I have two items today which seem to call for the efforts of the Greek Furies (Erinyes) to come and deal with them. As a reminder, though no one really knows how many there were supposed to be, the three names we have are Alecto, Megaera, and Tisiphone. These roughly translate as "unceasing," "grudging," and "vengeful destruction."
Three weeks ago I assured everyone I was not trying to pick on Oregon. Last week I was not trying to pick on Kansas City, MO. Today I am not trying to pick on Canada. Things happen everywhere. Sometimes the Furies are extra needed if an incident happens where someone we care about lives. Besides, Montreal is a long way from BC.
Also, this incident ended better than it would have in the United States. Leon Shand is still alive. Alive with $800.00 
worth of tickets, but alive. And let's be clear, he did cross McGill College Avenue on a red light a little over a week ago. In his wheelchair.
Witness Katharine-Marie Albisi decided to film the incident and post it on Facebook, She never did catch Leon's name, but his sister, Patricia Henry, saw the video and found it unsettling. "It makes me feel so sick to see how they treat my brother," she said. "Maybe if he wasn't in a wheelchair, who's to tell you what they would have done to him?" She found the language the officer used ("I'm going to give you a f-king ticket. You asked for it.") inappropriate.
Ummm – Patricia – I hate to be the one to break it to you, but the wheelchair didn't give him any special consideration. More likely it aggravated the offense. He's still alive because he's in Canada. In the United States …
Some years ago Laura Gottesdiener compiled "5 Times Police Killed People with Mental Disabilities." Recently I saw a similar title but with the number 10 inspead of 5 – unfortunately, I haven't been able to find it. Leon's disability, of course, is physical – or it was – he was so shaken up by the encounter that he later that day fell out of the wheelchair and sustained a concussion. I hope he is improving; I don't have an update. Tisiphone, Megaera, could you work on convincing the Montreal police that they don't have to behave as though they were American?
Here in the States – well, here where I am, you may be elsewhere – we have had a week which included the death by police shooting in El Cajon, CA, of Alfred Olango, who was also disabled, and a week of more protests in Charlotte, NC, stemming from the death by police shooting there of Keith Lamont Scott, who was also disabled. (Do I need to say that both were also black?)
There was one bittersweet moment, bitter because the grief is almost unbearable, but a little sweet because of the courage shown by a nine-year-old girl who spoke to the Charlotte City Council, and because that courage at least gives us a little hope for the future.
Zianna Oliphant's speech was taped, and has been viewed many times, including maybe by you. But it bears viewing multiple times.
One part of her speech:
We are black people, and we shouldn’t have to feel like this. We shouldn’t have to protest because y’all are treating us wrong. We do this because we need to, and have rights.
I’ve been born and raised in Charlotte, and I never felt this way until now. And I can’t stand how we are treated. It is a shame that our fathers and mothers are killed and we can’t even see them anymore. It’s a shame that we have to go to the graveyard and bury them. And we have tears and we shouldn’t have tears. We need our fathers and mothers to be by our side.
Alecto, I'm asking you, because this, it appears, never stops. But it has to stop. Please put on your Eumenides hat and go to this child and hug her and comfort her.
And don't stop.
The Furies and I will be back.
Cross posted to Care2 at http://www.care2.com/news/member/101612212/4013531
13 Responses to “Everyday Erinyes #45”
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As someone in a wheelchair, I think that guy is crazy! If I were to do the same thing, I'd bercome the ball in an automotive Foosball game!!
Kudos to Zianna.
I don't use a wheelchait all the time, but I agree with you. I wouldn't do that either. But then neither of us is in kinder, gentler Canada either.
Too true!!
I would not attempt that on a wheelchair, either,but he should not have been verbally abused as he was.
The number of physically or mentally disabled who are killed by our police is atrocious.
Zianna Oliphant speaks truth, hope they listen to her.
Zianna's eloquent speech belies her age. Not only her words, but her passion in speaking them made me tear up.
Maybe she'll be the first black woman president.
Me too – you could probably tell from my tone. I like your suggestion. Let's see, she's nine – she'll reach the statutory age in 26 years (not that we have actually ever elected anyone at 35) – I'm not likely to live to see it, but I'd love to.
Wouldn't that be great? First black woman president AND you living long enough to see it.
Maybe you'll be like Ruline Steininger – the 103 y/o Iowan who just voted for Hilary for President!
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2016/9/29/1576161/-103-Year-Old-Ruline-Steininger-cast-her-early-vote-for-Hillary-today
Thanks, I read it and shared it! Good for Ms Steininger.
Good for her indeed. Well, the youngest person ever elected President was Kennedy at 43. 43 minus 9 is 34, plus 71 is 105. I only have longevity genes from one grandparent, so I kinda doubt it. But I can dream.
I'm sorry, Joanne, but your Furies seem to be slacking off a bit on the job: racial profiling is spreading like wildfire across the globe. Pretending it doesn't exist is too. Commander Guerrer of the officer's police station therefore spoke with the fine policeman about his language only. And the video is out of context too. Of course. Yes, Tisphone and Megaera, get your butts over there before the Leons of Canada will no longer come away alive either.
Zianna's speech was simply heartbreaking. It's so sad that this goes on and black children like Zianna live through these situations and emotions every day. The video was disturbing to watch, but the comments made below the article nearly had me lose my lunch. Alecto, your first job is to sort out Babidi ( "yeah having parents who will mentally abuse you just promote their racial ideologies I guess could be considered brave. probalby shouldn't say parents, something tells me its one of those single parent raised kids, hard to believe youd find a stable two parent household that would be so eager to damage their child like that."), Huboons (" Propping your kid up with your own moronic hangups and putting them on public display is the parenting of a halfwit.") AND ggg ("why don't you niggers stop committing crimes?") and a few more, for starters. Because they're part of the reason why this never stops.
Thanks for another great post of not-so-great news, Joanne. You need to find those other furies soon, because the regulars have too much on their plates.
I should have warned everyone about the comments on YouTube. There and Yahoo and some others are places that I never read comments if I can help it (Yahoo commenters seem to think they have to live up to Gulliver's Travels – that is, assuming they think at all.) The comments at Daily Kos are more compassionate.
I may be a bit over-sensitive because I'm not on any social media except PP and Care2 and don't get much exposure, but when I read these comments I feel like some old granny who's been stuck in a backroom too long., listening to the radio. It also reminds me why I'm not on social media. Too depressing.
Ovr-sensitive? No. They are truly awful people.