What About When Police Accidentally Kill an Innocent Person?

The current murder trial of Amber Guyger is drawing added attention to cases where police officers accidentally shoot someone. You may recall that she is a former Dallas police officer who while off duty accidentally walked into a neighbor’s apartment, thinking it was her own, and shot unarmed Botham Jean. You can read more about her trial and case in numerous recent articles including the ones linked to in this sentence on the websites of The Dallas Morning News[1], the Fort Worth Star-Telegram[2]; CNN[3], and NPR.[4]      

The fact that this case is drawing so much attention may be an indication that such cases are relatively rare. Vox.com[5] reports that official data on the number of persons killed each year by police is incomplete, but mappingpoliceviolence.org[6] states “police killed 1,164 people in 2018” and statistics on killedbypolice.net[7] state “602 people have been shot and killed by police in 2019 (updated 2019-08-28).”

My guess is that most of the police shootings were done by police defending themselves against criminals, but accurate statistics on unjustified shootings are not available.

What should be done in the (I hope relatively rare) cases where police do accidentally shoot an innocent person? I believe that in such cases police officers should be prosecuted and given a fair trial.

Power and Responsibility

A 1962 fictional comic book, Amazing Fantasy #15, which included the first appearance of Spider-Man, closes with Peter Parker (Spider-Man) “aware … with great power there must also come . . . great responsibility!” Regardless of whether the quote first appeared in that comic book or was taken from words the Frenchman Voltaire used long before as some claim, it contains words of wisdom as I see it.

Police have a great deal of power and authority compared to the citizens they encounter daily, and thus have a responsibility to use their power and authority wisely as I see it. Obviously their training and experience cannot fully prepare them for whatever unexpected situations they may encounter at a given time on a given day. But, they do have a huge responsibility to seek to behave responsibly at all times.  

Dangers of Being a Police Officer

Being a policeman is a difficult and dangerous job. Forbes.com[8] reports that in 2018 “106 police officers lost their lives on duty.” But, more police officers die from suicide than from attacks by criminals. According to bluehelp.org[9] “in 2018, at least 167 officers died by suicide.” Being a police officer is a stressful job and pay is relatively low for many officers compared to a lot of other professions.

What Can and Should Be Done?

What can be done to reduce shootings of innocent individuals by police? Being somewhat idealistic, I would love to aim for a time when police always use nonlethal weapons. Frequently police do use tasers instead of guns to subdue suspects, which I think is preferable to killing the suspect when feasible.

Maybe someday tranquilizer darts will provide an even more effective alternative to using a gun to kill a suspect. But my understanding is that current tranquilizer darts take too long to take effect, and it’s difficult to calculate the appropriate drug dosage to put in the dart. If a suspect is aiming to shoot a police officer or charging toward a police officer, the officer may have only a few seconds (or less) after observing the suspect to take action.

In summary, I strongly support prosecuting police officers who kill innocent persons. But, I hope and believe such killings are relatively rare.

What about the case in Dallas that I opened this piece with? The jury found Amber Guyger guilty of murder on Tuesday, October 1, 2019, and on Wednesday, October 2, 2019, the jury sentenced her to 10 years in prison, as reported by numerous news sources.

ENDNOTES:

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[1] Jennifer Emily, LaVendrick Smith and Dana Branham; “Amber Guyger testifies that she killed Botham Jean out of fear, but prosecutor says a cop should know better”; The Dallas Morning News; September 27, 2019; webpage accessed September 28, 2019; https://www.dallasnews.com/news/courts/2019/09/27/amber-guyger-testifies-she-killed-botham-jean-out-of-fear-but-prosecutor-says-a-cop-should-know-better/  

[2] Mitch Mitchell; “Guyger testifies: ‘I was thinking I shot an innocent man who didn’t deserve it.’ ”; Fort Worth Star-Telegram; September 27, 2019; webpage accessed September 28, 2019; ” https://www.star-telegram.com/news/local/crime/article235512537.html

[3] Ray Sanchez and Ashley Killough; “Amber Guyger’s murder trial resumes after she testifies that she wishes Botham Jean ‘was the one with the gun who had killed me’ ”; CNN; September 28, 2019; webpage accessed September 28, 2019; https://www.cnn.com/2019/09/28/us/botham-jean-amber-guyger-saturday/index.html

