officers - The Black Vault

FE\:3q0, (Rev. 5·8·81)
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(Indicate page, name of
newspaper, city and state.)
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e: LOS ANGELES TIMES
' Ask Forgiveness From All the Edffion';~~~g
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Title:ASK FORGIVENESS FROM ALL
THE RODNEY KINGS
By ROGER MAHONY
Until the video of the Rodney King
.incident appeared, I suspect that many
people felt that police brutality was
-infrequent-and besides, "they probably
deserved it anyway." That has all
changed now. Police ruthlessness, even
if just in a few isolated cases, is now real
• and present to all of us. ·
As a caring .. society, how do we
respopd? Several considerations need
full attention and immediate response:
- W~ must recognize that racism and
discrimination are very much a part of
our intergroup relationships in Southern
California, and we must take serious
steps to rid our communities of this evil.
·· -Violence begets violence, while respect
for human dignity and human
L rights begets harmony in a community.
·.-·· E:very effort must be made to reduce the·
violence that has spilled onto the streets:
·. in so many terrible forms.
-We must admit that many segments
of public service do treat minorities
~:nd the poor with different levels of ·
respect and conduct; .that must change.
-All law -enforcement agencies need ·
to 'introduce a remedia~ program as soon
as possible to retrain e:very officer in
race and community relations, using the
King incident as a teachable moment.
-Public offici.als must state clearly
and forcefully that no disregard for
human rights will be tolerated· by public
servants, especially those in law-enforcement;
appropriate public review
groups must be formed as monitors.
-Police chiefs, sheriffs and all lawenforcement
leaders must demonstrate
the highest level of responsibility in
word and in action, both publicly and
privately. If this level of public trust and
confidence cannot be' recaptured or
sustained, then those in leadership must
seriously consider stepping aside.
·-Public leadership·iS not about who
is right or ·wrong. Rather, sound public
leadership prqclaill)S a vision ?f human
decency and respect, lives 'that vision
' out. in word and· example and calls the
community to the higher road in living
out the best that each .of us has to offer
. -for the good of t:he entire community.
. Rodney King's tragedy· is now our
· . community tragedy. 'If Los Angele~ is to
recover its standing as a great city, then
positive and proactiv~ steps need to be
taken by all our leaders: governmental,
religious, business and community.
We need a public observance in which
we ask forgiveness from all the Rodney
Kings victimized knowingly and unknowingly,
and in which we begin a
desperately needed communitywide
healing. Anything less is a betrayal of
. the public trust and confidence which
the people of the City of the Angels
rightfully expect' and deserve.
Roger Mahony is archbishop of the
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles.
A version of this article appears in
the archdiocesan newspaper, the Tidings.
Char~ter: CIVIL RIGHTS
or
Classification: 8 0-3 3 B
Submitting Office:
lOS ANGELES
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SERIAUZED--- fiLED---·1
MAR 2 6 1991
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