The Case of
Christopher Dorner-A Father’s Teachable Moment? (C) 2013
by Wayne Dan Lewis, Sr.
In reading the manifesto of former police officer turned reputed
cop-killer, I have to look deep within myself to try and understand his
response to the situations that he described in his manifesto. I wanted to see how, if I had an opportunity
to speak to him, at the most critical point at which he was facing the turmoil
that he described, how would I have appealed to him. After watching this young man take on a
crisis in his life and make the decision to turn into a killer, I would wish
that for him and perhaps others like him, that I would have had a moment as his
father. I didn’t hear or read much about
his father in his manifesto, or throughout the reports on him. This not to cast dispersions on his own
father, but I think it is important that as a father of a young black man at or
near Mr. Dorner’s age, I would hope to have had the opportunity to ask him to
reflect on his position, or his station in life.
The case of Chris Dorner, as he described in his manifesto,
suggested that he had witnessed an act of police brutality against a handcuffed
detainee. It would appeared that, by Dorner’s
report, his reporting what he reportedly witnessed to his supervisor(s),
apparently led to then, Officer Dorner, being accused of submitting a false
report. Officer Dorner reportedly felt
that by his reporting a ranking officer for an alleged infraction, it suggested to his fellow officers
that he was less than a team player by those of the rank and file, LAPD. Whether true or not, is not the intent of
this review or assessment. The intent
here is to share what this father would want to say if, Christopher Dorner had
been his son under such circumstances and brought the circumstances to my
attention. The intent here is to identify
what would be teachable moments against a backdrop of perceived and possibly
actual acts of discrimination and/or police brutality. What would I want to tell my son, to help him
deal with racism, and police brutality, not only in the LAPD, but for the rest
of his life?
I would want to tell my son, that every battle of racism
cannot be resolved, regardless of how right you are or how wronged you have
been. I would want to tell my son, that
racism is an integral part of America ’s
DNA, and that America
If I were at this point in my proposed son’s life, Chris
Dorner, as he was contemplating his “last resort”, I would want to tell him
that his plan of retaliation, would be selfish, not altruistic. I would tell him that his battle to clear his
name would be a battle in futility, as his name, by virtue of his act to
retaliate, would muddy not only his true heroism (looking out for those who
could not defend themselves) but the very thing that he himself treasured: his
name.
I would wish to have told Chris Dorner, as my son, that if he
followed through with his proposed “last resort”, that he would have raised
injustice to a new level, because his actions, according to his manifesto,
would not be what Chris Dorner would have stood for, but it was what he stood
against: unfairness, and injustice.
That if he carried out his so-called “last resort”, that racism, however
he perceived it, would celebrate another victory, because one more black
person, one more minority, will have fallen under the pressure of racism’s
mighty weight.
If I could have presented Chris Dorner with another option,
I would have suggested that he take his writing skills and publish his manifesto,
and that he resign the LAPD and return to the Navy. I would have suggested that he not allow his
mere 30 some odd years of life experience of being
black, or minority in America
http://abcnews.go.com/US/los-angeles-cops-chris-dorners-manifesto-speaks/story?id=18434105
Had I had the opportunity to present myself fatherly to him,
I would have told Chris Dorner, that police brutality is a right of passage for
many a police officer. I would have told
him that police brutality is an entitlement to police officers. Not all police
officers, not the ones who go to work and who lay their lives on the line
everyday, to truly protect and to serve.
No, police brutality is a right of passage for those police officers,
whose lives and/or agendas would otherwise have no meaning if they could not
break the law, or operate above the law.
I would have explained to him, that those who practice police brutality,
have no other worthwhile ambition, that they would need to beat Black or Hispanic males into
submission to offset their only ambition, and that is to be accepted by those
who they believe to be their heros. I
would tell him that police brutality, as much as he abhorred, as do I, is
something that many police officers don’t condone, and wherever, and however
possible, either stand against it by making known in the best possible way, or
remain silent for fear for the very retaliation that he has suffered.
I would have remind Christopher that I was proud of him for
standing up for those who could not stand up for themselves, and to do anything
remotely close to retaliation, even with so noble an intent as to clear his
name, his name would not need to be cleared, for it was already written in
another place of honor, that no man could ever diminish or demean. I would have advised him, to keep standing up for good, that his name was what he would make it, not what others would make it.
I would have reminded him that police brutality, while
offensive, and often deadly, can’t possibly be undone by his “last resort”
crusade, that would have done no more than sank to the same level of inhumanity that he
was advocating against. I would have explained
to him that police brutality is a misnomer.
Because real police don’t brutalize, they actually protect and they
actually serve their citizenry. For
those who use the police officer’s uniforms to beat innocent citizens, or
commit crimes, they give good police officers a bad name. And that for him, Chris, it was really an
opportunity to celebrate the greater number of men and women, like him, who as police
officers, do the right thing, everyday, by honoring not only their badges and uniforms,
but their families and communities.
