If you're white and have made it to this paragraph you might be thinking, or headed to the comments to write, "not all white people…" To be sure, there are white Americans active in efforts toward police reform. That population is, however, nowhere near the critical mass needed for change. Take for example New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio. He made some unprecedented comments expressing "pain and frustration" after a grand jury failed to indict the NYPD officer who choked Eric Garner to death on film. He was quickly pressured to walk back that sentiment and, without the support he needed, did exactly that.
The bottom line: The majority of white Americans believe the nation's police are doing a good job despite that work often ending in the deaths of unarmed black people.
In every major speech on race that President Obama has delivered during his presidency, he has reassured Americans of our collective will to form a more perfect union. When his 2008 campaign was in danger of being derailed by his Chicago pastor, Obama remarked on the "vast majority" of Americans who want a more equitable country. After George Zimmerman was acquitted of murder charges for killing Trayvon Martin, Obama reminded us that, "Each successive generation seems to be making progress in changing attitudes when it comes to race." And, when a grand jury failed to indict a white officer for choking a black Staten Island man to death, the President instructed: "...it is incumbent upon all of us, as Americans, regardless of race, region, faith, that we recognize this is an American problem."
Black Americans are largely on board with making police brutality an issue of urgent national interest. We've always been desperate for change. White Americans, not so much.
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There has to be change and it must start with our own community. Like one young man said if we don't get fair treatment from our public official then we need to become the public officials and bring about our own change.
ReplyDeleteI think that most white people are in denial in the state of the law enforcement. The only way that most whites will believe the police is wrong for police brutality if the individual did things right in their eyes. The white community surprised me when a lot of them blamed the parents when Tamir Rice was killed
ReplyDeleteWe have to start in our homes and our communities to change how things are and how we would like things to be. We need to start voting and getting people elected that can actual help change this from continuing to occur. We cannot complain, if we are not doing our civic duties as Americans to help spark change.
ReplyDeleteWe don't need another tragedy. We need to be proactive. We need to already be working in our communities and with local law enforcent before something happened. We need to make sure our justice systems are fair.
ReplyDeleteAs long as white privilege is not address, white people can continue to pretend they have no hand in the racial issue of America.
ReplyDeleteThere is too many of our young men dying from nonsense. We need to come together and have a fair system and put all this racial issues aside.
ReplyDeleteWell, this is definitely a tough issue. The question that arises after reading this article is should White America feel morally obligated to respond to this race issue? I understand the history and the prejudices that have contributed to the injustices of the system today;however, are we, African Americans, asking White America to fix something that is perpetuated on a daily. I am not justifying the silence of White America nor am I saying the deaths that occurred are justifiable. I am simply asking if White America should be held to the standard of speaking out against racism in retrospect to the the law. If White America is going to speak out then the root issue of racism should be dealt with not simply the fruit of the real issue.
ReplyDeleteThe issues are real. We are seeing too many black kids dying today. I think some whites are in denial about the state of our country.
ReplyDeleteRamsey is right. I'm one of those white people whose knee-jerk reaction was to think, "not ALL white people..." But the numbers don't lie, and, as he notes, movement toward progressive (or at least less regressive) thinking still leaves white America falling short of a majority. In my estimate, the problem may be greater than Ramsey even articulates it to be - as I think the disconnect for many white Americans is not, this incident was isolated, but this incident was provoked/warranted/justified. The white notion of the black criminal is so deeply engrained in the national psyche that sometimes even when ALL signs and ALL evidence point toward wrongdoing and injustice on behalf of law enforcement, the white mind simply cannot reconcile the TRUTH with the truth they have perceived for so long. The reality of living life as a black American still remains so far removed from life as a white American that many white Americans experience a total disconnect between what someone else experiences and what has patently been true for them.
