A new billboard featuring a police officer who recently shot two men, one of them fatally, is causing controversy in Kenosha.
The billboard includes a photograph of Kenosha Police Officer Pablo Torres and his dog and reads, “Thank you for your support, Kenosha.”
Family and friends of Aaron Siler, 26, who was shot and killed by Torres, are outraged and calling for the billboard to be taken down.
The culture of authoritarian bully-worship in this country is really out of control. Talking about a particular case or officer one way or the other here is beside the point. The question now is do we go out of our way not only to shoot people, but to give their families the middle finger after they are shot?
I mean, let’s grant the officer every benefit, of every doubt. The people he shot were threatening his life and the well-being of innocents in his community. Let’s pretend we know for sure that’s case. Even knowing that, is this necessary? Is it good? Is it kind?
Can the Kenosha Professional Police Association maybe, just, like SHUT UP for a while, in deference to the families of the parties in this dispute who are currently not drawing breath? This isn’t asking the cops to be nice. This is asking the cops to not be extra-special dicks right now.
Kenosha police asked agents from the state Division of Criminal Investigation to investigate both shootings. The investigation into the shooting of Knight was turned over to District Attorney Robert Zapf’s office on March 20, and he determined this month that the shooting was justified.
The investigation into Siler’s death continues.
So can you fucking give them a minute? Jesus. Somebody dies, and let’s assume he’s an asshole who deserved it. Do you show up basically at his funeral and say WOW DID BOB SUCK OR WHAT?
Or do you step back for a minute, and say that given that I am alive and Bob is not, maybe I can do his loved ones the supreme service of not whipping my authority out and slapping it on the casket? Just until we find out if I had a right to kill him?
A.