My (Possibly) Unpopular Take On Recent Headlines.

(From the Tuesday, Nov 17, issue of The Vancouver Province.)

Ok, first and foremost, full video footage of two R.C.M.P. Taser related deaths. The buzz in the Newspapers is that some people are demanding that the R.C.M.P. release full videos (in their possession) of two men who died either in custody or shortly afterwards, as a result of repeated Taserings, pepper sprayings and baton-beatings. Videos that actually show R.C.M.P. members dragging their victims around, face down and hog – tied, among other acts of obvious violence. My question is simple: if these vids exist, as they do, why does anyone even have to demand their release? As long as it’s all right with the victim’s families (which it is), these videos should never have been withheld to begin with. If the R.C.M.P. had video of you or I electrically shocking, pepper spraying, beating and dragging tied up victims around – actions that resulted in the person’s death – don’t you think they’d release said footage immediately? In contrast, if we ourselves were in possession of these vids, wouldn’t they do everything in their (far too excessive) power to obtain the footage and bring that evidence to light? Methinks it’s high time these State Sanctioned Thugs, these Corporate Storm Troopers be held accountable for their crimes, the same way the rest of us are. No suspensions with pay, no administrative punishment, no absolving of blame or wrongdoing. Not even the same prison sentence as a civilian would receive, but a much harsher one to reflect the insane abuse of power and authority they exhibit in the execution of their crimes. Fuck Internal Affairs, Fuck any commission or investigative body populated by police or police – friendly individuals. Isn’t it about time we get a panel of average, ordinary folks to look at questionable police actions? Having the R.C.M.P. investigate themselves is ridiculous, as are the majority of findings – No wrongdoing, no blame, and no punishment. Fuck ‘em, they are as wrong, guilty, blameworthy and punishable as anyone else – even more so when they use their ‘authority’ to justify what are really just instances of targeting, profiling (both race and class), racism, sexism and just plain, Good Ole Boy violence.
Next, the gentleman in West Vancouver who has been constantly and continuously harassed by police because of his appearance – I share your anger, as the same thing happens to me everywhere I go. My friends have said (and NOT jokingly) that the best way to find out who the store detectives, security personnel, and so – called Loss Prevention Officers are is to simply let me go into the establishment first, then watch the parade. In one small kitchen supply shop, my pals counted eight employees following me through the entire store. They weren’t even being Secret Squirrel about it – just tagged along right behind me like some fucked up parade or a line dance gone horribly wrong. Fortunately, for the West Vancouver fellow, he was able to successfully sue the West Vancouver police unlawful arrest, but most people who have experienced similar treatment are not so lucky. When a person can’t even leave their own home just because they don’t fit someone else’s perception of a law abiding citizen based purely on outward appearance, then it’s time to either reeducate the police, ban their draconian practices, and bring them up to 2009 standards, or change the rules regarding profiling, targeting and harassment all together.
The stepfather who admitted to ‘hitting and burning’ and, finally, killing his 30 month old stepdaughter. Why did he do it? Well, it seems he didn’t like the girl’s biological father. The cowardly fuckwad couldn’t bring himself to take the issue up with the BioDad, so he did the next best thing – abused an innocent child over a period of months before killing her. As you know, I am, although not a total abolitionist, certainly a minimalist where the Death Penalty is concerned. Not in a case like this. Kill the fuck. And don’t kill him nicely with a snapped neck or nice sleepy-time lethal injection. No, tell all the other inmates what he did, accidentally leave the door to the cutlery cupboard open and then step outside for a pack or two of smokes. Then, all that’s left is to clean up the mess.
The two vomitous, slimy assholes who hanged an elderly horse from an excavator. A $10,000 fine and a little jail time. Not in my world, kiddies. Nope, in RobScenityLand, pieces of shit like that, fuckheads who cause pain and suffering to animals, would be punished to the fullest extent of the law. Not Canadian law, not common law, but MY LAW!!! They would get the same punishment as they would for doing the same thing to a human – maybe even worse, as animals are completely innocent and undeserving of such horrific and cruel treatment. Now that I think about it, in RobScenityLand, the punishment for any act of cruelty towards animals would be a month locked away with me and my dental tools, all of which have been used in very inventive and innovative ways (none of which are either dental or intended by their originators). After the month is over, the offender may then choose to live. However, after a month with me and my dental paraphernalia, I think the majority of offenders would opt out of the ‘life’ option and go with alternative choice ‘B’, the slow and painful death, anything being more desirable than life looking the way I’d leave them.