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Helga
The Line
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There's this line.
I thought I knew where it was. Certainly, I know where I would like it to be. I knew that not everyone agreed on where it should be, and that sometimes people stepped over it because of neccesity, or anger, or mistakes, or fear. I thought we had at least had an common understanding of where it was. But now I'm in a weird place, because apparently, the line has been moved, and no one knew.
Jean Charles de Menezes is dead. It seems because he was in the wrong place at the wrong time.
I know it's not the first time the British police have made a mistake. I'm sure it won't be the last. They're a long way from perfect.
But the circumstances of his death, at least what we know about it so far, have taken things to another place. One where I don't quite understand the values any more. And that scares me.
Maybe I should explain to people from other countries, the police in the UK don't, as a matter of course, carry guns. Most incidents that have armed officers involved are news. So right now, this moment, with armed police all over the place, with or without the shooting of someone who was already down on the ground, is new to us.
My thoughts, beliefs, values and opinions are my own. They are not the same as my Government's. They are not the same as the people I work with, the people I live with, the people I sit next to on the train. The country where I live gives me the freedom to be an individual, and that's why, even when I want to move one way and everyone is going in a different way, I still defend it.
But now my line and the decision makers, and the law enforcers, and the upholders of justice's lines are different. And they are getting further apart. When do I stop defending it?
And what do I do then?
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Comments
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Sorry to say it, but the guy who was shot was an idiot for running in the first place. He should have had the good sense to stop after THREE warnings from armed police. And if he kept on running, he must have had something to hide. Now that doesn't justify being killed, but in this state of heightened sensitivity he should have thought twice. Personally, if I was an undercover armed police officer and a guy who was being surveiled (for whatever reason) was running away from police onto the Tube with a large puffer jacket fastened up on a warm day (regardless of what the weather is like here compared to Brazil), I would have shot him too. The risk is too high. On the other side, if armed police ever asked me stop for whatever reason, I would freeze - it's not worth getting shot to see how far they'll go.
Luke
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Well sometimes you can´t pretend to understand everything that happens before you, as I see it, there are many ways of communicate yourself and let everyone know what you mean, but when you don´t want them to know, it´s up to them what they can understand from you, and you are letting everyone take a concept whether is right or probably wrong. And misleading communication could cause things like this. Sorry but if there is one to blame is him, the one who´s now dead.
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I get you on the fact that the guy should have stopped.
I'm not so happy about them piling on top of him and putting five bullets in his head. That's my line.
Can you guarantee that you will act with logic and clarity when you are scared?
I guess that question goes both ways in this instance.
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Why everyone is so concerned about this???? just open your eyes, all over the world, and mostly all over our Andean countries there are policies and all kinds of initiatives, where they take for good innocent lives for one specific purpose. The question is not if it is worth the number of dead people but the way of taking our plans into action where the institutions and laws do not make sense when stuff like this happen. Sure, the logic and clarity do not make sense in situations like the one in the UK. I believe Its time to make a true commitment, no more voices together doing live 8 things to make a world campaign on poverty or human rights, begging for a couple of donations to the G8. Its about time for us to join a global institution that could make policies and have the rights and power to take part in all kinds of matters in order to rule this world avoiding such horrible and unfair things like the ones above. Its time for the youth to know that all the stuff updated on these blogs would not do anything more than to inform instead of really take action globally.
Gabriel Sarmiento
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Gabriel, I know it's not unusual, and this kind of thing happens all over the world everyday. And you're right, if we're concered about it, we should do something about it...
Inspire, Inform, Involve.... I don't think TIG claims to be anything else. What we do here has to be supported by action in the 'real world', otherwise we'll get nowhere.
I do have a day job, you know, where the action takes place ;). I work for a youth NGO based in the UK. I write my update partly as a place to reflect on my work and also on what's happening in the world around me. I don't expect much to come of it. But I like the fact that there is a platform for my voice.
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