Reactions to fatal beating of Tyre Nichols
NAACP Memphis President Van Turner calls for legislative changes for law enforcement officers Sunday in the wake of the beating of Tyre Nichols in Memphis, Tenn. Credit: AP/Patrick Lantrip
Reactions to fatal beating of Nichols
The five Memphis police officers fired after their fatal beating of Tyre Nichols should have had that traffic stop end in only an arrest and a court date ["Calls to change police culture renewed after death," News, Jan. 30]. It does not matter if the officers are Black or white. Police brutality is dead wrong, All true men and women of integrity must always fight against police brutality by speaking truth to power, marching in the streets, and advocating for justice in the courts.
However, we must also honor the many good police officers who have not been corrupted and who serve their community with honor and distinction. This will help provide them with the inner strength to stand up against the horrors of police brutality.
The Rev. Arthur L. Mackey Jr., Roosevelt
After the horrendous death of Tyre Nichols, the question of why remains. There are numerous, underlying causes. Consider:
--"Group think" comes into play. One for all and all for one was at work.
--With a nationwide sense of often questioning police actions -- whether right or wrong, good or bad -- police officers feel frustration and angst.
--The "immediacy" of any moment must be countered by a quick reevaluation and change in action by those in positions of authority, whatever their profession. In the case of Tyre Nichols, wrongful decision-making resulted. Changes in action were never employed.
--Could the officers have been trained differently?
Norman Barrie, Jericho
The outpouring of anger in cities around the country in reaction to the Memphis police beating of Tyre Nichols should be the prelude to a massive demonstration in Washington, D.C., similar to the historic March on Washington in 1963. That sea of humanity was a catalyst that resulted in the passage of the Civil Rights Act of1964.
A similar huge gathering on the Washington mall would send a strong message to Congress that the time has come to implement clear national standards for police behavior as contained in the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act if 2021. Strict and effective law enforcement can be maintained without resorting to barbaric measures as witnessed in Memphis.
Paul Jacobs, Huntington
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