Comments on: The cop who yelled the racist stuff at Carl Crawford is probably gonna get fired

By: cur68

cur68 — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 17:56:57 +0000

That “target of a racially motivated attack” happen often? Do you stand a chance of that happening on a daily basis? Is it cop doing it? In fact, reading what you wrote, I dare say your argument is self defeating. Those words did EXACTLY what I said they’d do. So its not bullshit, as much as you might want it to be. You’re white and you just don’t get it.

By: skinsfanwill

skinsfanwill — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 13:30:07 +0000

The fact that he felt comfortable enough to make racists comments and pick a fight in a bar with his superior officers right there lets me know that it is a departmental thing. They probably locked the guy up that he had a fight with in the bar too. That guy could have lost his job from that situation that was senseless. Nobody cares about that guy and his job. If you are a bad cop, get a new job. He deserves to be fired.

By: seeinred87

seeinred87 — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 06:37:30 +0000

@cur

I am, in fact, Caucasian. And the “you’re white, you just don’t get it” argument is bullshit.

I do agree though about it setting the tone. I’ve been on the receiving end of a racially motivated assault. When they started hurling the “epithets” at me, I didn’t get offended. I didn’t get angry.

It definitely did set the atmosphere for what was about to happen though. It made me uneasy and defensive. But it wasn’t the words themselves that did it, there was more going on obviously.

The point is, the words ARE just words. Words alone, especially in one incident, shouldn’t get you fired. But since this cop has shown a pattern of racist ideation, I totally get why he should be fired.

By: pisano

pisano — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 05:15:01 +0000

This thing with the cop must have really disrupted Carl, because I looked at the box of their game tonight with Texas and his BA is .219, as the saying goes, ” he has nowhere to go but up “

By: cur68

cur68 — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 04:25:29 +0000

pisan: I used them big words. I doubt he could read it.

By: nothanksimdriving123

nothanksimdriving123 — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 03:37:35 +0000

We all have biases of one sort or another, which we should all admit to. One of my strongest biases is against a blatant racist with a badge and gun.

By: pisano

pisano — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 02:39:36 +0000

cur68…. on a more sobering thought, can you imagine what our resident genius gotampabay52′s response to this thread would be? I don’t know what made me think of him, but I have a feeling his response would be priceless.

By: flyingvien

flyingvien — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 00:53:53 +0000

Wow, well said, Craig.

By: vallewho

vallewho — Wed, 25 Jul 2012 23:38:37 +0000

It seems like police officers kill someone every week based on what they “perceive” as a threat. So at least the Chief is consistent here. I don’t agree with that thinking, but consistent.

By: hammyofdoom

hammyofdoom — Wed, 25 Jul 2012 23:16:21 +0000

Its awful, I live in a small town in Maine and I know plenty of cops from the surrounding towns and while some of them can be a-holes, I have not heard one racist peep from any of them. If anything they do things and mock old people that call and are worried about “the black people” moving into their neighborhood. But you get instances of one offficer or one group of officers that do something stupid and it paints a bad picture of all cops

By: hammyofdoom

hammyofdoom — Wed, 25 Jul 2012 23:05:04 +0000

If you think political correctness covers people being upset at obvious racist comments to provoke an incident, than I really cant help you.

By: eshine76

eshine76 — Wed, 25 Jul 2012 22:45:44 +0000

Craig, while I agree with your argument that the Chief needs more of a burden of proof other than the way Crawford took the insult, he was likely responding emotionally to the idiotic argument of the officer’s lawyer. This guy brought shame to the town and department and the Chief is pissed. I’m guessing this guy’s reputation within the department was not great and may have been disciplined in the past. He’ll have a better argument in court.

By: hammyofdoom

hammyofdoom — Wed, 25 Jul 2012 22:40:19 +0000

When your line of work is one where you not only have to deal with people on a daily basis but you are also supposed to protect them with as little bias as possible what you say DOES matter. As if police dont have a bad enough reputation as is when it comes to racism, but with something as public as this something has to happen. Sure, a cop making harmless jokes/comments about homosexuals or ethnic groups other than his or hers may be harmless in their head, but it promotes negative ideas about police officers and there is the chance that it may not BE harmless and that they can go out there and mistreat those that he hates. Something like this cant be seen as harmless.

By: genericcommenter

genericcommenter — Wed, 25 Jul 2012 22:21:29 +0000

Cops who murder people don’t get fired. They usually get medals, and the support of their chief. Considering how difficult it is to fire a bad cop ( even though they ALWAYS have a very EASY time being rehired somewhere else unless they “snitched” against another cop), I would say the fact that the Chief wants him gone is probably good enough. I guess the Chief could have a personal agenda, but the Chief will usually always side with his officers no matter how awful. I’m not saying I support “political correctness” run amok- to the degree that almost any words could be twisted and civil servants could be fired for unoffensive things that are twisted for an agenda, BUT the fact that police usually benefit from an incredible double-standard and their contact is held to such a low level of scrutiny in general, I’m not going to lose any sleep over this guy being fired. It’s pretty messed up that the people in society we entrust with the most power are also those held to the lowest standards.

