Monday, September 2, 2019
A Terrible Thunder: The Story of the New Orleans Sniper Essay
On New Year’s Eve, in the city of New Orleans, in the year 1972, a sniper was hidden in the shadows. He is alone, with anger and hate fueling his tiny body he went on for many days to try to kill as many police officers as he could. The drama ended one week later when hundreds of police armed to the teeth and with the aid of a Marine Corps assault chopper descended on a burning building to battle with the lone sniper.            This paper will look into the cause of such a violent outburst, of the senseless killing of innocent lives. And how it has gone out of control for the one of the victims in that infamous day of shooting was a black man just like the shooter somewhere above, in a building, hidden from view. Colored Puberty is the age where many young boys find themselves in a suspended animation in trying to discover their identity. To some it is a crisis stage and to many it is a turning point in their lives. In some cases though teenagers going through this phase are well adjusted and have a pleasant experience during this transition from childhood to adulthood. Most probably they live in a good home where their parents where able to shelter them from the evil world outside. But when it is time to go to college or when it is time to move out of the home to find employment, it is this period when the young man and woman gets the surprise of their lives. Mark James Essex had a similar experience when he left the protective confines of his hometown in Kansas. He joined the U.S. Navy in what is perhaps his ticket out of obscurity and poverty. He was able to accomplish one his objectives for in a way he became famous. But not for being rich and doing something worth emulating – he went down the annals of criminal history in one of the bloodiest day of gun related violence. All of these had its beginning when he went left home and an ominous sign of what is coming can be seen in one of his letters where he described his disappointment over what he had witnessed in the workplace and with deep sadness he wrote that the Navy, â€Å"†¦is not like I thought it would be, not like in Emporia. Blacks have trouble getting along here†(p. 15). His sadness was compounded by the resignation expressed by other fellow black enlisted personnel, who said that, â€Å"†¦it is just the way it is†(p. 15). When he went to his supervisor to complain about the racial slur and the discrimination that is going on like a plague on the base what he got was a gentle but confusing advice which is in essence to ignore the problem and channel his energies to do something really important – like finishing college through a Navy scholarship perhaps – and therefore increase his status. This kind of remarks confirmed in his mind that â€Å"†¦blacks were second-class citizens in the Navy, and it was hard for him to understand why no one seemed wiling to change things†(p.15). Mark James Essex witnessed a terrible crime. It is not something that could be brought in the court of law (at least in the 1970s) but it is something so offensive that an assault is a welcome alternative rather than the humiliation of a fellow human being from another. To be treated like an unclean animal is far worse than being hit in the nose with a straight punch. Moreover, the only excuse for such evil deed is the color of their skin. They have the same design, structure, and ability to feel and understand. The only difference is the way nature chose to color their skin and for M. J. Essex this is purely unacceptable. Fanning the Flames            There is a context to everything. M. J. Essex did not just turned into a monster overnight. His heart and mind received a continuous feeding of hate and discrimination although it was given to him passively. In the book Peter Hernon discovered that M. J. Essex’ father urged him to go to the Navy hoping that there is less prejudice there. His father served in the Army in World War II and he recounted that, â€Å"†¦they would send us down to Mississippi to train with wooden sticks†and recalled bitterly, â€Å"Now why would they send a black man from Kansas or anywhere in the Midwest to Mississippi without any way to protect himself†(p. 26).            A Reverend named W. A. Chambers told a similar story to the Essex family. He narrated a tale filled with the confusion and sadness accompanying discrimination and he said, â€Å"Negroes were forced to lock their weapons up at night while the whites were allowed to keep theirs in the barracks†(p. 26).            One could just imagine what was happening to the mind of the young M. J. Essex whose great hopes of a great America was crushed when he encountered the same sick thing that his parents had encountered three decades ago. These stories no doubt added fuel to the smoldering flame of hate and anger.            