An International Romance

Scrupulous journalism is also simple. For example, here’s how I’d summarize the relevant facts of an incident that transpired in Hawaii:

A Zulu man invaded a home. He became agitated at the occupants’ fright, refused police commands, overcame tasers, and sent 3 officers to the hospital in the ensuing struggle. He was put down with a pistol.

Clearly, I lack the empathy of NYT reporters. Their article on the incident would waste around 5 minutes of your time to glean the basic facts in paragraph above.

@honolulupolice just released body-worn camera footage from the police shooting of 29-year-old Lindani Sanele Myeni. pic.twitter.com/QdUSFqXjWQ

— Mark Ladao (@krameleon) April 17, 2021

It’s all about how his death is “intensifying both criticism of racism in the United States and a feeling of solidarity with African-Americans” in his native South Africa where the media gave him the Saint Floyd treatment. Honestly, it seemed like he was fitting right in. Here’s a checklist:

• Unemployed;
• “Inexplicable” behavior;
• Refusal to recognize the lawful authority of the police;
• Classic “I’m not going to jail today” mentality; and  
• Instant decision to escalate into violence.

The trouble is, these traits tend to get a man fitting into a hole in the ground. His widow is an American who met him on a Christian missionary trip. She contends the fact that he wasn’t wearing shoes is evidence of his passive intent. I’d argue that her life decisions are evidence of an utter lack of common sense.

The article ominously mentions that earlier in the day, he “became fixated on a large wooden fish hook, which the carver told them had once been used a weapon of war.” I wouldn’t be surprised to read that line in a chapter of American Psycho.

The NYT tries to put a good spin on that by saying that she later purchased it in his memory. You might dismiss this as the musings of a cold-hearted man, but I’d say that thing had decent odds of ending up in her skull if the evening had been allowed to drag on.

Apparently, they moved around the country before settling on multicultural Hawaii as a location suitable for a couple as progressive as themselves. She’s unsure that the USA will ever be safe for her family again. I’d never be able to sell her my advice, so the best I can do is wish her luck in Zulu territory.