The Philadelphia Incident

In Philadelphia, PA, another brutal police gang beating was caught on video. The vicious, brutal beating of three black males by 14 white officers with a dog brings back memories of a sad era in the history of America. However, even if the root hatred is the same as that of the Southern culture of the early 20th Century in America, this beating is indicative of a thuggish mentality that permeates some police departments throughout the country. This police mugging in Philadelphia follows the acquittal of three police officers in New York City, who shot three black 50 times.

As this video is shown throughout the world it is hard for America to have a creditable voice in the call for Human Rights. America can hardly be the moral authority of Human Rights throughout the world when such a clear violation of Human Rights is caught on video. In America, this beating is presented as the actions of rouge officers, not as a systemic problem. With the police state mentality that the current Federal Administration exhibits, actions like the Philadelphia beating are the result. The acquittal of the three officers in New York for the repetitive shooting of three black men only goes to reinforce police officers’ belief that they are immune from judgment crimes, or that they are the final arbitrators of justice. Neither of these premises can remain in a Nation that is founded on the premises of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

Police forces were established to protect and serve the public interest; they are not to act as judge, jury, and executioners. The Philadelphia highlights the gang mentality of groups of young officers throughout the country who treat their tenure in the police department as a legalized gang that is above the law. When officers see themselves as the administrators of the law instead of the enforcers of the law then police departments throughout the country have systemic problems. The systemic problem may not just be a moral problem; it can also be a physical problem affecting mental stability.

Police departments throughout the country seem to have a major steroid problem throughout the rank and file. The Philadelphia incident the New York murder of Sean Bell, and the shooting of his two friends reek of steroid rage. Steroids are an addiction that many police departments are not addressing among their member. Police officer's extraordinary size points towards steroid addiction in police departments throughout the Country. In every city and a lot of towns throughout the Country, a police officer can be encountered who is obviously on steroids. If the superior officers of these departments are aware of this addiction running throughout their ranks, they should take action to ensure the mental stability of these officers to ensure the trust of the citizens in their officers. A gang mentality combined with the mental instability caused by steroid addiction will lead to more incidents such as the Philadelphia and New York incidents.