Social Question

Demosthenes's avatar

Should there be more of a reaction when white/Hispanic/Asian people are killed by cops?

Asked by Demosthenes (15328points) April 14th, 2021 from iPhone

I can acknowledge that the problem is worse for black men, that they are disproportionately affected, but they are not the only ones who are unjustly killed by police. Is there a risk in deracializing the issue of police brutality?

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6 Answers

zenvelo's avatar

Police are already held more accountable for killing white people.

There is a presumption by police that all Black people are armed and dangerous. That does not apply to the police treatment of Latinos (except in gang areas or in Texas) and Asians.

JLeslie's avatar

I see two sides on this.

I think it must be acknowledged and emphasized that this is happening to Black people much more than other groups, and that they are being specifically targeted. I also think it is easier to get a buy-in about police brutality from society at large if we talk about maltreatment by police officers in a general sense.

If a person can identify with the person being mistreated, they are more likely to empathize and want action taken. Right now, some people have sufficiently distanced themselves by believing most Black people who are mistreated or killed by officers were criminals not worthy of being treated fairly or humanely. They don’t believe that it would ever happen to them, they don’t feel at risk themselves, and they don’t care that other people are at risk.

So, for public support, I think it might be worthwhile to broaden the scope, but in terms of training officers, they need diversity training, deprogramming, and to be screened better before they are even accepted into the force.

elbanditoroso's avatar

When cops stop killing a disproportionate number of blacks, then it will no longer sustain a racializing criticism. As long as the police act as they are, then the complaint will be valid.

So the solution comes from police actions – not from the way that you, I, or the media choose words to describe it.

KNOWITALL's avatar

I’m honestly not sure but I think all police shootings should be closely examined. I see so much of it, it doesn’t surprise me when it’s white people, because we just accept it as the status quo usually.

My friends son was brutally executed by the DEA and no one cares because he had meth in his system.

I don’t think it matters what race you are when it comes to the bad ones. You’re either on their side and compliant, or not.

https://www.news-leader.com/story/news/crime/2021/01/22/caleb-slay-springfield-man-killed-dea-agent-shooting-no-charges/6666093002/

Call_Me_Jay's avatar

I don’t think it matters what race you are when it comes to the bad ones.

Chauvin would not have murdered a white middle class guy in khakis and a polo shirt. And he would not have murdered George Floyd in front of a sidewalk cafe full of whites. But he felt compelled to do it in front of black spectators, to show “them” who is boss.

KNOWITALL's avatar

@Call_Me_Jay I’m not as certain as you are about that. White privelage doesn’t always include ‘white trash’. We find random white dead bodies in the woods here all the time and no one seems to care.

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