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Rodney King Dead at 47: Icon or Agitator?

SodaHead News 2012/06/18 18:26:37
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Rodney King, the victim of an infamous incident of police brutality in 1991, was found dead at the bottom of his swimming pool Sunday morning. According to police, there are no signs of foul play, and the death is being ruled as accidental. It will take six to eight weeks for toxicology reports to come through. He was 47 years old at the time of his death.

The 1991 brutality incident made national headlines when a bystander sent in video footage, and the aquittal of three of the officers contributed to the beginning of the 1992 Los Angeles riots. Earlier this year, King told The Times, "I sometimes feel like I'm caught in a vise. Some people feel like I'm some kind of hero. Others hate me. They say I deserved it. Other people, I can hear them mocking me for when I called for an end to the destruction, like I'm a fool for believing in peace." Do you think King was an civil rights icon?

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  • MkB 2012/06/18 21:26:11 (edited)
    Agitator
    MkB
    +33
    King started a dangerous high speed car chase because he was intoxicated and didn't want to violate his parole for a 1989 store robbery. I'm not making excuses for the police brutality. That was uncalled for.

    I feel empathy for Reginald Denny, an innocent truck driver who happened to be driving in the wrong place at the wrong time and got hit on his head by a brick by a black man who didn't give a damn if he killed Denny or not.

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Opinions

  • Steve R... chgo 2012/06/18 20:38:29
    Steve Rogers
    Why is it that these civil rights issues always seem to be one sided. How about the civil rights of the white delivery driver who was almost beaten to death. The beatings caused long term disabilities and the African Americans who beat him were never charged with anything
  • chgo Steve R... 2012/06/18 21:02:15 (edited)
    chgo
    +1
    the civil rights "issues" always have not seem to be one-sided. I bet this white delivery driver you speak of had justice served. But, for the Rodney King police trial, all four officers were acquitted when the jury could not reach a verdict. the jury acquitted three of the officers involved in Rodney King's beating.


    maybe it's because your IQ is low a number you can't comprehension basic facts and realities.
  • Adrian Steve R... 2012/06/18 23:05:57
    Adrian
    +2
    That is a lie. the people who were on film doing the beating were caught and prosecuted.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...

    Damian "Football" Williams, In 1993, Williams was convicted of mayhem and misdemeanor assault and was sentenced to 10 years. In 1997, Williams was released for good behavior, but in 2003, he received a life sentence at Pelican Bay State Prison for the 2000 murder of Grover Tinner, a drug dealer.[3] He will not be eligible for parole until he serves 47 years.

    Antoine "Twan" Miller,On February 1, 2004, at the age of 31, Miller was shot and killed in a Hollywood nightclub.[5]

    Henry Keith "Kiki" Watson: he was freed from jail in 1993,

    The last member of the "la 4" Gary Williams is in his own hell, strung out on crack
    It is made out that Reginald Denny was attacked by the rioters as en mass, but it was only four people who were all gang affiliated (8-tray crips)
  • President Camacho 2012/06/18 19:25:31
    Agitator
    President Camacho
    +1
    A peaceful man who showed us that bull Connor exists in every cop.j
  • Assassi... Preside... 2012/06/18 19:32:00
    Assassin~ Badass Buzz Guru
    +3
    A peaceful man? What?

    July 27, 1987: According to a complaint filed by his wife, King beat her while she was sleeping, then dragged her outside the house and beat her again. King was charged with battery and pleaded "no contest." He was placed on probation and ordered to obtain counseling. He never got the counseling.

    June 26, 1992: King's second wife reported to police that King had hit her and she feared for her life. King was handcuffed and taken to a police station, but his wife then decided against pressing charges.

    King got into an argument with his wife while he was driving, pulled off the freeway and ordered her out of the car. When she started to get out, King sped off, leaving her on the highway with a bruised arm. King was charged with assault with a deadly weapon (his car), reckless driving, spousal abuse, and hit-and-run. King was tried on all four charges, but found guilty only of hit-and-run driving.

