Aside from Dash Riptide’s post/self described “redneck translation,” I found quotes/articles you can take the time to read and digest if you want:

“[Kyle] Keyser realizes that some may see Kreher’s remark in a racial light; the imagery of a white cop saying he wants to bash an African-American female with a baseball bat has some resonance, he acknowledged.”

source: http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/atlanta/stories/2009/05/27/franklin_vs_cop.html

This following is in reference to, what is believed to be a racially motivated cop shooting. The correlation wass made between this event and Kreher’s comments: “What chance did Tramaine have when a union official would threaten an elected official,” Rev. Derrick Rice said. “Clearly there is no concern for life in this particular community.”

source: http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/atlanta/stories/2009/05/26/miller_atlanta_cops_shooting.html

As you have indicated, paranoid thinking typically includes persecutory beliefs concerning a perceived threat towards oneself. There are many examples that demonstrate the thinking of a collective of individuals. I suppose, by your thinking, we are all suffering from paranoid delusion, and Kyle Keyser (ATAC founder) is an enabler (cue eye roll).

Also, in response to your “imminent” argument:

Since when does someone have to be in the same room to have a threat on their life? Was she, in fact, returning to Atlanta? See, I can ask rhetorical questions, too. The definition of imminent means likely to occur at any moment. Synonyms: near, impending, threatening. The definition does not define an exact moment, but instead, implies that it will happen soon. By your own rhetorical merry-go-round, you have not proven a thing.

As for your assumptions of paranoia — you are, again, making assumptions based on your own subjective opinions. As far as the racial motivation behind the officer’s behavior, my opinion leans toward Dash Riptide’s response referenced above.

That’s convenient calling yourself a member of the minority class, but not referencing which minority. If you read my post above, I asked if the individual was a minority that experienced oppression. So if you want, you can cower behind your anonymity and claim the above as well.

In addition, my opinion is not based on bias. It’s based on experience. Acts of racism have, unfortunately, come at moments I least expect it in life. I don’t assume someone has racist tendencies unless they demonstrate them. Assuming or stereotyping a group of individuals would cause me to have bias, and perhaps I would never experience racism because I would be avoiding individuals due to my bias.

Also, as mentioned above, I referenced another poster (Dash Riptide) in another article (without mentioning race), and he said:

“I speak redneck, so allow me to translate. Kreher did not threaten Franklin. You really need to let that go. What he did do, however, is to belittle the “little [black] lady.” He made it very clear that he has no respect for her whatsoever. Franklin knows full well that this is the true import of Kreher’s words, and she knows that he gave her some serious ammunition to neutralize him as an effective critic of her administration. That’s already a done deal. But because such disrespect angers her so much, Franklin has allowed herself to stray from merely seeking a legitimate reprimand to seeking heavy-handed revenge. She is hurting herself more than she is hurting Kreher at this point.”

(source: http://blogs.creativeloafing.com/freshloaf/2009/05/26/injured-cops-video-shirley-franklin-probably-doesnt-want-you-to-watch/)

This response, pretty much sums up my argument regarding his motivation. You can agree or disagree, but in the end we are all entitled to our own opinions. The beauty is, that we don’t have to agree.

Turner:

Your post does not even deserve a response. I have always said Franklin and her office needs to be held accountable for the maltreatment of these disabled officers. These are two separate issues, as I have stated before. Please read before commenting.

Or was denied Migraine medication for 9 months to deal with the half a brain that was blown away at point blank range? Or denied penile surgery to insert the catheter to prevent bladder infections that required another 9 months of litigation and 10 urinary tract infections later?

I think you are speaking without walking a mile in Sgt. Kreher’s shoes. You seem very passionate about your family, if it wasn’t a story from the family and was happening right now would you be able to control your emotions?

I doubt it.

All of these officers claims were fought until the moment they were going to go to trial.

Denying people life saving treatment is an actual crime. Kreher’s comments are not considered a threat under ANY definition of the law including threats against the President if that were the case.

Please cite one ‘reputable’ news paper that said that Sgt. Kreher’s comments were a threat to the mayor.

EVEN if they were, would you support action be brought against the Mayor if she had been aware of the mistreatment of these disabled officers and did nothing or does she get some sort of hall pass?

I’d like to refer you to this article:
http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/atlanta/stories/2009/06/10/atlanta_injured_police.html

Even the AJC can’t deny the one sidedness of this situation any more.