What is needed now is an outlet to spew it out or it would surely ruin him inside. There is a great need to express the pent-up emotions and nature dictates that when pressure is building up then an explosion is imminent unless something happens in a way of releasing that pressure. Many like minded men had found solace, inspiration, and the letting go of dangerous build-up in the heart and mind by joining non-violent protests. The Civil Rights Movement under Martin Luther King, Jr. patterned perhaps from another model of non-violent movement such as that of Mahatma Gandhi who successfully overthrew an oppressive government without firing a single shot.            On the other hand there are other groups who could not wait with older men in the hope of finding equality in their lifetime. Besides, both Martin Luther King, Jr. and Mahatma Gandhi died from bullet wounds. Is it not wise to give their enemies a dose of their own medicine? Fire against fire seems to be their motto and they were intent to make their presence known. J. Essex was caught up in the spirit of the times. In the dark times of his struggling with discrimination he came across literature concerning the Black Panther Party, a group who does not believe in the saying that the meek will inherit the earth. They would rather believe the opposite, and that is the violent will take what they deserve by force.            For a young man with a military heritage – even if it was not an impressive one, his dad went to served in WWII – and his limited experience with the U.S. Armed Forces the proposition by the Black Panthers to take up arms is so much enticing for an angry young man longing for adventure and a chance to right what is wrong. Trigger            The context was established in the last few pages. The anger and restlessness did not come out from a vacuum. There is a history involved here that was traced to the bitter experience of M.J. Essex’ Dad in the U.S. Army.            Now, the spark that ignited the powder keg of emotions came from two related sources. The first one occurred just after boot camp when he was humiliated in an enlisted men’s club, â€Å"A white boy showed him what to do, how they had to get ice in another room next to the bar. The white went in and got the ice without asking permission†(p.26). The second one is the fight with a man named Robert X. This guy, for no apparent reason could not go along with black people. His insecurity ran so deep that in the opening chapter of the book he was described to hate even the why black people walk. He is offended that the Negro race seemed to be happy and contented. Maybe he wanted them always suffering and cowed like slaves in plantations long gone.            The third source is from the systematic way the Navy seemed to show its prejudice against him. An example is how his (M. J. Essex’ car) was being searched. It was deliberate and took sometimes half an hour to fully inspect his ride, something that would piss off any person irregardless of race and gender.            All in all, â€Å"†¦what really burned Essex up was the riding he got from petty officers and other officers. They would write him up for the smallest infraction†¦Ã¢â‚¬ (p. 26). The last straw that broke the camel’s back was the terrible experience in the court-martial for he was dishonorably discharged from the Navy. At seven forty-five on the morning of October 19, 1970, M. J. Essex went AWOL. He was transformed overnight from a fun loving a guy who has nary a care in the world to someone constantly brooding, â€Å"†¦to think about what a black man has to do to survive†(p. 42). Conclusion            The Negro race has suffered many injustices from the time that they were captured and sold as slaves many centuries ago. It was such a perplexing tale of man dominating not the beasts of the earth and all the things that contain in it but fellow humans. What is more perplexing though is the slow process of emancipation, from removing them from the fields and into a real liberation where they will be considered as equals among men.            The age of Reason has come and the Industrial revolution has ushered in a new way of understanding the world and social classes. Freedom was exploding like a beautiful rainbow in the minds and hearts of people around the world. After World War II that idea of independence and the importance of a single person could never be denied. Everyone enjoyed this privilege, all except the Negro race that had to suffer discrimination in the land of the free, in one of the most advance industrialized nation in the world, in the home of the brave the United States of America. There were only a few who went to fight for their rights. The spirit of the Negro was suppressed so it is understandable why they could not easily voice out their views. The white people who were not blind to such wickedness, they are the ones who should fight in their behalf yet many perpetuated the myth that the white race is superior over the blacks. The marc to freedom was a slow process, a procedure that sometimes get to be expedited by men of will and character. These few good men would cross the line and join their Negro brothers although society forbade him to do so. They were indefatigable in their fight to achieve racial equality in American society.            