What is this world coming to?
Those were the first words that came to mind after I saw this story a couple of weeks ago. As more of the story comes out and we continue to learn what happened I am reminded that we live in a very violent country. As you saw from watching the video a retired Tampa Police Captain shot and killed a young man after the victim was texting on his cell phone. Please click on the link below to listen to a family member of the alleged murderer argue for a reduction of his bail.
http://www.cnn.com/2014/02/05/justice/florida-movie-theater-shooting/index.html?hpt=hp_c2
As you saw from the link above this murder is alleged to have taken place because the victim threw popcorn at the suspect. The victim in this case, Chad Oulson, was texting his daughter's babysitter. The suspect, Curtis Reeves, was apparently upset that Oulson was texting in the theatre. During the incident Oulson is alleged to have thrown popcorn at Reeves who in turn shot him one time in the upper body. Reeves is now claiming that he shot Oulson in self-defense.
As you saw in the video above, Oulson's death has left a woman without her husband and a 2 year old girl without her father. This was over texting!! The shooting was committed by a former Police Captain. As I mentioned at the top of this post, What is this world coming to? Do we de-value human life so much that we resort to violence over such insignificant issues. This was a carer law enforcement officer. Someone who worked his whole life to achieve the rank of captain. How can he go from dedicated public servant to a cold blooded killer in one fell swoop? If the reports are accurate and Mr. Oulson did in fact tell Mr. Reeves that he was texting his daughter's babysitter, how could Reeves shoot and kill a man whom he knew had a young daughter at home? This was a man, Mr. Reeves, who has probably faced more life and death decisions than most people. How could he have justified in his mind that Mr. Oulson was presenting a lethal threat?
Maybe Mr. Reeves is receiving good legal advice and the fact is that he was embarrassed by having popcorn thrown at him. Maybe the only way he could get his dignity back was to pull out his gun and shoot Mr. Oulson. That brings me back to my original point, do we now as a society resort to violence when someone challenges our manhood or embarrasses us in public? Do we not consider the consequences of our actions? If you would, please take another look at the video above. Can you count how many peoples lives have been changed forever because of this split second decision. A decision that was made without hesitation and without consideration for what would happen afterwards.
I also wanted to express my feelings on one other aspect of the video above. Take a listen to Mr. Reeve's daughter argue for his bail to be reduced. She states that he has medical issue and arthritis and that he has ties to the community and would not flee from justice. I wonder if Mr. Reeve's daughter looked at Mr. Oulson's widow and wondered how the rest of her life would be. Did she consider what Ms. Oulson tells her daughter every night when she puts her to bed and her father is no where to be found. Did she consider how her daughter will never have her dad watch her play soccer, graduate from high school, walk her down the aisle, etc. How could Mr. Reeve's daughter stand up there and aruge that her father should be let out of jail. The fact is that he is facing 25 years in prison which is essentially a life sentence. What in the world would keep him from fleeing justice? Why in the world would the judge lower his bond?
I realize that I have asked an awful lot of questions, but this story hits home with me. I have been in law enforcement for 20 years and I have young daughters. I, like most of you, cannot imagine the pain being felt by the widow and the pain that is yet to come for that little girl. As we go through life we are offered so many choices that will play a part in determining our fate. I can't help but wonder what could've been if Mr. Reeves would have left his gun at home or if Mr. Oulson wouldn't have been able to find a babysitter. Sometimes life changes in the blink of an eye and the only thing helping to guide our choices is our morals and our ethics.
As this case continues to evolve we are now learning that Mr. Reeves had an argument with another couple several months earlier. The argument was at the same movie theatre and also involved texting. I can only imagine how lucky this couple feels to have escaped what could've been their fate several months earlier.
Well here we are, another law enforcement officer on the wrong side of the ethical conundrum. I wish it were more difficult to write these postings, unfortunately stories like this are becoming more and more prevalent. As I leave you for this week I'd like you to consider a few things. For as much as we say we live in a civilized society, do we really think that is the case? Why do we put such little value on human life? As I mentioned above, if the reporting in this story is accurate and Mr. Reeves knew that Mr. Oulson had a daughter at home, can you think of anything more heartless and cold blooded?