“purposely places or attempts to place another in fear of imminent bodily injury or physical contact.”

See the word “imminent.” Please look up the definition.

The Mayor was not in his presence. In fact, the Mayor wasn’t in the same town. Exactly how imminent could she possibly have felt the bodily injury might be?

Further, your definition needs to be altered a bit. It would be the definition for a “reasonable person.” Someone who is paranoid or having feelings of persecution, and allows their subjectively skewed judgment to create an imaginary threat or idea of impending doom wouldn’t really fit the Statute.

Your words outline your obvious sense of bias, based on race, while you continue to decry the “racist” attitudes of those around you. It’s easy to see racist behavior and attitudes when you expect to see them. That’s called self-delusion…

And naturally, you will now claim I cannot possibly understand since I am not a member of a minority class. Well, I am a member of a minority class.

When you have some objective basis for your statements, that does not depend on your own personal, subjective, and very possibly mistaken viewpoint, I’ll look forward to considering it. If you’re only reasoning is to be that every comment or statement made by a white male police officer is de facto racism, then there isn’t anything to consider except your impaired social adjustment.

I found an interesting article on the Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s website yesterday, written in a way that conveys much of what many are feeling: http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/atlanta/stories/2009/05/26/miller_atlanta_cops_shooting.html

Anyway, this really is a circular argument. Let’s just agree to disagree.

Obviously not. Nor was Andisheh in the original post. You seem to be such an extreme pacifist that you would perceive of any aggressive words in any context as a direct threat to any person referenced by the speaker. Unfortunately, the real world has less delicate sensibilities. I’m not defending the real world; I’m just living in it. I guess you just have much higher expectations than most of us. Seriously.

The fact is, Kreher made the statement that was laden with threatening and violent words. His words could be interpreted as signs of warning. In addition, his statement indicated a possibility of harm (which would fit the description of a threatening statement). Criminal threatening is defined as a person who “purposely places or attempts to place another in fear of imminent bodily injury or physical contact.” In my opinion, his statement was meant to intimidate, and was threatening. You have mentioned that you believe it was meant to be a statement of “disrespect.” I say, for anyone to be so bold, as to make a statement like that about a public official (in a public forum), one has to wonder what other vile things this “peace” officer is capable of.

There are reputable news sources that are labeling his words as threatening. I felt it was threatening. Mayor Franklin thought it was threatening. So, I suppose, this is our interpretation, and you have your own. Bottom line is, Kreher should be fired (he’s lucky that he wasn’t arrested), and Franklin’s office needs to be held accountable for the corruption that is plain and obvious to most of us. End of story.

I really feel like I’m stuck in the movie “Idiocracy” by trying to communicate with you. You obviously don’t have a reference point nor any insight, which is what I was trying to convey to you. Since when did it take “authority,” for someone to make threats? Did it take any “authority” for assassination attempts to be made on past presidents, government officials, or public officials (both successful, and unsuccessful)? This is not to say that this police officer would actually do it. But, how much would it take for some other dumb@ss to take what he said and run with it. As an African American that has lived through history repeating itself in this manner, I do not have a doubt in my mind, that she did actually feel threatened. Like I have said before, I, myself felt threatened. If this guy is dumb enough to say that about a public official, he d@mn sure isn’t going to care what he does to someone like me if he pulled me over.

To further illustrate my point, I have posted a post/conversation between myself and another individual on this same subject in another article written by Andisheh. Note I did not mention race at all. Here is what he had to say:

[Dash Riptide]:
“I speak redneck, so allow me to translate. Kreher did not threaten Franklin. You really need to let that go. What he did do, however, is to belittle the “little [black] lady.” He made it very clear that he has no respect for her whatsoever. Franklin knows full well that this is the true import of Kreher’s words, and she knows that he gave her some serious ammunition to neutralize him as an effective critic of her administration. That’s already a done deal. But because such disrespect angers her so much, Franklin has allowed herself to stray from merely seeking a legitimate reprimand to seeking heavy-handed revenge. She is hurting herself more than she is hurting Kreher at this point.”

[Me]:
“Dash Riptide:

It’s nice to see that you’re so fluent in “redneck.” (Cue eye roll). Your post just proves another point I was trying to make in an earlier article.”

[Dash Riptide]:

” ‘Your post just proves another point I was trying to make in an earlier article.’

Well I certainly can’t argue with that.”