The “Black Lives Matter” movement started all the way back in 2013, when George Zimmerman was acquitted of murdering Trayvon Martin, an unarmed African American teenager. I’m sure most you are familiar with the case, but for those of you who aren’t, you can read about the case and see what your fellow students thought at the time here: http://historicalandpoliticalissues.blogspot.com/2012/04/justice-for-trayvon.html
The movement, which campaigns against police brutality, really gained momentum when another unarmed African American teenager, Michael Brown, was shot and killed by police in Ferguson, Missouri. I blogged about that case too and you can read the post here: http://historicalandpoliticalissues.blogspot.com/2014/12/hands-up-dont-shoot.html
Now it seems we are regularly hearing, and in some cases actually seeing, police shooting, choking, or otherwise fatally injuring unarmed individuals, oftentimes minorities. The “Black Lives Matter” activists highlight a long history of racial abuse and injustice towards minorities by the police. As a result of their work, many cities are requiring police to wear body cameras, in addition to their dashboard cameras, to have a more accurate record of what transpires during these encounters.
Another result of this movement has been the “opposition,” or those who support the police officers. They argue that police officers put their lives on the line every day, and that many of the “victims,” were actually criminals which is why they encountered the police in the first place.
I’ll admit, I’m torn on these issues. I was raised to respect police officers. I have several friends and family members who are police officers. I know they’re faced with split-second, life-changing decisions every day. That being said, I also know that when I’ve been pulled over with my Black friends, we’ve been treated differently than we would be if I was alone in the car. In many cases, I’ve witnessed our Constitutional rights being violated. So, my question to you this week is, “What have been your experiences with the police? Do you think the police often resort to violence when there are other, less volatile ways to accomplish peace?” Answers are due no later than Wednesday, November 11th, 2015 - which is also Veteran's Day. To al those of you who have served in our armed forces - thank you!! You are the true American heroes!
I personally haven't had any major issues with the police, probably mostly because I don't drive and don't encounter them as much. But I have heard of many stories from my mother or brother who have had some instances of being treating differently. One was when my brother was jumped and harassed by a group of people and left with an open wound from a brick to the head. They busted out the windows in his car, slashed his tires and robbed him. The people got away before the cops came, but when the police arrived they did nothing to help him. My brother knew who the people were that did this to him and told them their names and everything, one of the guys had a warrant also, but the cops didn't say they would look for them. The main issue was the police wouldn't help my brother to safety while is head was open bleeding, and they just left. He basically just had to find his own way home/to the hospital. Another story with my mother is that a white lady ran into the back of her while my mom was at a stop light and when the cops arrived they immediately ran to the lady and asked her was she okay and they were screaming at my mom asking her what did she do. Clearly the my mom was the one who got hit because they were at a stop light and her car was in front of the lady's.
ReplyDeleteIn some cases I do feel that some cops resort to violence at unnecessary times. Many cops are trained to be on guard and ready to respond at all times, but I think some of them are too quick to jump the gun especially when it comes to minorities. They see minorities as a threat and I honestly don't know why, it's saddening.
I never have had a crazy experience with the police. One time was when I was with my boyfriend of the time on our way to my mom's. A cop pulled me over and went through the route then nothing. No ticket or anything, which I'll admit was really odd. The police in larger cities it seams (larger than New Castle, IN) do take things a bit liberally. The police I've always known is that they shoot only when a gun is seen and a bullet from the suspect is fired. The thought that some minorities are viewed just as they were viewed several years ago. Some of those views just didn't leave the families sadly.
ReplyDelete-Hayley Rains
I've had a few instances with the police in which I analyzed the situation from various perspectives as well as thinking before proceeding with certain action and responses. I've been asked various questions when simply walking on the sidewalk during the evening time with daylight still out so with much respect I replied "none of your business" in which the officers seemed infuriated but continued on their way as they foreseen the possible outcome in which I would surely have take off by foot in blinding speed why some would ask? I'm a black male in America I'm guilty simply by living it doesn't really matter if I'm legally innocent. Not all but some officers lack the compassion to persuade with verbal skills or to try alternate measures that will deviate from the outcome of extreme measure of violence that isn't called for based off the circumstantial situation.
