The litmus test for media is to reverse the races, then compare how they would report a given event.
I know how they would report it. They would report it as it should be. They would say, 'Another Unarmed Black Youth Killed by White Cops'. It recently happened in Missouri, and there has been a spate of such incidents across the country.
Definitely newsworthy.
I am biased; I hold police and firefighters in the highest regard. But don't get me wrong, I don't believe they are perfect. Case in point is the So Cal CHP officer who beat a lady pretty badly and other than a passing motorist catching on his cell phone, I'm guessing he would have gotten off free and clear. His incident report said nothing of the severe beating, of course.
There seems to be something insidious about what I hope is a very small percentage of police where they are just bad. I don't know if it is the pressure of the job or a power issue that realistically should prevent that person from serving in the police force. My guess is when we hear of bad things happening that involve the police, it is caused by this small percentage of bad cops.
I was wondering today how much of the "black" problem we see boils down to respect, or the lack thereof. I just see it as helpful that an officer would roll up behind some youth and yell "get the #^%^#% on the sidewalk." A simple, "could you guys please walk on the sidewalk" would have worked just as well and likely have prevented the whole thing from spiraling out of control. Respect needs to flow both directions, which I don't see happening any time soon.
I agree, but again, it is about perspective.
In much of America, kids are taught that the cops are there to protect and serve and can be trusted. In much of black America, kids are taught that the cops are the bad guys who will stop, harass, search, frame, beat, arrest or shoot for no reason other than that you are black.
Years ago I saw a statement, and I don't recall who said it, but it went something like, 'Black parents have to have a conversation that white parents don't; what to do when you are selected by the police for detainment.'
That's because of the pervasive belief in the black community that it is bound to happen to every black person in America, but not to whites.
I've heard many people say, 'It happens to us white folks too!', and cite incidents where it has, but they often admit to have been exhibiting a look (young, long hair, different clothing) or behavior (loitering, loud music), and there are exceptions to that, where as black folks tend to believe that the only look you need is dark skin and the only behavior needed is that you be in sight of cops.
That's not to say that these perceptions are accurate or not, but they are perceptions held.
Over 40 years ago, Richard Pryor used it as part of his comedy routine:
"Cops put a hurtin’ on your ___, man. You know, they really degrade you. White folks don’t believe that [bleep], they don’t believe cops degrade.
'Ah, come on, those beatings, those people are resisting arrest. I'm tired of this harassment of police officers.’
That’s 'cause the police live in your neighborhood, see, and you be knowin' 'em as Officer Timpson. ’Hello, Officer Timpson, going bowling tonight? Yes, nice Pinto you have.'
N*ggers don’t know them like that. See, white folks get a ticket, they pull over, 'Hey, Officer, yes, glad to be of help, cheerio!'
A n*gger got to be talkin’ 'bout, ’I am reaching into my pocket for my license! ’Cause I don't wanna be no [bleep] accident!’
Police degrade. I don’t know, you know, it’s — often you wonder why a n*gger don’t go completely mad. No, you do. You get your [ bleep ] together, you work all week, right? And then you get dressed and you make — maybe say you can’t make $125 a week, you get $80, if you’re lucky. Right? And you go out, get clean and be driving with this old lady going out to a club, and the police pull over. 'Get out of the car! There was a robbery! A n*gger looked just like you! Put your hands up, take your pants down, spread your cheeks!' Now, what n*gger feel like having fun after that? ’Let’s just go home, baby. You go home and beat your kids and [bleep]. You goin’ take that [bleep] out on somebody.’
I always found that more sad than funny.
Many people who haven't had that experience say, 'If you've done nothing wrong, you have nothing to worry about'
Well, just this week, the evening before the Emmy Awards, a black USC and Harvard-educated TV producer was having dinner in a Beverly Hills restaurant prior to attending a pre-Emmy party. He left alone to feed his parking meter and was suddenly surrounded by cops, who wouldn't allow him to ask what was going on, handcuffed, searched and arrested. When told it was for armed robbery of a nearby bank, he asked that they check the restaurant he had just left and to review the tapes from the bank. They refused, and held him until midnight, before releasing him without charge.
This is the kind of event that the black community points to and says, 'it doesn't matter if you just stole a bunch of cigars or if you went to Harvard, you're black and that's enough'
This is why it makes the news.