Even though I
knew the general history of N.W.A., the movie really brought to light the
repeated encounters they had with the police.
From being harassed for “literally just standing there” as Dr. Dre put
it, to being censored about their controversial song, “F--- the Police,” N.W.A
had long-standing issues and involvement with the police. The timing of
this movie can’t be coincidental - the story of five young men from South
Central rapping about police brutality and hood unrest in 1988 still resonates
today, in an era of Trayvon Martins, Michael Browns, and Sandra Blands.
It’s
on your minds too – police brutality and the Black Lives Matter movement was
one of the top answers when I asked you what you were most interested in
studying in class this quarter. This
isn’t the first time I’ve blogged about the issue. You can read one of my posts, along with
links about the individual cases mentioned above, and your fellow students’
comments, here: http://historicalandpoliticalissues.blogspot.com/2015/11/every-life-matters.htmlIt 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, February 3rd, 2016
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ReplyDeleteMy dealings with the police have always been good. They have always been very curtious and by the book. But than again i always show my "yes sir, no sir" attitude and i am always honest with them. Being a minority has never been a factor in my case. I think police officers try hard to resolve everything without violence , well as much as they can. And i was born in East LA in the mid 80's. Grew up in Compton/ East LA. Some of my friends who have had problems with police had bad attitudes towards the police. As soon as they changed that attitude the police also changed for the better. Like you said the police have a short time to react to anything so if we show respect i believe we get respect back. Not all cases obviously but most.
ReplyDeleteI have not had an encounter with the police. I have not been pulled over since 2012 and he just gave me a speeding ticket then went about his day. Nor have I witnessed any police brutality with my friend. But I would say that they do resort to violence before thinking of a different way to resolve the situation. They shoot and ask questions later.
ReplyDeleteI was pulled over for speeding when I was 16. The officer was an older gentleman that treated me with respect and patience even though I was an ignorant 16 year old kid who was driving 20 mph over the speed limit. He let me off with a warning, when he could have easily given me a ticket. I also have an aunt in law enforcement and she speaks often about the hardships she faces because she can't fully do her job properly in fear of someone saying she harmed their well-being. There are instances that I do not agree with though, and there are times when the police do abuse their power.
ReplyDeleteI have never had a bad interaction with the police, I have been pulled over a few times for speeding each time the transaction went smoothly, no I wasn't happy about the tickets but I broke the speeding limits and had to take accountability of my actions . Also my mother was a police officer for 15 years, so growing up I was under strict rules learning to deal with authority.
ReplyDeleteI had an incident a few years back with the police that did not go well. It was a case of mistaken identity around the time Indy 500 race was going on. There was a drive by shooting in the area. So, at the time I had a white Monte Carlo and it was the same car in the shooting. They pulled me over and had me standing outside in handcuffs for hours tearing up my car looking for a gun. I'm like do little ole me look like I would do a drive by? Come on now. I was scared but I knew I didn't do it so I kept my coo. But I feel like they just had me out there knowing I really didn't fit the description and they treat me like a criminal. If I was a different race would I had been out there for that long? I doubt it but I don't know. I think police always resort to violence because they are scared and they don't know no other way to handle the situation. Especially if they fell threaten by someone black its like an instinct to protect their selves I guess.
ReplyDeleteI would have to say that I also have very mixed feelings when it comes to police officers. I have a friend that was killed in the line of duty. It was very hard for me. I know they have a difficult job. That being said I have had a very bad experience myself with police officers. I was followed a mile down the road from my dad's house and pulled over for kinda running a red light. My car was searched three times for two hours I was also searched by a male officer which is a big NO NO. Only a female officer is allowed to search a female. When I asked why they were searching me as well as my car I was told by the cop that pulled me over that he could smell drugs in my car. I asked what kind and he could not say. I was 5 months pregnant with my first child when this happened. When I filed a complaint I found out that the cop who pulled me over had been involved in an incident with my brother and he was upset that my brother didn't go to jail. If this wasn't a form of abuse of power and harassment against my family then I don't know what is. I believe that police use intimidation tactics as well as violence when they can.
