not even on trial, but Floyd is still dead.

I wonder, how many officers in Minnesota, around the country, watched the trial, mouths agape, as Chauvin's superiors in the department testified against him.

The Blue Wall crumbling.

Makes you wonder how Kim Potter is feeling as she awaits trial for shooting Daunte Wright, in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota, virtually down the street from where Floyd was strangled, suffocated or whatever you want to call it. She is charged with manslaughter and God knows that could change in the wake of the Floyd verdict. She allegedly mistook her taser for her handgun. 

Yeah, I do that all the time.

But before we get to her trial, or that of the three officers who allegedly aided and abetted in Floyd's death, think about the press release the Minneapolis police issued after Chauvin killed Floyd,  a year ago, in case you forgot.

Not making this up. This is the exact wording:

May 25, 2020 (MINNEAPOLIS) 

On Monday evening, shortly after 8:00 pm, officers from the Minneapolis Police Department responded to the 3700 block of Chicago Avenue South on a report of a forgery in progress.  Officers were advised that the suspect was sitting on top of a blue car and appeared to be under the influence.

Two officers arrived and located the suspect, a male believed to be in his 40s, in his car.  He was ordered to step from his car. After he got out, he physically resisted officers. Officers were able to get the suspect into handcuffs and noted he appeared to be suffering medical distress. Officers called for an ambulance. He was transported to Hennepin County Medical Center by ambulance where he died a short time later.

At no time were weapons of any type used by anyone involved in this incident.

The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension has been called in to investigate this incident at the request of the Minneapolis Police Department.

No officers were injured in this incident.

Who signed off on this release? Was it the same supervisors who testified in the trial against now-convicted murderer Derek Chauvin?

Yet, the shootings continue, by white police, of young Blacks.

As LeBron James put it: "I'm so damn tired of seeing Black people killed by the police."

He left out asphyxiated.

Good night, Mrs. Calabash, although it doesn't feel like it. Here's to you Mrs. Robinson.

More Sunday night on Radio Free Phoenix rock 'n' show.