Within a 48-hour period this week, two black men were killed by police officers. Alton Sterling, a father of five, was shot multiple times in his chest and abdomen in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Then in St. Paul, Minnesota, Philando Castile was shot multiple times in the abdomen and arm in front of his girlfriend and her four-year-old daughter. Both murders were captured on video by witnesses, and in Castile’s case, it was his girlfriend live-streaming the aftermath of the shooting onto Facebook. There is a lot of anger, frustration and sadness going around. People are just sick of all of this. And it’s past time for things to change between communities of color and police forces around the country.
Celebrities have been talking about police violence and the Sterling and Castile murders on social media and beyond this week. We’re past the moment where even white celebrities would feel the need to keep quiet about such a hot-button issue. Jesse Williams – who just days ago was being called a racist for speaking out about police violence against people of color – tweeted about it, as did Katy Perry, Kanye West and many more. And now Beyonce has issued a call for all of us to get in Formation. She posted this on her website:
“Stop killing us” is a gut-wrenching call-back to the “Stop shooting us” graffiti that Beyonce used in her “Formation” video. She’s been getting more political over the years, and as we saw with Lemonade, she’s using her platform to celebrate her blackness, and to celebrate the African-American experience in total. If you go to Bey’s post, she includes links to contact your congressmen and legislators, as well as links to help people organize and protest.
Photos courtesy of Fame/Flynet, Beyonce.
Good for her to use her fame as a platform to draw as much attention as possible to this issue. It’s a powerful message about a sad, sad reality.
I’m trying to find the words to explain this to my young children. They need to understand this horrific injustice from a young age–bigotry and “otherizing” differences starts at home. But this election cycle is making it all too clear how much hatred and lack of compassion there is in this world. It seems hopeless.
I’m at a loss, too, and my kids are teens. I have felt since they were really young that they and their peers are growing up to be compassionate and color blind but this election cycle has really upended what I thought I knew. Bigotry is more alive than I’d ever imagined and it breaks my heart and just sickens me.
I recently watched a documentary about abuse at Abu Ghraib with my two teen twins. One of them said to me afterward, ” Mom, why did you traumatize me like that?” I answered, “Because you need to understand what is happening in the world, realize your privilege and speak up when you see injustice.” He was silent for several moments before leaving the room.
Honestly, this widespread gun violence and abuse of power brings me to tears. I am wholly unsurprised that someone snapped due to the impunity with which rage- hungry police murder innocent people of color on a seemingly daily basis.
I want this country- nationally – to legislate mandatory psychological screenings on all current officers and anyone applying for the training. Reject those with tendencies toward rage/psychopathy/narcissism. Raise wages to attract a larger pool of candidates to find psychologically stable trainees.
Other countries manage their police forces well and without undue violence toward suspects- many do not even carry handguns. There is no reason the US cannot do the same, and screening and a sea change about the possession of guns in general must change- even for LE.
I am sick to death of hearing people cry out, ” But the second amendment!!!”
Bullshit. The 2nd was conceived at a time there was no national army. It is not applicable in the same way today, as we have an army, navy, air force, marines, police.
No one needs assault rifles, except military personnel. Handguns are also unnecessary for civilians. If you want a rifle or a shotgun for hunting, great. But you sure as hell don’t need a goddamn AK-47, or a Glock. Or whatever penis substitute you like to fondle.
Our legislators make me sick. They are so deeply in bed with NRA lobbyists that I don’t think we will ever have sensible gun restriction, and these mass shootings will continue, and increase across the board until our nation is completely fractured. Then what? This cannot continue.
The UK incrementally shut guns down after their own horrific versions of Sandy Hook in Dunblane and Hungerford. Gun deaths have plummeted since the early aughts. NOTHING has changed in the US.
The US should look to Australia, the UK, Japan and Germany. Don’t even let me start on the demon that is Wayne LaPierre.
/stumbles breathlessly down from soapbox/
We cannot give up, we should not give up! I too will talk to my children about all of these issues- it’s important – we are raising the next generation let’s make them better people in a better world.
Right now they don’t even see colour and that makes my heart full of happiness as they hold hands with their African American friends at school, at the hospital at the playground they all look so happy together so small and full of love and joy – but it makes me question as to when do people start TEACHING hate to their children and WHY because it is not innate within us. It makes my heart hurt for the mothers because the thought of having to be scared for your childs life just because of the colour of their skin makes me feel sick.
Exactly what Notsosocialbutterfly said!
