Laments in Midlothian (III of V)

For Midlothian, A Lament

–

What do they say about him,

out loud, to the masses?

Empty platitudes?

–

That he was a brave man doing his best

that they all mourn this tragic incident

condolences offered to the kin and the dead

subject -not suspect- is what the statement read

–

–

–

What don’t they say about him?

–

What haven’t they the heart or the fortitude to say truthfully

– to the world,

–

Because for them, the danger is too near?

Danger. And Embarrassment. And fear.

Bet they don’t mention he did his job, better,

Better, than how they did theirs

With courage, discipline, restraint.

That he was treated unjustly,

Shot down, how disgusting

that his life was taken this way.

–

Bet they don’t take the blame, don’t demand

change, don’t make sure that heads’ gonna

roll.

–

– Bet they don’t do him justice

–

The same ones he trusted, to accept him one day

in their fold.

–

A Lament goes out in Midlothian.

For the inn guard who would be a knight

–

For though witnesses cried “He’s security!”,

Nothing is secure in this life

–

–––––At night
––––––––––or dawn
––––––––or day
–––––in USA
if you are
–––––A
––––––––––black man
–––––––––––––––or woman
–––––or boy
––––––––––or girl
–––––––––––––––and the
––––blue line
draws near
& their shield rests on fear
& their courage is found with the spear

or the bow

or the dagger

or the sword
or a mace
or mace
or lighting in a chamber
or fire in a barrel
gunpowder, blunderbuss, hand-cannon
or water geysers from hoses
or illegal chokeholds [1]
or his word vs mine
or kill him and there’s only one side,
one story recorded
blue story,

true story
whose words matter?
whose story matters?
who lives, who dies,
WHOSE STREETS!? OUR STREETS!!

(appropriated/co-opted) [2]
the power of life and death
a Law Enforcement Officers’ Bill of Rights
us vs them
blue line of silence
mentality
his story
history
and precedent
and a blue WALL of silence
–
And
–

Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.” [3]
–

and

–
Now Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let’s go out to the field.” [4]

–

and

–

While they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him. [5]
–

and

–
Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?” [6]
–

and

–
“I don’t know,” he replied. “Am I my brother’s keeper?” [7]

–

and

–

Midlothian Police Chief Daniel Delaney described the shooting as

–

“the equivalent of a ‘blue on blue,’ friendly fire incident.” [8]

–

but not

–

“If this was a case where they saw this as a friendly fire, as if a police officer was shot, then this would be handled much differently,” Merritt [Lee Merritt, attorney for the loved ones of the deceased] said. “There would be more transparency.”
–
Specifically, Merritt said authorities should identify the officer.
–
“It’s important to put that name and face out in the public spectrum because it allows the community to report if this officer has a history of brutality,” he said. “That information certainly becomes relevant for any future criminal proceedings.” [8]

–

–

and instead

–

A U.S. District judge denied a motion Tuesday requesting the release of the name of the Midlothian officer who fatally shot security guard Jemel Roberson. [9]

–

and

–

“This Motion is in complete disregard of (subpoena rules),” Stephenson [Michael Stephenson, an attorney for the state police] argued in his response. “This is not enough time for the State Police to review the subpoena and respond as appropriate.” [9]

–

and

–

Judge Joan Lefkow sided with the state police, saying, “Let’s just follow the rules here.” [9]

–

and

–

The officer is on paid administrative leave, as is standard department policy, pending the outcome [of] an investigation by the Illinois State Police Public Integrity [Task Force.] [10]

–

and

–

“I can’t breathe–” [11]

–

and

–

An appropriate use of force

–

and

–

“I can’t breathe–” [11]

–

and

–

standard department policy, pending [10]

–

and

–

, they practise it, because it is the power of their hand. [12]

–

and not

–

“One of the things that I noticed, and I was kind of thinking about this the other day is, most of the people that were getting awards, it was for situations that involved the uses of force. Tazing, shooting somebody, stuff like that. And I thought to myself, I said, “I wonder when the last time a cop was given an award at a ceremony like this for reporting actual police corruption, and bettering the department that way?” And I think that goes along what you’re saying about culture and things like that” [13]

–

and not

–

“He’s a security! He’s a security!” [14]

–

but

–

“…and you’re giving out awards for physical force: What are you gonna get?” [15]

