Police: Father believed to have beaten tot

OK OK, calm down with your righteous indignation. Yes, the guy was quite obviously fucked in the head, and obviously stomping your own two year old son to death is not what most societies would consider acceptable behaviour. The question, though, that plagues me, is: was this guy armed?

Sure, he was a murderer, a nasty one at that. Yes, he was in the process of a nasty act; but did he pose a threat to the police such that they were forced to use lethal means of forcing him to stop? Let’s look at what the news article says:

Responding to 911 calls, a Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Department helicopter landed in a dairy pasture near the scene. A Modesto police officer, Jerry Ramar, fatally shot Aguilar after he failed to heed the officer’s warning to stop beating the child, authorities said. Aguilar flashed his middle finger at Ramar before Ramar shot him in the forehead, police said.

What the fuck? This sounds like total macho-bullshit. Why did he have to shoot him in the forehead, why not the leg, or at least the body in a non-lethal spot… I’m pretty sure that the crazy guy could have been restrained after being shot somewhere other than the head or different vital organ. Clearly, this guy was mentally disturbed, but considering the likelihood and probable ease of non-lethal arrest, I just don’t see how it’s justified to “shoot to kill” an unarmed man.

Ron Paul Calls it Quits

Well – that’s too bad. McCain and Obama are really quite similar, yet the media has made it out as if they significantly differ on anything that matters. I’m not American so I guess it doesn’t matter, but it would have truly been monumental if Ron Paul had come closer to winning.

Even though I don’t agree with all of Paul’s stances, I find it very hard not to admire him, because of the integrity he shows and the big heart that he has.