"I'd like to tell you a story about Bruce Springsteen and the New York City Police Department."

[octoberlib]

Link to tweet

"Bruce Springsteen’s song “American Skin (41 Shots)” is a tender, moving ode to Amadou Diallo. Diallo was a 23 year old Guinean immigrant who was shot 19 times by 4 plain clothes cops outside his NYC apartment in 1999. 41 shots were fired. He was unarmed. The cops were acquitted.

When Bruce debuted the song in Atlanta in 2000 it was considered controversial. The largest police union in NYC was like “That’s it! The Boss is cancelled!” They called for the NYPD to boycott Bruce and refuse to offer security for his upcoming shows at Madison Square Garden.

Listening to the song now, it’s hard to imagine what made them so mad. It isn’t angry or accusatory, just sorrowful. It offers up the simple, powerful refrain...

“You can get killed just for living in your American skin.”

It is a stunning song. Give it a listen.

The fact that it made the NYPD so mad tells us a lot about why they are doing what they are doing right now. The party line has always been the same...

Question our authority and become our enemy. It doesn’t matter if you’re a famous rockstar or a citizenry demanding reform.

Last Sunday, Ed Mullins, president of the second largest police union in NYC, tweeted Chiara de Blasio’s arrest record after she was arrested protesting. It included her license info and address. Chiara is the Mayor’s daughter. She’s 25. Mullins has been on the force since 82.

The Sergeants Benevolent Association’s account was briefly suspended because posting people’s private information without their knowledge, also known as doxxing, is a dangerous violation of Twitter Rules. The tweet was removed and Mullins quickly regained control of the account.

In February, Mullins tweeted that members of the NYPD were “declaring war on Mayor de Blasio and did not respect him.” He also tweeted a video that referred to black people as “monsters” and public housing as “war zones.” This is the head of NYC’s second largest police union.

This week he put out a statement praising officers for their recent performance during protests. He proclaimed that the NYPD answered to a “higher power” and will “win the war on New York City.” Then he went on Fox News and begged Trump to call in the National Guard to occupy us.

He told Laura Ingraham that the NYPD was “losing the city of New York.” I guess I’ve been naive all this time because I didn’t realize it belonged to them.

Yesterday the NYPD sought and was granted the right to arrest anyone and hold them for more than 24 hours in crowded jail cells without arraignment while the covid-19 pandemic still looms. This is a rare and stunning suspension of habeas corpus.

To recap, the president of the second largest police union in New York City publicly declared war on both its mayor and its citizens in the last four months. It’s not making many headlines right now but it seems like a red flag and a pretty big deal to me!

The thing about Mullins is, cops love him! He’s been a union boss since 2002. They love that he visits Trump in D.C. and trashes the Dem Mayor and owns the libs on his divisive, partisan Twitter account. How do you change that? How do you fix what doesn’t see itself as broken?"

[JackInGreen]

1. Its been a thought of mine

That labor lost some power when they abandoned the mob, but now I'm thinking the crooks just found a more profitable angle of labor to back - murderers in blue uniforms

[octoberlib]

2. I'm trying to figure out why they were ever allowed to have this much power.

Taxpayers pay their fucking salaries and they're acting like they're at war in Fallujah and we're the enemy.

[Hav]

3. I certainly don't know many police union presidents

but the ones who made news recently are without a doubt absolutely deplorable.
It's strange that all those good apple cops cannot find a good apple to represent them. Are they all racists like the racists they vote for?

[monmouth4]

4. White supremacists I'd bet..n/t

[johnthewoodworker]

5. Racists and fascists flock to the police departments throughout the country. You can be abusive

and have your union, and in many cases, the police administration, protect and defend you. And good cops, they say all evil needs to flourish is for good people to do nothing. There are tons of do nothing, good cops.

[KSNY]

6. I was at MSG then and many fans turned their back on Bruce

American Skin is a beautiful and compassionate song that presents the point of view (and fears) of both the murdered and the murderer.
There is a huge amount of arrested development in the NYPD.

[cos dem]

7. I somehow missed this song the first time around.

I first heard it on the excellent High Hopes album, and the memory of Trayvon Martin was still fresh. I can't say I "love" the song, because such a song should never have to be written. But, it is exceptionally well done. If you really listen to it, the lyrics are just heartbreaking. This is where Bruce is such an excellent songwriter, being able to put you in someone else's shoes, and feel their emotions. The lines about the mother telling her son how to not get killed by cops are gut-wrenching.

You can get killed just for living in you American skin. Indeed.