ReplyDeletePersonally, I haven't experienced anything negative with the police that was directed at me. One time a cop was kind of a dick to me (long story) but I don't exactly count that. So no, I have not experienced personal discrimination from a police officer. As for the police and the Black Lives Matter movement, I have a bit to say. I apologize if this is too long-winded. I've been following these issues closely since the George Zimmerman case and have been adamant about supporting the Black Lives Matter movement.
ReplyDeleteI think that there is a very clear discrimination by the police towards minorities, especially people of color. I believe that there is an issue of racism within the prison industrial complex and therefore the police force, which you can trace back to the social reaction to the Civil Rights movement, Reaganomics, and the "war on drugs." That is an entirely different debate, but assuming these issues exist within the systems that are supposed to uphold justice, it's no wonder we see racial discrimination in the police force. What it boils down to is people refuse to acknowledge what a horrific and ever-prevalent issue racism in America is. The Civil Rights movement did not mean racism was over, but much of America chose to view it as such. However false this view regarding the finality of racism in America is, it remains a widespread belief, leading to a backlash from the general public when the element of racism is approached. People don't want to acknowledge that their country is racist because it highlights how we've cultivated racist ideals and stereotypes. It is entirely up to the individual to unlearn these racist things ingrained in our society - we can't allow these ideals to continue to take root. This is why I think the Black Lives Matter movement is so vital for positive social progress. This is also why the "All Lives Matter" concept was a harmful approach to the issue. It feels like an attempt to co-opt a movement that was meant to bring a sense of solidarity to the black community. This issue is about black lives; to say "well yeah, but what about us?" just dilutes this solidarity and pulls the focus away from the fact that police brutality and other similar issues are often racially charged. Solidarity amongst oppressed minorities in situations like this can lead to positive social progress. To deny solidarity amongst oppressed minorities is to deny them a chance to lead safer lives. So in my opinion, "All Lives Matter" is a harmful rhetoric. Nobody in the Black Lives Matter movement is saying all lives DON'T matter, it's simply unification of the black community in a time of racially charged injustice.
So yeah, I think police are a bit more violent in their approach of minorities. There are supposed to be regulations and training that prevent unnecessary death in police work, so that begs the question: why are we seeing so many people being killed by police officers? The statistics are pretty disturbing. Off the top of my head, I think the number this year was 900-some people killed by police this year. Furthermore, you can also see that the number of black people killed in this way is disproportionate. According to Mint Press News, "Police killed almost five black people per every million black residents of the U.S., compared with about 2 per million for both white and hispanic victims."
(okay yeah this got kinda long, sorry)
DeleteThis issue always leads to people defending the police, saying that they "know good police officers" or something like that. I've known "good cops" too. The issue is less about the merit of an individual police officer and more about the whole of the system. Dr. Marilyn Frye, author of the book The Politics of Reality, does a good job of describing oppression in the social system we've constructed. This is one of my favorite ways to explain oppression: too many people view these issues microscopically. If you can see oppression and racism as a series of correlating systems, you can picture them as a bird cage. Microscopically, people see the single "bar" of the bird cage and ask "Why would you not just go around it?" This is why the microscopic view of social issues can be intrinsically false. If we look at the system macroscopically, observe it as the system that it is, we can see that you cannot go "around" the bar of oppression because there are more bars completing the cage. At every turn, a bar of our racially oppressive system blocks progress. So you can't simply circumvent oppressive systems by dodging a single issue. We must acknowledge that this is a system that works together.
Police violence towards minorities is not a new issue, but with a technological age we've been able to bring these issues forward more often. I think it's important to discuss and I wholeheartedly support the Black Lives Matter movement. I hope we can one day progress to a point where this is no longer an issue, but we're a long ways away. It's up to everybody to work on themselves and how they analyze these issues.
Before i give a justified answer based on my knowledge, experience, and personal beliefs, I would first say that racial crimes, major or minor, shootings or assault happens in every race, and not just African Americans ethnic group. Its really interesting how the movement is called "Black Lives Matter", and just mainly focuses on, at least based on the description provided, only African Americans and their experiences or incidents. I believe all lives matter, the hundreds of hate crimes and shootings that occurred toward the Indian population in the U.S., after the 9/11 attacks and the crime, discrimination, and assault that took place and still takes place with people of the Muslim culture. I say this, because I myself personally been through a minor incidence in life, after the 9/11 attacks by school population, as I was in high school that time, and very few students were from my ethnic background. I don't understand why the media or people here don't talk about all the hate crimes or race based crimes in U.S. openly.
