Bob CollinsThere are many things I don’t know about the shooting this week in Minneapolis that has sparked days of protest. And while I’d love to provide some contextual words to frame a news story, I can’t. Maybe you can.
I don’t know whether Jamar Clark was in handcuffs or not when he was shot by Minneapolis police. I don’t know why police had to shoot him. I don’t know why a Taser isn’t a better choice than killing someone who’s already on the ground.
If that question is at the heart of the situation — and it appears to be — I don’t know why police won’t release video of the shooting (if there is any). I don’t know why the city’s police chief would say Clark wasn’t in handcuffs when nobody is going to believe her without the proof. I don’t know why cops aren’t wearing body cameras.
I don’t know whether protesters closing I-94 last night was good for the cause of Black Lives Matter. I don’t know what other choice would work since nothing seems to be working. I don’t know whether refusing to talk to “white media” is a brilliant or a counterproductive strategy.
I don’t know whether there’s room for a discussion of violence against women here somewhere.
I don’t know whether we can muster the ability to talk about anything.
There are people who know these things and people who say they know these things and I don’t know which is which.
And I don’t know how, especially considering the events and subsequent discussions of the last year or so, Minneapolis still finds itself in a situation without answers to these questions.
(Note: I’m not allowing comments that are unsigned and/or contain phony email addresses)
