My Thoughts on Ma’Khia Bryant’s Death

by with No Comment FeaturedRace RelationsSocial Issues

While seemingly gaining a small step in the right direction for America with the verdict of the Derek Chauvin trial, another African American gets shot by the police. Her name was Ma’Khia Bryant.

Officers are sworn to protect and serve, but often they show up, shoot, and another person dies. The officer’s bodycam shows that there only seemed to be mere seconds to make a decision when he sees what appears to be a knife in one girl’s hand attempting to stab another person. It was in those seconds that the officer had to make a decision. I find myself asking a myriad of questions: was firing 4 shots at Ma’Khia necessary? Was the gun the only solution or would a taser have sufficed? Would the response have been different if it were two White girls fighting? And lastly, I find myself asking a rather disturbing question… Who is to blame?  

Undoubtedly the police officer firing the 4 shots that claimed her life is the one who is at fault, yet I can’t seem to digest the fact that perhaps her death could have been prevented that day… before the police arrived. 

The bodycam not only shows her final moments, but also other adults who were present and filming the fight as it was taking place. The video shows others filming the altercation and others cheering. Not one of them decided to intervene and it puzzles me as to why? When the arguing started, not one person stepped in. When it continued, no one stepped in. When the knife appears, no one stepped in. Instead, they reached for their cell phones. I cannot shake this disturbing fact that our society has become accustomed to doing nothing. We’d rather record these altercations and upload them for pure entertainment… all for just another “World Star” moment.  

Capturing these abominable acts for entertainment is not too far removed from the lynching photography in the 1800s where photos of those lynched would be turned into souvenirs for those in attendance.  All of this, in mockery of a life.  

A girl lost her life yesterday and albeit harsh, I blame everyone in her community, not just the officer. I blame those adults who were filming for enjoyment. I blame the adults who seemingly cheered on the fight. I blame the adults for purposefully not intervening. The community failed her.   

It isn’t until they are willing to acknowledge the inherent racism that is deep within their system that change can happen. Racism and the lack of trust between Black Americans and the police has to change. Accountability and reform need to happen. While the conviction of Derek Chauvin seemingly proved we were embarking on a path, the correct path, the death of Ma’Khia Bryant alongside others killed by police proves we have barely begun to scratch the surface of change in America.  

America has to heal. We have to do better… we must do better.

Similar read: The Significance of Derek Chauvin’s Verdict

The Significance of Derek Chauvin’s Verdict

by with One Comment FeaturedRace RelationsSocial Issues

Guilty. The one word that signified the end of a three-week trial. The trial of Derek Chauvin on the murder of George Floyd is one that encompasses the remnants of 401 years of inhumane treatment of Black lives in America. George Floyd’s death is reminiscent of that of Emmett Till; galvanizing a new generation of Civil Rights activists to open the eyes of the world to say yes, Black Lives Matter. That we are people too, but more than anything else, we are human. 

This verdict did not come without some angst or doubt that a sliver of justice would be served.  In the cases, of Michael Brown, Tamir Rice, Breonna Taylor, Philando Castile, Sandra Bland, and Eric Garner, where was the justice? It has been the Black experience that our lives remain insignificant to that of our counterparts in the eye of the police. 

As we collectively breathe a sigh of relief now that we have a verdict, I cannot help but recognize that this euphoric feeling is only temporary. The verdict leaves me to beg the question, what happens next? What happens to the other officers involved? How will they be held accountable? Would there be new policies to include accountability among fellow officers? How will this change the way policing is done? For a system where ideologies of White Supremacy and racism are inherent, these changes needed to happen yesterday.  

Police Training…

This verdict sets the tone for America to reevaluate policing. It would be wise to consider looking at the training of police forces in other countries, which results in fewer police shootings and murders. We say we need more training, yet it seems the issue is not the frequency, but the length of time, quality, and substance of the information given during training. Too many people of color have been victimized due to those inherent values, mediocre quality in training, and the lack of interest and investment in continual support of the mental health (other than passing a psychological exam) of police officers. It is apparent that the policies and training are far beyond inadequate and lacking.

There is so much work to be done, and it requires all of us to work together to bring about effective change. The only way to move is forward, all of us, together.

George Floyd’s death and the trial of Derek Chauvin will serve as a milestone in how far we have come as African-Americans. The verdict has a special place in our history’s timeline. Just as Emmet Till’s death sparked the Civil Rights Movement, George Floyd’s death is launching a new wave of activists; leading a new era when it comes to justice: accountability. We are nowhere near true justice, but the will and desire to seek and achieve it has become the goal.