ReplyDeleteSecondly, what the police officer in South Carolina school did was wrong and immature, but he shouldn't have been fired. He could have be suspended for few months, paid penalty and time in jail, and should have apologized to the victim and her family. I believe that the police officer should have controlled his aggressive reaction, should have been more patient and tolerant, should have given the warning to the student that he will have to call her parents instead if she fails to listen to him. At the same time, i don't and can't make a judgement based on a 15 second video, of what went exactly wrong before this part was recorded.
I personally, falling under the ethnic minority group, even though I am a U.S. citizen, living in the U.S. for almost 20 years, haven't ever experienced such a behavior, and police officials have been fair, understanding, and respectful. I believe that if you want the police officials to respect you, no matter what race you belong to, before they take any such actions, you need to respect them as well, their duty, and be open to answer their questions, then make the decision. Based on my perspective and knowledge, I can name many things that went wrong and might have contributed towards such a behavior and not just the police officer, but since that is not the question, i won't share. Thank you.
In my life I try to avoid the police so I haven't had many encounters but the ones that I did have were fine. In the past some of my siblings have dealt with the police and they seemed to just be doing their job. I think that police men react off your energy, they are just like anyone else, if you give someone attitude most of the time that person won't treat you the nicest. If you give them respect and abide by the law then they will treat you the same way. The violence that I have seen in these videos are crazy, I don't agree with how these officers have gotten so violent. Even with a video we don't really know the whole story so I can't really say who is right or wrong. From the videos the officers look to be in the wrong, but we don't know what happened before that to make this violence occur. It is hard to respect all cops because if one is a certain way to you we say there all like that. The three times I got pulled over I got one ticket so they are not all mean!
ReplyDeleteI have only really had one encounter with a police officer and he was repectful to me. As of the us of violence I think that some cops go to it to fast when there are safer options. That being said sometimes there is only the chose of cops using violence and when they do there can be a backlash when they are only doing their job.
ReplyDeleteI have always tried my best to stay out of trouble and stay away from the police I have only encountered 3, 2 by being pulled over and the 3rd being in a car accident. Each experience was reasonable. One cop I was quite shocked by, because I decided to take a different route home then usual and of course I wasn't aware of the instant speed limit drop. I got pulled over for speeding, I told the officer I don't normal take this way and he said I was only going to get a warning. A little shakey I couldn't find my registration in my glove box, and he said you know what, I'll let you go this time just be careful and watch your speed going through different routes. I was soo happy because I was on my way to stay with my boyfriend behind my parents back at the time and I didn't want to receive anything in the mail about the incident and get in trouble. The officer was respectful and I think as long as your respectful and reasonable there won't be any conflict or violence happen in the situation.
ReplyDelete“What have been your experiences with the police? Do you think the police often resort to violence when there are other, less volatile ways to accomplish peace?”
ReplyDeleteI’ve experienced the police in five different states, Indiana, South Carolina, Hawaii, Virginia, and Texas. In South Carolina I was at a bar and it got too rough so the police were called. I didn’t have any trouble with the police but I did see a lot of hands on police work. I thought it was needed force because a lot of people were not listening and trying to intimidate the police. So many people had attitudes towards the police and that’s who the police focused on. I was with a few of my friends, two of them were black and we were all respectful and we didn’t have any trouble.
My second experience was similar but in Texas. We were downtown dancing, everything was closing and the police had areas blocked off for pedestrians and they were standing on the streets because the crowds were so large. People got into trouble and a majority of them were black but they were causing trouble, being disrespectful and yelling violent things about what they would do to cops.
Hawaii was chill. I saw them talk to some people about hookers and weed but there was no violence. Then they came over to me and my friend who was black and just made sure we were having a good safe time and no one was bothering us.
In Virginia I experienced a traffic cop. She had a lot of attitude but I understand how scary it can be to pull someone over and not know what you are getting into. She gave me four tickets and was nice by the end of the interaction.
Lastly, I was in a car accident in Indiana and the cop was a black male. He was super nice and helped everything go smoothly. At the end he told me I smelled nice and asked if he could give me his number. Indiana has been my favorite cop experience.
I think being a cop is hard to do. You don’t know what the people you are interacting with are capable of and when they start to say aggressive things it escalates the situation quickly. I do think there are less volatile ways of accomplishing peace but they aren’t looked at when the police are being intimidated or outnumbered.