I'd love to hear what all of you think about this case.
Anthony, thank you for another informative and thought provoking topic.
ReplyDeleteI have been following this story and I have my own opinions on this case. Like with everything else the media immediately jumped on the fact that the suspect in this case was a retired police captain. What they do not talk about is the fact that he retired more than 20 years ago, a lifetime ago for that matter. Reeves is 71 years old, an old man, who was lawfully armed when the confrontation occurred. A confrontation occurred which resulted in the victim being killed. I feel awful for the widow and her innocent daughter who will forever be without her father and soon will not remember him. This heart wrenching as I am also a father and could not imagine my daughter having to grow up without my wife or me.
We take many things for granted in life and the suspect and the victim are no different. I do not wish to demonize the victim but did he think about his daughter before engaging in this confrontation with an old man? There are too many crazy people in our society and the victim still chose to engage in a confrontation with this stranger, and for what, so he could finish sending his text message.
Remove the result of this confrontation and think about the choices that were made. The victim was asked to stop texting and didn’t. It was not Reeves place to enforce a company practice but nonetheless, neither man had any respect for each other. Who are we to police our fellow man when we don’t respect them? Both men were in the wrong and Reeves has to answer for it while the victim’s family pays for it. Doesn’t see fair to me at all. I will reserve judgment until all of the facts are known but for Reeves he is not innocent until proven guilty, as the media has already convicted him.
One interesting thing that has happened since the death of the victim is that the widow has hired an attorney and is considering suit against the theatre. I assume her position and that of her attorney’s will be that there was sign on the entrance to the movies that prohibits firearms from being carried inside. The sign is a company policy and is not enforceable by the company or the police. The sign is there to make the customers feel a little bit safer, not to be enforced. Let’s assume for a minute that it was to be enforced, how would that be accomplished? Metal detectors and searches to see a movie? We would stop going.
In my Foundations class we talk about the right to privacy. Is this what we have come to as a society that we will be searched at the movies and grocery store? Where do you want to live and how do you want to live? We are all responsible for a set of standards and there are laws in place to ensure we follow societal norms. When we choose to deviate from those norms, we are subject to the consequences.
Very well written article, it was interesting to read and ponder the questions. In my opinion there does seem to be a general devaluing of human life everywhere you look, in just about every news article or news broadcast you see evidence of it, and, it is definitely displayed in in this particular case. Society has continuously lost compassion for one another, patience, and a whole host of other virtues. People seem to be more and more self-centered and self-focused, valuing themselves and their own wants, needs, desires, but not placing any value what-so-ever on others, this power struggle between the victim and the assailant makes that fact pretty evident. Each man wanted their own way and one was willing to kill for that desired way. It is strange that this shooter did not consider the consequences of his actions, shooting the victim was not going to lead to him being able to watch the movie in peace, on the contrary, it abruptly ended the movie outing, the victims life, and most likely his own life if he is sentenced to spend the rest of it in prison. To resort to that level of violence over wrath or embarrassment stemming from the confrontation was just too extreme and inexcusable.
ReplyDeleteDeanna Logan
Anthony,
ReplyDeleteI will have to wait on passing judgement. Here is a man who clearly knows when to use and when not to use deadly force. He has a great deal of experience in conflict no doubt. Factors about how he perceieved the threat however sort of remain fuzzy. There is a tendency of the press to not talk ill of the dead, especially in this senseless situation. However, what did go down to make a seasoned officer draw and fire his weapon in a public place? Did he simply snap? Could he have thought that the popcorn was a weapon being drawn as the man was in the dark and silhouetted? Was it post traumatic stress? Aren't we all a little nervous about confrontations these days? The media is not known these days for presenting both sides of the story. In hind sight his actions were clearly not justified, but I would be interested to find out what was said, what was done, and who escalated the situation to deadly force?
The way I have heard the story played out that this wasn't a simple stop texting and bam! There was a verbal altercation and Mr Reeves did attempt to find management leaving the theater. It was after he returned that things apparently got ugly.
