Good Cops And Bad Cops

Two police officers, Rafael Ramos and Wenjian Liu, were shot and killed by Ismaaiyl Brinsley in New York City. Social media posts from the killer suggest that the two murders were linked to the deaths of Michael Brown and Eric Garner. Brinsley called it "revenge". Innocent people should not be murdered regardless of the community they belong to. NOT ALL COPS ARE BAD COPS, and these innocent officers should not have been killed simply because they are police officers. Officers are meant to protect and serve their communities therefore we should honor those who haven't committed any wrong doing. With that being said those corrupt police men who abuse their power and get away with it do need to see justice. We need reform not retribution. Patrick Lynch of the patrolmen's benevolence association said that "there is blood on the hands of those who incited violence in the streets under the guides of protests." You cannot blame the actions of one sick man who, earlier in the day also killed his girlfriend, on people who are protesting against the crimes done by police officers. Blood is not on the hands of the protesters but on the hands of Brinsley. All of the heated conversations and comments on this issue has caused a divide when there is a dire need for unity. People need to stop putting other people in categories. Yes there are corrupt officers but there are also officers who want to protect and serve their communities and they should be honored. Just the same as there are black criminals but not every black man is a criminal or dangerous. The ignorance needs to end. The actions of people like Brinsley who blame all cops for the wrongdoing of a few will hurt the fight for reform not make it easier. Needless to say there are trust issues between the African American community and police officers. Government officials need to make policy changes that will stop the abuse of power in the police community. African Americans need to continue to peacefully protest and make steps toward reform. People need to stop blaming the actions of one person on all of those people who are like them. Hopefully one day there will be some type of trust between the people of the community and those who are meant to serve them.

Michael Brown, Eric Garner, and the 'Other America'

The Other America

One black man is killed by a police officer or vigilantes in our country every 28 hours...

The reoccurring deaths of unarmed black men on the hands of white police officers have caused people to take action. Thousands have taken to the streets in recent weeks to protest the unjust decision to let police officers get away with murder. These peaceful protests are people's way of waking up a sleeping nation. American society is blind to hundreds even thousands of murders perpetrated in its name by agents of government. Is it all right that police kill hundreds of unarmed teens and young men every year without having to pay for their actions? Why is is that this nation does not give the same compassion to murder victims who are black and brown as it gives to other victims? In a speech by Dr. Martin Luther King he refers to the "other America". In one world people experience the opportunity of life liberty and the pursuit of happiness in all its dimensions. The "other America" (the one that black and brown people live in) experiences a daily ugliness that spoils the purest hopes of the young and old leaving only the fatigue of despair. One group in this country can expect institutions of law to bend in their favor while the other is swept up like rubbish by the hard unforgiving hand of the law. Ever since black men have stepped foot in this country they have been targets of wanton aggression. From lynchings and enslavement to being imprisoned and wrongfully murdered black men have always gotten the short end of the stick in this country. Race aside, police officers in this country should not be able to get away with murder. It is time that the American people take action and move in a direction towards equality and justice for all people regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, nationality, religion, sex and so forth. 

Wave of police incidents a growing trend, or coincidences?

Wave of Police incidents a growing trend or coincidences ?

On July 17 an unarmed black man, Eric Garner was killed by a white police officer in New York City. The man was killed when officers attempted to arrest him for suspicion of selling loose untaxed cigarettes. On August 9th another officer fatally shot an unarmed 18 year old boy, Michael Brown, in Ferguson, Missouri. A twelve year old boy named Tamir Rice was shot and killed by an officer because his pellet gun was mistaken for a real one. Then on November 24th it was announced that a grand jury had declined to indict officer Darren Wilson for the shooting of Michael Brown. Later a grand jury in Orangeburg County, South Carolina returned a murder indictment against a former police chief in the shooting of an unarmed man. All of these incidents have something in common. In each occurrence unarmed people, excel for the child with the pellet gun, had their lives taken by police officers. All officers involved were white and all of the deceased were black. These incidents have created a sort of racial tension in this country. But some question whether or not these incidents are a growing trend or series of coincidences creating buzz in new reports and social media. And yet, no firm statistics can say whether this spate of officer-involved deaths is a growing trend or simply a series of coincidences generating a deafening buzz in news reports and social media." We do not know the exact number of people who die in police custody so how are we to know if this is a problem that has been occurring and is now receiving more attention or if it is a growing trend. John O'Leary claimed that prosecutors are trying to make it racial with all the national issues going on at the same time the timing is perfect, but putting an officer in jail for 30 years for doing his job is wrong. But is it right to make murder legal if the murderer involved has a badge? There needs to be some sort of solution to this problem. Police officers need to learn how to do their jobs without taking the lives of young black men.