My White Privilege

Given the times we live in, I really wanted to write my personal thoughts on the current events. I’ll also share some personal experiences, not to justify opinions but to provide some perspective to balance against others experiences. I also have some conclusions I’ve come to based on all the protests and other events.

What I Know (06/05/2020)

Due to the murder of George Floyd, and the countless other deaths of black americans. The country has exploded in protest. Millions of Americans took to the streets to express their feelings. There was riots and damage to private property. There are peaceful protests expressing anguish, sadness and helplessness. There are calls for change, reform and justice for the future.

Cell phone videos keep coming up showing police that don’t know how to perform their job without being violent and aggressive. The targets of this behavior have ranged from grade school children to 75 year old men. The people in these videos have also been caught doing a range of things; committing crimes, angrily shouting, peacefully protesting, and what appears to be just being in the wrong place at the wrong time. They also were of many races, creeds and religions.

I’m from Washington State, the Washington with equal representation guaranteed by our constitution. According to the Census of 2010, citizens who identified as Black or African American was 4.3%. This is behind Hispanics (12.9%), Asians (9.3%) and mixed race (4.9%). The state has almost 70% White folk in it, I’ve lived in Washington all my life.

I can count the number of times I encountered the police performing their job on one hand for my entire life. Only one of those instances I believe the officer had ulterior motives. I believe he wanted to check out my car, it was a sports car. The rest, I received tickets, citations or warnings that were completely justified, and I paid the fines for them. I know this experience is not the norm for everyone in this country, I pray that it should be.

What I Feel (06/05/2020)

I’m a complex person, with many feelings. I find it’s impossible for me to empathize with the oppression and systematic violence that is on display for the world to see right now. I can barely sympathize with the oppressed who are baring their feelings so publicly at this time. So all I can do is watch, try to get their point of view and above all, listen.

Not that I’m devoid of emotion. The strongest emotions I’m feeling are confusion and frustration. Confusion at the officers both committing, and at the ones complicit in the acts of violence. Frustration that some police support each other above all else, including the citizens they are supposed to protect.

Underneath all of the emotion is a deep well of disappointment in our country. That we did not learn from the past and fix the problems. That the leader of this country has been devoid of action or words to comfort these people. That a large portion of this country chooses not to see the connection between the past and the events of this time. That the only course forward seems to involve deploying the military against the peaceful citizens of this country.

What I Think (06/05/2020)

We must get police more training to be mentally equipped for their job. There needs to be a structured approach to manage the differences in this problem between the states. We need accountability, justice and peaceful open dialog about these issues so everyone can get informed.

Some police academies’ training is on the order of weeks to complete. The student is given a gun, a badge, and thrown into some of the hardest work our society has with little money often no appreciation. This seems to me like a recipe for the behavior we’ve been witness to recently. Training programs that emphasize physical combat techniques only serve to put officers on the offensive, and they will choose to use those techniques when unnecessary because it’s easy. Training programs that emphasize de-escalation gives officers more tools to achieve the ends they desire without physical altercations.

Each state has it’s own history with the Black america. Many of the western states weren’t members of the union when we fought the Civil War. Because of this, each state will have its own unique path to Truth and Reconciliation. Some states will progress quicker than others. We have to accept this difference in pace. However, the goal should remain constant and be defined at the federal level. The states should be given a level of authority over one another, a peer pressure of sorts to keep progress moving.

To restore the trust of a minority race, that society will give equal justice under the law will take generations to heal. If the current justice system is to play a role, they need to get political and be faster at administering justice. Police need to be held accountable for their actions and inactions as the case maybe. Police protections under the law need to be more clearly defined, so citizens have avenues to seek justice.

Final Thoughts (06/05/2020)

Sadly, I don’t think George Floyd will be the last black man to be murdered by police. I do blame the police officers present for his death. I do not believe the police officers present were the only ones to blame for his death. Everyone played a part in his death, that’s what a systemic problem is.

Though the helplessness I feel at the face of the systemic problem is real. I don’t know what to do about it. I wrote my feelings. I have some suggestions. No body is going to listen to them, but writing them helped, I think. I’m going to vote with this in mind.