Having been in a similar situation I moved my seat so I would not be bothered. Another patron also complained to the guy who was using his phone during a movie and they did get in a loud argument which prompted the manager to remove them both from the theater.
Wow, it is really ironic that you chose this particular story to write about this week. I'd actually just made mention of the fact that I had not seen much coverage in the news on this since the incident occurred. Honestly, there is so much negative in the media most days that I find myself watching HGTV or Food Network when I come home from work to avoid hearing about all the bad stuff. There were a few things that really surprised me when this story was first published. (1) It occurred in an affluent area of Florida (2) The perpetrator in this case was a retired Police Chief (3) Why would a retired Police Chief living in an affluent area feel the need to carry a loaded weapon? Of course, initial reports tend to be sketchy at best and over time, more of the actual fact begins to come across in the media.
ReplyDeleteHas the level of violence been covered in the media so much that law abiding citizens now feel the need to walk around with loaded weapons? This is really a sad case for both sides but based on your write-up and media coverage, I feel more for the widow and the 2-yr old that have lost a husband and father.
The daughter pleading for her father's release I would hope has thought about those who've lost their loved ones. If her father were a bad man, I am sure she would not fight for him so much or at least I'd hope not. Up until this point he was a law abiding citizen and this I am sure came as a shock to all parties. I wondered if he could have been suffering from some mental affliction due to his age. Even if it were the case, he killed someone for what appeared to be nothing worth killing over.
The society we've come to live in has become so riddled with unexplained violence and chaos that it has made the average citizen afraid and defensive. It is truly a sad thing that this is where we are in this world. Mr. Oulson's actions appear to be more about defense of pride then thinking about the life that he so easily took. If I recall from early reports, he did not aim to maim the guy, he aimed directly at the torso and fired, a kill shot. To me, there was no thought about the daughter at home with the babysitter awaiting her parent's return home. Mental state or not, it is again truly sad that this has happened all over an argument in a movie theatre.
-Fawn
This whole thing is just crazy to me. First I never even realized that people bring their guns to the movies. But if people like this are there then I guess I need to start taking mine with me. I don’t understand how this man can be so upset because someone is texting during the previews of a movie. I have been really upset with people for talking and horse playing while the movie is playing but I have never been upset to the point where I reach for a weapon. Of course this will have to play out in court and I am in no way calling him guilty of murder because I was not there. I just don’t understand what goes through a person’s mind. How could the young father get so upset with this old man that he throws popcorn on him? That was rude and disrespectful for him to treat an elder that way. How could Mr. Reeves get so angry at someone for throwing popcorn that he pulls out his gun and shoots Mr. Oulson? I think we have gotten to the point that we are so worried about being disrespected that we don’t even value another person’s life. I see it all the time with teenagers and young adults where they feel like the worst thing in the world is for someone to disrespect them. However I thought it was just a young person thing I did not know old folks felt the same way.
ReplyDeleteI admit that I became a tad bit annoyed that Mr. Reeves’ daughter was on tv crying about how her father’s arthritis has prevented him from working with his tools when a little girl is now forced to grow up without her father all because two grown tail men could not do what I taught my son to do when he was little. USE YOUR WORDS.
What a sad story. As you mention, this split second decision has changed many lives. I am skeptical that we do not know all the facts here. The story just does not add up. What are we missing? Only time will tell. I agree with Jamila that the Reeves' daughter and her argument that her father's high blood pressure and arthritis was relevant to the hearing. The part about the tools was a strange comment to make and to include in the news report.
ReplyDeleteThank you for bringing me up to date on this issue. I will now follow the next chapter in this sad story and hopefully we will find the details that make such a seemingly senseless murder make more sense.
This has been a story that I have been following since it broke in the news. This unfortunate situation raised so many questions in my mind and this was wrong on so many levels. The first question I had was why does a person need gun in a movie theater? I understand the right to bear arms and the freedom and liberty we have to do that but are we at a point in our society where people feel a need to carry everywhere they go?
ReplyDeleteThis seemed to be matter of anger and acting out of first reaction of that anger. If a person can cause another person to kill them over their inability to respect other persons that are trying to enjoy the movie, then that person is a prime candidate for an anger management class.
The outcome of this case will be interesting.