–

and

–

“You’re gonna get physical force.” [15]

–

and

–

“Ask ‘em, tell ‘em, make ‘em” [16]

–

and not

–

“L-isten

–E-mphasize

–A-sk Questions

–P-araphrase

–S-ummarize” [17] to de-escalate

–

but

–

standard department policy [10]

–

and

–

rule of law

–

and

–

judge… sided with the state police

–

and

–

, they practise it, because it is the power of their hand [12]

–

but not

–

If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? [18]

–

and certainly, certainly not

–

the

Woe [19**]

–

Works Cited:

1. “Report: Number of NYPD Chokehold Complaints Highest in Decade” – Jack Linshi, Time Magazine Online, October 8, 2014 http://time.com/3479777/nypd-chokehold-complaints

2. “How The Iconic ‘Whose streets? Our Streets!’ Chant Has Been Co-opted” – AJ Willingham, CNN, September 20, 2017 https://www.cnn.com/2017/09/19/us/whose-streets-our-streets-chant-trnd/index.html

3. Genesis 4:6-7 (NIV) ***

4. Genesis 4:8a (NIV) ***

5. Genesis 4:8b (NIV) ***

6. Genesis 4:9a (NIV) ***

7. Genesis 4:9b (NIV) ***

8. “’Hero’ Security Guard Killed By Police Was Working Extra Shifts For His Son’s Christmas” – Holly Yan, CNN, November 15, 2018 https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2018/11/15/us/chicago-area-security-guard-police-shooting/index.html

9. “Judge Denies Motion Requesting Name Of Midlothian Officer Who Shot Jemel Roberson Be Released” – Zak Koeske, Chicago Tribune – Daily Southtown, November 20, 2018 https://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/daily-southtown/news/ct-sta-jemel-roberson-hearing-st-1121-story.html

10. “Chicago-Area Police Chief Says He’s Distraught After His Cop Killed A ‘Brave’ Security Guard” – Pierre Meilham, Darran Simon, Holly Yan, CNN, November 15, 2018 https://www.cnn.com/2018/11/14/us/chicago-area-security-guard-police-shooting/index.html

11. “The Eric Garner Timeline” – The Daily Share, YouTube, July 16, 2015 https://youtu.be/24PAhUhnACo [1:43]

12. Micah 2:1b (KJV)

13. “Ex-BPD Cop Joe Crystal Blew The Whistle On Corrupt Police & Paid The Price (Interview w/ Cenk Uygur)” – Joe Crystal, TYT Interviews, YouTube, August 21, 2015 https://youtu.be/2tG1iMrG09s [37:40]

14. “Suburban Chicago Security Guard Was Killed By Police While ‘Doing His Job,’ Lawyer Says” – Pierre Meilhan, Darran Simon, CNN, November 14, 2018 https://www.cnn.com/2018/11/13/us/security-officer-police-shooting-suburban-chicago/index.html

15. “Ex-BPD Cop Joe Crystal Blew The Whistle On Corrupt Police & Paid The Price (Interview w/ Cenk Uygur)” – Cenk Uygur, TYT Interviews, YouTube, August 21, 2015 https://youtu.be/2tG1iMrG09s [38:29]

16. “Ex-BPD Cop Joe Crystal Blew The Whistle On Corrupt Police & Paid The Price (Interview w/ Cenk Uygur)” – Cenk Uygur, TYT Interviews, YouTube, August 21, 2015 https://youtu.be/2tG1iMrG09s [39:17]

17. “Ex-BPD Cop Joe Crystal Blew The Whistle On Corrupt Police & Paid The Price (Interview w/ Cenk Uygur)” – Cenk Uygur, TYT Interviews, YouTube, August 21, 2015 https://youtu.be/2tG1iMrG09s [39:33]

18. Genesis 4:7a (NIV) ***

19. Habakkuk 2:12 (NIV), Zephaniah 3:1 (NIV), Isaiah 10:1-3, Micah 2:1a (KJV) ** I realize that Micah 2:1 may seem problematic, as if I am pre-supposing intentional, premeditated, malicious forethought, specifically on the killer of Jemel Roberson, in the killing of Jemel Roberson. As I cite this verse, I do not. It is not personal. The identity of the killer has not been made public, therefore, credible, substantive evidence to that point is not available to base such a pointed, personal claim upon. I instead comment upon the system that the protected, unnamed officer is a part of, whose elements and agents (both former and current), in varying cities, and counties, and municipalities, and jurisdictions across the United States, have voiced -on recorded video and audio, and in court rooms before judges and juries, “so help [them] God”- malice, premeditated.