ReplyDeleteI would have to say that I also have very mixed feelings when it comes to police officers. I have a friend that was killed in the line of duty. It was very hard for me. I know they have a difficult job. That being said I have had a very bad experience myself with police officers. I was followed a mile down the road from my dad's house and pulled over for kinda running a red light. My car was searched three times for two hours I was also searched by a male officer which is a big NO NO. Only a female officer is allowed to search a female. When I asked why they were searching me as well as my car I was told by the cop that pulled me over that he could smell drugs in my car. I asked what kind and he could not say. I was 5 months pregnant with my first child when this happened. When I filed a complaint I found out that the cop who pulled me over had been involved in an incident with my brother and he was upset that my brother didn't go to jail. If this wasn't a form of abuse of power and harassment against my family then I don't know what is. I believe that police use intimidation tactics as well as violence when they can.
ReplyDeleteI remember waking up to this Big flash light on my face. then the officer said," what's your name,social security number, and I believe age." I was sleep, I wanted to say officer i'm just a visitor(lol) but turns out they weren't looking for me they were looking for cousin. But Seriously, I personally haven't had any true bad encounters myself with the police, except for driving over the speed limit or light being out on my car.
ReplyDelete-Ronasha Paschall
i have not had nor experienced and violent outbursts from the police. i have however been in many violent encounters while in the military and i can sympathise with the reactions of some of the police officers. afterall they are still human and humans can make bad judgement calls and overreact when in high stress situations.
ReplyDeleteTiTo
My feelings are mixed as well. I have not had horrible experiences with the police because I have always learned to stay quite and mind your own business and most of all not cause trouble and as an adult I still stick with that. On a personal side, we have had to call my local police department on more than one occasion to stop many unpleasant issues in my house hold and all I can say is the men that showed up each time wanted nothing more to resolve the issue in the most peaceful manner than cold and often times really helped us. So I know there is good intentions out there, but I also know that is bad and there is gray. I must keep reminding myself that we are all human and sometimes humans make bad, good and questionable decisions, I can only hope for the decisions.
ReplyDeleteI also have mixed feelings about these situations. I've been in a situation where I have been treated differently by a cop because they knew a family member that that had been in a lot of trouble, he made sure to bring it up immediately when he pulled me over. I have also seen the movie Straight Outta Compton, and it was awful watching some of things that they went through growing up. Still sometimes we see it today, but not as much as they did I'm sure. I think that things are different now with social media, and it is easier for us to immediately here about something that happened states away, and for us to already have an opinion on it before we know the whole story. We often assume that these cops are in the wrong, and the person was a complete victim without knowing any history on either. I feel that now cops just need to try to use their gun less, and because it has been an issue maybe do more re training on other ways to handle situations than the gun. Its hard to be the one to say when we're not the ones that are risking our lives being cops. It's just such a big gray area.
ReplyDeleteI feel like there are some good cops but there are more bad ones! Police are too quick to pull out guns in situations that are not needed. Just because someone does not cooperate does not mean that violence has to occur or that the police officer has to get aggressive. My feelings about police have definitely changed since all of this police brutality has been going on! Police have been killing a lot of African Americans and getting away with it, most of the reasons are not even called for but they take other serious cases so lightly and do not pull their guns out as quick. The world wonders why african americans do not respect police officers! Look at what they are doing to us and getting away with! It's just sadddd and painful to watch! #JusticeNeedsToBeServed #BlackLivesMatter
ReplyDeleteI've never had and negative encounter with the police before. Or any or any encounter at all. But they need to treat everyone equally. I'm sure they do a lot more good compared to what we see and hear on the media. Media often portray and highlight the unacceptable behavoir of law-enforcement people while in uniform. Which stirs up the emotional reaction of viewers. But like I said before ALL people are to be treated equally by their race religion and ethnic city.
ReplyDeleteI believe that there are good and bad people in the Police Department. I have personally have not expirenenced any bad things with an officer. I believe there is a way to handle the police brutality better. Everyone should be treated the same no matter what religion or race they are. Some officers take there power to the head, but then again some officers don't. I feel not every officer is the same. The Police Officers who are wrong give the good officers a bad rep.
ReplyDeleteAmber Pierre (simone24ism)
DeleteI had trouble with the cops before and when I read this I can understand where others are coming from. I was in school with my friends and we were just hanging out in the graphic design class. One of my friends left to see his girlfriend and after twenty minutes the cops had arrested him. We wanted to check on him cause he got blamed for something he did not do. When we asked to to see him they said no but with a look of hate in there eyes like we did something wrong to. I never felt so powerless that day cause I ready to fight the cop but I was held back knowing it would cause trouble. Till this day I still have a problem trusting cops.
