By Cornelia Seigneur
There have been so many interesting developments and comments and ideas over the past 10 days that my original post, “Where’s a police officer to get a cup of coffee?” went viral. It is amazing the power of the pen in sharing a story. And people are running with it.
Officer Crooker and I spoke today for the first time since we met May 18, and said the support has been amazing, from both Portlanders and beyond. People have donated coffee cards to him and fellow policemen, and he is grateful for the encouragement. He is getting calls from the East Coast to speak of his experience. Everyday folks are striking up conversations with police which they might not have happened in the past. The dialogue. The conversation. That is what I am liking to hear. People have asked me for links to national coverage and other media outlets which have covered the story so I am writing this blog post as a quick reflection. Here are some highlights and links as well as featured comments on my original blog and follow up worth talking about:
** An independent film maker made a documentary of his experience dressing as a Police officer and walking into the Red and Black to get coffee. They did not serve him. It will be featured this Saturday. You have got to see this clip – I am hoping to do a story on him. SUNDAY June 13 UPDATE – A segment of his experience was on YouTube as you may have seen on this blog post, but was removed by the creator, so I removed the link. I am looking to find out why.
** CNN covered the story.http://www.cnn.com/search/?query=red+and+black+cafe+kicks+out+cop&primaryType=mixed&x=27&y=6
** Fox news covered http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/06/04/police-officer-asked-leave-portland-coffee-shop/
** The Oregonian has covered various developments of the story, including this week’s press conference with the red and black trying to explain its anarchist views. http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2010/06/red_black_cafe_shows_portland.html
http://www.oregonlive.com/opinion/index.ssf/2010/06/red_and_black_and_blue_in_need.htmlnnels
** All the major news channels in Portland have covered it and came out to interview me for the story.
** The Red and Black had a news conference to explain what they believe:
http://southeastportland.katu.com/content/cafe-owner-explains-why-he-booted-cop
http://www.kgw.com/home/Restaurant-that-kicked-out-cop-claims-it-boosted-business-
** Other local news outlets have written about the incident and/or posted links to the story.
** Radio programs have made the topic a part of their shows, including national ones. The local ones I was interviewed for include: Paul Linnman, Bob Miller, Mark and Dave, and Victoria Taft.
** AP has picked up the story as has Roseburg news.
As I have been stating all along, my hope in writing my original blog post and consecutive ones is to keep the dialogue open on all sides. I want to move the conversation forward, to educating the public on what the police do as well as to listening to the public’s concerns about misuse of police power. There are obvious strong opinions on both sides, and we need to listen to one another and quit name calling. That is a problem on a blog which allows anonymous comments. I should have asked people to give me their names and cities. I bet they would be more careful as I know I am if people know me.
Since we are getting close to 300 comments from across the country on just the first blog post, it is hard to sift through them for readers. So, I thought I would highlight a few of them, people who have written very interesting notes, and that are moving the dialogue to actual open minded discussion.
One note: Not all vegans hate police. In fact, someone pointed out that the red and black is first and foremost anarchist, second vegan.
Here is a sampling of a few comments that I appreciated:
POLICE OFFICER IN SAN ANTONIO:“…As a vegan of 12 years, I find the story particularly interesting. I live in San Antonio, where there is only one vegetarian restaurant. If they asked me to leave where would I eat?? Fortunately, the staff there is very friendly and I can’t imagine being asked to leave! I go there on duty and off duty and they all know what I do. On particularly busy days, they’ll even pack a lunch for me =) It’s called Green. If you or your daughter ever find yourselves in San Antonio, the food there is pretty good and they are officer friendly. Of course, the sad truth is that there are officers who are mirror images of this business owner. Officer Crooker was right in that education is the only way to solve the problem. A lot of officer comments have been defensive (“let’s see what happens if they should ever need our services”…) but the only way to start bridging the gap is to educate ourselves also. We should go out of our way to provide everyone with exceptional customer service – especially those who have a negative opinion of us.”
ATS COMMENT: “Both sides have valid points, and I know that this can be a heated discussion. Simple fact is that the guy did have the right to throw the officer out. I disagree with his opinion, and I think that he grossly generalized a group of people, but he does have the right. I also agree that it promotes an atmosphere of misunderstanding to lump this officer in with the bad occurrences that have happened recently and that many people today do not understand just what these officers go through. Also I find many of the comments written here to be very ignorant of the human condition. Corruption and abuse of power is something that this country was built to fight against. It is our duty to be vigilant against power-happy public officials. But to take the shootings and simply cry “we need anarchy” is school-yard mentality. History shows that any time there was anarchy; it wasn’t long before the people BEGGED for a dictatorship. That’s how bad it gets when people realize that they have no security. To think that we don’t need the police is idealistic nonsense and has no place in the universal truths of cause and effect. Get your nose out of the books and see what real life is like. Also, you’re too hateful with some of your comments. If you can’t filter your prejudice, than your point is moot and you should shut up and sit down so the grownups can talk.”