*** I recognize that the Genesis passage may also seem problematic. I would address it as follows: There is a certain courage, found -for those who have power- in the ability to do something and supposedly get away with it. They are presented with a choice, even a warning: You may do this, but you should not, for there are consequences, even if you think you can get away with it. And so, someone -a brother, or an officer of the law- may exercise their free will and power to kill. And when faced with consequences, they may attempt to distance themselves from the one that they have exercised power over. This Cain-like resistance to own up to one’s use of power, and to distance oneself from whomever has been victimized by this use of power, while still claiming a kinship with them (“my brother’s keeper”, “blue-on-blue”), I believe, parallels in these two tales.

******

One final thought: I would also clarify how courage could be found in the “Woe” of Micah 2:1. I believe it is tied to my use of the referenced Genesis 4 passage as well. There is that old saying “those who have nothing to hide, hide nothing,” and I think that could apply here. In Micah 2, as in Genesis 4, I believe there is a warning given to those who have the power to exercise power-over others. An important part of that warning (I believe) is this: there is a cost. The “Woe” of Micah 2 comes for the one who would premeditate evil, and use what is in the power of their hand to execute that evil. And, if they use what is in the power of their hand for evil (whether thoroughly, specifically premediated, or more generally, premeditated as part of cultural normalcy) then they should be worried. It is like Cain, who is warned by God: don’t use your power for evil. Instead, do what is right. “For if you do what is right, will you not be accepted?” So, as I use these passages to refer not so much specifically to the killer of Jemel Roberson, but to the system that he is a part of -and was operating under- when he killed Jemel Roberson, I use the “Woe” in the same way. If Chicago Police, as a whole, had a clearly established and verified pattern or practice of putting the well-being of the citizenry as a high priority, as the highest priority, if they had a record of truly serving and protecting, like shepherds among sheep, if they had history of truly abiding by that Stan Lee axiom of “with great power comes great responsibility,” then there should be no need for the actualization of the “Woe,” because they have not used what is in the power of their hand for evil. And because they have not used that power for evil, there should not be the lack of accountability or transparency that there is. Perhaps there is shame, and guilt, but if they know in their heart that mistakes were made, and they were only mistakes, they should be able to own up. If they truly weighed their power against their responsibility, consistently, and consistently, historically, acted as if the responsibility was more important than the power, was in fact the very thing that tempered that power, and knew that they themselves should be held to the highest standard possible, and consistently held themselves to that highest standard, as shepherds among sheep, and acted accordingly, truly, as if a bad apple in the barrel is an intolerable danger to the whole bunch and must be expelled or exorcised like an unclean spirit, because apples in a barrel are in such close proximity that the rot could do nothing but spread, like a bitter root that could, and ultimately must bear bitter fruit when matured (so beware -Hebrews 12, Deuteronomy 29), instead of denying the release of the department footage of the killing of Laquan McDonald, and having the officers involved in the killing have accounts that differ from that of the video footage (which was only released after a suit was filed against the Chicago Police Department to release it, forcing the confession), certainly making it appear as if they were using the power in their hands to try to cover up falsehoods and false witness about the incident, if they truly considered the “Woe,” beforehand, and governed themselves accordingly, then, if this was a just a mistake, their track record of putting citizens first, could, perhaps, make way for mercy, or at least, an easier confession. If Cain truly considered what his power, left unchecked could do, and then shackled his anger to that truth, and even before the slaying, recognized that yes, he in fact was his “brother’s keeper,” then there may have been healing, he may have considered the cost, and chosen a different way, not let the root of bitterness grow into more bitterness, resentment, violence, killing, and a forced investigation by God. Confession is a blessed thing, but only if it is paired with repentance or a heart set on healing. If it is not, it is hollow, and may have to be forced out, without sincerity or truth. And, if this is the case, then courage is not found in the “Woe,” but instead, in the power. And the “Woe,” is an object of fear and condemnation, instead of fear and sanctification, and if there comes an offence, perhaps the groundwork for confession and reconciliation.

Song: Derek Minor – “Believe It”