ReplyDeleteI have had no problems with the police. In the past when I got pulled over I would tell them that Im armed. I have did lot of bad things when driving and I have gotten away with alot. Ive only had one ticket in the passed 12 years of driving.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI have had limited contact with the police. In my opinion, the one thing all police have in common is they work for the police department. Other than that they have no one single other thing in common. It goes the same for race, religion, etc. It's not fair to classify a group based on a few individuals. People are not equal, they are individual. I don't think I have ever been a position to know how I would react were my life threatened on a daily basis. I think I would become very defensive and sometimes violent as well. However I think all police could learn more restraint and need better overall situational training.
DeleteMy feelings of police have changed through out the years. Police officers have gotten out of hand. Some officers have been so violent toward people and it's not right because some of the people they get violent with didn't do anything. I have limited contact with the police but I have had some experiences were they were rude and racist. The police are suppose to protect us not hurt us just because of how someone looks or were they live.
ReplyDeleteI have personally only been involved with the police a couple times and both situations were very calm and ok. One was directly after an accident and the other was after getting a speeding ticket. I do feel that here lately police are quicker to turn to violence as a posed to trying to resolve situations in other peaceful manners.
ReplyDeletePersonally I feel as though the police are all different just like we are (people who aren't the police). Which means some are rather racist and some are not. If i were ever to be placed in a position where i had to fight for my life with the police and i didn't do anything in the first place i don't think i would survive. Simply because i know how the police work and how most of them feel about backs or any other minority. I wouldn't say all police are bad but looking at how things have been these past few years, more than half of them are bad guys. As far as my personal encounters with the police, I've been in about 3 or 4 situations with them. None of the 4 times did they use extra force or unnecessary force but all of those occasions were about 5 or more years ago. Of course they're risking their lives but that still isn't an excuse for the way that police unfairly treat certain individuals. I honestly think the issue is never going to stop but it never hurts to try and make a difference right?
ReplyDeleteGrowing up I lived in a rough neighborhood and things were not always easy. Especially with the police! We always were harassed for standing outside. Of course I didn't always hang with the right group of guys but it wasn't like we were up to no good. We would get thrown on the car and searched for drugs and guns. By white police officers and one black officer that would always show out for his piers, instead of teaching us somthing or talking to us about bettering our shelves it was the opposite. I watched a very close friend of mine get beat with night sticks and the dog was let loose on him all because he was told to get off the corner an hour prior, they told him if he is here when they come back there would be trouble! Wow really! I mean the story's go on hell I could write a book on how the police did us in the neighborhood.
ReplyDeleteMy encounters with the police have been pleasant. I have had been pulled over with 5 warnings and no tickets--while I do appreciate that i am genetically superior when it comes to these issues, i am willing to fight in such a way to over come them for others.
ReplyDeleteMy encounters with the police have been pleasant. I have had been pulled over with 5 warnings and no tickets--while I do appreciate that i am genetically superior when it comes to these issues, i am willing to fight in such a way to over come them for others.
ReplyDeleteI was arrested when I was 18 years old for a battery charge, I only pushed a Caucasian girl at school when we were arguing, they act like I beat the girl up, arrested me, I went to downtown jail because I was, and was treated like I committed a murder. I am allergic to soy and most jail foods have soy oil in it. When I told the guard that I couldn't eat because of my allergic reaction, she told me if I wasn't in jail I wouldn't be hungry and made me wait for 2 days until I was released before I had ate anything. I will never like police officers again, even the good ones. Made me starve half to death. Yes, officer resort to violence for no reason as can see, Saundra Bland was unarmed and a harmless woman who was not a criminal.
ReplyDeleteI do not like police officers. I've seen them target more blacks then whites. When me and my guy friends were walking down the street they harassed us, when all we were doing was walking to the grocery store. I feel like all they want to do is create a problem when there isn't none. Yes i do think that they resort in violence for no reason at all. - shanniqua norman-
ReplyDeleteI do not like police officers. I've seen them target more blacks then whites. When me and my guy friends were walking down the street they harassed us, when all we were doing was walking to the grocery store. I feel like all they want to do is create a problem when there isn't none. Yes i do think that they resort in violence for no reason at all. - shanniqua norman-
ReplyDeleteI believe cops take there power to the max, I feel like cops look at people as "game" and or deer, the more they get the better they look to other cops and so on.
ReplyDelete