Racism and Law Enforcement

In the past two weeks there have been two tragic events. Both involved young Black men.

In the first case a White police officer stopped, attempted to arrest, and then shot six times an unarmed young Black man who allegedly stole from a convenience store. He died. A Grand Jury was convened, and it was determined that the officer should not be brought to trial.

In the second case a young Black man was selling cigarettes for $1 instead of $2 to pay taxes. He was confronted by police and became upset, an officer jumped him from behind putting him in a take down hold but then not letting go and it became a choke hold.  The Black man cried out as much he could eleven times he could not breath. He died. It was all caught on video. The coroner ruled that the Black man's death was a homicide. A Grand Jury was convened, and it was determined that the officer should not be brought to trial.

Officers of the law are trained to never use lethal force unless it is a last resort. In both cases that is not what happened as all the evidence shows.  Both men were unarmed. Both men had not committed a violent crime.  Both men were faced with experienced officers of the law supposedly trained in all necessary techniques to calm a situation or take down a suspect without killing them.  Both officers failed. And yet both were let go free. In the case of the officer who shot the young man, he got over $1,000,000.00 and "retired."

Blacks in various cities protest.  In Ferguson, where the Black man was shot, riots ensue and looters destroy several businesses and buildings. But then in many cities peaceful protests occur, and even in Ferguson outside the looting are huge peaceful protests. Police in all areas confront and block the peaceful protestors, they force them off trains, off the streets, push back angrily with no cause. They arrest peaceful protestors along with the looters.

Now, let's turn back the clock just over six months.  A millionaire cattle rancher who broke the law by refusing to pay fees and costs on his land, who defied the courts, and who said that Blacks were better off as slaves, makes a stand on his land. He is supported by Fox News and Conservatives (prior to his slave statement) and the Tea Party.  He is considered a revolutionary against the government. Numerous local "militias" and Tea Party activists show up with their guns, rifles, and scopes.  They setup a blockade at the ranch and on the roads.  They aim their rifles at the local and Federal law enforcement and state they will kill them. These Tea Party members and the rancher demand that the local police disarm the Federal officers. The local law enforcement actually close the roads and corden off the area so that they can express their "First Amendment Rights."

Not one single solitary member of the Tea Party or ranch is arrested.  Not one is forced to move off the roads so people can drive through. Not one is detained.

But if they were Black, what would have happened?

Don't say it's not about race, because it damn well is.