Race relations, How far have we come?

[Hank77]

Or maybe cops can stop pulling them over for being Black, Indian or Mexican. And people like you, can stop being in denial about racism.

That isn't what happened in this case. I don't believe many blacks would defend her either.

 

[CRAZY_CAT_WOMAN]

That isn't what happened in this case. I don't believe many blacks would defend her either.

Yes. but it happens all the time.

 

[thecolorsblend]

"If only you blacks caused less trouble. Then cops wouldn't have to get tough with you!"
Ringo

Do they have a right to violate the speed limit without getting cited?

If you say yes, I'll ask for sources.

 

[Ringo84]

Do they have a right to violate the speed limit without getting cited?

If you say yes, I'll ask for sources.

They have the right not to be harassed by white cops. I'm not speaking specifically of this case but in general, where we keep hearing stories about police being called on people of color sitting in Starbucks, or sleeping in a public dorm area.
Ringo

 

[thecolorsblend]

They have the right not to be harassed by white cops. I'm not speaking specifically of this case but in general, where we keep hearing stories about police being called on people of color sitting in Starbucks, or sleeping in a public dorm area.
Ringo

The objection I've heard a lot of blacks make is they don't appreciate being policed (much less harassed) by white cops. Whether or not intentional racial animus genuinely exists in those situations, blacks believe that it does exist. So that becomes the truth.

It's a complicated matter since it raises the question of how law can be enforced when blacks believe (rightly or wrongly) that they're constantly being targeted unfairly by white officers.

 

[Ringo84]

Well, you're painting with a broad brush when you speak of "blacks" collectively believing something. I don't necessarily think it's intentional, but it's something to watch for when these issues are discussed.

I'm not black myself, so I can't put words into the mouths of people of color. My sense is that white cops aren't trusted for several reasons:

1. There is a history of racist policing on the part of white cops (not saying all white cops)
2. Bad apples have spoiled the whole barrel
3. There is a delicate issue involved with white people, who have little or no understanding of the struggles of daily life for minorities, coming into their communities and policing them. That's why one possible way to fix this problem would be more minority cops.
Ringo

 

[Willie T]

Claiming "racism" will end only when certain Blacks no longer see doing so as beneficial to them.

 

[Micah888]

It's a complicated matter since it raises the question of how law can be enforced when blacks believe (rightly or wrongly) that they're constantly being targeted unfairly by white officers.

The simple solution -- which should have been implement ages ago -- was to have actively sought out and recruited blacks to become police officers and police their own communities in every city. Then the issue of racism would not exist, and the criminals would be dealt with on the basis of their crimes.

 

[Hank77]

They have the right not to be harassed by white cops. I'm not speaking specifically of this case but in general, where we keep hearing stories about police being called on people of color sitting in Starbucks, or sleeping in a public dorm area.
Ringo

I thought that it was a black cop at the college?
Besides aren't the police suppose to show up when they called? Starbucks wanted those guys removed, they said they were trespassing. That wasn't the cops' fault. Neither was it the cops' fault at the college. At least blame the right people.

 

[Willie T]

The simple solution -- which should have been implement ages ago -- was to have actively sought out and recruited blacks to become police officers and police their own communities in every city. Then the issue of racism would not exist, and the criminals would be dealt with on the basis of their crimes.

Sorry...... that doesn't work. Even our Chief of Police is Black, and all the "Black Community" does is holler, "Uncle Tom."

 

[Ringo84]

I thought that it was a black cop at the college?
Besides aren't the police suppose to show up when they called? Starbucks wanted those guys removed, they said they were trespassing. That wasn't the cops' fault. Neither was it the cops' fault at the college. At least blame the right people.

No, you're right that cops respond to where they're called. I don't blame them for that. The Starbucks and campus incidents are on the people who called the police.

What I do blame cops for, however, are the incidents where they escalate situations far beyond the force that's necessary. I'm thinking of the times when a person of color has been reaching for their driver's license and ended up shot to death, or the twelve year old kid - in a state with open carry laws - who was shot to death in a park over a toy pistol (or was it a water pistol? I don't remember).