@NotSoSocialButterfly
Well said. This is now a national disgrace. The world is looking at the US and shaking it head
My kids are 6 and 8. We have the Canadian Museum for Human Rights in our city. We took them last weekend for the first time and as a parent it was gut wrenching to watch things become clear to them. We didn’t take them to every exhibit, but we had talked to them before hand about what it was about. When we left we asked them what they had learned and my 6 year old said, “everyone is the same but not everyone gets to be treated that way.” Sigh……the truth hurts.
NotSoSocialButterfly–thank you for saying these necessary truths so passionately and so eloquently.
NotSoSocialButterfly ♥
As a privileged white woman, I also feel unqualified to talk about the issue of racial injustice but I have to just say: I don’t think the goal should be “color blindness”.
The goal must be equality.
To me, this can’t be achieved unless people of color are given the space and all the voices. As a white woman who will be the mother of a white daughter, it is my only hope that she will recognize what privilege means early in life and be able to give all of her respect and attention to the individuals and issues our country faces that deserve it.
As white people, this is not our time to speak. We have held the narrative for far too long. As neighbors however, we can give our best help to dismantling power structures, vocally call out racism and injustice, and listen to the voices of people of color as we advocate and yes, fight alongside them for change. But I feel like it is not enough for us to just celebrate the superficial aspects of black culture or take joy in them. We can learn so much from each other. And we white people can learn so much by just shutting up. Our broken hearts may be universal, but this struggle is not, and to pretend it is, is to appropriate one more thing, to take one more shot at rewriting the narrative…
Let people of color and the victims of these recent hate crimes speak for themselves, or speak with their silence, then maybe, you’ll actually be upset enough to e-mail your state senator and help organize something. But color blind? No. White washing is not helpful.
Actually The Game n Snoop Dogg were at L.A.P.D. graduation.Snoops speech was on point, about open dialogue n communication. I got tears hearing his speech,it had nothing to do with color, killing but a time where they meet,talk n plan an open table to discuss things from all sides. Beautiful.
As a woman of color, I’m sickened and horrified by what’s happening in our country. My autistic son is 6yo and I’m more worried about him being racially profiled than I am about how he’ll navigate the world with his learning differences. Lately, I have a small anxiety attack ever time my husband leaves the house. I know that even though he’s a respected physician his resume will not be of any concern if he’s pulled over by the wrong officer. I’m so torn because I feel that police officers the bravest and noblest Americans but not I fear them. Its stressful to live in constant fear and anxiety. I pray for our future as a nation.
To my celebitches of color:
I am so sorry. I wish I knew what to say. I wish I could comprehend how this feels, but from the vantage point of a privileged white woman I know that I can’t. Just know that I love you, I stand with you, and I will do everything in my power to be the change.
This must stop. Black lives matter.
Seconded from the other side of the Pond.
A friend posted a status this morning stating simply “I woke up in 1965.” 🙁
I know as a white, middle-class, college-educated female, chances are slim I’ll ever have cops asking me absurd questions of intent if I’m in a fancy neighborhood, followed around a department store by security, or arbitrarily stopped for a “tailight on the fritz” (all things that have happened to minority friends of mine in the last 6 months). But my heart breaks for Alton, Philando, their families, friends, colleagues, students, fellow parishoners…and also for the cops killed or injured in Dallas last night. We’re all f#@&!ng
human beings for Pete’s sake. Why do we keep doing this to each other? Why is it so hard to come together, find common ground, and work as a team to make the world better for everyone? Is this too idealistic of a view?
Sorry for the rant. This is all so raw, and the last vestiges of my Benetton ad-style hopes for the world are burning up like phosphorous paper. 🙁
did you see the video??
And as a proud black woman, I accept and appreciate your empathy. I wish they are more people like you in this world
If there were more people like you we wouldn’t need to have BLM. Unfortunately for me I’ve started dropping friends. I cannot mentally take the strain anymore.
Anyway good on Bey. She also held a moment of silence at her concert and had the names of victims of police brutality up on a screen. Sang freedom acapella
There are we just must speak up, sometimes I don’t know what to say but what I feel I can do is teach my children about equality respect and love for the hope that our next generations are better off.
There are, and we absolutely MUST SPEAK UP. This means taking a stand to every friend, acquaintance, family member, or stranger who dares to show their racism in word or in deed. White complacency and saying nothing is now the same as condoning the hatred and violence, and I refuse to do that. It’s hard as f***, and I’m losing friends and family members hate me, but I don’t care. Lives are at stake!
With all the advance technology in the world to make our lives better and people happier, the human race is going backwards.
+1
I’m also so very sorry for this injustice. My heart is broken over this senseless violence against African Americans. I’m outraged and I stand in solidarity with you over this. It needs to end!! Black lives matter!! Please accept my most sincere apologizes and we demand that this stop and that the responsible be accountable.