[4] Tanya Ballard Brown; “ ‘ I hate myself .’ Former Dallas Police Officer Who Killed Neighbor Tells Jurors”; NPR; September 27, 2019; webpage accessed September 28, 2019; https://www.npr.org/2019/09/27/765122240/i-hate-myself-former-dallas-police-officer-tells-jurors-during-murder-trial

[5] German Lopez; “There’s no good official data on how many people police kill each year”; Vox.com; updated November 14, 2018; webpage accessed September 28, 2019; https://www.vox.com/identities/2016/8/13/17938206/police-shooting-killing-data

[6] “Mapping Police Violence”; MappingPoliceViolence.org; webpage accessed September 28, 2019; https://mappingpoliceviolence.org/

[7] “Police Shootings Database – Killed By Police (Updated: Aug, 2019)”; killedbypolice.net; webpage accessed September 28, 2019; https://killedbypolice.net/

[8] Niall McCarthy; “The Number of U.S. Police Officers Killed in the Line of Duty Increased Last Year [Infographic]”;  Forbes.com; May 8, 2019; webpage accessed September 28, 2019; https://www.forbes.com/sites/niallmccarthy/2019/05/08/the-number-of-u-s-police-officers-killed-in-the-line-of-duty-increased-last-year-infographic/#3c7597a91189

[9] “167 American Police Officers Died By Suicide in 2018”; BLUE H.E.L.P. (bluehelp.org); updated June 15, 2019; webpage accessed September 28, 2019; https://bluehelp.org/158-american-police-officers-died-by-suicide-in-2018/?fbclid=IwAR0eCgLUQ0zrmtf75B_mWHQqMH6eccmIuYT-J3eoJomcIckdPFI7pCwgAcM

NOTE:

This piece was submitted to Google Blogger on September 29, 2019 and last updated on October 3, 2019. It is virtually identical to one the author submitted to Craft News Report, a website operated by his friend Paul Craft, on September 28, 2019.

Why I Think Recreational Marijuana Should Be Illegal

The Motley Fool website in an article on September 22, 2019[1] cites the 2019 State of the Legal Cannabis Markets report as claiming 20 U.S. states will completely legalize cannabis (marijuana) by 2024.

I support keeping marijuana illegal where it is already illegal and making it illegal elsewhere. Why?

Reason #1: Marijuana has numerous harmful effects.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse[2] website states (among other things) that marijuana use impairs memory, impairs body movement, causes difficulty thinking and problem solving, and can lead to hallucinations, paranoia, and breathing problems. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration website[3] states that marijuana can affect brain health, mental health, athletic performance, driving, a baby’s health, and daily life. The Drug Enforcement Administration website[4] also lists some of the problems marijuana use causes. And, you can find numerous other articles online that discuss marijuana’s many harmful effects. 

Reason #2: To avoid second-hand smoke.

I do not want to breathe second-hand marijuana smoke. I dislike breathing harmful second-hand tobacco smoke, and I don’t want to breathe any marijuana smoke. Furthermore, I don’t want children or even adult nonusers to be exposed to second-hand cannabis smoke in cars, homes, etc.

Reason #3: Even if marijuana has medicinal value, it should only be used by those needing it in appropriate doses.

Numerous legal drugs are already abused. And, marijuana use has numerous harmful side effects as I noted in reason #1 above.

Furthermore, if one or more ingredients in marijuana have some medical benefit, it would be better for the active ingredient(s) to be administered in a standard dosage in some form other than smoking.

I am not a medical professional and can not give medical advice.  However, if marijuana contains one or more active ingredients that have medical benefits, then the active ingredient(s) presumably could be administered via prescription in a suitable dosage to treat specific problems. This would eliminate the unnecessary ingestion by smokers of harmful chemicals in marijuana.  In addition it would eliminate the damage of second-hand smoke to nonusers.

Does marijuana have medical benefits? Some studies have found no medical benefits from marijuana, although others claim to have found some such as pain relief. A WebMD article[5] is one of the numerous ones online that discuss medical marijuana and its possible benefits. 

Reason #4: The “war on drugs” is less expensive to society than the costs from legalization.  

Some claim that due to the expense of the “war on drugs” it would be more beneficial to legalize marijuana and tax it.  But, I think the costs to society of increased usage due to legalizing it would far exceed the costs of enforcing laws against it.

I admit that there is no way to accurately measure those costs.  We can’t even accurately measure the costs to society of alcohol abuse.  However, the most abused drug by children is alcohol, and their #1 source for it is taking it from their parents’ supplies.  If marijuana were legal, abuse by children could dramatically increase.

