I'm an African American who agreed with the Zimmerman verdict and the non indictment of Darren Wilson, but I can not agree with you on eric garner. He was not being belligerent. I've seen many people stand their ground when believing that they had no reason to be arrested, and they weren't choked to death for it. The man is clearly heard saying "I can't breathe!" And one officer applied even more force afterwards. It was ruled a homicide by two different coroners and the hold was banned for a reason. This is NOT a race issue (although this divide between "white racists" and "black thugs" over these cases saddens me beyond words). This is an excessive force issue with some cops thinking that a badge puts them above the people that they have sworn to protect.
The choke hold ALONE should be reason to bring that fuck to trial, people die from that and the police in NYC know that is why they aren't allowed to use it.
I'm still outraged hours after seeing the video and I'm going to say that if the guy was white I don't think the cops keep the pressure on, regardless of how big he was. He was subdued, the struggle was
over and the cop kept going, he didn't let go. The obvious question is why did he go on? Because he didn't like the guy..........because he was resistant, maybe committing a crime and black. But that shouldn't be a fucking death sentence.
I could be wrong, and I don't know what is in this cops head and heart. But he and two other guys had a guy on the ground, under control and who was clearly struggling to breathe and they didn't do what they should have done. If that was me I have no doubt they would have let up or at least dialed down the pressure on my neck
Eric Garner was murdered and I'm stunned that the officer isn't being brought up on charges. I am flabbergasted that any decent and civil person could see it any other way.
I can't get the image of him on the stretcher out of my minds eye.