I generally try to keep this blog politically neutral. In practice, I'm pretty middle-of-the-road: fiscally more conservative, socially liberal. I firmly believe that everyone is entitled to their opinion and the overwhelming majority of the time, people with views opposing yours are not evil or ill-intentioned. Despite my admittedly abrasive-at-times personality, I've had many deep conversations with people who disagree with me about the "no no issues" (politics, abortion, gun rights, welfare programs, etc.). I like to understand where people are coming from, because it's rarely irrational. My mind can be changed. My opinions are not set in stone.
That said.
I cannot put into words how horrified and angry I am with the circumstances that created and the government response to the Black Lives Matter movement and protests over the killing of George Floyd.
I refuse to believe that all police disagree with the BLM protests. I refuse to believe that the majority of police want to harm protesters. I refuse to believe that targeting protestors and journalists adheres to the interpretation of "protect and serve" by most police. It's much more likely that everyone is scared. Fear is a powerful thing. Someone gets nervous and overreacts, bumps the trigger, trips and pushes someone. It takes next to nothing for crowd mentality to take over and the situation to escalate. A small spark that sets off an inferno.
That said.
I'm sick of hearing people make apologies for the terrible behavior and reprehensible choices by those who are supposed to make us feel safe. I'm not going to argue that all police behave that way, because you and I both know that they don't. But as a country, there is a failure to provide law enforcement officers with tools to respond in a non-violent or non-aggressive manner. Sure, de-escalation tactics are taught at police academies, but in general, the majority of recruits only get around 8 hours of de-escalation training, compared to over 100 hours of firearms and tactical training. Most states don't require de-escalation training, or if they do, it's woefully inadequate (the average appears to be around 1 hour a year).
When police and other law enforcement officers react aggressively when they feel threatened or pressured, they are doing exactly what they've been trained to do.
This is, by definition, a systemic problem.
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An aside:
Malcom Gladwell's book "Talking to Strangers" is a riveting and disturbing look at why situations escalate. He neither accuses or apologises for the police involved in the altercations that lead to the death of unarmed people of color. Instead, he looks at the establishment and training that lead them to believe that aggressive responses are the solution. It's a great read, if a bit uncomfortable, and I highly recommend it.
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I am not trying to say that there are not malignant racists embedded in our justice system who use their position of authority to oppress minorities. I am not trying to excuse the law enforcement officers who find themselves in volatile, quickly evolving situations and chose to escalate or respond with disproportionate force.
The trend of using disproportionate force on minorities because of a perceived threat is inexcusable and unacceptable.
Interesting (terrifying?) tidbit: There has been research (using numbers from 2014 and 2015) that indicates that police as a whole (not white police) are disproportionately likely to kill people of color. The issue is not one of white cop versus person of color, but rather cop versus person of color. The numbers are grim: approximately 12% of the US population is black, but they account for 28% of people killed by police. Latinos are also killed at a rate higher than would be expected using population demographics alone, and, unsurprisingly, whites are less likely to be killed by police. Even accounting for racial disparities of crime, blacks are more likely to experience use of force by police, on the order of 3.6 times more likely than whites.
The argument that police patrol areas because they are low-income and thus hotbeds of crime, therefore systemic racism isn't actually what's going on, is bullshit. Ghettos and low-income neighborhoods are a relic of segregation and racist policies that prevented blacks from living in "desirable" areas and holding many jobs. This creates an at-risk group that in turn gets trapped by socio-economic circumstances that make breaking out difficult, if not all but impossible.
Yeah. Shit's gotta change.
Our armed forces manage to exercise restraint and control in combat zones and not kill the people they detain. They are expected to act as the world's police (which is a rant for another time) and pull it off time after time. They adhere to the rules of engagement (I am aware that the rules of engagement are extremely limiting and do not apply to domestic law enforcement. My point is, it's perfectly possible to be subjected to high-pressure and dangerous situations and not kill anyone as a knee-jerk reaction).
Why do our police not do the same? Why are we not giving our law enforcement officers the training and tools and empowering them to protect themselves by backing down?
We spend our childhoods being taught that violence isn't the answer. And then we enter the real world, where entire portions of our population live in fear when they see someone who's job is supposed to be to make them feel safer. Countless people who are taught a script at a young age, actions to take to reduce their chances of being arrested and minimize the chance of escalation by police.
That. Is. Bullshit.
There is something wrong with our law enforcement when the gut reaction of the citizens is fear.
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In many countries, police are viewed as an asset, a friendly face, someone who you can ask for and is there to help. Ev and I witnessed this firsthand living in the Netherlands, where the police are trained in (and very good at) de-escalation. Many of them don't even carry firearms.
My point is, I know things can be better.
The Black Lives Matter movement has so many reasons to exist, to be outraged, to demand change and reform. To try to downplay that is to trivialise the experiences of hundreds of thousands of Americans.
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The protests have escalated, but I can't say I'm as appalled as I might be at the looting and rioting. The police response has been... less than ideal. For God's sake, some of them (bad apples, I can only hope) are targeting journalists. This is, in every possible sense, unacceptable.
Freedom of the press, as well as the freedom to assemble and protest, are enshrined in the US Constitution. Very, very explicitly (unusual in that document, to be honest). Assaulting peaceful protesters is unconstitutional. Trying to stifle or intimidate the press is unconstitutional (recall my rant about freedom of the press).
I guess what I'm trying to say is, black lives matter. All lives matter, but it is wilfully ignorant to try to brush off the Black Lives Matter movement as an overreaction or baseless. This country needs institutional change and leadership from the top, not a petulant child incapable of empathy or compromise. Black Lives Matter is the result of systemic and well-documented injustice and disparity. They are not alarmists. They are not irrational. They are not exaggerating.
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So please, please make sure you're registered to vote. Most states will let you request an absentee ballot, which means you can vote early (which you should do, because there will likely be unprecedented absentee voting this election cycle a la Covid). Change is possible, and we should push for it from as many angles as possible: Protest. Vote. Write and call your representatives. Speak out when you see discrimination or racism. Be a positive influence in the world.
Because right now, with the unrest and uncertainty and volatility, the one thing we can't afford to be is silent.
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