PUBLIC MARKS from babils with tag police

This attempt to blame Mr Menezes for his own death continues unabated. It was hinted that he might have been an illegal immigrant, as if that justifies what occurred. It has been argued that it was “irresponsible” of him to wear a quilted jacket in July, as if that were a crime. There are, furthermore, “no excuses”, it is intoned, for the fact that he ran when armed plainclothed police officers shouted at him. I don’t know about you, but if I found myself minding my own business on the São Paulo metro and was suddenly confronted by men wearing no uniforms but wielding weapons, screaming at me in Portuguese, I too might choose to bolt for it. It was not merely the police but their victim who had to make a split-second decision.

Et ensuite, on s'habitue. On entend des arguments conséquentialistes. Selon ces calculs, il vaut quand même mieux mourir innocent assassiné de huit balles de la police dans la tête que mourir innocent sous des explosifs et des clous. Et la facilité avec laquelle on oublie vite la tradition de policiers non-armés passe presque inaperçue. La presse a été étrangement rapide à jouer l'apologie raisonnable ("de Menezes n'avait qu'à pas courir", c'est regrettable mais on n'y peut rien, c'est comme ça, tant pis). La stratégie est souvent de nous rappeler que chacun de nous aurait fait le même calcul, et on oublie alors le scandale dans l'accident qui en résulte.