There is a societal problem where people of color are seen as "scary" and "up to something" by some non-minority people. But there's also a problem of policing where too many cops are far too aggressive with minorities that they stop. We should trust cops to a certain degree, because it's true that they have a tough job to do that relies on a lot of judgment calls. But we should hold those who exhibit discriminatory behavior accountable for their actions. That can't be acceptable in 2018, and we have a long way to go to fix that problem.
Ringo

 

[Hank77]

The simple solution -- which should have been implement ages ago -- was to have actively sought out and recruited blacks to become police officers and police their own communities in every city. Then the issue of racism would not exist, and the criminals would be dealt with on the basis of their crimes.

From an opinion piece by a black writer...

In my experience, black police officers have treated me with the least amount of respect. More than 50 percent of the Baltimore Police Department are people of color, yet 95 percent of those stopped 10 times or more by police are African-American. Despite the fact that blacks are stopped more often than non-blacks in Baltimore, the police are far less likely to find contraband. There is reason for our wariness: A 2017 Connecticut study showed that officers are more likely to pull over black and Latino motorists during daylight hours, when they can see who is behind the wheel.

Society nurtures the implicit biases between black men and police

 

[4x4toy]

 

[Micah888]

Sorry...... that doesn't work. Even our Chief of Police is Black, and all the "Black Community" does is holler, "Uncle Tom."

That is sad indeed. Any time a black person does the right thing he becomes an "Uncle Tom". Did you note the vicious attacks on Kanye West (including threats on his life) for speaking the truth?

 

[Micah888]

In my experience, black police officers have treated me with the least amount of respect.

Well then they should be closely monitored and taken to task for their lack of professionalism. There is no excuse for any police officer disrespecting any citizen, and that should be a part of their training. What happens too often is that the police department try to protect their bad apples, instead of dealing with them severely and letting the public know that lack of fairness and lack of professionalism will lead to drastic actions.

 

[Hank77]

Well then they should be closely monitored and taken to task for their lack of professionalism. There is no excuse for any police officer disrespecting any citizen, and that should be a part of their training. What happens too often is that the police department try to protect their bad apples, instead of dealing with them severely and letting the public know that lack of fairness and lack of professionalism will lead to drastic actions.

What about 50% of the Baltimore police force being black and they have major problems with the black community?

 

[SummerMadness]

The simple solution -- which should have been implement ages ago -- was to have actively sought out and recruited blacks to become police officers and police their own communities in every city. Then the issue of racism would not exist, and the criminals would be dealt with on the basis of their crimes.

From an opinion piece by a black writer...

In my experience, black police officers have treated me with the least amount of respect. More than 50 percent of the Baltimore Police Department are people of color, yet 95 percent of those stopped 10 times or more by police are African-American. Despite the fact that blacks are stopped more often than non-blacks in Baltimore, the police are far less likely to find contraband. There is reason for our wariness: A 2017 Connecticut study showed that officers are more likely to pull over black and Latino motorists during daylight hours, when they can see who is behind the wheel.

Society nurtures the implicit biases between black men and police

I don't believe the problem is as simplistic as needing black cops in a black community as the issue is not simply the race of police officers. There is a great benefit to having police officers working in the area they live in, I support ideas like that. However, while we can see the bad apples harassing people, it speaks to a greater systemic issue. Policing of black people often treats them as subjects of a colony, to be kept in line lest they threaten the nation. Changing the color of the police means nothing if this system remains in place.

For instance, I lived in West Philadelphia, and there was a clear difference in how areas with white people were policed and that of black people. There is a even a private security force patrolling the streets of the white area. It's quite clear what is being communicated here, the white people are to be protected, the black people are not. If we change the color of the police and they still use the same tactics, it will still maintain the same racial hierarchy under the guise of a "racially sensitive" approach. Afterwards, people can fall back to colorblind frames without addressing the original racism (i.e., over-policing black people in spaces where some believe they do not belong).

 

[Micah888]

What about 50% of the Baltimore police force being black and they have major problems with the black community?

I would blame the leadership at the top. Someone is failing to police the police and should be fired on the spot.

 

[Willie T]

Well, to be honest with you, here in St. Petersburg, the Whites try to help the police, and the Blacks seem to go out of their way to defy and obstruct them. We report drug dealers immediately, and the Blacks refuse to even admit there are any in their neighborhoods. I would go so far as to say they protect them.

 

[Willie T]

I would blame the leadership at the top. Someone is failing to police the police and should be fired on the spot.

That probably is not the reason, at all.