This comment by BetteJo deserves highlighting here. No one I know is anti-police, no one. The motivations vary but everyone I know supports police accountability, everyone, except evidently some police wives and some officers themselves. What logical reason would police officers have for not wanting to be accountable to the public they serve and pay their salary?
BetteJo’s well thought out comment touches on items I have written about before. She also addresses the need to bring public pressure to bear on the powers that be to not sweep the Leah Freeman murder under the rug. If the county and city are not going to work this case then give it to another agency that will.
I posted this over at the world forum:
You know it isnt such a hard concept to think that it is possible to support the police while asking for accountability at the same time. Those videos are disgusting displays of human beings at their worst! Yes the police in Coquille are just doing their job…maybe the job that they are being directed to do is the problem then?
To the CPD personally I have defended members of your force such as Officer Bryant because I believe you to be good people. Even though I support you, I also expect that you be accountable for your actions the same as the next person. I posted some very disturbing images on magixs site because I think that people need to be reminded that there are some pretty bad “apples” out there as far as law enforcement goes. Yes magix and Kay can get very harsh in their criticism of the CPD but I have taken the time to try and get to know and I have a better understanding of why they get so upset. It is important for the citzens of this community to know and understand their rights. It is the basis for our whole government. There is nothing wrong with individuals getting involved and moving for change when they see a need for it. This has made magix, CCC and Kay targets because they are not just accepting what they are told at face value. They are seeking for explanations and justifications. It is their rights as tax paying citzens. I think you will find that there are alot more people in this town that think the way they do but they are not as vocal, nor do they want to be in the spotlight.
I find it really disturbing that the biggest crime that we have had perpetrated in this community the murder of a teenage girl has been mishandled so badly. It is not the fault of the officers on the force at this time. They were not there during the initial investigation. The chief yes he was. However the more research I do the more I find fault in how the case was handled at all levels. Here are the questions that I feel Cory deserves to have answered:
1. Why has the DA been so quiet about this case?
2. Why has the DA refused to bring in outside agencys to help in the investigation
3. Why has the City Manager not applied more pressure for the case to be solved?
4. Why has the Chief of police not pushed for more help.
5. Why has the Coos County Sherriffs office been virtually non-existent in this case when Leah’s body was found outside city limits in the county’s jurisdiction?
6. Why have the County elected officials not pushed for something to happen here?These are fundamental problems with this case. Do they have anything to do with the CPD you bet they do.
It seems to me that not so long ago, communities helped people that were down and out. Citizens got together and pitched in, dug into their pockets or hammered nails and shared meals.
Today we punish people for being too poor to live. We have legislated the cost of being an American right out of the market while failing to raise the minimum wage. So we punish people now for being poor and call them law breakers and tow their cars or take their kids but we do not help them anymore.
What is really scary is that all these Iraq veterans, especially those on multiple tours are coming back dog tired and down trodden. Their GI benefits no longer cover today’s tuition costs and many don’t seek help from the VA until they are too sick to be able to do it on their own. Communities aren’t rallying to help them either.
We have to change the current legislation. We have to elect long term thinking people into every office from city council to president.
Humanity isn’t just a word that describes our species or an ideal that is proposed by the peace loving beings of our world. It is a state of mind. If you show your humanity it shouldn’t be a sign of weakness it should be a sign of your compassion, your integrity, your contribution to our world at large.
We all have a need to be successfull. Everyone’s definition of success is different. It is becoming much more apparant to me a very naive and sheltered woman fastly approaching middle age that some people will go to any lenghts to be successfull or powerful, or rich beyond their dreams.
I never opened my eyes to the bad in this world because I was so sure that everyone was good at heart and no one could ever be that heartless. That kind of blind faith is dangerous. I didn’t realize that until lately. Sure some people are motivated to do great things, be important make a difference but at what costs? Our children see this world in a green hue…and that scares the hell out of me.
You are right sam…a heart is something that has to be groomed and cared for and it breaks easily so many are afraid to stand up for what they believe or fight for those that need their help because they are afraid of that fraility. I have had my heart broken to pieces in my short life a few times and it is hard to pick those pieces up and put them back together. I would say that Cory’s heart has not just been broken it has been shattered and spread out and trampled on time and again. Yet somehow she has the strenght to keep sweeping up the pieces, mending them together and carrying on. That kind of strenght is rare and almost beyond my level of comprehension.
Bettyjo, heart is something you are tought,yes you are born with it but if you dont use it,it wont work!!! I love you Bettyjo for what you have done for Leah and Cory!!! You have heart!!
Thank you both !
That is the key point here I think.
For me personally, that is what is important, that we all realize this brutality goes on, and we ALL need to recognize it as such.
As Bruce Springsteen says:
“Blind faith in anything can get you killed”.
Maybe now that both sides have loudly and crudely (yes, I plead guilty on this one)shouted out their positions, we can get down to discussing these issues.
I would also like to add that these “elected” officals have lost touch with the humanity side of their positions. I know that this world is run by the almighty dollar but what happened to the heart?