ReplyDeleteWe do all need to stand up about police brutality whether it was directly affected us or not. Doing nothing is consenting. We all see the problem now it is time to take a stand and vote and do other things to stop this severe and dire problem
ReplyDeleteI guess I'm baffled by the idea that while there are a few defending white America, there are too few ignoring such a blatantly public heinous problem. I see so many "saying" it's not all of us; well that same statement should be applied to those who are working to correct the issue -- "it's not all of us." There are too many racists getting jobs as cops, posing as protectors and servers and using their jobs to commit crimes of humanity. No matter how many times it's said, "it's not all of us" is just a statement. It's not a fight for a cause, it's not a cure, and it's not acceptable. It's just like the child on Family Circus, "Not Me" who really was ALWAYS guilty. IJS.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Dianne you have to vote for people who share our values. Likewise you have to vote if you want to complain about what is going on politically. Also the values within our homes and our communities are a great place to start change as well. This is a tough issue that will take everyone working together to affect change in my opinion.
ReplyDeleteCouldn't agree more! Until this issue moves beyond a black issue but a national issue, victory will be uncertain. It will take all lives speaking the same language to get the necessary traction for reform.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree that too many white americans agree with most tactics used by police. The "they shoulda acted right" argument is stated all too often. I think this is irresponsible and simply an easy out for people who never fear that police would use such force against them.
ReplyDeleteWith issues like this occurring and being publicized more and more often in the news today, it seems clear that more white people have to take action toward ending police brutality and racism within police departments, so that these horrible incidents can be stopped. We need to become "desperate for change" just like Black Americans have been for so long, as the author says in this article.
ReplyDeleteIt is abhoring to bring to the light the idea that maybe an American police force that protects the white citizens against the black citizens is what the most empowered citizens want. It is only too racist for them to say it out loud!
ReplyDeleteBefore becoming fully informed on the Ferguson Fiasco, I hadn't been exposed to police brutality and the injustice faced by African Americans at the hands of corrupt, local police forces. I think the more that these situations are brought into the public sphere and the more they are discussed, the more white Americans will be prompted to react.
ReplyDeleteIt is interesting the silence that occurred within the police force and town. It is also interesting that the judge, clerk and local police sent so many emails about generating revenue for the town and very little about justice. It is also sad that only corrupt towns get the publicity, because there are many great towns that fight for justice everyday. There are many good cops that fight for justice everyday as well. #mytwocents
ReplyDeleteThis article is actually very interesting. Although, I am not a White American, I am also not a Black American, and I have never been active in bringing awareness or changes to the system or often thought police and law enforcement are fair most of the times. I never thought about my silence as being consent to current system. To see the changes, I should start, my community should start working toward change.
ReplyDeleteI decided to comment on this article again for one reason. I read The Cross and the Lynching Tree. From this novel, it became clear that white silence is most often approval. I was very disturbed that lynchings were made a media event and a spectacle to collect souvenirs. Who in those crowds were the voices of reason and sanity? It is when we allow evil to thrive while saying nothing that life reels out of control. White Americans have remained silent for too long. They need to create their own Ferguson protests all over the country and call it We Just Woke Up.
ReplyDeleteI was not shocked when I read that a poll said “white Americans have been slow to accept that racism plays a harmful role in policing.” Many are in denial of what African Americans deal with in terms of police harassment and profiling and because of negative seeds that have been planted about black people being violent and living a criminal life, most will consent to a form of police brutality.
ReplyDeleteI really can't believe that this is happening again. The people that are suppose to be protecting us are killing more of our unarmed black men. Where is the protection and the oath that they tool to protect and serve our citizens. If this is the way that we are to be protected and served, then maybe the government need to look at the process of employment of all civil service workers a little more close. I really don't know what they are trying to prove.
ReplyDeleteLinda
This reading was a little harder for me in this world its like who do you trust who do you call for help
ReplyDeleteThe vast majority of believe a change is necessary in order to preserve the rights we are given. it is a shame youths are dyeing everyday. its time to except that we are all human and change is needed to become a stronger society. political official that are ready for this change and ready to stand up for what is right is needed so we can become stronger
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