William, please seriously consider the words of a (white) friend of mine:
"I got pulled over yesterday by the police and here's what went through my mind: 'Oh, shit! I was speeding again. I'm going to be late for my meeting now! Damn it, where's my license?...Good morning, officer.' Not for a second did I think, is this how I will die? Th…
William, please seriously consider the words of a (white) friend of mine:
"I got pulled over yesterday by the police and here's what went through my mind: 'Oh, shit! I was speeding again. I'm going to be late for my meeting now! Damn it, where's my license?...Good morning, officer.' Not for a second did I think, is this how I will die? That's white privelege."
Several years ago, I was having problems with my car and decided to just sell it on Craigslist. I was contacted by a mechanic who offered to come look at it to see if he could fix it. When the guy arrived, I may have been mildly surprised that he was Black, but proceeded to show him the car and we decided to see what he could do. While he was working, a police car slowly went by, and the mechanic looked up, smiled wryly, and said, "There's the po-po," as though he had been expecting them. I remarked that it was the first time I'd seen a patrol car on my street. Mr. S. then told me that he had been stopped in his car or approached on the street on average of twice a month his entire life since his teens - and he had never committed even the smallest of infractions, not even speeding.
Since that day, although I've always been aware to some extent that being Black in this country is no picnic, I cannot get it out of my mind that every Black person in this country has reason to fear the police in ways no white person can truly understand, because we have not experienced this constant surveillance. Yes, police in the U.S. kill more white people than Black people, if statistics are at all reliable, but a Black person is much more likely to be met with deadly police force than is a white person. https://www.statista.com/statistics/585152/people-shot-to-death-by-us-police-by-race/
William, if you are a white man, I would argue that you have no idea what you are talking about and that, regardless of your income or social level, you are writing purely out of an experience that cannot compare to that of any Black person or other person of color in America.
Hi, William. Bill here...but you can call me Mr. Willis. I’m guessing you have a surname as well and I would use it if I knew it.
I don’t know if you saw my earlier my earlier post but if you did you know I am an American of African descent; I’m NOT writing fiction.
One of the reason we still have lethal levels of anti-blackness in this country is that white citizens have traditionally downplayed the plight of their black, brown and Asian neighbors. Complaints of mistreatment have been diluted by rationalizations and comforting tropes, and excuses and re-explanations.
But today, because of the camera/cell phone/micro computer, we can see in vivid and horrifying detail many of the atrocities these discounted citizens suffer almost daily. It has become more difficult to explain away the abuse POC experience.
And yet, too many try.
We will never solve this horrendous dilemma until a sizable majority of the nation’s residents sign on to this untenable reality. We must finally reach the conclusion that we are all part of this global human family and become the keepers of our brothers.
Thank you for being here today with your calm and gentle presence Mr. Willis. I think I’ll sleep on your wisdom. May your days be filled with peace and joy. 🙏
William, since you think that Mr Wright must be responsible for his actions, surely you also are totally infuriated that the police are not responsible for their far more serious, and lethal actions, right? But perhaps you feel that police should never be accountable. Perhaps you have forgotten who is alive now -- and who is DEAD??
Regardless of what you think or feel, saving all your consideration for the police, with no empathy for their victims, is disgraceful. So is mocking people who reply with compassion, which no doubt you'll do again. For shame.
See, this type of nonsense eviscerates your argument. I have never said anything that you claimed, above, other than Mr Wright bearing some responsibility for failing to comply to lawful commands and escalating matters.
If you fail to see the whole picture it is a real shame and illustrative of the personality issues that stymies good liberal thought from becoming more mainstream.
It seems some are far too busy trying to make everyone listen to their narrowly held view of some over-arching problem that they cannot possibly extend empathy and understanding elsewhere. Or acknowledge having an incomplete picture Instead, we a left with folks who blindly associate events as similar and related even when they are not.
In this case, they were trying to detain him on outstanding weapons charges. The cop was immediately regretful of her action, which seems like an accident, and has resigned. Certainly, she will face criminal and civil court. Should she run away instead?
