Fox Business host Charles Payne shrugged off the police killing of 12 year-old Tamir Rice by saying, “These things… are gonna happen.” And anyway, it’s pretty much President Obama, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio’s fault, even though the Rice shooting happened in Cleveland, Ohio.
“With the Ferguson effect, today,” Payne began, “We had the Tamir Rice situation where no charges were filed. And then over the weekend in Chicago, a 55-year-old woman was shot and killed by the police accidentally as well as a teenager, who apparently was mentally disturbed.”
Actually, the so-called “Ferguson effect” makes cops supposedly reluctant to do their jobs, not to kill inappropriately.
“How can we get through these things that are gonna happen?” Payne asked. “I mean, you know, you’re simply going to have these incidents happen and still be able to let the police do their jobs without any kind of real serious ridicule or sort of things like Black Lives Matter because it feels like it’s Catch 22 right now.”
Notice how his concern is for the police, not for any innocent, undeserving citizen who might get shot to death?
Fox contributor and former police officer Rod Wheeler said, “It’s unfortunate what happened.” He at least acknowledged that the police had made mistakes and that the officer who killed Rice “should not have even been on the force.” But going forward, Wheeler said, “we have to do a better job at supporting our police.”
Then, Wheeler did what every good Fox-paid pundit does: blame Democrats, with extra bonus points for dragging in Obama. Wheeler added, “We have to get these politicians out of the way. Look at Rahm Emanuel. You want to know what’s wrong in Chicago? Just simply take a look at Rahm Emanuel.”
“Good point,” Payne said, interrupting.
“You want to know what’s wrong in New York?” Wheeler continued. “Look at de Blasio. I mean, we have to get these politicians out of the way, Charles. Let cops do their jobs.”
Excuse me, but as far as I know, nobody has blamed either Tamir Rice or the Chicago killings on any political interference in police work.
Of course, Payne didn’t point that out. Nor did he even question Wheeler's assertion.
“Communities and policing need to come together. I think we can do it,” Wheeler went on. And then he blamed President Obama. “But we have to do it with real leadership and the real leadership, Charles, is going to have to start at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.”
Watch it below, from the Fox Business Network today, via Raw Story.
Ellen, are you sure about that? It seems that since Ferguson, certain police officers seem to believe their job IS “to kill inappropriately” (especially when the target is African-American).
And regarding Wheeler’s comment, "“Look at de Blasio. I mean, we have to get these politicians out of the way, Charles. Let cops do their jobs.”
What Wheeler fails to note is that the cops AREN’T doing their REAL jobs (and most politicians aren’t doing much to rein in the killer cops).
I’d really like to see how these two African-American males would fare when confronted by the (mostly white) cops who’ve been “behaving so badly” of late. Former cop or no, Wheeler would likely be putting his life at risk if he’d been in Tamir Rice’s position. Those cops weren’t willing to give the kid a chance to even respond to their orders before they shot him. I also kind of wonder how many cops Wheeler knew while on the force who “should not have been on the force” but he kept quiet?
If we only had a real leader who would sweep any police 👮 wrongdoing under the carpet because he or she recognizes the need for justice in this world to make Americans feel safe again.
Yes, I can’t wait until a real, freedom-loving president like Ted Cruz is in the White House. Teddy understands that justice is carpet bombing the Middle East, innocents and all, to give this American a good night’s rest. Because until the Middle East is one big bomb crater red-blooded Americans like me are afraid to get a pack of smokes and a 6-pack of Pabst Blue Ribbon at my local Piggly Wiggly.
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That won’t work, Gary.
Fox isn’t news.
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