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Blow-by-blow: Woman kneed, punched, and Tased in Wisconsin

In my ever-more-depressing scan of my Facebook feed the other day, I came across the following video purporting to depict police brutality. The 58 second version is as follows:

Even in those 58 seconds, how a police officer sees this video is likely going to be very different from how a civilian–especially one with anti-police sentiments–sees the video. But before we launch into the blow-by-blow, I did manage to dig up a much more complete video. Continue reading “Blow-by-blow: Woman kneed, punched, and Tased in Wisconsin”

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The Orlando attack

Shooting_at_Pulse_Nightclub.jpg
Public domain photo from the State of Florida

Three days ago, 29-year-old Omar Mateen walked into a gay night club in Orlando with a SIG Sauer-manufactured semi-aumatica rifle and a Glock 17 handgun and opened fire. He killed 49 people and wounded over 50 more before being killed in a shootout with police. This is widely being labeled as the worst mass killing in United States history. (Note: Some have been countering that Wounded Knee and other massacres of American Indians have seen more deaths; I won’t for a second try to minimize those tragedies, but it all depends on what criteria you’re using.)

I suppose a good blogger would have been on top of this sooner. Many, many have. I find it difficult to find the words to write something measured and coherent in the wake of such an atrocity. Partly because I’m not sure I have anything to say that will approach adequacy; partly because I fear that once I get started, I won’t be able to stop, and I still won’t have said everything I want to say. But here I go… Continue reading “The Orlando attack”