It could just be the wildly anti-Latino lenses through which I see the world, but the media's slant on yesterday's shooting of Rigoberto Alpizar by US air marshals seems to be increasingly sympathetic toward the dead man and his wife. This is based primarily on statements by witnesses to Alpizar and his wife's behavior prior to the incident, as well as some really vague testimonials from the man's neighbors.

First off, have you ever heard a neighbor describe anyone involved in an incident of any kind as anything other than an average guy who seemed pretty normal? Of course you haven't. Because where I live, here in America, we don't interact with our neighbors beyond exchanging a nod of vague recognition on trash day.

And second, I feel strongly that a hispanic lady following you around saying that you're sick and don't have your meds shouldn't be a blanket exemption from the law. But if it's going to be, let me know. I know a maid who charges $3/hour, and I'm pretty sure for $5 I could teach her how to say, "He crazy! No meds!" and have her follow me around town while I smoke a jaybird and flash high school girls.

Of course, if it comes out that Alpizar was not shot for claiming to have a bomb, as officials have said, but instead for yelling, "I'm the bomb!" during one of the dizzying highs of his bipolar mania, well, that would be a different story. A different, tragic, funny story.


Rigoberto Alpizar and his wife, above, pose in front of an artfully painted moonrise landscape. They chose it over the pine-covered mountainscape with unicorn.

Analogcabin @ 10:09 AM
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