If you have not heard of the latest controversy sweeping the nation, regarding a racist comment by a Boston police officer, then you have been hiding under a rock. CNN and other media sources have been covering the story step by step. Justin Barrett, a Boston police officer and former member of the National Guard, sent a mass email to his fellow Guard members and to the Boston Globe in which he referred to African American Harvard Professor, Henry Louis Gates Jr., as a "banana-eating jungle monkey." Such comment immediately raised shock throughout the nation.
Being that Mr. Gates is a "top African American scholar", it was no surprise that there was media coverage behind this story. It is reported that Gates was arrested for disorderly conduct after the police showed up after a report near his Boston home. Soon after an email appeared in which Barret stated that if he had "been the officer he verbally assaulted like a banana-eating jungle monkey, I would have sprayed him in the face with OC [oleoresin capsicum, or pepper spray] deserving of his belligerent noncompliance." After numerous expressed their anger toward such racial slurs, Barret's attorney is trying to diffuse the anger and explain Barret's side of things. His attorney, Peter T. Marano, states "Justin Barrett ... has made a mistake -- his poor choice in words is that mistake. His lack of thought into the possible outcome of using such words has caused this debate. Justin never intended for these words to bear such a racial connotation."
However, how can such strong words not been intended with a racial connotation? If Barrets was discontent with Mr. Gates actions, there are plenty of other words or names that, although not correct, could have been said, but the fact that he went the racist way, raises a lot of questions. Citizens now wonder if perhaps he's commited other racist punishments, or if Boston is even safe in the hands of racist officers. Not only does it effect Barret directly, but it also decreases the morality and trust of the Boston Police Department.
Morano states that, "Officer Barrett did not call professor Gates a jungle monkey or malign him racially... he said his behavior was like that of one. It was a characterization of the actions of that man." Whether his behavior was that of one or not, to compare Gates to a "jungle monkey" is completly offensive and does immediately offer the suggestion that Barret is a racist. In the hands of a racist police officer, Boston cannot possibly be in good hands. However, the issue continues and Barret has now been put on administrative. Whatever the outcome is, the comment was inappropriate and Barrett deseveres a punishment.
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In the blog, Racist Boston Police Officer, there is a valid point made on the recklessness of one mans comments to a situation that in my opinion was not racial at the time. This situation turned into something bigger than it was originally because of poor judgment from several people, President Obama included. When it became about race rather than what it actually was--The police officers responding to a possible break and trying to get to the bottom of who owned the house and why were they trying to "break" in, it turned very ugly. Officer Barrett was completely out of line with his comments. And President Obama did not even have the full story before commenting that this was a racial incident.
ReplyDeleteThese times are very tough for all Americans. The economy has taken a down hill spiral, we are still at War and it seems possible that any day we could be in another war. These things are stressful enough without having fellow Americans attack each other. At the end of the day we are all one race--Americans. We should help each other rather than use hurtful, unnecessary remarks that are meant to degrade another person. There is no benefit to that only destruction.
In the post in the blog, "Red, White & Blog" titled "Racist Boston Police Officer", the tone of the situation facing the Boston police officer versus Henry Louis Gates Jr. is very well captured. First off, I must be living under a rock because I had no idea of this whole deal occurring. But I agree with everything that was said in the post. I believe the author, Daniel Vasquez, captured the tone of the whole state of affair in his question, "…how can such strong words not been intended with a racial connotation?" Someone that is held to a high regard, such as a police officer, must be able to maintain themselves under all types of pressure, whether it's outside pressure or pressure from their feelings within, and be aware of their actions and the consequences that they may have. They must maintain themselves especially if their opinions are sent out to a mass. I'm very sad that something like this is still happening here in America where we are all equal, but we must accept the fact that there is racism is all groups, majorities and minorities. There's always going to be faults in our society no matter how hard we try to diminish them.
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