Todd Hubler
Dear Tell All: Like most Madison residents, I was deeply distressed when a police officer shot teenager Tony Robinson last week. This tragic event cut short a young man's life, along with linking Madison's police department with that of Ferguson, Mo., in killing an unarmed African American.
There is no way to put a positive spin on this incident, but my inclination was to wait for the results of an investigation before laying blame. If the officer was not justified in firing his weapon, then the police department and the city of Madison deserve our righteous anger. If the officer's action were justifiable under the circumstances, we will still mourn, but without calling for heads to roll. But this is not the approach some of my friends have taken. They have been out demonstrating against the police, and other friends are loudly denouncing the city from their near-east and near-west-side armchairs. I'd be doing the same thing if the situation were clear-cut, but it seems anything but. The victim had allegedly assaulted people before the shooting incident, and he allegedly assaulted the police officer, too. Given the possibility that the cop really was doing his duty, why not wait for the facts to come out before reaching a conclusion?
In Ferguson protesters rioted, but then a scientific investigation revealed that events in the Michael Brown shooting likely occurred the way the officer said they did. So shouldn't people in Madison withhold judgment in this situation until they know the truth?
Harry Reasoner
Dear Harry: You're so focused on the logical nuances of this incident that you're missing the bigger picture. The shooting did not happen in a vacuum. As I'm sure you know, there's been a pattern of unarmed African Americans killed by cops around the country. These shootings can't help but be associated with the well-documented pattern of African American income inequality, African American mass incarceration and the African American achievement gap.
Madison, unfortunately, suffers from all these problems. So it should come as no surprise that your friends took to the streets after Police Officer Matt Kenny fatally shot an unarmed African American teenager. You can talk about "the facts" all you want, but this soon after the incident, people need an outlet for their anger and grief -- emotions that have been intensified by many injustices locally and nationwide.
Now, I'm no fan of mob rule. I also await the results of the investigation, and I believe the officer who shot Tony Robinson deserves the benefit of the doubt until we find out what really happened. He undoubtedly had a difficult job to do that night.
That said, I am a fan of demonstrations -- peaceful demonstrations in which local voices can be heard. I value your thoughtful perspective about withholding judgment, Harry. But I value other perspectives, too, and I'm glad we're hearing them loud and clear during this difficult time.
Do you have a question about life or love in Madison? Write Tell All, 101 King St., Madison, WI 53703. Or email tellall@isthmus.com.