I have not had any real serious situations with the police besides getting a couple tickets and my car accident. I do feel that SOME police officers do discriminate against minorities, just based off skin color or stereotypes I have seen police act a certain way differently than they may act towards a white person. Most of these killings by police officers have been taking too far. Although someone may be in the wrong, I don't feel it is always necessary for them to have the choice of taking someone's life depending on the circumstance. I honestly feel that police officers are threaten by the black males when encountered as well.
ReplyDeleteI understand that the police are faced with situations that can call for quick decision making but i think there should be a procedure or actions to take before automatically killing someone. ( disable them). It is funny that police are here or in position to protect the people but it is starting to become a war zones against the ones that are supposed to be keeping us safe, so now it's like who can you really trust or call on.
I also have a problem with discrimination when it comes to charging or finding someone guilty. A white person can kill someone or multiple people and will quickly be charged with having a mental disorder but if some one of minority kills someone they are automatically claimed has a murder and found guilty. It is also a common thing once a black male is killed that he is a "gangbanger" or "criminal" although they may have been, it doesn't make his life less than of the next.
"Black Lives Matter" is a powerful movement that I feel can make change in a positive way. Once it came about people wanted to change the saying or movement to "All Lives Matter". Saying Black Lives Matter doesn't mean that others lives don't matter it is bringing attention to the black community which often gets looked over or pushed to the side.
I have had quite a couple encounters with the police a long while ago, both good and bad, and I have had no problems with how they treated each situation. With that being said, I think it all depends on the officer you're dealing with and how the person is treating them. Yes, there are some cops that sometimes go against what they're supposed to do, but that never means all of them act the same way.
ReplyDelete-Hayden Polsgrove
I have always tried to stay away from the police I have only being pulled over once. The experience was reasonable. I got pulled over for speeding and I didn't had my license with me, the day I forgot my wallet at home so he just looked up for my name on his computer, he just give me a warning. The officer was nice and he let me go. He just told me to drive safety.
ReplyDeleteI have had many encounters with police officer (mostly tickets or expired plates) and I have not had any bad experiences or been mistreated by them but I feel its because I have cooperated with what they have demanded at the time of the incident. I can see where people just want to be difficult and cause a scene with the cop which may lead to the events but I know that some officers are just violent for no reason. to me at the end of the day they are officers so at the moment they pull you over or have you under their control, just cooperate, chances are you will be able to get out of that situation and then be able to take some sort of legal action against those involved.
ReplyDeleteI have been pulled over a few times but never had in incident with police officers. I have never personally seen police resort to violence. But I know it happens, and now with social media and the internet things are only going to get more and more intense as these news stories spread extremely fast. Not all cops are bad, and not all cops are right for the job. They are regular citizens who have to carry a gun around. That is not a normal job. They make mistakes just like the rest of us. But their mistakes can cost someone a life. Police officers should be more aware of their situation and surroundings. Pulling the trigger should be the last option especially at home in our streets. Almost every situation can be resolved without violence and it is a police officer's responsibility to know the escalation of force and use it. To protect and to serve does not mean to shoot the people you aim to protect. Regardless of what color they are police took an oath to protect everyone.
ReplyDeleteThe only experience I have had with the police was a speeding ticket I received. I was treated fairly although he was sort of aggressive with me. It was late and I was picking my roommate up from work and had forgotten my license so considering the circumstances, a warning on the license and a ticket wasn't too bad. I don't think you can look at the police as an entire entity, they are individuals and should be treated as such. You can't say whether they do or don't "always" do one thing or another. But a problem definitely is present and should be addressed.
ReplyDeleteI haven't had many experiences with the police. I have only been pulled over once for speeding on 465. I unfortunately got a ticket from it. The guy was kind of rude and didn't let me speak that much. To answer your question yes I think some police officers do resort to violence in situations. Sometimes they go a little too far depending on the situation. I'm sure everyone has resorted to a method that wasn't needed while they are doing something regardless of the situation. For example you may yell at someone because they said something that offended you but they were clueless that saying that would offend you. When you could of calmly said "Please don't say that I find it rude." Some situations just turn out differently than the "best solution". Also I feel as though because of these issues, people are respecting officers less. Which shouldn't be the case. Sometimes I feel they get physical because someone is not listening to them or respecting them.
