My head was already swimming with a touching "love story" about one illegal immigrant murdering another illegal immigrant, all of which kind of cancels out my compassion gene, thus making the whole incident moot. Then. . .
Then, just as I was hoping to move on from visions of mob mentality to something more substantial, such as the efficacy of those automatic cat litter cleaners shown on TV commercials (no, I don't have a cat, but I see no reason why one shouldn't have the device in the house just in case of an unanticipated feline emergency or something), the city of Utica, New York popped up on TV screens this weekend.
Seems the mobs were at it again, doing what they do best, this time fueled by street activists and angry people who probably couldn't score a detectable number on an IQ test if the answers were written on their palms.
What happened? To be cautious, we'll just say the crime is alleged -- but in this era of police and bystander phone videos, it's not difficult to have a pretty good instantaneous idea of what went down.
According to reports, a couple of teens were stopped by Utica cops in relation to armed robberies in the area. One, 13 years of age (hmm -- wearing a hoodie on a warm evening?) ran off, and while a police foot chase took place -- and this is clearly apparent on videos -- the kid drew a gun and pointed it at the cops. Refusing to drop the weapon when ordered, he chose to point it at the officers even when tackled to the ground and one officer shot him dead with one bullet.
Turns out, the child had in his possession a mere pellet gun which looked like a real Glock, right down to the name Glock embossed on the black weapon, a true replica equipped with a removable cartridge.
As we tend to expect anymore, a segment of Utica's residents hit the streets and quickly transformed from humans into a toxic mob uninterested in hearing the truth, even drowning out the voice of the police chief who tried to provide answers.
Once various aspect videos were released to the press hours later, it was clear and without controversy that the teen had the gun raised in his hand. But does the mob ever care about facts? Of course not.
Chances are pretty good that two deaths occurred that night, the second being the spirit of a broken-hearted police officer who learned that he shot and killed a kid. That cop will never recover as he tries to figure out how his intention to do great things for the people he faithfully serves turned into a nightmare from which there can never really be an escape.
And the mobs. They won't forgive or understand, for to forgive would make them realize what monsters they became in just minutes. The bogeyman they blame is almost always the police, never themselves.
Not to forget the kid's mother, clusters of neighbors surrounding her as she melted into tears while street know-nothings shouted ignorance for the TV cameras. We think, mother, where were you? Where was the family? Did anybody, especially you, notice what your son was allegedly doing on the streets? Where was daddy as years passed? I'm supposed to blame the cops for their parenting or lack thereof? Don't attempt to enlighten me with anecdotes of what a wonderful boy the community lost, for he had likely already mastered all the rehabilitation he was going to get on the streets of Utica. A shame, a tragedy. The cycle is bound to continue unabated because neither the police nor the streets can raise other people's children.
Would you really expect a police officer to wait for somebody holding a gun to fire off the first shot -- sort of a "go ahead, you first" -- before taking the initiative to save his or her own life when split-second decisions regarding danger must be made?
Even if everything appears legal and by the book, you can almost bet that right now there's a lawyer promising grieving family members a multi-million dollar lawsuit, when in reality whatever passes for parenting in this sad case should probably be admonished for raising a rotten kid attracted to at least one allegedly rotten friend/co-conspirator. The mobs, of course, will demand "social justice." Whatever the hell that is.