I do support reducing the burden on our jails and prison system from marijuana abuse.   For one thing, to reduce the number of first-time offenders, I support better education about marijuana’s harmful effects in schools, in public service announcements, etc. Second, I oppose jail for those convicted for the first time of smoking marijuana.  For first-time offenders I support a sizable fine to help pay for legal costs and mandatory education about marijuana’s harmful effects. However, for those selling it or repeat offenders, I do support jail sentences, a larger fine, and more mandatory education about marijuana’s harmful effects, as well as rehabilitation.

Closing Thoughts:

Millions of persons spend huge amounts of money on marijuana and other drugs, expenditures that do more harm than good. I urge persons not to use marijuana or any other harmful drug unless needed for medicinal reasons.  

ENDNOTES:

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[1] Sean Williams; “20 States Expected to Fully Legalize Marijuana by 2024”; The Motley Fool website; September 22, 2019; webpage accessed September 22, 2019; https://www.fool.com/investing/2019/09/22/20-states-expected-to-fully-legalize-marijuana-by.aspx

[2] “Marijuana Drug Facts”; National Institute on Drug Abuse; revised July 2019; webpage accessed September 22, 2019; https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/marijuana

[3] “Know the Risks of Marijuana”; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration; webpage accessed September 22, 2019; https://www.samhsa.gov/marijuana

[4] “Marijuana”; United States Drug Enforcement Administration; webpage accessed September 22, 2019; https://www.dea.gov/factsheets/marijuana

[5] “Medical Marijuana FAQ”; WebMD; webpage accessed September 22, 2019; https://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/medical-marijuana-faq

NOTE:

This piece being submitted to Google Blogger on September 24, 2019 is almost identical to one the author submitted to Craft News Report, a website operated by his friend Paul Craft, on September 22, 2019. That article was adapted and updated from other writings the author has done on marijuana.

Animals Help Humans: Hunting Them Is Cruel

Last month (August 2019) a large group of “European parliamentarians and conservation groups” called for a ban on trophy hunting of “endangered animals” according to a piece on Phys.org[1] that apparently originated with AFP. A Reuters article[2] and other sources also discuss this. I agree with the proposed ban. I even advocate eventually banning all hunting.

All animals are useful. See links later in this article to some true stories about a variety of animals that helped humans in various ways.

I used to eat meat without even thinking about it. As a boy I often ate meat even when other members of my family chose not to. But in recent years, I’ve sought to progress toward a vegan diet, avoiding eating meat, dairy, or egg products. I don’t agree with PETA’s methods, but I feel they do convey an important basic message about the cruel treatment of animals raised to be killed for food.

Personally, I even hate swatting a fly. I’m one of those people who tries to trap them between a cup and a flat surface, slide a piece of paper between the cup and the flat surface, then carry the cup outside to release the fly.

Therefore, you can probably guess how I feel about hunting deer, squirrels, turkeys, rabbits, etc., just for sport. And, it’s not just wild animals that are killed or injured by hunters. Though the number may be relatively small, each year some hunters and innocent bystanders are killed or injured by hunters.

But, most of the deaths and injuries occur to wildlife. While some hunters may claim they weed out the weaker animals offering them euthanasia in a sense, most hunters I know take pride in the health of the animal they kill. They enjoy the sport of it and less sport is involved in killing a weak, diseased animal.

Killing something doesn’t seem like fun to me. Not at all!

If mice are in your home, they can be caught in a glue trap, then taken outside and released. Even better, we can take action to prevent them from coming in initially.

Killing an animal just for the sport of it seems cruel. And some hunters I know who claim to kill animals for food to reduce their food costs spend so much money on their motor vehicle traveling to and from the hunting area, guns, hunting dogs, hunting clothes, etc., that they could buy the meat cheaper.

Of course some hunters enjoy the outdoor life, being in the woods close to nature and hiking, more than the sport of hunting. I urge these hunters to give up the sport of hunting. Why not just enjoy watching the animals, as well as the other benefits of being close to nature?

Native American Indians, Pioneer Days, and Now

The Native American Indians hunted for food and used parts of dead animals for various purposes. Little went to waste. That was probably true also for some of the pioneers on the frontier in the early years of the United States.