    March 3, 1999: King allegedly injured the sixteen-year-old girl that he had fathered out of wedlock when he was seventeen, as well as the girl's mother. King was arrested for injuring the woman, the girl, and for vandalizing property. King claimed that the incident was simply "a family misunderstanding."

    he was a constant batterer, and a robber. That is not a life of peace.
  • Preside... Assassi... 2012/06/18 20:01:23
    President Camacho
    Yes but he is black...you have to recognize cultural differences.
  • Franklin Preside... 2012/06/18 20:06:55
    Franklin
    +1
    is abusing woman OK in "black culture " as well as drug abuse ....GTK ! I will update mu friends on face book ....
  • Preside... Franklin 2012/06/18 20:08:20
    President Camacho
    +1
    Idk...been to Africa or Jamaica queens?
  • Assassi... Preside... 2012/06/18 20:10:50
    Assassin~ Badass Buzz Guru
    +2
    I'm sorry, I obviously don't get the reference. Call me dense. I didn't realize we gave a pass to people because of their skin color.
  • Meako Assassi... 2012/06/19 02:18:21
    Meako
    +2
    We don't I think there is a whole lot of sarcasm there..
  • Meako Assassi... 2012/06/19 02:08:32
    Meako
    +2
    Could have been a lot worse after the beating he took, he was never the same . Family members think the beating caused severe brain damage...
  • Assassi... Meako 2012/06/19 22:16:40
    Assassin~ Badass Buzz Guru
    +1
    He abused his wives, and daughter before he was beaten. He robbed and stole before the beating and he used PCP and was an addict BEFORE the beating.
  • Meako Assassi... 2012/06/19 22:31:10
    Meako
    +1
    He tested negative for PCP..... I never said he was perfect but no way in hell did he deserve to be beaten while 15 coward ass cops stood around and stared.
  • Assassi... Meako 2012/06/19 22:35:58
    Assassin~ Badass Buzz Guru
    +1
    I didn't say he was on PCP at the time of the beating. I said he had used it. He admitted to it, and had been charged with it.
  • Meako Assassi... 2012/06/19 23:24:51
    Meako
    That makes no difference. There are millions of people that have used drugs at one time in their lives, doesn't make them a bad person. Judge Mathis, used all kinds of drugs, stole, was in jail, sold drugs.... he turned his life around and so had King towards the end of his life. Even though he had severe brain damage...
  • Franklin Preside... 2012/06/18 20:05:55
    Franklin
    yea thats it , can't blame the individual cops its ALL COPS ! and the whole world that is wrong ...
  • Preside... Franklin 2012/06/18 20:28:07
    President Camacho
    Exactly...just ask rev. Jackson.
  • Preside... Preside... 2012/06/18 20:48:08
    President Camacho
    Just kidding! King is a tragic character who was exploited by black activists for financial gain after his criminal lifestyle caught up with him. I don't believe that the beating was justified but neither was the beating an indictment of our society.
  • J 2012/06/18 19:21:26
    Agitator
    J
    +1
    ...as he lived and died.
  • Mungu 2012/06/18 19:19:42
    Icon
    Mungu
    +4
    He was neither because he was just a guy with drug and drinking problems that got caught in a whirlwind.
  • dallas 2012/06/18 19:16:30 (edited)
  • Preside... dallas 2012/06/18 19:25:58
  • Cognito22 dallas 2012/06/18 22:02:39
    Cognito22
    Racism is kept alive by those who use it for their benefit.
    Racism serves Romney no purpose.
    Racism is always brought up by Democrats.
    Draw your own conclusion.
  • david.carpa 2012/06/18 19:08:40
    Agitator
    david.carpa
    +1
    Once them moron publicity hounds Sharpton and Jackson got hold of him he got dragged thru hell. Lots of money and publicity for what? Glad he's gone! Sharpton and Jackson are next.
  • LOU david.c... 2012/06/18 19:22:19
    LOU
    +1
    Sharton was not on the scene when Rodney was beat.
  • Kibbles 2012/06/18 19:07:30
    Icon
    Kibbles
    My mistake meant to hit agitator, he was a criminal, what really made the incident special was that it was video taped. The person receiving the beating wasn't an icon nor was he notable, what was notable was the beating that was capture on camera. That is what is so significant about the Rodney King case.
  • LOU Kibbles 2012/06/18 19:23:26
    LOU
    +1
    Couldn't do that to a white guy who had the same history.
  • Kibbles LOU 2012/06/19 08:18:25
    Kibbles
    +1
    Well I won't deny that.
  • dranet 2012/06/18 19:07:01
    Agitator
    dranet
    +1
    He was a Lowlife that got thrown into the public eye.
  • Undercover Broad 2012/06/18 19:07:00
    Icon
    Undercover Broad
    +2
    "CAN'T WE JUST ALL GET ALONG"