ReplyDeletePersonally, I haven't experienced anything negative with polices that was directed at me. But in my opinion, I believe its all in the way you carrying yourself because in todays world people judge on how you look. Which I believe is not fair because your judging a book my cover. Now the major issues I believe is with the police, They don't respect or treat people equally and the want respect in return and doesn't work like that unless its call for.
ReplyDeleteThis blog really hit home to me because i was a victim of police brutality. I believe even as a adult today that the police were wrong for throwing me and some friends around for being out of our dorm at the guardian home. There was a girl who was mentally handicapped that they smashed face first into a wall. So i think that they could go about things a lot less physical. I feel as if the only time they should be aggressive is when someone is being the same way. And there should be stronger informant in new pro-call.
ReplyDeleteI believe the cop was wrong for this action. Self control was thrown out the window, and apparently wasn't his first time losing his cool. I have had many run-ins with police as a young adult, and most were not good, but we must realize how hard of a job that is. I was a total dick a few times and paid the price, when I was cooperative everything was fine.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I strongly disagree with some of the actions of officers, I don't believe they all should be subjectified. Just like anything else in life, I'm not going to assume everyone in a large group is the same. However, there needs to be better training for some of these idiots that carry weapons and enforce our laws. Also, there needs to be better parenting/teaching for some of the dumbass kids running around out here. With that being said, the police are not 100% to blame here. Since I turned 18, I've had not one negative interaction with a police officer....Because I don't cause problems for everyone around me! I don't lose my shit in McDonald's because they don't have pumpkin pie, or drive my car into a bank because they denied my loan application, or throw a punch at a cop because one was mean to me when I was seventeen. Hello, running into cops is a reactive problem; stay out of trouble or dive deeper into it, but don't play the victim if you antagonize someone who deals with people that wouldn't hesitate to kill them!
AWARENESS!
I myself have been arrested twice, antagonized once, by the police. The first time I was arrested it was for assault and battery, I was 17 and the police were rough but I did not resist, oddly enough they were already there so they didn't have to chase me or anything. They took me down and cuffed me and held a can of mace like two inches from my face so I knew my goose was pretty cooked. The second time I was arrested I was twenty one and smoking marijuana in a parking lot. My sister, her friend at the time were both 17 so they went to juvenile. But me and my friend were both adults and we went to county lock up where oddly enough I saw some friends. But before we got there we got to have conversations with the police officers, they asked why we didn't go home and do this, I replied "I live with my mother", and then they separated us as we waited for the patty wagon, the officer then told a few good spots where no one goes where it would be safe to smoke, and when the patty wagon came the lady officer stated " I can smell what you've been doing!" and I replied with a smile "I know". But the time me and my friends were antagonized we were all under the age of eighteen and about six of went to the west skating rink for the night, a fight had broken out and everyone wanted to see, but the parking lot we were sitting in was not too far from the skating rink, the police swooped down us as if we had already committed a crime, other sitting somewhere joking back and forth. But one of the cops, who oddly enough was black, clearly stated, "I hope one of you little MF's get out of line, I want to mace me a MF." and there I thought we were going to get arrested just for being young and in a not so great area. But I say that to say this, both times I was arrested, I had actually committed a crime. The people who have since became martyrs for a cause that I hope won't fizzle out, but will become something very great. One thing I don't like is how Afrocentric people get when stuff like this happens, and some of them say some hurtful things to people like me, about being in an interracial marriage, calling it self hate, but that's another subject.
ReplyDeleteI have lucky never been in a situation that has involved the cops. So it is hard for me to say how I feel about the issue without any real life experiences. What I can say is the stories I hear are horrible and I feel empathy for anyone that has been in that type of situation. Often times I think officers like to show there dominance so they can control the outcome without realizing how over board they are getting. We all get stressed about our jobs and take it out on other people. Though, that is no excuse for violence to take place. Something needs to be done to get this under control. Cops working less hours, classes on anger management, and someone to talk to about there struggles.
ReplyDeleteLuckily I can say I've never had any super bad issues or instances with the police. Although, one time I got in trouble and almost ended up going to jail over a few personal bad choices. The officers that I dealt with were pretty cooperative. I have saw many instances where police were very brutal and rude to whomever they were dealing with. Which, in my opinion is never neceessary unless they are under life and death situations with a person. The issues that have been happening lately around the world with police are very hard to watch and witness because police are so ruthless and inconsiderate of the people they deal with sometimes and the issues are getting more and more brutal.
ReplyDelete