Michael bennett: Innocent victim or race-baiting liar?

[ravens_creed]

Ok, let me try again... I don't think that Michael Bennett is a "race-baiting liar", but police using racial profiling as a tactic is only a piece of the pie in what is wrong with the bigger issue. I wasn't trying to undermine the importance of the wrongness of that, I was just expanding on the other pieces of the pie. :P

[Jameis1of1]

I appreciate the clarification; thanks

[JWinn]

So I've been thinking about this, and here's my take.

No, I don't think he's a "race baiting lair", but I do think he suffers from something that's very popular today.

To exaggerate everything as much as possible. Especially when becoming even the slightest victim.

About ten years ago, I was picking my kid up from school. As I came around the parking lot, another parent (a mom) darted out from a parked SUV and forced me to hit my brakes. No problem. I stopped, and she ran into the school. I was a little annoyed, but this happens in life, and I thought no more of it and parked to await my kid.

About a week later, I hear the she's telling other parents I almost hit her, and she narrowly avoided a "hit and run". That I was speeding thru the lot, and if she hadn't been quick, I would have killed her.

"KILLED HER!!!" HIT & RUN?"

Absolutely nothing happened. I never came close to hitting her, and there was never any "incident". No cops were called, and I only heard about this "rumor" from another parent.

I think something happened to him, he probably did something to make the situation worse (like talk back to an officer), and is blowing this up for the attention.

Being perceived a victim, for even the slightest thing, seems to be a popular thing today. It seems people relish being victims, so they can enjoy a certain status among the rest of us.

9/11 responders are an example. We now honor them, as we should, but 9/11 spurred anew class of criminal (in many cases just dirtbags) who claims victimhood to gain money, or simply the attention.

People who claim to have cancer come to mind.

Race relations is another area where people like to claim being a victim, even when they really are not.

Bennet obviously had a negative encounter with the police, but something in me says it wasn't as bad as he is making it out to be, and that he's only giving us one side, a very heavily skewed side, of the story.

I guess it could be seen as "race baiting", but I think that's more in the eye of the beholder, rather than in the perpetrator.

We all like to assume that a persons motive fit OUR understanding, but that's rarely the case. I don't know what he was thinking, and I don't believe anyone else does either.

Honestly, the way people behave these days, I doubt he knows his motives really. Just doing what he feels will give him the most type of attention he wants.

[Jameis1of1]

^ That is a well thought and out and great reply and you make a ton of very good points. I hope you're right about Bennett perhaps not even knowing why he said/wrote what he said ... I guess I'm more skeptical of humanity in general but your post was very thought-provoking; nice work!

[JWinn]

Thanks!

But to be truly honest, my thoughts on this are anything but well thought out.

Confused and conflicted would probable be a better description.


I just have no idea what's in his heart, or what his intent truly was.

[Jameis1of1]

Thanks!

But to be truly honest, my thoughts on this are anything but well thought out.

Confused and conflicted would probable be a better description.

I just have no idea what's in his heart, or what his intent truly was.

Your last statement is why I considered your reply well thought out ... it's a wise person that refuses to judge someone before they know all the facts ... especially when the norm today is to judge everyone instantly.

[Jameis1of1]

Update:

http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/2...ichael-bennett

[swiggy56]

Hopefully this incident/story is almost over, if not over. I honestly don't believe Bennett lied on purpose. He knows what would come of it. However, the problem I have is the officer who did not have his body cam on. It could easily be an accident that it was not activated, very understandable. Maybe the officer knew it wasn't on and knew he could say something (like Bennett's statement). Just like the officer could have had his gun pointed at Bennett's head briefly before back up arrived. It's been mentioned in several articles that the cam wasn't on. In the article above, the sheriff said the officer 'might face discipline. Like what? A slap on the wrist? A day off without pay? We will most likely never know if the officer got any discipline or not. Another thing is all these cameras. Did any of them catch Bennett's statements? Could the police be covering it up to protect themselves. Sure. Or, maybe what Bennett stated, never happened and every cam that caught the angles can prove that Bennett lied. Maybe there was no gun against the head or knee in the back. The only thing the cameras wouldn't catch is what the officer supposedly said to Bennett.

I am saddened by what is happening in this country. We have had the hate, race, injustice issues for a very long time. It was there, it had been in the news. Just not highly publicized. However, this year, it has escalated immensely. A lot of people can say it's due to the new administration. A lot of others will disagree. I do think not enough is being done to end the crap. Our government really could start cracking down on it, but they won't. Some won't because it goes against their personal beliefs and may hurt them in the pockets (depending on who supports them). We are looked up to throughout the world, because of the opportunities that our country provides. There are a lot of good people who want to come here to better themselves and their families. But, many people say otherwise. They think they are all coming here to take jobs away and live off the government and taxpayers. The comments I've been reading over the last several months, it sucks. It's amazing how many people have hate and racism in them. Seeing people telling others to die. We were supposed to be getting better as a society and remember our past, not bring it back.

As far as the Anthem protests. The players have said they are not against the service. They are saying it's due to racial equality and injustice from law enforcement. Others are calling BS. It's amazing how the people who are mad over all this, know more than the players protesting. They are 100% determined that the players are disrespecting the service members past/present. All the people saying they will never watch/go to a game again. Never buy food from sponsors. Burning their jerseys. Selling their tix. Could the players have chosen a different path to protest.... Yes! But, they know that it would not get the attention that is needed.

Should politics be in sports..... No! Should the Prez be more focused on the issues of our country and the world before attacking the NFL.... Yes! That is something that could have come later. It is important, but not as important as other more pressing issues.

This is a sports forum and a fun/happy place. I'm sorry if this has upset any of you. I don't like to talk about this stuff.

[Jameis1of1]

I for one appreciate your post Swiggy56. I'm not sure if you and I see eye to eye on the issue but I respect your opinion and enjoyed reading your post regardless.

As for the possible "discipline" for the cop ... I imagine it would just be a slap on the wrist as they say they only issue was his cam was off and not that he actually did anything against protocol.

As to the reason why I think some people get angry about the BLM folks and all the claims of "institutional racism" and "white privilege" ... I imagine some of the individuals that get upset are indeed racists but I also think the vast majority of people getting upset, get upset because they believe BLM and their supporters are flat out lying and it drives them nuts.

Below are a few images I just pulled up in a quick google search that I think adequately detail some of the anti-BLM crowd's thoughts:

whiteprivilege.jpg 72969d250601bddd88ced06b01b37d61--white-privilege-political-quotes.jpgzhum6.jpg

[ctkenjr]

Not sure if this belongs in this section, but in my simple opinion, the media creates more race issues than anyone at all.