Today, WHILE our group advisor Matthew and I were walking back TO HARLEMLIVE from Marcus Garvey Park, I saw something which HAS BECOME all too common in low income neighborhoods: a young man fleeing from the police. But what made the incident stand out in my mind was what occurred after THE MAN WAS APPREHENDED.

FIRST OF ALL, LET ME JUST EXPLAIN THAT I CAN understand firmness when dealing with a suspect. I can even understand rough handling. AFTER ALL, suspectS BEING PURSUED will do EVERYthing within their power to keep their freedom, SO ALTHOUGH USING A LOT OF PHYSICAL FORCE is not exactly right, IT is sometimes necessary. BUT what I saw today was outright violence. Two young Hispanic men were running from police officials. When the first was caught, he promptly gave up. BUT the officers didnÕt. They grabbed him and began to shove him to the GROUND. One officer even felt he needed to pull the young manÕs legs out from under him. Now imagine 500+ pounds of police holding you [almost horizontally leaning on your backÑCLARIFY]. Then imagine someone pulling your legs OUT from under you. When THE YOUNG MAN hit the GROUND, every bone in my body felt it. Then THE POLICE HANDcuffED him.

AS I LOOKED ON, a part of me wanted to run in and begin fighting THE POLICE, but the larger (and some would say more sensible) PART OF ME was afraid to get involved. SO I returned to HL headquarters and reported what I had seen. Everyone ASKED ME, ÒWhy ARENÕT YOU there taking pictures?Ó AFTER A LOT OF COAXING, I returned TO THE SCENE with Vivian, aNOTHER advisor, and got there just in time to see the other guy being cuffed.

THINKING BACK ON THIS INCIDENT, I HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS: Why was I so reluctant to return to the scene and take pictures? Why did it take more than five armed cops to subdue two men? What did the guys do to receive this treatment? Finally, what circumstances caused this? From the gossip that began circulating almost immediately after the arrests, it seems there had been some sort of drug bust. THE SAD TRUTH IS, MANY people sell drugs out of necessity. People CAN argue UNTIL THEYÕRE blue in the face that there ARE always OTHER wayS TO GET BY, but not many of them know what life can be like in the inner-city. STILL, the way I see it IS THIS: The best way to live is to STRIVE TO make choices that you wonÕt regret later on in life AND TO try to make the best of your circumstances. To those two young men who were abused and arrested, I donÕt know what you did, but keep your headS up AND remember THAT things can always get better if you try.