FROM S. WELLS: “The conversation here for Portlanders is what do you stand for? Do you stand for acceptance, diversity, justice, kindness, and all the other phrases that come to mind when thinking about a progressive, modern city which is known as being “different”…or better yet “weird”? Do we want to be weird because we discriminate, are mean spirited, hateful, and do not embrace all peoples, or do we want to be different because we epitomize acceptance…no matter who or what you are?
My personal opinion of most policeman…and I have lived in many large and small cities, have traveled extensively, is that most are your friends. Of course that is the way I approach everyone, no matter how they are dressed, what color they are, what profession they have, or what nationality. I don’t just talk the talk of non-discrimination, I actually live it. That’s what I loved about Portland…we are committed to the practice of what we preach in the area of diversity. Hopefully, this will instill in everyone a new perspective on that commitment.
As far as the red and black is concerned the sad part is if something happens and they call the police, the PPD will still do their job in a professional manner and assist them in any way they could. Hopefully this is a wakeup call to all of us.”
As a mom of an autistic violent preteen, I have had nothing but great experiences with police. They have had to help find him 4 times when he had ran off from home, and despite his physically fighting them to get away, they realized that he was not normal and treated him with patience, kindness, and compassion. They have treated us with respect and trust. Every time I hear people talk about peaceful protesters are being attacked, I first question if the severity of police response possibly was greatly exagerated. Then I question how peaceful these “peaceful protesters” were. Just because there are some bad cops doesn’t mean they all are.
I’m a law abiding mother who raised my child to trust the police, and look to the police if he got lost &tc. But you know what, that has changed. After seeing the police brutality to peaceful protesters, and the abuses perpetrated under cover of the uniform, these days I tell my child to stay well away from them. Now I caution “never ever talk to the cops” as boingboing advises.
I understand that police have a tough job and that they are people to, but the fact that a cop can take off his badge and then beat the sh*t out of someone and none of his “brother officers” will rat him out… well, that might shield that officer from paying the price for his criminal acts, but what it also does is paint everyone wearing the uniform as untrustworthy.
Let me tell you, too, as a blogger, I take photos of everything because it might come in handy for the blog, but you know, when I accidentally snapped a shot of a pay duty officer at the local multicultural festival, well, I have to tell you, I felt a stab of felt fear.
What if he saw me taking his picture? Will he confiscate my camera? Arrest me? people are getting charged criminally for “intimidating” officers – for taking their photographs. I’m in Canada, but this kind of thing doesn’t just happen here, there is plenty happening there:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g1e9Htc6FMY&feature=related
Nope. Police are bringing it on themselves. I used to be sympathetic to law enforcement, but at this point it will be an awfully long time before I trust any of them. Can I relax in a restaurant if a cop comes in? No.
I simply can’t abide bullies, and that is the reputation cops are carving out for themselves as they pepper spray old ladies and students who are trying to make this a better world.
Sure, all righteous and “hey, get out of my cafe, cop” but I wonder if the owner might be interested in having the police around if someone came in to rob the cash register, or mug him as he went out to bank the day’s proceeds. As far as *I* am concerned, the only people who wouldn’t want a police officer around are those who have something to hide from the law.
“hmmm…I didn’t see any comments in your “highlights” as to why people don’t feel comfortable in the presence of a uniformed police officer”
Actually, most people DO feel comfortable around uniformed police officers, Anne Hohnermous. It is the anarchist, eco-crazies that most people don’t care to be around.
http://www.scpr.org/news/2010/04/05/texas-man-sentenced-prison-elf-related-plot-burn-p/
Do you know how many of the patrons at the Red and Black consider arson a legitimate expression of their rage at being such a marginal political movement?
And about “discrimination”–it seems that it is the management at the Red and Black that pre-judges people that they don’t even know.
And while we’re at it, I’d love to see your take on sites like Injusticeeverywhere.com and TheAgitator.com.
You want to have a “dialog,” but you only highlight comments that are positive to police?
** Red Star Times has also covered it quite well: http://redstartimes.com/2010/06/06/portland-police-provoke-anarchist-coffee-shop/