#BlackLivesMatter

[MrsSz]

I agree, thanks Kris. Thanks for protecting our community from someone clearly just trying to make trouble.

This. Thank you, Kris.


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[Meenah]

Thank you Kris.

[fluffhead]

This is out of control. I feel so powerless - it's just so awful.
It would be easy to blame the situation on the older generation of cops, but I have relatives (by marriage) who are in law enforcement and are 15 years younger than me, and are blatant racists. I know people say this is a minority of the force, but it seems to me that in many communities the overriding feeling is that the police department is out to get the black community.
I think we're beyond "sensitivity training" - something needs to be done quickly, or we're headed for large-scale unrest.

[HouseofWool]

This is such a multifaceted problem.

In talking with older, retired police officers, I hear over and over that the change in the educational requirements has negatively impacted performance. Locally, the retirees used to teach at the local tech college and the area agencies required the Associates degree for their new hires. The agencies are now requiring a BS in Police Science, which sounds good on paper, but now you have fewer retirees teaching because they don't have the academic requirements to teach at a 4 year institution. That is a vast amount of real life experience wasted.

Learning theories is great, but it doesn't teach you jack squat about keeping your cool under insane amounts of pressure.

Additionally, we have an entire generation of young minorities that have been systematically oppressed under the drug wars. Our LAWS created this problem. By removing adults from families, it ramped up the poverty making people more desperate and more likely to engage in criminal behavior in an attempt to survive, thereby marginalizing themselves further.

I don't know what the solution is, but the status quo has to change.

[Thirteen]

Pain is the greatest motivator and facilitator of change.
Desegregation and marching have already been done, and yet it persists.

I truly believe it will take a national system of laws in place that penalize financially and judicially to at least publicly cease the issue.
What does that look like?

1) Comments, threats, bias (in writing or verbally given) are met with inarguable financial losses (this could be, but isn't limited to: loss of your job, or a system of fines that have a unchangeable, predetermined amount of time) for "minor offenses." Consider it a warning step.

2) Swift judiciary action and incarceration for physical attacks, violence, and brutality.
(We will be able to incarcerate people easily, since laws will recently have passed that free those who are currently serving for minor drug charges, like possession). There will not be an appeal process, and the amount of time served stands.

3) You must register with the National Racist database, which notifies everyone in your area that you are a convicted racist. Your offenses can and will be searchable by name.


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[houseelf]

I honestly think that at this point there NEEDS to be riots in the streets. Peaceful protest is preferred, but it is time to stand up and say no more.

This is just utter bullshit. I mean that guy in Roseville, Minnesota last night. That was a cold blooded execution of a law abiding, tax paying citizen who went out of his way to follow protocol and it happened in front of another innocent civilian and a baby. They put the second victim/witness in HANDCUFFS in the back of a cruiser separated from her very young child. I can't even anymore.

[fluffhead]

I really really hope not. Ferguson got us nowhere. It is possible that more widespread and violent riots will get results. It will be very painful. Shouldn't we be at a point where we can make progress in civil discourse? We've elected our first black president, and are still unable to make any progress without burning and looting?
You'd think that there would have been a giant wakeup call to all police departments like....a decade ago to put in massive changes. Who on earth is minding the store?

[Thirteen]

Make no mistake, the riots and violence are coming.


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[Deebs]

I just keep reading, trying to find a starting point that makes sense. I was so hopeful to read Beyonce's letter, urging people to contact their legislators. My problem in that is, what do I ask for? We need police officers, but need to figure out who the "good guys" are and who the "bad guys" are? Which ones leap too quickly to guns? Who doesn't know how to de-escalate the situation peaceably? How do we change training and are some already too ingrained the current training to be re-trained? I have no doubt we will see more violence, but what is the ask? I think these officers need to be prosecuted, but I don't think it will prevent it from happening again or stop any kind of racial profiling. To me, this is so frustrating because there is no easy starting point.

[MrsC]

I don't know what the right answer is. It's just horrifying

[TulipsAndSunscreen]

I'm just so saddened. And agree with Deebs...what do I do? What do I ask for?

[rufflesanddots]

I thought this article provided valuable insight. http://www.vox.com/2015/5/28/8661977...police-officer

[SoonerTexan]

This pretty much sums up how I feel about it:

http://www.cnn.com/2016/07/08/opinio...kos/index.html

[TulipsAndSunscreen]

I'm just so pissed off. Now instead of dealing with the senseless tragedy of institutional racism, we are ALSO dealing with the murder of police officers who were simply monitoring a peaceful protest. This is a tragic situation that will only pull away attention from the broader issue.

[rufflesanddots]

Totally agreed, T&S.

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