"He could have stopped it." That is the importance of what was seen through the video tape of Rodney King's beating. One of the the police officers who just stood by and watched could have stopped the merciless beating that he saw, but instead of intervening he merely stood by and watched as Rodney King was beaten almost to death. This newspaper article is from this perspective. It is from a perspective of racism. It claims that the bruises after three days had begun to heal and that they did not match the severity of what was seen on the tape. So, that must mean that Rodney King was only beaten half as badly as everyone says. The article also states that Rodney King was noncompliant and refused to get out of the car, but it is also mentioned that due to heavy drinking as well as the damage done to his brain, he was not a reliable witness. I think that if he was heavily drinking the cops would have been able to tell as well as the fact that this would explain why he was noncompliant and fled for 8 straight miles. It's almost ridiculous how in shambles their argument is and the fact that this beating of Rodney King was not purposefully racist.
In the second part of the article shown it portrays the point of view of African American leaders and all those that saw this trial to be the injustice that it was. The most interesting things about this New York Daily News article is the fact that on May 1, 1992 this paper voiced these peoples' beliefs with out fear or regard for those that believe in oppression. It seems on this day the flood gates opened and the world saw this lie and racism for what it was. That these police perpetuated a system and pattern of racism. This tying to the fact that these jurors did not respect the law because the entire system was broken. It must have been a scary thought to see this happen. For these people expecting justice after seeing the video tape and receiving none. It is understandable how they turned to rage and violence and rioted in the city. With no regard for what was to happen to them or the innocent because all they saw was guilty. The article is titled, "Thru Blue Glasses," and this is defined as: to have a distorted view of something based on one's preconceived notions or prejudices. This definition describes the views of society as it had failed itself by treating its people by the "color of their skin and not the content of their character."
- Thomas Jacobs
This is saddening to read, all the excuses that the officers could come up with were utter crap. It's terrible that the rest of the world besides the jurors, the ones who mattered the most in this trial, couldn't see how wrong and racist this act was. It feels like more people today are looking through blue glasses than ever before, and this needs to change, less we have another riot or shooting on America's hands.
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