This case will forever signify one simple truth that we all know; that we are people; that we are human, but most of all: BLACK LIVES MATTER

Similar Read: Chauvin Verdict

Chauvin Verdict

by with One Comment FeaturedRace RelationsSocial Issues

The Derek Chauvin verdict reveals the deep divide that remains in our country between races.

In a “post-racial” America (aka complete fiction for the foreseeable future), all citizens would look at the evidence and come to cold, rational, objective conclusions.

“These experts testified that the actions were not acceptable based on all current approved training and procedures. Thus, the latitude that being an officer of the law grants to the brave men and women who choose this dangerous profession is taken out of consideration. Consequently, this was a murder.”

There would be no talk of drugs in the victim’s system, insinuating a lesser person deserving of an unjust consequence.

There would be no talk of the angry or fearful White men with too much power having immunity from the consequences of his actions.

There would only be the facts (evidence), the presentation (the lawyers), and the conclusion (the jury). A decision would be made and it would ideally be very satisfactory for a large majority of the viewing audience *regardless of race.”

This person did something that constitutes murder from the definition that we have agreed upon in our collective society.

No larger context needed to pollute this very specific outcome:

“But if they convict this officer, then it means no police will ever be given the benefit of the doubt again.”

“But if he is not guilty, then police can act with impunity and continue to kill without due process.”

No. He is guilty or not guilty. Justice has prevailed to the best of its ability.

In the case of Derek Chauvin. He is guilty. Justice is served….

Professional Fear

by with One Comment CultureFeaturedRace Relations

Quick disclaimer… I’m a former police officer of the Baltimore City police department southwestern and central district. 

“If racism was a butcher, law enforcement is its cleaver.”

That’s not hyperbole, that’s American history. 

From enforcing fugitive slave laws to Jim Crow to today, the continual enforcement of draconian drug and financial laws were created with Black people as the target.

Black people have a rightful fear, not in the sense of being scared of the police officer as a person, but fearful as the police officer as the profession. And that their PROFESSION will give them credence over their life. 

I’ll repeat that. 

Black people have a fear of law enforcement not because they’re tough bad boys, hardly, because their word will have a say over our lives. Not because we’re wrong, but because we’re Black. 

This comes down to a very basic thing. Too many White police officers fear Black people. They see our skin color representing the need to be controlled and thus no regard or respect or life, which is evident by the terror they’ve inflicted on us over centuries. 

It’s that simple. 

Now, what’s to be done about it?

Well, this is not a call to remove law enforcement. No, but to have a proper relationship between citizens and police, we MUST recreate a balance of the people against policing powers. 

What are police powers?

Policing is a state and local issue. The federal government has little to do with it outside passing its own federal laws to be enforced and the occasional federal money and assistance to state and local law enforcement departments with strings attached. Police powers give officers the right to do everything from having their weapon issued to being able to tow your car and lock you up if you don’t sign a traffic ticket. That power also gives them the ability to do a criminal act, under the guise of policing, and go home and watch SportsCenter that evening while another person dies because of their lack of judgement. 

That’s a PROBLEM! And that’s THEE first problem of policing. No consequences! 

Without any true federal laws on the conduct of policing, each and every police department carries out the business of policing very differently. 

You see, there isn’t a federal statute or law or anything to protect citizens from the abuse of policing powers. There is no universal defense as a citizen against a law enforcement officer upon their interaction with you. 

This is not democratic. This is not due process. A police officers’ profession stops at a certain point, and their actions become the actions of a person, not a cop. And they should not be protected with their police powers. This is exactly what happened when Minnesota Cop Derek Chauvin murdered George Floyd, while Mr. Floyd laid defenseless and handcuffed. 

I guess that’s fear of life. (emoji shrug) 

You see, if I worked at an Applebee’s one of the Trump supporters wanted opened, I cannot beat up a rude guest or slap away someone’s food because they didn’t like it. All in the name of Applebee’s…. none of us have that luxury. 

No organization has the luxury of hiding the criminal acts of its members like the police. The job of police officers, to protect and serve, is essential to society… we get that. But what we will not do is allow them to use that as an excuse to reign terror on citizens. 

A federal law needs to be put in place to protect citizens in regard to their interactions with officers… essentially what an officer can and cannot do and say to you. The other is the swiftness of action against an officer when a criminal act has taken place. 

What Derek Chauvin did was murder. Chauvin went home that night. What Amber Guyger did, the woman who shot and killed Botham Jean in his own apartment in Dallas, that was murder. Guyger went home that night. 

Amber got off because of her profession, getting a ten-year sentence for killing a man in his own apartment is getting off. Chauvin will too. If the flames are to ever begin to settle, and tensions calmed, swift and immediate action is needed by our so-called leaders. Reformation of law enforcement is not an issue, but a crisis. A crisis our current leadership is woefully inept to handle. 

Similar Read: Conversation With a Black Man