I’M HATIN’: Because We Should Cold-Cock People For Better Reasons Than Jaywalking

By now, many of us have seen (or at least heard about) the “knock-out felt round’ the world;” a brawl between a Colorado policeman and an unsuspecting, 17-year-old jaywalker.

The altercation occurred on June 16, 2010, when 19-year-old Marilyn Levias and her 17-year-old friend, were arrested for jaywalking by Officer Ian P. Walsh in Seattle. According to documents surrounding the case, the two teenagers jaywalked trying to meet up with friends (accompanied by two other companions), but were witnessed by the officer. He approached the two, trying to gather information for his citation, and while he interrogated the girls, Marilyn tried to walk away as stated by the document.

Officer Walsh said, "You have jaywalked and you are required to identify yourself so that I can issue a citation, if you refuse you will be arrested for obstruction." Levias continued to walk away, the officer said.

Officer Walsh approached Levias, grabbed her arm and trying to handcuff her, but she was twisting around with an attempt to get away. As Walsh was putting her in handcuffs, her 17-year-old friend ran up behind police Officer Walsh, pushed him away, and a struggle ensued. The witness has been taped while Walsh was punching his fist straight to the 17 year old girl’s face. The video, seen below, captured the scene.

Sidebar to the guy shooting the video- YES he is VERY serious!

Let Me Stop Here!

There is so much HATIN’ to go around, I don’t even know where to begin.

Let’s start with the Cop-

• A second-rate cop taking out his frustrations… possibly?
  First thing, how sad about your life must you feel to be a cop on jaywalking patrol? SERIOUSLY! JAYWALKING! I didn’t even know that you could get a citation for jaywalking unless said action was a direct hindrance and obstruction to flow of traffic. Was this just a cop desperately looking for some action? Fist to the face indicates YES! But I'll allow you to be the judge.
• Use Your Words.
  The officer’s force was a TAD bit excessive. The official documents makes it sound like the officer spoke softly and nicely to the ladies prior to laying the “Smack Down.” In my brief history in dealing with police officers, more often then not, they’re overstressed, overworked and generally pissed off. Word of advice to the officer; look into anger management therapy and learn how to assert authority with your words… let your fists (or gun) be the latter options.
• Underage.
  Now, many are HATIN’ on the fact that the officer struck a minor. But, did you see her? I have never seen 17-years-old look like that. I see it as a small strike against him, but not necessarily something to HATE ON, seeing that she was as big as him.

Now as for the teenage culprit, you should’ve known better

• Putting your hands on a police officer is ASSULT and punishable by jail time. I feel everyone, especially all young African-Americans, should know this fact. Let’s face it… blacks are in JAIL. Check the stats: African Americans represent 12.7% of the US population, make up 36.8% of those arrested for a drug-related crime, make up 48.2% of American adults in state, and federal prisons and local jails and make up 42.5% of prisoners under sentence of death (Statistical Abstract of the United States (1999), Sourcebook of Criminal Justice Statistics, (1998), National Household Survey of Drug Abuse (1998) and Bureau of Justice Statistics Bulletin: Prisoners and Jail Inmates at Midyear 1999). African-American women (with an incarceration rate of 205 per 100,000) are more than three times as likely as Latinas (60 per 100,000) and six times more likely than white women (34 per 100,000) to face imprisonment (Bureau of Justice Statistics, Prisoners in 2000 (Washington, DC: US Department of Justice, August 2001). BLACK PEOPLE, and specifically to this unbeknownst young girl, a word of advice: Know your role and shut your mouth! Fight in the courtroom, not in the street. You are almost guaranteed to lose fighting the police and those of authority any other way but through your mind (education is key) and as the law states. If the law hurts more than helps, utilize the media, sign petitions, rally; do whatever it takes, but keep your hands to yourself.

The 17-year-old girl was handcuffed and taken to the Youth Services Center for further investigation of felony assault. Levias was also arrested and sent to the Kind Country Jail for obstructing a police officer.According to court records, Levias had been arrested for assaulting a police officer in a previous case. The detail of the record stated “Levias kicked a King Country Sheriff’s deputy in the stomach while she resisted the arrest at Ruth Dykeman Center in Burien”. Levias was in out in custody last in the care of Child Protective Services.

SADLY HATIN’

As I stated above, jaywalking is such a minor offense, unless obstructing traffic that it should be done away with as a punishable law. If we are going to arrest and cold-cock people for such an offense, then I’d like to add “Ruining Your Children and Their Potential Future” as an offense, punishable by jail time and serious 1-2 combo to the eye.

Exhibit A

I just want to say thank you to this mother, who not only just ruined two future black men, but who basically showed the world how NOT to raise your children. If this was meant to be a joke, it’s not FUNNY!

We should all sign a petition to be allowed to show up at this young lady’s house and giver her a proper “Officer Walsh” beat down.

Crime and Soccer Don’t Mix

So, you may or may not have heard that the City of Chester, less than 17 miles away from Philadelphia, is under a new curfew. After the senseless killing of four residents in an eight-day timeframe, Mayor Wendell Butler has called an official state of emergency.

The curfew pertains to Chester residents 17-years-old and younger. The hours of the curfew are 9:30 p.m. to 6 a.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. Friday and Saturday.

Business owners are also reminded that they are not to permit minors in their establishments during curfew hours unless a parent accompanies them.

Teenagers leaving a place of employment are permitted to travel unaccompanied to return home.

So far, at least 20 people have been stopped and some have been given citations, while two guns have also been confiscated.

Now, I think that this is all fine and good. Any murder should compel such a lockdown, but I find it a bit convenient that this measure is taken just before the opening of the new soccer stadium, which will have a $1 million per year economic impact on the city of Chester. Not to mention that the Philadelphia Union, the major league soccer club, plays its first home game on the Chester waterfront on Sunday, June 27, 2010.

So far, there have been 11 homicides in Chester. Last year, the city had 14 homicides; in 2008, there were 19. Chester’s population, as of the 2000 census, is a mere 36,854. That’s about 0.038% of the population, which at a glance doesn’t seem so bad, but if you were to put it on the scale of Philadelphia, it would result in 38 homicides per 100,000 people or 380 homicides per million. That’s not good.

I’m just a bit skeptical about Chester’s true motives. Is the city REALLY concerned about the safety of the residents or more about the $30 million investment, given by Delaware County and $47 million from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania? High crime and unsuspecting soccer fans don’t mix.

I just can’t bring myself to believe that, with what’s at stake, the powers that be are going to let Chester’s notorious problems of poverty, lousy schools, lack of jobs and ultimate desperation of the residents impede on their $1 million plus payday. Chester government officials don’t play that.

But I guess it’s a win, win situation for all; Chester residents aren’t murdered and soccer fans can spend money.

GOOOOOOOAAAAAAALLLL!