    ICONIC
  • janine 2012/06/18 19:04:19
    Icon
    janine
    +6
    Regardless of what your opinion was of Rodney King--I don't think he wanted to be seen as an Icon. Rodney knew he wasn't perfect and was struggling with his issues. I think he would just want to be seen as a man who was trying to make it in life the best he could. It would be good to have more than Agitator and Icon as choices to pick from. No he wasn't an Icon but neither was he an Agitator. He struggled with drugs and alcohol but he never said he was perfect..and how can any of us judge him when we aren't perfect either. I feel sad that he was thrown into the middle of all that mess with the riots -- even if he was breaking the law it was wrong what the cops did. May he rest in peace finally.
  • Mungu janine 2012/06/18 19:14:04
    Mungu
    Thanks for a sensible reply
  • janine Mungu 2012/06/18 19:17:51
    janine
    You are welcome. I guess it is easy for some to judge others-- when they don't have to walk in their shoes isn't it.
  • Mungu janine 2012/06/18 19:32:16
    Mungu
    Indeed, the man was clearly tormented, from both Black and white. He just wanted the whole mess to go away. He was no criminal or political minded person. Just a guy who drank too much and should have stayed away from the "harder stuff". I remember how he was made fun of by many I knew for coming on camera asking for us all to "just get along".

    I like to think that I would not allow myself to get in a position to be abused the way he was by police, but who can really say for sure. I really wanted him to get his life together and was very disappointed every time he kept getting in trouble.
  • Preside... Mungu 2012/06/18 20:02:23
    President Camacho
    He was a wife beating criminal.
  • gbudavid 2012/06/18 19:03:29
    Agitator
    gbudavid
    +2
    Actually neither...He was used... by the race baiters on both sides
  • Franklin gbudavid 2012/06/18 20:07:45
    Franklin
    both sides ? LOL
  • Mr. Smith 2012/06/18 19:01:38
    Agitator
    Mr. Smith
    +3
    George Holliday is the real hero in this story IMHO, he's the one who videotaped the beating and hounded the press to release it. Rodney King was just one of a thousand low-lifes that the corrupt LA police unleashed on, he just happened to be the low-life in the video captured by Holliday. The video-tape is what changed our society, not King. That tape changed how our police units are trained, and spawned a camcorder revolution. The police now know that we are watching them.
  • Space Invader 2012/06/18 18:57:53
    Agitator
    Space Invader
    +1
    Not much of a choice...allot of both
  • foobar 2012/06/18 18:51:36
    Icon
    foobar
    Well, I certainly don't believe he was an agitator. Icon seems like an incorrect term as well. Sometimes you folks force the vote with your choice of options. Have you ever read the book "How to Lie With Statistics"? Its a must read for anyone publishing research data. You need to provide choices that make sense. In this case, King was an "Inadvertent Spokesman", which is not an Icon. An Icon is a representative of something. I think we might agree that MLK was an Icon. King was someone caught up in something bigger than he ever would have wanted to be caught up in.

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