“I had reasoned this out in my mind, there was one of two things I had a right to, liberty or death; if I could not have one, I would have the other.” Mother Harriet Tubman
I am dedicating all of my remaining posts this year to Black African American females because a race can rise no higher than its’ females.
As in all of my posts, UNDERLINED WORDS are links.
The following is a letter written in response to an article appearing today on MSN.com entitled: ” Trooper in Sandra Bland arrest had been disciplined”.
To: Mr. Terry Wallace,
I am writing you in response to the article you published today, “Trooper in Sandra Bland arrest had been disciplined”.
Sir, it appears you made a gross error in writing this article when you published, “In this July 10, 2015 file frame from dashcam video provided by the Texas Department of Public Safety, trooper Brian Encinia arrests Sandra Bland after she became combative during a routine traffic stop in Waller…DALLAS (AP)”.
You erroneously used the word “combative”, which as you know is an adjective meaning “ready or inclined to fight; pugnacious:” as defined by “Dictionary.com”.
By using this word “combative”, you are easily misleading your readers into believing Ms. Sandra Bland physically assaulted Trooper Brian Encinia, which justified his arresting her. In essence, your article is saying that Ms. Sandra Bland’s arrest was legal and whatever happened because of her “LEGAL” arrest is solely her responsibility.
As we all know, from viewing the same dashcam video that you reviewed, Ms. Sandra Bland’s arrest was due to her intelligently articulating her reasons for being irritated, thus challenging Trooper Encinia’s justification for stopping her.
For reasons known only to Trooper Brian Encinia, he decided to arrest Ms. Sandra Bland immediately after she refused to obey his UNLAWFUL REQUEST to put out HER cigarette, while sitting in HER car.
At no time during Trooper Brian Encinia’s illegal confrontation did Ms. Sandra Bland ever become “COMBATIVE” with him. On the contrary, Trooper Brian Encinia became illegally “COMBATIVE” towards Ms. Sandra Bland and not the other way around.
Mr. Wallace, as a reporter, you have a professional, moral and legal obligation to report the news truthfully, and without bias or prejudice. Your wording of this article skews the facts in favor of Trooper Brian Encinia’s illegal activities during this traffic-stop.
Ms. Sandra Bland is the victim of illegal policing, which resulted in her MURDER as a direct result of the illegal actions of Trooper Brian Encinia.
I am requesting that you write a retraction in regards to your falsely accusing Ms. Sandra Bland of becoming “COMBATIVE” along with an apology to the family and friends of Ms. Sandra Bland, as well as to your readers for your blatantly erroneous statement and misleading inference in this article.
I will publish this letter on my blog at www.itsstilltime.wordpress.com.
Sincerely,
Mr. Jerry Smith, LCSW, LMSW
In loving memory of Ms. Sandra Annette Bland, who was born on February 7, 1987, in Naperville, Illinois and MURDERED by Texas State Trooper Brian Encinia on July 10, 2015 in Waller County, Texas and died alone, three days later in a jail cell in the Waller County, Texas jail.
Neither she, nor her family will be able to rest in peace until her murder(s) have been found guilty and become the recipient(s) of Texas justice and there is an end to the wanton, wholesale murder of Black African Americans by America’s Law Enforcement as well as by the hands of other Black African Americans.
Oh what a blessing it is that my people do not read, think or use common sense says the Pastors, Pimps, and Politicians. (Read: OBITUARY FOR COMMON SENSE )