But, now we can buy, prepare, and eat food faster that is tastier, cheaper, and more nutritious without hunting. We can buy clothing assembled from manmade materials that is cheaper, more comfortable, and nicer looking than homemade clothing from animal hides. And modern manmade materials can fulfill many other functions better and cheaper than products made from animal parts.

Stories About Animals Helping Humans

If we treat animals well, I think they will treat us well. Stories abound of cases where an animal befriended by a human returned the favor. You can read numerous stories about trained dogs aiding humans in various ways. Dolphins have guided ships safely through treacherous waters and rescued swimmers.

An article on CheatSheet.com[3] tells about animals including lions, a gorilla, a pig, a whale, a horse, and a rabbit that helped a human.  A OneGreenPlanet.org piece[4] includes stories about a sea lion, a deer, and beavers that aided humans. One of fourteen stories in an AnimalsLook.com article[5] is about a parrot that helped save a baby’s life. A Reader’s Digest article[6] includes a story about giant rats trained to find land mines and TB. AnimalsAustralia.org[7] tells the story of a man and a crocodile who became good friends. BlazePress.com[8] and other sources tell about an eleven-year friendship between a man and a lion.

Furthermore, you may be familiar with stories from the Bible of other creatures helping humans. I remember reading about ravens feeding Elijah (see I Kings 17) and Jonah being rescued by a big fish. I believe both stories are true. Let’s seek to love all God’s creatures and enjoy the benefits that come from it, including their efforts to reciprocate.

ENDNOTES:

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[1] “Conservationists, EU MPs urge ban on trophy hunting of endangered species”; Phys.org (apparently from AFP); August 18, 2019; webpage accessed September 15, 2019; https://phys.org/news/2019-08-conservationists-eu-mps-urge-trophy.html

[2] Forrest Crellin; “Conservationists push at CITES conference to ban trophy hunting”; Reuters; August 20, 2019; webpage accessed September 15, 2019; https://www.reuters.com/article/us-environment-hunting/conservationists-push-at-cites-conference-to-ban-trophy-hunting-idUSKCN1VA1CY

[3] Amanda Harding; “Crazy True Stories of Wild Animals Saving People’s Lives”; CheatSheet.com; April 23, 2018; webpage accessed September 15, 2019; https://www.cheatsheet.com/culture/crazy-but-true-stories-of-wild-animals-saving-peoples-lives.html/

[4] Aisling Maria Cronin; “These Five Stories of Amazing Times Wild Animals Saved People in Need Will Leave You Awe-Struck”; OneGreenPlanet.org; webpage accessed September 15, 2019; https://www.onegreenplanet.org/animalsandnature/stories-of-amazing-times-wild-animals-saved-people-in-need/  

[5] “Animals Helping Humans in Most Critical of the Situations – 14 Stories”; AnimalsLook.com; webpage accessed September 15, 2019; http://www.animalslook.com/animals-helping-humans-in-most-critical-of-the-situations-14-stories/?f=1

[6] Amanda Riley-Jones; “Not Your Ordinary Pets: These Heroic Stories Prove Animals Are True Life-Savers”; Reader’s Digest website; https://www.rd.com/true-stories/survival/surprising-animal-heroes/

[7] “The true story of Pocho the crocodile: when man and croc become best friends”; AnimalsAustralia; last updated February 17, 2017; webpage accessed September 15, 2019; https://www.animalsaustralia.org/features/amazing-croc-story.php

[8] “Man and Lion Become the Best of Friends after 11 Years of Friendship”; BlazePress.com; last updated March 24, 2015; webpage accessed September 15, 2019; https://blazepress.com/2015/01/man-lion-become-best-friends-11-years-friendship/

NOTE:

This piece being submitted to Google Blogger on September 16, 2019 is virtually identical to one the author submitted to Craft News Report, a website operated by his friend  Paul Craft, on September 15, 2019.

Electric Cars May Dominate World Auto Sales Sooner Than You Think

Electric cars may dominate world automobile sales sooner than you think.

NPR reports[1] that in March 2019 58% of new car sales in Norway were of electric cars. Furthermore, most of Norway’s electricity is generated by hydropower, which is relatively clean energy. Therefore, the car batteries there are being recharged without using much fossil fuel like coal, oil, or natural gas.

Though Norway leads in electric sales as a percentage of total auto sales, other nations are increasing electric car sales annually, too. China leads in total sales with purchases of over one million electric vehicles in 2018 according to EV-volumes.com.[2] China is considering “requiring that 60% of auto sales be electric cars by 2035” according to Investors.com[3]. Fortune states[4] that “Hundreds of firms in China are today manufacturing electric cars.”