William, please seriously consider the words of a (white) friend of mine:
"I got pulled over yesterday by the police and here's what went through my mind: 'Oh, shit! I was speeding again. I'm going to be late for my meeting now! Damn it, where's my license?...Good morning, officer.' Not for a second did I think, is this how I will die? That's white privelege."
Several years ago, I was having problems with my car and decided to just sell it on Craigslist. I was contacted by a mechanic who offered to come look at it to see if he could fix it. When the guy arrived, I may have been mildly surprised that he was Black, but proceeded to show him the car and we decided to see what he could do. While he was working, a police car slowly went by, and the mechanic looked up, smiled wryly, and said, "There's the po-po," as though he had been expecting them. I remarked that it was the first time I'd seen a patrol car on my street. Mr. S. then told me that he had been stopped in his car or approached on the street on average of twice a month his entire life since his teens - and he had never committed even the smallest of infractions, not even speeding.
Since that day, although I've always been aware to some extent that being Black in this country is no picnic, I cannot get it out of my mind that every Black person in this country has reason to fear the police in ways no white person can truly understand, because we have not experienced this constant surveillance. Yes, police in the U.S. kill more white people than Black people, if statistics are at all reliable, but a Black person is much more likely to be met with deadly police force than is a white person. https://www.statista.com/statistics/585152/people-shot-to-death-by-us-police-by-race/
William, if you are a white man, I would argue that you have no idea what you are talking about and that, regardless of your income or social level, you are writing purely out of an experience that cannot compare to that of any Black person or other person of color in America.
You are writing from the fiction of your mind.
Hi, William. Bill here...but you can call me Mr. Willis. I’m guessing you have a surname as well and I would use it if I knew it.
I don’t know if you saw my earlier my earlier post but if you did you know I am an American of African descent; I’m NOT writing fiction.
One of the reason we still have lethal levels of anti-blackness in this country is that white citizens have traditionally downplayed the plight of their black, brown and Asian neighbors. Complaints of mistreatment have been diluted by rationalizations and comforting tropes, and excuses and re-explanations.
But today, because of the camera/cell phone/micro computer, we can see in vivid and horrifying detail many of the atrocities these discounted citizens suffer almost daily. It has become more difficult to explain away the abuse POC experience.
And yet, too many try.
We will never solve this horrendous dilemma until a sizable majority of the nation’s residents sign on to this untenable reality. We must finally reach the conclusion that we are all part of this global human family and become the keepers of our brothers.
Thank you for being here today with your calm and gentle presence Mr. Willis. I think I’ll sleep on your wisdom. May your days be filled with peace and joy. 🙏
Bill 1000%
That's MISTER Willis to you, William.
William, since you think that Mr Wright must be responsible for his actions, surely you also are totally infuriated that the police are not responsible for their far more serious, and lethal actions, right? But perhaps you feel that police should never be accountable. Perhaps you have forgotten who is alive now -- and who is DEAD??
Regardless of what you think or feel, saving all your consideration for the police, with no empathy for their victims, is disgraceful. So is mocking people who reply with compassion, which no doubt you'll do again. For shame.
See, this type of nonsense eviscerates your argument. I have never said anything that you claimed, above, other than Mr Wright bearing some responsibility for failing to comply to lawful commands and escalating matters.
If you fail to see the whole picture it is a real shame and illustrative of the personality issues that stymies good liberal thought from becoming more mainstream.
It seems some are far too busy trying to make everyone listen to their narrowly held view of some over-arching problem that they cannot possibly extend empathy and understanding elsewhere. Or acknowledge having an incomplete picture Instead, we a left with folks who blindly associate events as similar and related even when they are not.
In this case, they were trying to detain him on outstanding weapons charges. The cop was immediately regretful of her action, which seems like an accident, and has resigned. Certainly, she will face criminal and civil court. Should she run away instead?
Sarcasm Alert for one who needs it.