Go Fishing in Another Lake

We Are Not Taking Your Bait!

So, Perth Amboy made national news due to a YouTuber trying to get some hits on his channel. In order to get sponsors and advertisers, he is using our kids as part of his ploy. A blind person should be able to see this. Maybe if he makes it big (bringing in cash), he will remember those who participated in those videos and give them a piece of the action. So many people got up in arms both ways: pro and con. Taken when many bicyclists intentionally and carelessly put themselves, pedestrians, and motorists in dangerous situations. 

There are many media news sources where you can download the video of the Perth Amboy Police interacting with the bicyclists. We are not going to be one of those media outlets.

One of the police officers involved in pulling over the bicyclists talked to them in a very polite manner and told them that they were putting themselves and others at risk and if they could please just obey the law. 

Another officer then appeared on the scene and she had remembered earlier in the day she had asked the bicyclists to pull over and she was ignored. She got into a discussion with one of the bicyclists that she saw earlier that day and he acknowledged that he didn’t pull over when she first requested. He also started to disrespect her. She cautioned him on the dangers of how they were acting before. He decided to act up and she proceeded to have him put in handcuffs and placed in back of the police vehicle. The police then confiscated at least 4 bikes. 

Later at police headquarters, she reiterated to that youth about how frustrating it was for her because of in spite of earlier warnings, they still proceeded to behave irresponsibly. She also stated that she wants them to ride their bikes, but just to follow the rules and they don’t want to be taking their bikes away from them and they have other priorities that have to be taken care of. 

The parents were called and all of the bicyclists that were underage were picked up by their parents, and their bikes were returned. The 18-year-old was able to get his bike right away. 

In my opinion, I don’t see how the NAACP looked at this as a racial issue. When I was growing up, and I know some of the members of the NAACP when they were growing up, if they behave the way those bicyclists did, I think they would prefer that the police lock them up than face the ire of their parents. In my opinion, that police sergeant showed tough love and if you look at the whole 17-minute video and listen very carefully how those kids talked to the police officers who were very polite to them, it was shameful. Bad behavior should not be rewarded and some of the people who spoke at the last Perth Amboy meetings about this bicyclist situation were way off base and made a mountain out of a molehill.

It was embarrassing, especially when they were throwing around the race card and social injustice. I guess my idea of social injustice is way off base. I don’t care if you are brown, black, white, or blue in the face. If you can’t appreciate someone giving you a break, and you then disrespect them and they give you another break, then something is wrong, and it is not with the police. C.M.