   

Bloomberg reports[5] that global electric car sales fell in July. However, I am confident that sales will increase dramatically in coming years as the cost of batteries comes down, battery production increases, and stricter air quality standards take place.

In the United States electric car sales are currently a minor part of overall sales. But, in California for the first half of 2019 electric cars were 5.6% of total sales according to GreenCarReports.com,[6] which cited the quarterly California Auto Outlook from the California New Car Dealers Association as its information source. President Trump’s administration argues California lacks the authority to set its own air quality standards, but in July four major auto producers reached “a voluntary agreement with California to adopt state emissions standards” according to Reuters[7] and other sources. Due to California’s huge market for cars, this could lead to a significant increase in electric car sales in upcoming years.

    

Volkswagen is taking actions to greatly increase its production of electric vehicles in coming years according to CNN[8] and other sources. Various other car manufacturers also seek to increase electric car manufacturing. As production increases, the economy of scale can lead to lower costs per vehicle.

My View

Stricter environmental standards in Europe, China, California, and other areas will combine with cheaper and more massive production of batteries for electric vehicles to lead to huge increases in electric vehicle production worldwide over the next decade or two. Government subsidies of electric vehicle purchases will be another major factor in the growth in electric car sales. Large taxes on gasoline in many nations help discourage the purchase of gasoline-powered vehicles, too.

Bloomberg’s “Electric Vehicle Outlook 2019[9]” states “By 2040, we expect 57% of all passenger vehicle sales . . . will be electric.” This figure probably seems too large to many readers. But, to me, Bloomberg’s estimate is a conservative one. My guess is that electric car sales will increase much faster than the typical person in the United States expects. What do you think?       

ENDNOTES: 

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[1] Bill Chappell; “Electric Cars Hit Record in Norway, Making Up Nearly 60 Percent of Sales in March”; NPR.org; April 2, 2019; webpage accessed September 8, 2019; https://www.npr.org/2019/04/02/709131281/electric-cars-hit-record-in-norway-making-up-nearly-60-of-sales-in-march

[2] Roland Irle; “Global EV Sales for 2018 - Final Results”; EV-volumes.com; webpage accessed September 8, 2019; http://www.ev-volumes.com/country/total-world-plug-in-vehicle-volumes/

[3] Aparna Narayanan; “China Mulls Mandating 60% Electric Car Sales”; Investors.com; September 6, 2019; webpage accessed September 8, 2019; https://www.investors.com/news/electric-car-sales-china-mulls-60-percent-electric-vehicles-mandate/

[4] Jeffrey Ball; “Electric Car Gold Rush: The Auto Industry Charged Into China”; Fortune; August 20, 2019; webpage accessed September 8, 2019; https://fortune.com/longform/electric-car-auto-industry-china/  

[5] “Electric Car Sales Fall For First Time After China Cuts Subsidy”; Bloomberg News; September 3, 2019; webpage accessed September 8, 2019; https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-09-03/electric-car-sales-fall-for-first-time-after-china-cuts-subsidy

[6] Eric C. Evarts; “Electric car sales boom in California, as plug-in hybrids and small cars sputter”; Green Car Reports; September 4, 2019; webpage accessed September 8, 2019; https://www.greencarreports.com/news/1124891_electric-car-sales-boom-in-california-as-plug-in-hybrids-and-small-cars-sputter

[7] David Shepardson; “U.S. launches antitrust probe into California automaker agreement”; Reuters; September 6, 2019; webpage accessed September 8, 2019; https://www.reuters.com/article/us-autos-emissions/u-s-launches-antitrust-probe-into-california-automaker-agreement-idUSKCN1VR1WG

[8] Hanna Ziady; “Volkswagen’s electric future is quickly taking shape”; CNN; September 6, 2019; webpage accessed September 8, 2019; https://www.cnn.com/2019/09/06/cars/volkswagen-electric-cars/index.html

[9] Colin McKerracher, Head of Advanced Transport, Bloomberg, NEF; “Electric Vehicle Outlook 2019”; BloombergNEF; webpage accessed September 8, 2019; https://about.bnef.com/electric-vehicle-outlook/#toc-viewreport

NOTE:

This piece being submitted to Google Blogger on September 9, 2019 is virtually identical to one the author submitted to Craft News Report (a website operated by his friend Paul Craft) on September 8, 2019.