AJC Sept. 29, 1969 pg. 4A
SHILOH - A person who has never witnessed police brutality cannot understand the outrage and bitterness felt by those who have to stand by helplessly and see the personification of 1aw beat up a handcuffed soldier, or hit a boy in the face with a billy club because he is young and has long hair is a terrible experience for onlooker and victim alike.
Until recently the middle
class and the affluent have been spared this experience Brutality was more
confined Now they can watch it on TV. Sunday might TV 11 p.m. news showed a
police man hit a young man in the face with a billy club as he led him away by
the arm. The boy plainly was not
trying to escape.
Not only can parents see it TV.
Their sons and daughters are increasingly both witnesses and victims of harsh
police action. Instead of concentrating on serious crimes, police forces are
involved with public morality, and harassing the young, the unpopular, and the
unconventional.
Unfortunately there is little
redress for brutal police actions I am told by a very prominent attorney that
It is impossible to get action against a policeman for brutality in any city,
county, or state court. The only legal redress lies in federal courts, a hard
and expensive route.
Real deterrents to north acts
he in city administrations through strict control, discipline and dismissal of
offending officers A general community opposition to brutal acts, and a
vigorous press contribute to stability in this respect also. Irresponsible
cries for Òunleashing the policeÓ and "law and order" break down
these deterrents.
Like other cities across the
country, Atlanta has a fine police department. I hope the upcoming
investigation vindicates the responsible and into reasonable men who compose
it. I also hope that necessary reforms will be made, and the bad apples
removed.
It is also well to remember that mistreatment breeds
resentment and loss of respect. The young people of today are the majority of
tomorrow, the leaders of the future Those who irresponsibly condone misconduct
may win a battle today and lose the war. The cry of the future may well be
Òpolice restraint.Ó
W. RANDOLPH PHILLIPS,
State Representative.
ATLANTA - Our law enforcement
officers represent the law. If and when "the lawÓ gives a copy of charges
or makes an arrest that is considered unjustified, then true believers in our
system certainly do not attack "the lawÓ and try to prevent him from
carrying out his sworn duty. Such an attack is insurrection against the law.
Though our courts, the
orderly process for change in laws
determines what is right. And the orderly process for change in laws is
adequately provided for in our legislative and election procedures.
Those who assault ''the law''
because they think he is wrong are guilty of creating disorder and are
encouraging anarchy. They are a menace to our society and system of government
which combines freedom with order.
T.J. CAMPBELL
FITZGERALD Ð How enraged I
became after reading the article in a recent paper on police brutality in
Piedmont Park. It is difficult for me to believe that the majority of Atlantans
are sympathetic towards the hippies. How many pleasant, rewarding encounters
has the public had with the Atlanta hippie community.
I have recently moved from
Atlanta and used to pass through
the hippie area several times a week I must admit that I understand many of the
reasons for the rebellious actions by hippies, but again we are all compelled
to live by certain standards and laws in our society.
I am bitterly opposed to the
idea that police brutality took place last week. Policemen are only human and
can be pushed so far before reaching a breaking point. I saw on television and
also talked to several people who were present at the Park where hippies were
attacking and harassing the policemen who were trying to enforce the law.
What kind of a society can
condone an uprising of a minority
group of jobless, uneducated people? I feel sure that the police made mistakes
in the incident Sunday but their job is to protect the public from individuals
who may be detrimental to society.
Take a good look at the
majority of the groups who were pressing for an investigation and then ask
yourself if they are representative of the majority of the citizens in Atlanta.
If we don't watch out, no one will want to become a policeman when the public
will not back their actions, and where do we go from there?
MRS. ROBERT SHERRELL
ATLANTA-Last Sunday afternoon
at Piedmont Park I observed with my own eyes the savage reality of police
brutality. From the moment the police let loose with their tear gas grenades,
it was evident that they had come to fight and not to restore saw no attempt on
the part of any police official to enter into any sort of dialogue with the
youthful crowd. And when it was discovered that they were not to be intimidated
by stink bomb therapy, a few of the more hysterical cops escalated the violence
to an orgy, of club swinging.
Picture, if you will, our
heroic cops clubbing youths offering absolutely no resistance, or dragging
young girls through the mud to the paddy wagons.
Admittedly there were, those
who deliberately taunted the police. However, the marked absence of emotional
control and inner structure displayed by several of the cops reflected a
conduct anything but professional.
DAVID F. BONISLAWSRI.
ATLANTA - Your editorials in
The Constitution of Sept 24, illustrated the heart of the problem, which
handicaps the police and other authorities in controlling and preventing
disorder in this community.
Why were the police there in
the first place? Were they trying to disrupt a legitimate music festival? The
answer is to be found in the news reports of the Atlanta newspapers, according
to which they were trying to arrest a young man who was smoking marijuana. I
hope I spelled it right. The other young people started a riot to prevent the
arrest.
The reputation of Piedmont Park has become notorious.
It is a gathering place for the ÒhippiesÓ and their Òfellow travelersÓ. It is
common knowledge, gleaned in part from your newspaper , that they use and
peddle dangerous drugs; and they encourage and harbor teenagers who rub away
from home.
I am sorry that Mrs. Johnston
was injured; but, in GodÕs name, why would a professor at Georgia Tech allow
his children to associate with the typo of people who were at Piedmont Park on
Sunday. He illustrates another thing which is wrong with this country, the type
of people whom we are allowing to instruct our young people.
You defend
permissiveness and, then, when the
police try to control the disorder, which results from this ÒpermissivenessÓ,
we are confronted with the false accusation of Òpolice brutalityÓ. What do you
expect of the police when they are outnumbered 20 to 1, and being attacked and
some misguided woman, such as this Mrs. Johnston Òsticks her nose into it.Ó
The good citizens of this
community ought to support the police, you may thank God for them someday.
E. J. (ZEKE) SUMMEROUR