Compassionate?
This picture (also posted here) has got to be the most upsetting thing I’ve seen for a long time. Since becoming a dad I’ve become much more sensitive to images and stories involving the hurt or abuse of children.
Obviously I can’t judge the man in the hood, but is it really necessary to hood these people? And should their children be allowed to see them in this way? At least there is evidence of humanity in the US army, I hope the soldier concerned isn’t held to account for freeing this man’s hands.
There was an uncomfortable moment on TV the other day where a man was arrested for selling dodgy cars in front of his children, to their great distress. At the time my comment was that the man had put himself and his family in that position, which on reflection now seems a bit callous. Could the police have tried harder to make the arrest when the children weren’t present or at least had support officers on hand to explain to the children why their father was being taken away?