Chris Edelson on the Authoritarian Response to Andrew Hawkins' Call for Justice for Tamir Rice and John Crawford
Last Sunday, Cleveland Browns wide receiver Andrew Hawkins drew national attention for wearing a shirt with the words "Justice for Tamir Rice and John Crawford" printed on it. Hawkins's shirt referred to two recent shootings by police in Ohio. Tamir Rice was a 12-year-old child who was killed by police despite the fact that a 911 caller said the gun Rice had was probably fake (the caller was right—it was a toy pellet gun). John Crawford was a 22-year-old man who was walking with a BB rifle in the toy gun aisle of a Wal-Mart when he was shot and killed by police. There are reasons to be concerned about the legitimacy of police actions in each case, writes Chris Edelson.