posted by ptown_trojans_1
With all due respect, you are framing the argument all wrong. Turning into a racial lens all the times does not allow for practical solutions because it immediately establishes the tired same old arguments.
The framing of the argument, which I think a lot of posters on here could get behind, is a different look at the use of force for the police. More training on using deadly force as a last, last result and more de-escalation training to lower the temperature on stops may help reduce these events. Some cops do see themselves as more members of the military than servants to the community. Reframing the discussion on how to reduce cops being on power trips, reducing the use of force, and new training on de-escalation is a way I think you can get a broader appeal and support for actual police reform,
I totally agree, we can't continue to let cops investigate themselves and clearly they need new training, but I also think that race cant simply be removed from the equation because as has been evidenced here, blacks are seen as more dangerous because of high murder rates in urban communities. It also applies to power trips by cops. I have seen plenty of white dudes ask "why was I stopped?" and it goes very differently when a black person tries to ask that question. Racist perceptions cant be legislated out by laws or mandates, it only can be fought with education.
That being said black people at times like in this situation bring it on themselves. He had no business trying to get back in the car. When I get pulled over which used to be a lot, due to the type of car I used to have, I rolled my windows down and turned on my interior lights. I limited my conversation and answers to a minimum and handed over all documents immediately. Even when I knew they only pulled me over because I had 22 inch rims and a bright red magnum. Should I have to do that? Absolutely not, and I got very angry when I got home about it, but at least I got home. Did he deserve to be shot? No, but you open yourself up to that scenario when you do something like that. I was actually more irritated by the stop this week of the military officer and his treatment over a tag on a new car that the officers didn't see in the back window and treated him very poorly.