"F*ck the Police."

On New Years Day, around 2a.m., an overzealous Bay Area Rapid Transit (B.A.R.T.) cop pulled the trigger on the back of 22-year-old Oscar Grant. The unarmed civilian died from the shot and society demanded justice. Shortly after the incident, people rose in rebellion and around the country we cried, 'F*ck the police." The (now) ex-cop, Johannes Mehserle, is currently being held without bail.

Excessive aggression by police isn't a new thing, especially towards people of color. Ever since society set up a system where ordinary men and women are given control over the people, there have been officers who abuse that control. However, I've been forced to dismiss the moniker "F*ck the police" and replace it with "F*ck the lack of justice. F*ck The Blue Code of Silence. F*ck the force's low standards. F*ck the police state." A sweeping statement like "F*ck the police" is no longer tolerable and not only ignores the real issues, but breeds more dissent and hostility between officers and the communities they are charged to serve and protect.

Personally, I don't hold police to any standards higher than those I hold for myself and other citizens. The badge they floss makes them no less human, and humans give in to personal prejudices, emotions, and make horrible, hasty decisions. Unfortunately, the only difference between a career criminal and some cops is a clean record. Give a gun to an ordinary man, and he's capable of making the same ignorant, neglectful moves that led to the murders of Eleanor Bumpers, Sean Bell, Kathryn Johnston, Amadou Diallo, and others whose lives were cut short by an incompetent man in Blue.

Make no mistake, by no means am I excusing the actions by corrupt cops who take advantage of their roles in order to get away with dirty deeds. I am, however, saying that rather than disparaging the work of the force as a whole based on the actions of the more gangsta minority, we should focus our energies on demanding stricter penalties for scumbag cops. Pardoning crooked police who kill, torture and abuse the citizens they should protect, thus causing the people to cry out "F*ck the police," only perpetuates a cycle of distrust and creates more of a divide between us and them.

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Unknown said...

Well put! Its hard to like police officers, even if you know them personally. Have you ever heard them converse amongst each other about people that they "catch" or lock up? Its as though they are the supreme order keepers and all civilians are second class citizens. Then, you get cases like this where the officer obviously took the law into his own hands and abused his authority and he needs to be made an example. I'm just upset that this case isn't getting as much media coverage over here where I'm @.

Rosco Spears said...

Well..this makes me a little happy that he's in jail..that 'ish is still upsetting though.

mr.soul:216 said...

Nicely written. I"m going to piggy back off of this in a future post of mine.

I agree that FUCK THE POLICE is a blanket statement, and that it creates a circle of distrust. but thru the course of history, the police have always failed us when it comes to truly protecting us and our communities. it's more so "policing" the community to "keep it in check".

i don't think abner louima died, he was just brutally tortured. amadou diallo is the brother who was killed in a hail of 41 bullets. either way, it's all the same...

 
 
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