Seattle is often described as a beautiful city, and no doubt it is . . . if you are standing up and your eyes aren’t clouded by blood.  But as a frequent commenter here, Packratt, points out on his blog, the view is different after the local cops apply their “use of force” policy on someone.


Every once in a while, a reporter will grab hold of a problem in a city like Seattle and do an expose.  We gasp in shock at how mean and horrible it can be on the business end of a police baton or taser.  We discuss ad naseum whether the courts address police use of excessive force adequately, or whether it’s excessive force at all.  Of course, we do so from the safety of our homes and offices, rather than from the street where we find ourselves lying in a pool of our own blood.

Packratt has chosen, for personal reasons, to chronicle the state of affairs in Seattle on his own.  The cops there don’t like him for it.  He gets threatened, and harassed.  Try to exercise your right to free speech with a gun to your head.  It’s not easy, and takes incredible intestinal fortitude.  Packratt, who has no reason to believe he’s safe at any time when he ventures outside, takes the risk.  This is what he’s found:

1.   Are black and ask an officer a question.

2. If you are a 125 lb woman and pull your arm away when being violently grabbed from behind by a stranger while offering someone legal advice.

3. If you react in any way to seeing your girlfriend accosted by a truckload of unidentified strangers.

4. If you tense up when being handcuffed and arrested for doing nothing but being an innocent young black man walking down the street.

5. If you run because you’re an innocent person being chased by a bunch of people with guns who aren’t wearing uniforms and didn’t identify themselves.

6. If you flinch a bit while having your head repeatedly smashed into the pavement over a jaywalking offense.

7. Or if you react in any way to seeing your daughter getting roughed up over a jaywalking offense.

It’s one thing to be the target of “aggressive police tactics” as a good whupping is delightfully called.  But how many fathers could stand there and watch their daughter get beaten by police for no reason?  Personally, I could imagine some fine police officer putting a bullet in my head while I tried to stop his brother in blue from beating my child.

Seattle is on the other side of the continent from me, and my information about Seattle comes mostly from travelogues and some sitcom about a radio psychiatrist who drinks a lot of coffee and has dating issues.  Thanks to Packratt, my image has changed.  Now I know that there’s no magic in Seattle that doesn’t exist in every other city across the United States.

I thought you all should know about Seattle.