The Case of Christopher Dorner-A Father’s Teachable Moment? (C) 2013 by Wayne Dan Lewis, Sr.

The Case of Christopher Dorner-A Father’s Teachable Moment? (C) 2013

 by Wayne Dan Lewis, Sr.

 http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/feature?id=8983607

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 does not want to change, at least, not just yet.  I would want to tell him, that the situations that he would stand up for, that the issues that he would try to protect others against, would make him more enemies, and perhaps, fewer friends. But that he should not falter in his efforts to stand up for those who perceive as defenseless.

 

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, make him a victim, but a victor.  Because, unlike I, as his father of 57 years, I have seen far more racism than he could have ever imagined.  I would have told him that I have been called the “n- word” far more times than I can remember, and I did not want to punch everyone in the mouth, or wrestle them to the ground.  Instead, I ignored them.  I took away their power over me, to try and rile me up, to pull me off of my game, or my goals for success.

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.

 http://search.yahoo.com/r/_ylt=A0oG7hjvKCVRRTkAJ_lXNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTE1MDJscGRzBHNlYwNzcgRwb3MDNQRjb2xvA2FjMgR2dGlkA1ZJUDEzMV8xNjM-/SIG=1465jd5im/EXP=1361418607/**http%3a//latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2013/02/christopher-dorner-supporters-organize-on-facebook-social-media.html

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 encourage him to continue to stand for the values that he had learned, and to share them with the young people who looked up to him.   I would have encouraged Christopher not to be disuaded, or discouraged, because there were men and women, far greater than him who had withstood far greater punishment, and that had he continued in the same vein, that he would have been on their shoulders, and not at the feet of those who diminish the values which he believed.

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. 

 http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2013/02/lapd-chief-officers-who-mistook-women-for-dorner-off-patrol-til-probe-complete.html

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.

 
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/15/christopher-dorner-case_n_2689583.html

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

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.

 http://www.newsday.com/news/nation/christopher-dorner-how-life-on-the-run-ended-for-calif-police-killer-1.4662786

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.