Otherwise, as I would have told Chris Dorner, my adopted son, those men and
women are cowards.
I would have told my son Chris Dorner then, and as I do now, that I consider any police officer as cowards, who wear the badge and uniform but whose lives have no meaning unless they could demean, humiliate, and
dishonor the very essence of justice, even at the expense of their police departments
and the oath that they took to serve and to protect. I would ask my son, Chris, not to stoop to
their level, not to be a coward by submitting to a "last resort", but to stand up, and take the abuse, because that is more noble, than to retaliate. I would have reminded that there are too many good
police officers in the world today, and that he would need to do something,
however great, or however small, to honor those outstanding men and women, who
value what they do, and the people whom they serve, and not give credence to
those whom he believes have done a great injustice to him and others.
As far as his name was concerned, unfortunately for my
proposed son, Christopher Dorner, his name will forever be etched in the book
of cowards, not heroes. I say that
because, the 2 women delivering papers, who were shot by police officers
looking for him, they will be tallied under the name of Christopher Dorner. The daughter of the former police commander and
her fiancé whom Christopher shot and killed, they will be tallied under Chris
Dorner’s name. The 2 police officers
killed on the mountain side, others who were wounded, or otherwise
terrorized because of his “last resort”,
those will all go to the credit of Christopher Dorner, former police officer, former
member of the U.S. Navy, who on his final days, had risen to the infamous status of cop-killer. A choice he made by not continuing to stand
for those who were still being racially profiled, by those who were and still
are still being kicked or abused while handcuffed, and by those who, while
still are police officers, want to stand with him as he would lead them to a
victory of great proportion, regardless of how small, rather than now, be known
as the man or woman who turned into a cop killer..
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2013/02/dorner-stalked-at-least-five-people-before-killings-sources-say.html
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2013/02/dorner-stalked-at-least-five-people-before-killings-sources-say.html
It will be harder for the late Chris Dorner to regain the
value of his name, because it will forever be interchanged with cop-killer. Whether fair or not, that door was opened not
only in his manifesto, but also by his actions. My fictional son’s name will never be
cleared, even if in the court of law.
No, I am not his father, but for those who would follow in
Christopher Dorner’s footsteps, please, do not pick up that gun. Do not allow
his influence to push to commit a “last resort”. As I sit presumptively as a father to future
Christopher Dorners, do not begin a crusade of retaliation that results in more
murders and killings than solutions.
While it would seem the easy way to resolve the issues focused on in his
manifesto, it is a lesson that we can’t teach our children. It is lesson from which we must focus on long
term solutions, that either convert those police officers who want to be real
heroes, preserve the sanctity of justice, or prevent any more acts of
brutality, abuse, or sullying the honor of being one of LAPD’s finest, as well
as one of the outstanding men and women who truly protect and serve across this
country, and around the world. Rest in
Peace, “my son”. God forgive you and
those whom you allowed to push you to this station in your life. Rest in Peace.
Note: In his manifesto, Christopher Dorner used the term "father" 10 times and the term "mother" 7 times. Of the total times that he referenced either father or mother, he said "my mother" 4 times. No where in his manifesto, if accurately researched, did the term "my father" ever appear.
This response is based on the allegations of police brutality as alleged in the manifesto of Christopher Dorner. No one should assume that this response concludes any police officer guilty or innocent of police brutality or any other infraction. However, this response assumes that if Christopher Dorner was my son, and that he was facing the circumstances as indicated here, this is how I would have responded in order to help him cope with the allegations of not only retaliation by his commander, but his perception of racism, and his perception of police brutality against the defenseless.
Your responses are welcomed. All information deemed to be from reliable sources but not guaranteed. If you are facing a similar situation, please consult with a medical professional or attorney for direction. No part of this response should be considered as legal advice or advice for anyone in a similar situation as published by the late Christopher Dorner.
Note: In his manifesto, Christopher Dorner used the term "father" 10 times and the term "mother" 7 times. Of the total times that he referenced either father or mother, he said "my mother" 4 times. No where in his manifesto, if accurately researched, did the term "my father" ever appear.
This response is based on the allegations of police brutality as alleged in the manifesto of Christopher Dorner. No one should assume that this response concludes any police officer guilty or innocent of police brutality or any other infraction. However, this response assumes that if Christopher Dorner was my son, and that he was facing the circumstances as indicated here, this is how I would have responded in order to help him cope with the allegations of not only retaliation by his commander, but his perception of racism, and his perception of police brutality against the defenseless.
Your responses are welcomed. All information deemed to be from reliable sources but not guaranteed. If you are facing a similar situation, please consult with a medical professional or attorney for direction. No part of this response should be considered as legal advice or advice for anyone in a similar situation as published by the late Christopher Dorner.
