"The Fourth Amendment was designed to stand between us and arbitrary governmental authority. For all practical purposes, that shield has been shattered, leaving our liberty and personal integrity subject to the whim of every cop on the beat, trooper on the highway and jail official. The framers would be appalled."—Herman Schwartz, The Nation
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The odds weren't in Walter L. Scott's favor. Reportedly
pulled over for a broken taillight, Scott—unarmed—ran away from the police officer, who pursued and shot him from behind, first with a Taser, then with a gun. Scott was struck five times, "
three times in the back, once in the upper buttocks and once in the ear — with at least one bullet entering his heart."
Samuel Dubose, also unarmed, was
pulled over for a missing front license plate. He was reportedly shot in the head after a brief struggle in which his car began rolling forward.
Levar Jones was
stopped for a seatbelt offense, just as he was getting out of his car to enter a convenience store. Directed to show his license, Jones leaned into his car to get his wallet, only to be shot four times by the "fearful" officer. Jones was also unarmed.
Bobby Canipe was
pulled over for having an expired registration. When the 70-year-old reached into the back of his truck for his walking cane, the officer fired several shots at him, hitting him once in the abdomen.
Dontrell Stevens was
stopped "for not bicycling properly." The officer pursuing him "thought the way Stephens rode his bike was suspicious. He thought the way Stephens got off his bike was suspicious." Four seconds later, sheriff's deputy Adams Lin shot Stephens four times as he pulled out a black object from his waistband. The object was his cell phone. Stephens was unarmed.
If there is any lesson to be learned from these "routine" traffic stops, it is that drivers should beware.At a time when police can do no wrong—at least in the eyes of the courts, police unions and politicians dependent on their votes—and a "fear" for officer safety is used to justify all manner of police misconduct, "we the people" are at a severe disadvantage.
According to the Justice Department, the
most common reason for a citizen to come into contact with the police is being a driver in a traffic stop. On average,
one in 10 Americans gets pulled over by police. Black drivers are 31 percent more likely to be pulled over than white drivers, or about 23 percent more likely than Hispanic drivers. As the
Washington Post concludes, "'Driving while black' is, indeed, a
measurable phenomenon."
Comment: It is a testament to Putin's forbearance, clear thinking, and long view of the situation that he has not allowed Russia to get drawn in to the Western traps that are being set like so many land mines. But one day, possibly soon, Putin may be pressed to act in such a way that the narrative will be written against him, yet again. And lines will further be drawn between those who believe the lies, and those who do not.See also: Putin's phone call to Obama and its significance