Subscribe to Breaking NewsWithers: MTA police hate cartwheels
If you visit New York City, don’t do cartwheels in Grand Central Station. The MTA police will beat you down and pen a ticket for disorderly conduct.
Writer Jesse Archer was walking, with a friend, through an empty Grand Central Station and did a cartwheel (jealousy alert: I sort of hate him for being able to do one, but I’ll keep that to myself for now). A few MTA police saw this display of exuberance and were not pleased. They issued him a ticket. Archer admits he let the officers know he was a bit miffed at getting a citation for a gymnastic move in an empty building; he returns to his friend, says something to his pal about the cops with a cuss word involved, and gets tackled by the “offended officers.” They push Archer’s face on the floor and handcuff him.
Even if you think Archer went too far with his language (and that’s a big if), being tackled, arrested, and put in a holding cell in your underwear, is a tad bit excessive for a cartwheel no?
Can’t wait to see the moral indignation from some of you about this case. Mainly because a lot of you went nutso when I had the nerve to write about some black Harvard prof arrested on his porch. He wasn’t a member of the tribe and police over reaction is really not the concern of gays and lesbians, right? “Gates-gate” was a “ghetto news” story, not appropriate for a gay site.
Ask Archer. I’m sure he’ll have a different take.
Put your heads in the sand all you want, but police brutality is a gay issue. Homophobes in blue and street clothes have no problem treating us like we are not citizens.
Who’s chair of MTA right now? They’ve got some huge projects going on–huge equals expensive–like 2nd Av subway, Fulton/WTC subway complex, LIRR into Grand Central–and an MTA cop is going to arrest somebody for cartwheels? Not vandalizing MTA property, not interrupting service, not handing out leaflets, not harming anybody or anything by even the most conservative measure. How much did it cost to send this guy to a holding cell?
Note–for those of you who display a compulsion to pipe up about police brutality, the worldview some of you offer is one that smacks of an oppositional disorder. Like the kid who always defied a teacher, solely for the sake of being defiant. Was this pointless? Hell yes, and it should be singled out as such. Does it mean that all cops are going to abuse whatever power they have? If you say yes to that, chances are extremely high that you are the architect of many of your own conflicts. Victimhood is a pathetic thing to work for.
This comment is about Withered’s “Corpulent” article
I must say…. this young man is wearing a shirt that comments on the monarchy!
The fact that he has a build of substance should not limit his right of expression.
In fact when I commented on a man Wither’s age wearing a hoodie I was blasted as a racist. Now Withers condems a brother for being at the most Wither’s size and weight and feels this man has no right of expression.
As for the cartwheels…. something this easy to comment on…. something this simple …… something this irrelevant to gay life is probably the territory Withers covers best!
Stay tuned next week when Withers gets a hang nail and is refused treatment from his HMO for being an HOMO!
Withers, yet again you’re in another minority. Welcome to the club
Cheers,
Yhitzak
Yhitzak,
It’s all good. I recognize irony. Most of the time.
Sincerely,
James
All due respect, but police brutality isn’t a gay issue, it’s a social issue. Minority groups are targeted by police far more than majority groups, and I won’t argue that, but I think semantics is important. Where I come from, if you’re non-white, potentially GLBT (perception is EVERYTHING), under the apparent age of 40, or appear to make less than $150K per year, you’re a target of the police. Heh. Although I’m sure a lot of folks here will appreciate your finding a story that fits their bill, Withers. (Tongue in cheek; not directed at you.)
Thanks for continuing to talk about a serious subject that ultimately affects us ALL.
Absolute power corrupts absolutely. Until non-uniform police review boards are set up to review the abuses of power committed by cops then it will never change. My proposal: a tripartite panel consisting of police officers (to speak to the nature of police work), business owners and finally private citizens. (I think I’m stealing this from a NY politician btw). They could replace the internal affairs-esque complaint departments for the most part. Hell, make it liek jury duty if you want…most ppl won’t try and get out of that – lol!
You’re absolutely right, James.