But some black folks could not wait for their great white savior. They cannot even hold out for long with the likes of fellow blacks like Martin Luther King, Jr. A few would like to speed up the Civil Rights Movement a little bit and put it in the fast track. Into these ranks of violent persuaders one can find the names Huey Newton and Bobby Seale and their infamous Black Panther Party established in 1967. Their methods may be crude and their language may be vulgar, but it is enough to create a spark in the mind of a young black man whose back was pushed against the wall and every fiber of his being demanding for justice. Sometimes these feelings have to find an outlet or else it would be unbearable to live.            Many in the Civil Rights Movement were fortunate to get in touch with someone like a Martin Luther King, Jr. who proposed a serious expression of their discontent. Through rallies and demonstrations they were able to voice out the pain that is inside them and it was a good form of release. But others chose another path, more deadly more sinister – it is to kill innocent people.            Another clue as to why Mark James Essex would go down the road to perdition can be seen from the remarks of her mother that was picked up by the author, â€Å"Still, keenly aware of how white society dealt with rebellious blacks and afraid her son might be branded a misfit and possibly wind up in jail, she urged moderation†¦Ã¢â‚¬ (p. 44) This clearly shows that black people have a very negative view of white dominated society. By her mother’s statements it was clear that he can find no way out of the dark tunnel he is in. On both sides of the exit are white people waiting to pounce on him. There is no way out except with guns blazing and dying with a glorious death just like what the Black Panthers are advocating.            It must be made clear that part of the context of the story of the sniper from New Orleans is the fact that he needed the ideological persuasion of the Black Panthers in order to move from anger, to extreme hatred of whites and then finally to kill in cold blood. Mark James Essex had the misfortune of joining the Black Panthers in a time when they too were desperate and are too eager to end their campaign in a spectacular display of bravado and recklessness. Sound of Thunder            The first casualty was Cadet Alfred Harrell, 19 years old, newly married and do not have any kind of relationship with Mark James Essex. The second casualty was Edwin Hosli, 27 years old and married. He too does not know Mark James Essex. These two facts are very significant because it outlines the problem of racial discrimination showing another disturbing facet on how man erroneously sees race and inequality. Many have fought this wrong thinking head on with bravery and wisdom. Men have died as martyrs who offered their blood as payment to stop further violence and prejudice towards blacks. Others have the same goal but with a different method of accomplishing their objectives.            By killing Harrell, Hosli and the other victims of Mark James Essex shooting spree, the sniper has clearly shown which side he belongs. He did not deserve to be honored like the other Negro freedom fighters for what he did is nowhere near honorable. He did not sacrifice himself instead he was just looking for an opportunity to vent out his anger and in the end hoping to feel much better. He did not deal with his personal issues and instead allowed his problems to take control of him. Take a look at the facts and it will be made clear that Mark James Essex the killer sniper has become more terrible and more despicable than the racist people he had come to hate.            By comparison those who disrespect blacks, make fun of them, humiliate them in front of others – though they are very much wrong – thy are much better than Mark Essex because they did not take life. The humiliated person can always bounce back, the man insulted can always choose to behave as if nothing happened. The dead man cannot do anything. Officers Harrel and Hosli was not even given the chance to hear Essex side of the story. If these police officers harassed Essex then his crime will be understood but killing someone unknown to the assailant, not having any other motive rather than hate is certainly sick.            By doing what he did, Mark James Essex is not helping a bit. His spent cartridges provide ammunition to his enemies and fuel their rhetoric that blacks indeed are curse sub-species of the human race. Instead of helping to push forward the issue of equality, Mark James Essex pushed it a couple of years backward. He never profited from his actions he only brought his parents to the grave with deep anguish and heartbreak it was a product of his selfishness. His actions should not be emulated by any black or white person facing incredible odds.
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