NYPD union leader says anyone who questions the arrest of James Blake is 'un-American'

[KamaAina]

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/09/16/1421839/-NYPD-Police-Union-says-anyone-who-questions-the-arrest-of-James-Blake-is-un-American

Few things say more about the New York Police Department than the awful reality that officers voted for Patrick Lynch to be their spokesperson. They voluntarily pay his salary.

Even though Mayor Bill De Blasio and NYPD Commissioner William Bratton have both apologized for the wrongful assault and arrest of tennis star James Blake outside of his Manhattan hotel, the man who actually speaks for the police called those who question the arrest "un-American."...

You could create a nefarious fictional character who said outrageously despicable shit on a regular basis, even when it was completely and totally uncalled for. But if that character looked and sounded like Patrick Lynch, it would be called overkill. Yet this man is real—and makes it his job to say the worst thing at the worst time....

So, in other words, Lynch is suggesting that because the video of James Blake being bum rushed, mounted, and handcuffed doesn't have sound, we're un-American for being critical of it.

[Renew Deal]

1. I question it

Oh well

[roguevalley]

11. any authority figure who makes a statement like that about their actions is a nazi

[HooptieWagon]

2. I'd say the union head is unamerican for violating constitutional civil rights.

He should be locked up until he learns the law.

[hollysmom]

3. +1

[marmar]

4. It's the "Best Defense Is a Good Offense" logic.....

..... they KNOW they were wrong.

[Angry Dragon]

5. idiot

[spanone]

6. anyone who watched the video should be ashamed of what america has become

when a man cannot stand in public without the fear of being accosted by police

[geek tragedy]

7. cop unions deserve condemnation, not support. their purpose is not to protect workers, but

rather to enable the authoritarian abuse of the community

[Glassunion]

8. So... An UnAmerican does something UnAmerican, and another

UnAmerican says it's UnAmerican to question the motives of the UnAmerican who did that UnAmerican thing?

[me b zola]

9. This is why I say that the problem isn't "bad cops"

but rather the institution and culture of American policing. When law enforcement representatives stand up on national television and insist that the filmed wrong-doing of a police officer was warranted this is instructing us on where the problem(s) lie. To put it simply, the police believe that they are correct in behaving in a manner that the citizens do not agree with.

The police have almost unchecked power with little oversight from within, let alone any oversight from the citizens. That needs to change and communities must come together to tell their mayors and police chiefs what their expectations are from law enforcement. We need to confront the silencing tactic of police departments that scream that we are cop-haters if we are critical of something that they did or are doing. It does not mean that we hate the police, it means that we will not sit quiet any longer about rampant abuses against the people that they are sworn to protect. We also need to hold the media accountable when they allow law enforcement officials to say the most hideous things without calling them out.

I'll never forget how I felt watching the police explain away the Rodney King beating. They told us not to believe our eyes, they had their reasons for doing what they did, and a large portion of this country shrugged its shoulders and said that they trusted the police, so that was that. I'll never forget.

[WDIM]

10. The police are tyrannical oppressive and violate the constitution daily.

They are unAmerican.

[malaise]

12. Whatever

stupid fascist thug

[nadinbrzezinski]

13. Lynch is really going out of his way to win friends and make allies

[Rex]

14. I always question nazi-ish people like Patrick Lynch.

His idea of a perfect America is a police state.

[nichomachus]

15. Cop union leaders always make cops look like fascist thugs

They're not doing their members any favors.

[hifiguy]

16. Every last police union in the country

should be busted. The only purpose they serve is to cover the asses of fascist asshole kkkops.