Weekend Highlights: What's With Police Brutality? A Letter From Jessica...From Medium

 
This weekend I take a leave from the Nigerian scene as drama filled and interesting as it is. I love our dear country. I know once you are Igbo and cool you are dubbed Biafran. Then study Igbo, and become a Biafra apologist. That story is stale but my heart is with dignity for all not matter the part of the world from which they come. Anyway, I've taken leave from that for this weekend gist. For this week my people, I read a letter allegedly written by one Jessica from the USA.

That is in Medium, the other social media like Facebook but created for more storytelling and sharing. Jessica wrote a letter to the San Francisco or San Antonio (will double check) police department. Her cousin was shot dead. She wrote to know why he was shot dead by four policemen. He had a taser and had worked as a security detail, Jessica wrote. The policemen carried tasers and guns, but they chose to use their guns and killed the poor guy.

I'm not here judging what transpired in that park, but like the writer I would like to know why four men shot one human being all firing at the same time. They were all afraid they would be shot? All of them? Hmmm...beats me. What I know of police brutality globally unfortunately but particularly in the USA always leaves goose bumps on my skin. I was once surrounded by a group of policemen in Dallas, Texas in 2011. ENCIRCLED. Why did they have to have me in the middle of their circle like a rat being inspected by hungry cats? And quizzed. Nna, I took off and it's been a cold feet interest to return to that blessed country.

Jessica's case brings up many questions about when will people believe that the "police is your friend?" Honestly does it make sense to consider a policeman a friend? I was told this as a child but I grew up to discover the reverse to be the case. Somebody attempted to reply Jessica. This was a retired policeman named Carl. Not good enough. A serving policeman should have answered. But half a loaf...The conversation (might be fabricated for all I know, downright false) is ongoing. Whatever happens won't bring anybody back assuming the story was true. Sometimes it's better to walk away than to be right in an argument. Read Jessica and Carl's conversation here.