By: jjschiller

jjschiller — Wed, 25 Jul 2012 22:04:54 +0000

Craig,

Specifically to your point about “that can’t be the standard,” while it is a thin line, there’s a line. Sure, citing Urban-Dictionary is pretty poor form. And “What matters is that he took it as a racist slur,” is pretty poorly stated. But if the police chief said “I know what he said, and I know what he meant. What we’re talking about is dog-whistling. And it will not be permitted,” what would your stance be? Because that’s pretty clearly what he meant.

By: jjschiller

jjschiller — Wed, 25 Jul 2012 21:59:25 +0000

I completely disagree. Racist cops don’t get fired until it’s an famous/power/important person that they mistreat.

I knew a few. Past tense, as in, I choose not to know those people anymore. They’re still cops though. And I personally know for a fact that the way they carry out their business is completely in line with their personal feelings and opinions on the subject.

By: koufaxmitzvah

koufaxmitzvah — Wed, 25 Jul 2012 21:47:53 +0000

NAPaLM?

By: koufaxmitzvah

koufaxmitzvah — Wed, 25 Jul 2012 21:46:30 +0000

The last thing I want is an officer on the force who gets plastered at the local watering hole and starts making fun of Black people because, you know, their skin is darker than his.

By: koufaxmitzvah

koufaxmitzvah — Wed, 25 Jul 2012 21:43:50 +0000

I’m about to smoke a doobie for both of you right now.

By: xcheman

xcheman — Wed, 25 Jul 2012 21:27:59 +0000

It is racist cops like this small-minded loser that give police officers a bad reputation, particularly in African-American communities. That loose cannon has shown he does not deserve to wield any authority since he cannot even control himself.

By: soxfan1966

soxfan1966 — Wed, 25 Jul 2012 21:12:53 +0000

I would think that there is an expectation that anyone in a public position such as this (i.e. an elected official, a teacher, a firefighter, police officer, etc.) will treat all people fairly and with respect, and that they possess the maturity, the personal integrity, and the plain common sense to know that their personal behavior sets an example for others around them.

Yes, there is a First Amendment. However, most of the professions I mentioned also have a code of conduct that describes the expectations and outlines the ethical breaches for which they can lose their professional credentials.

Personally, I would feel very uncomfortable knowing that a police officer in my town would behave like this in public or would seemingly go so far out of his way to be offensive. I would expect that this person’s employment as a law enforcement officer be terminated and that they are disqualified from holding such a position ever again.

By: 18thstreet

18thstreet — Wed, 25 Jul 2012 21:12:23 +0000

I assume Randy’s talking about liberals like me when he says “There are people out there who would love nothing more than to legislate all of your thoughts and speech.”

Speaking for the National Association of People Like Me, we don’t want to do that, so I wonder who Randy is talking about.

By: El Bravo

El Bravo — Wed, 25 Jul 2012 21:09:34 +0000

Cur, I wish I could buy you a drink for this one. Please, buy one of your faves and pretend El Bravo picked up the tab.

By: 18thstreet

18thstreet — Wed, 25 Jul 2012 21:08:55 +0000

Yes, but jdub01984 likes to say things that he wishes were true!

By: 18thstreet

18thstreet — Wed, 25 Jul 2012 21:07:00 +0000

I, for one, am shocked that a guy who would yell something racist once would have a pattern of saying other racist things.

By: randygnyc

randygnyc — Wed, 25 Jul 2012 20:50:17 +0000

I am a strong believer in the right of people to have strong racist beliefs, if that’s how they feel (I don’t, btw). There are people out there who would love nothing more than to legislate all of your thoughts and speech.

With that in mind, officers of the law can’t hold these beliefs and remain unbiased. Clearly it’s an impediment to the obligations of the job.

By: bsbiz

bsbiz — Wed, 25 Jul 2012 20:49:33 +0000

Good Deity (or deities) above (or below)…

The First Amendment protects you from prosecution by a governmental authority.

The First Amendment does not apply to terms of employment, whether they be by a public or private institution.

On duty or off, the First Amendment does not apply here.

By: pellypell

pellypell — Wed, 25 Jul 2012 20:49:05 +0000

When other officers cross the so-called “blue wall of silence” to let people know what a douche bag you are, well then…you’re a douche bag.

By: kkolchak

kkolchak — Wed, 25 Jul 2012 20:42:40 +0000

See what you did there? I think Rosie O’Donnell is a terrible, unfunny comedian with an obnoxious public persona, but by calling her a stupid name you momentarily made me have sympathy for her.

Likewise, I think Carl Crawford is an overpaid loser of a ballplayer, but by calling him a racist slur rather than just saying he sucks this stupid cop made me feel sympathy for him.

By: cur68

cur68 — Wed, 25 Jul 2012 20:40:16 +0000

I’ve made this point before, but this time, I get to reply to it right at the top of the comments page instead of the bottom, so pardon the repetition:

Know what I never hear? An obviously ethnic person making the comment “its just a word”. Know why? Because to us, it isn’t. It sets the tone for how that person and those around him will treat us.

I’m going to ease out on a limb here and assume that anyone making that statement is a nice Caucasian person. Know why? ‘Cause Homey Don’t Play That.