May 19, 2008
Paddy Wagon Death Under Investigation
There are two noteworthy items in this recent report about a man who died Saturday from blunt head trauma after falling out of a police wagon. The first item of interest is the story in and of itself; the suspect was handcuffed and trying to escape from police custody, but the paddy wagon was stationary, and he was not struck by another vehicle. He simply … fell on his head, and died later from his injuries at Stroger Hospital. The death is under investigation.
Secondly, the Trib commenters have again outdone themselves with generally juvenile and completely worthless comments on the story. Slow clap.
Image via Andrea Knapp
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Seems to me that there have been quite a few news pieces putting the CPD in a bad light lately. Coincidence? All part of Jody's clean-up strategy?
I think it makes sense that if he were crazed and like flailing aroung and his hands were cuffed, that he could fall in such a way that death would result. At least he wasn't shot.
Here are two simple suggestions. To the cops, lock the darn door. Is that too complicated for you?
To the criminal up in heaven (c'mon, maybe he IS in heaven), maybe you should not have tried to escape. Just a thought.
I've lurked here for a while, never really cared to comment, but sometimes the lack of thought put forth here by the writers/editors is amazing. You cannot mock comments on another site when your headline contains the phrase Paddy Wagon.
@futuregrandpa:
why not?
It's a derogatory term that references Irish cops and drunks. Paddy -- short for Padraig/Patrick -- refers to both the Irish cops in the front and the drunk Irish in the back they've arrested.
It's not so much using the term that I care about; I recently used it. It's the contradictory nature of mocking comments of Trib readers when the writers here are using inflammatory terms in headlines, well before any comments are even submitted.
Paddy Wagon is just fine.
Future grandpa is right. Paddy is an ethnic slur. But in the PC chicagoist world its ok to use slurs for the irish but if someone used a slur to describe the african americans or hispanics that be a big deal.
i think perhaps the reason i felt justified in poking fun at the trib commenters is that i think the commenters on this site can offer very insightful, intelligent, funny, and humane responses to what we post here. i enjoy reading what our commenters have to say.
i was not aware of the origin of the term "paddy wagon." interesting that your point seems to be that it's ok to use this term only in private conversation, and not in conjuction with mocking something else?
Ignorance is no excuse.
No, my point is that you have taken the contradictory position of mocking comments on another site for being juvenile when your headline is just as ignorant.
And my acknowledgment of recently using the term was not to suggest that it's okay for private conversation, but an attempt to direct the conversation towards your lack of understanding your poorly chosen words, which is a problem when you write for the public. It was not to get into a politically correct debate about the use of Paddy.
I did so, however, knowing full well that given the opportunity, someone else would also take offense at the slur. You now have to explain your choice to multiple people.
But now you have two options: admit it's a slur and change it. Or leave it as it is and announce to the world you are incapable of correcting a mistake.
Of all the moronic debates I've seen on this site, of all the silly issues I've seen people get out of sorts over, this is perhaps the silliest. If the use of the long-accepted term "paddy wagon"--a term I've heard used by Irish cops themselves--is what finally gets you out of lurk mode, then you have really weird priorities. Go back to lurking.
On a sidenote, I would not recommend a joke at the expense of the term "Eskimo Kiss" or "Eskimo Pie" . . .You're asking for some SERIOUS Inuit Backlash.
But the Irish? Eh. . .They're too drunk to read this. . .
I shouldn't have said all of that, nor do I mean it. Back to using the term "Freedom Fries" it is.
Lots of terms were once long-accepted, but they are no longer. See Chinaman for example, especially relevant for Chicago.
And if your arbiter for right or wrong is the Chicago Police Force, then your moral compass is suspect.
Future grandpa is right. Paddy is an ethnic slur. But in the PC chicagoist world its ok to use slurs for the irish but if someone used a slur to describe the african americans or hispanics that be a big deal.
Especially stinging seeing as Irish Americans are basically on the same page when it comes to discriminatin as Blacks and Latinos in Chicago here in 2008. Wait this is an alternative universe isn't it?
Navin I bet you would be working up a good lather if the headlind used N***er wagon Sp*c wagon or K*ke wagon but being a good liberal you only see things one way. Blue, plenty of african americans use the term N***er everyday when talking to each other that doesnt mean its acceptable or that its appropriate.
But think of the possibilities fed up..... instead of Paddy Wagon, we could have the Dre Wagon, the Jesus Wagon, or the Maury Wagon. Imagine a world where drunk girls in lincoln park get thrown into the Trixie Wagon.
As an Irishman I am outraged, outraged!
Now, where is my whiskey? And where is my wee leprachaun hat? I need to dance the jig and eat a potato stew.
Also if you ask me the irish should never have been allowed in this country. Filthy, cat-meat eating drunkards that they are.
Navin I bet you would be working up a good lather if the headlind used N***er wagon Sp*c wagon or K*ke wagon but being a good liberal you only see things one way.
Oh Fed,
I explained the obvious difference. I tell you what, I'll meet you at one of the several PADDY-(blank) bars or restaurants and hold your hand while you cry about how tough the second largest population of white people have it in 2008 U.S.
navin i truly dont care about the plight of the irish i just find it interesting that ignorance and racism is acceptabe to libera
s such as yourself. i truly believed you would find ignorant racial slang terms offensive. racism should be challanged at every level.