General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Sorry – but it was the police who escalated the violence to this point [View all]frazzled
(18,402 posts)killing them isn't the answer either. Violence begets violence, and then counter-violence again, in a never-ending cycle. We are smarter and better than that. Join your community's citizen task force, or lobby to form one, or protest peacefully, contact your local legislators and your federal ones as well.
And if you see something, say something. I will never forget almost 30 years ago witnessing some cops brutally attacking some teenagers at a lake in Minneapolis (this time the youths were white, but they had their hands restrained behind them and were face downward on the police car--still, they were being beaten). I was enraged, and I started to go over to get badge numbers to report it. And then I remembered my 3-month-old son was in the carriage and my toddler daughter with me. I was scared to confront them. I ended by walking away in disgust. I was wrong.
Police officers are scared, too. They face sanctions and retaliation if they blab. This is what needs to change. There aren't many Serpicos out there. We have to have safe, anonymous ways for other police officers to report on colleagues who have issues with rage or racism. And then we need a transparent, public system to force those complaints to be acted upon.
But one thing we never do, whether we're cops or citizens, is gun down people vigilante-style. Which brings me to guns, the root of all evil.
Edit history
Recommendations
0 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):