The Barrel of a Gun

Last night, I was privileged to sit in seat A-109 in the balcony section of the Merriam Theatre at the premiere of Tigre Hill's film, "The Barrel of a Gun." The film was more than a mere documentary about a cop-killing that happened so many years ago-- it was the putting into proper, historical context of a singular act of rage, defiance, political power, animosity, vigilantism and brutality:

A bullet through the back of a 25-year-old police officer, and then another one through his brain-- fired while the officer lay, bleeding, face-up outside 1234 Locust Street at 3:52am on December 9, 1981.

Mr. Hill's film has vindicated the city of Philadelphia, which has played dubious host to protest after protest in misguided honor of a convicted murderer. For once, we, and a film director whom we as a city have raised, we have stood up and comported ourselves with dignity in the face of malice, and we have placed a value on truth.

Philadelphia Police Officer Daniel J. Faulkner was most certainly murdered in a cold-blooded, calculated ambush. But he did not die in vain, and the film I saw last night made sure of that.

Thank you, Tigre Hill. Well done.