Logic, common sense missing in UChicago police shooting protest

A relatively small segment of the University of Chicago community is garnering much publicity calling for the defunding and disarming of the university's police force after their shooting of a student during his Tuesday night crime rampage. I wonder if they saw the horrific police body cam video of the student, in full psychotic mode, charging the backpedaling officer with a lead pipe. They should substitute their father or brother for the officer and ponder whether they'd want him to defend himself by firing a single, non lethal bullet. The officer's measured response mirrored textbook training on how to go the last possible foot backward to prevent great bodily harm to the law abiding public as well as himself. If that officer was unarmed, he might be the person lying in Northwestern Hospital instead of the pipe wielder. Worse, his relatives would be making funeral arrangements, and the headbasher would be a facing a murder charge. The lesson I valued most upon entering University of Chicago 55 years ago is to combine logical thinking with a dash of common sense. The protesters would do well to learn that lesson. 

Million cops should view UChicago police body cam clip

The body cam video of a UChicago police officer shooting a student last night in Hyde Park is horrifying, but not for the usual reasons. We're used to seeing video of police shooting either unarmed or non-threatening persons, sometimes numerous times, sometimes after they are down, even when they are running away from the firing officer. Not so with the body cam clip released within 12 hours of this shooting. The officer acts with restraint which puts him at ristk, backpedaling for 50 seconds as the crowbar armed offender walks at then charges the officer who, after repeated warnings, fires one non lethal shot ending the potentially deadly attack on the officer. One command stands out: “Sir, I’m going to need you to drop that weapon. Drop that weapon. Don’t come at me! Don’t come at me!” The offender will live to face serious charges including assault on a police officer. The police officer responded in a way that almost appears to be a staged event to show what professional police work requires. But this was real. Maybe that body cam video should be shown to all million of America's police officers, and all new trainees, to demonstrate that fear for one's safety in a dark alley from a charging, out of control offender must be met with wisdom, courage and doing the right thing.

A Rev. King remembrance on 50th anniversary of his assassination

In his speech "Beyond Vietnam" at New York's Riverside Church, April 4, 1967, a year to the day before his assassination, Rev. King said we must turn "sharply from our present ways...to atone for our sins and errors in Vietnam." Instead we're bombing people and defiling the land in many 'Vietnams' in the Middle East and Africa. Like the search for true racial justice and equality, the search to end perpetual war is 'blowin' in the wind'. 

US government, media, largely ignore Israeli massacre of Palestinians protesting end to Gaza blockade

Good Friday wasn't good for the 2 million Palestinians penned up in Gaza, the world's largest open prison, blockaded by Israel since 2007. Fifteen were killed and hundreds wounded by Israeli snipers set up to disperse the essentially unarmed protesters. This was the first of many marches planned over the next six weeks to draw attention to the humanitarian crisis the Israeli blockade imposes in Gaza. Palestinians there would starve but for relief from United Nations Relief and Works Agency, whose US budget has just been cut by Trump.

I'm old enough to remember the Shapeville Massacre of March 21,1960, when South African police mowed down 69 blacks protesting Apartheid. Becoming aware of this latest massacre online, I turned on cable news for an update of this critically important story. Alas, the talking heads were spinning around over Roseanne's return, cabinet members' spending profligacy and Mueller's latest subpoenas.
Next day the Trib buried it on Page 6, dropping it to Page 32 this morning. Not a word I'm aware of from the White House or Congress. What's worse? Man's inhumanity to man...or the arbiters of public information and good governance ignoring it.

Walt Zlotow

Glen Ellyn, IL