Some days it’s not worth getting out of bed. The news always seems terrible, and as a woman of color, I feel estranged from the greater society.
The stories I read are insane. This morning I read a story that the Supreme Court made it legal for trained cops to murder unarmed civilians if a cop feels threatened. Cops only need to utter the words without proof. Cops cannot be sued and officially have a license to murder innocent people by just uttering the phrase, ‘I felt threatened.’ Police officers are public servants trained and paid by tax dollars to protect and serve the public not themselves. Do you think the supreme court made the right decision in giving police officers the right to murder Americans at will?
Do you think self-defense can be employed to protect Americans against police violence?
How can an armed and trained cop feel threatened by a kid running away from him? How can an armed and trained cop feel threatened when they outnumber the suspect? Why are armed and trained cops mostly threatened by unarmed POC and not by armed whites?
If armed and trained cops can feel threatened by an unarmed black man, can you imagine how threatened an unarmed black man feels when he sees a cop? Can a black man who feels threatened by a white police officer murder him in self-defense? Wouldn’t that equal justice?
Angela I glad you found that article,I posted on Facebook last year had trouble finding it. This ruling is unbelievable. This is why these P.O. are getting away with murder. Where is the NAACP,CBC, Urban league or AClU and major news media? Until that ruling is over turn there will be a crapshoot out there!
Hi Angela, as the above commenter writes, where are the PoC organisations when you need them? As Britain (my home country) nearly always follows America’s ways, this could also happen here. And although we don’t have the amount of racism you have, Black people are more likely to be shot.
Looking back at similar rights issues, it’s not until the White Middle Class are affected before the politicians back down.
As always, a very good piece.
Hi Pete, thanks for your comments. You and Rudy ask an excellent question, where are the organizations and elected officials who represent POC? Where are they?
I believe the white middle class is slowly beginning to see white privilege will not fully protect them, their children or family from police violence. As much as cops use the law to target POC , there are cops who use the law to murder adversaries or suspects they just don’t like. It’s a law that supports police violence and police corruption.
Hi Rudy, what I don’t get is how this slipped by without media coverage. We protest almost every death but what are we really protesting when laws like this one pass despite our protests? As for the NAACP and ACLU they seem to be conspicuously quiet.
Agree, how can we ever hope for justice with laws like this one on the books?
I agree with Pete and your response! I’ll keep reposting on Twitter and Facebook until meaningful attention is paid to this article!
Let’s put our heads together. What else can be done?
You know Rudy I think you might want to contact the NAACP and the ACLU to see if they are addressing this law and others that protect police officers involved in police violence. Depending on their response you could create a group to lobby Congress. You should be able to crowdsource expense.
Just a thought.
Hi Angela just letting you know trying to get to your post Origins of Color comes up can’t find.
Oh I hate when I do that. I’m still working on the story, was transferring potential images for the story when I hit publish in error.
I know I liked this article before, but there’s one aspect that is harsher in hindsight while proving how only certain people can use the “I feared for my life” defense while other’s couldn’t. Two words: Mohamed Noor.
I read about Mohamed Noor. One of only two officers ever convicted in the state of Minnesota. One wonders had the victim not been blonde and fair skinned but Black and poor would anyone care? 😔
Yeah, and it’s so ridiculous. I doubt anyone would care if that casualty had melanin.
Btw how are things going?
Things are alright. Just working, writing a ton of more books, got plans to record music, and learning a new language.