Rodney King, the (black) guy whose beating by police officers in 1991 horrified America has died. He was only 47. In April 1992, the 4 police officers filmed beating Rodney King on 3rd March 1991 were released without being convicted, though 2 of them were later convicted and sent to prison for violation of Rodney King’s civil rights.
During the course of the trial-that-did-not convict, the video of the beating was repeatedly shown on Television, which is considered as one of the main provocation for the LA riots of 1992.
The 6 day LA riots of 1992 resulted in 53 killings, injured over 2000 people and damaged property worth more than a billion dollars. To give the man his due, Rodney King, during the riots famously appealed for calm saying, “Can we all get along?”.
King, who received $ 3.8 million damages from the city of Los Angeles has had a history of alcohol and substance abuse over the 20 years after the beating. But he was also man enough to forgive the officers who beat him. In April, during a series of interviews, he said, “I have forgiven them because America has forgiven me for so many things, and given me so many chances.”
That is a sentiment and acceptance you would not find in too many people, whether in America, back home in India or elsewhere. It is almost a paraphrase of the famous JFK quote, ‘Ask not what the country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.’
(image courtesy Reuters)
Only this year, King wrote a book titled, “The Riot Within: My Journey from Rebellion to Redemption”. The Riot Within is described as a powerful description of an unlikely icon’s story, a moment-by-moment account of the infamous beating and the widespread violence of the riots and the crippling emotional damage to him personally.
Well, Rodney King is certainly an icon, but by no means an angel and the redemption proved to be short. Hope he finally finds peace that has eluded him for 2 decades or more.
During the course of the trial-that-did-not convict, the video of the beating was repeatedly shown on Television, which is considered as one of the main provocation for the LA riots of 1992.
The 6 day LA riots of 1992 resulted in 53 killings, injured over 2000 people and damaged property worth more than a billion dollars. To give the man his due, Rodney King, during the riots famously appealed for calm saying, “Can we all get along?”.
King, who received $ 3.8 million damages from the city of Los Angeles has had a history of alcohol and substance abuse over the 20 years after the beating. But he was also man enough to forgive the officers who beat him. In April, during a series of interviews, he said, “I have forgiven them because America has forgiven me for so many things, and given me so many chances.”
That is a sentiment and acceptance you would not find in too many people, whether in America, back home in India or elsewhere. It is almost a paraphrase of the famous JFK quote, ‘Ask not what the country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.’
(image courtesy Reuters)
Only this year, King wrote a book titled, “The Riot Within: My Journey from Rebellion to Redemption”. The Riot Within is described as a powerful description of an unlikely icon’s story, a moment-by-moment account of the infamous beating and the widespread violence of the riots and the crippling emotional damage to him personally.
Well, Rodney King is certainly an icon, but by no means an angel and the redemption proved to be short. Hope he finally finds peace that has eluded him for 2 decades or more.
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