Chances are you haven’t been able to completely avoid the fiasco in Baltimore, even if you’re making a concerted effort. What a tragedy in so many ways. At the heart of it is a supposed long standing divide between Police officers and young men of the black community. There is no trust, they say. Cops are suspicious right off the bat, they say. We’re angry.. they say. I don’t doubt that’s a factor. How can it not be. But lets be totally honest, look at the statistics. Who did you see in the news footage looting, robbing, destroying. Who was running from burning buildings to their cars with armloads of clothes, sneakers, pharmaceuticals? Who torched 144 cars, destroyed 19 businesses? Set their city back at least five years? As for the young man who’s death caused the protests in the first place? He had a rap sheet a mile long, he was a narcotics dealer among other things. Was his death a tragedy? Unless you’re Adolph H*tler or cut from similar cloth, any death is a tragedy. But how much can we ask of our police officers? If you’re not breaking the law, not running from the law, not known for drug and stolen property arrests for years on end, chances are you’re not going to die at the hands of a police officers. It’s that simple. I’m not denying there have been times when we’ve all heard a story where too much force was used and a tragic death occurred. Some people shouldn’t be cops. That’s true of any career choice. Weed out the few, but don’t condemn the whole. And I hope there will soon be body cameras that do not interfere with an officers capabilities so that their actions can no longer be questioned, and the few rogue cops out there will be identified and lose their status.
M talked to one of our friends, an officer who has been at it a long time. This is what he had to say about the current issue. ” When we are dealing with a person who is high on drugs, and most of those who are committing a crime or selling dope ARE high on their preferred substance… they are ten times stronger than the average man while on the drug. They fight with everything they’ve got, even knowing they are going to be arrested and will not win the struggle. We have a protocol we are supposed to follow and we do it with the best of our ability. Remember we’re packing guns, tasers, other equipment as we’re trying to arrest the person and have to attempt not to use those weapons unless absolutely necessary. The perps adrenaline is running high and they are powerful on their drug, and our adrenaline is running high as we try to protect the life of the one fighting us, our OWN, and anyone who may be in the vicinity. It’s impossible in that kind of situation to have everything go perfectly according to any rule books, but we do the best we can with what we’re handing at that very moment, and we never know what that’s going to be.”
Makes sense to me.
I put this on FB yesterday – forgive the repeat if you’re a friend there. It’s what I believe.
I have always been appalled by racism. Disgusted with some of the worlds history.. all forms of racism that exist… We are all PEOPLE OF THIS EARTH. And if you think white people don’t deal with racism, you’re wrong. Just a few of my experiences…and they are nothing in the big picture. I sat on a public bus headed for school and because I was the only white girl that morning on the bus, I was approached and the simple gold chain I wore was ripped from my neck. The group cheered. Here’s an irony – Because of my dark skin and non-Ivy League education, I was frowned upon by a boyfriends family as soon as they met me. He was honest about his parents clear snub and I am so thankful we didn’t last.
Of course we can’t change the past. But it’s sure hard to shape the future in a positive way when opportunist thugs use the “justice for” and racial profiling excuse to burn down and loot their cities, damage businesses, homes, neighborhoods. You only fuel the stereotypes when you behave in such a way. You want justice? Respect? The key is to give it. To raise your children so that they have a moral compass, a respect for life, not just their own. Teach them to value education and the law.. Are there rogue cops out there who shouldn’t have a badge? You bet, just like in any other profession. But the majority are hard working people who put their lives on the line every single day and we’re damn lucky they’re willing. I don’t care what the color of your skin is….the conversation needs to change everywhere, but it starts with taking responsibility at home. Period.
By the way… BRAVO to the people of that community who stood by the officers, defending them, as their neighbors rioted and destroyed and threw bricks. Bravo to the family of the deceased who, even in their grief, asked that no violence be brought to the city in the name of their son. Bravo to those who came out of their homes the next morning with brooms and garbage pails, cleaning up their city. Bravo to the mother who found her son among the looters and dragged him home, literally.
Does racism still exist? As I said above.. you betcha. Sad deal. But that’s not the way to fix it.
ROSA PARKS… refused to give up her seat on a bus. She didn’t torch it.