This madness has to stop. I offer my love and support to the black community. I stand in solidarity with you and demand justice.
I, too, support all my brothers and sisters of any color, in any country. This circle of Celebitchy regulars have taught me more about racism and hatred than I ever learned in school, ever read in a book or saw in a documentary. You all never cease to open my eyes more, broaden my perspectives, and motivate me to do whatever I can to make change. Thank you for expressing your thoughts, experiences, and feelings in ways that we can understand even though we can’t relate and for your patience and diplomacy when I know you must be so frustrated and tired of explaining yourselves to those of us in our bubbles of white privilege we sometimes aren’t even aware of. Keep keeping me grounded!
Thank you for saying the words I can’t at this time because I try to speak something that makes sense and I cry, thank you for speaking for me as well. Oh, and this is a different Nicole!
Count me in, too. I am so sick about what has happened and IS happening, every day, to my brothers and sisters of color.
Yes. I have no words except to say that I too stand with our sisters and brothers of color, always.
And this here is why I love Celebitchy. I wish every corner of the internet was like this site. <3
+1 from up North
There is nothing I can say that hasn’t been said with more eloquence and nuance. I’m sorry for your loss, I’m sorry for you fear and I will try my best to help in any small way I can.
For those of us who have idiots in our lives, and does tragedy ever bring out the naysaying idiots- Jay Smooth on how to tell someone they said a dumb racist thing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0Ti-gkJiXc
For those who want to donate to Alton Brown’s family
https://www.gofundme.com/2d3eze7g
I’m so sorry but I don’t have a link for Castile’s family.
Gofundme account set up by Philando’s sister:
https://www.gofundme.com/2d5wd5g
I’m going to be straight up pedantic here and say Sterling, Alton Sterling. I know who you meant, but I think it’s important
@AntsOffTheScent
Please, thank you for the correction. It is very important and not pedantic.
I’d edit it, but can’t at this point.
Just want to add my voice to those who feel awful about this. Other people have said it better, but I really love this community and the voices within it, and I want to add my condolences and support in any way I can.
Beautifully said.
Tears this morning. I love your post.
I’m right there with ya from Canada.
I second that, Shambles. I couldn’t have formulated it any better.
I was appalled before, and now there aren’t any words for how I feel about this. I wish I could totally understand; but I know I can’t either. But I’m still shocked to my core.
Edited after original post.
could not agree more strongly.
Yes, this plus +10,000.
I completely agree, Shambles! Thank you so much for putting into words what I am feeling.
I love my friends of color so much, and when I see these innocent people getting shot, I think of my friends and their families and how afraid I am that someday they will be ripped from my life unjustly. How each of the victims was a real person with friends and family, too. It is INSANE that it has gotten to this point. I am so ANGRY with the system, I am so sad for my country, I am so disappointed in so many, and my heart is breaking. I wish I had an answer. I don’t know what to do with all of this intensity that is inside of me. I don’t want to be patronizing, or “white savior”, but I have to do something! I just don’t know what to do. Calling my representative/senator is a start, but I feel like that is a Federal solution. This is a wide spread plague, but it is being committed by local police forces. How do we make a universal impact on such a varied institution?
This sentiment from my heart as well. At first, I agreed with the ‘all lives matter’, as I sit here in my privileged white bubble. I didn’t get it until I was reading comments on this site, and began to see that my naive belief in equality is just that – naive. To read about the hurt expressed on this site about things that I could never comprehend makes me realize that I can’t marginalize or dismiss the ‘Black lives matter’ movement by spouting about equality because the issues that people of color have is something that I will never live. And similarly in Canada with our indigenous population, the exact same applies. I am looking at all of this through a different lens thanks to the commenters on this site, and I thank you for that.
Thirded. I sit watching all of this unfold here in Canada and my heart breaks for all the innocents and their families. Crying all morning at the senselessness and brutality of it all. I have friends from all ethnicities and love them all.
I don’t know what the answer is but hope and pray it is found soon. It makes me sick to my stomach that in this day and age this is what is going on.
I second this. My heart is broken. I have a mixed race family but I am white. I worry every single time the young black males in my family go out.
Thank you for your kinds words, totally appreciate them.
Thank you for expressing my thoughts so beautifully Shambles.
Damn Bey, watch out they will be coming for you.
They already started, judging from the comment section on DM.
DM is the worst when it comes to comments. They don’t moderate them at all. So it does not surprise me that the idiots are out there making their comments on DM.
The DM comments section is the internet’s cesspit of privileged assholes insisting they’re the real victims in any situation.
I can barely begin to comprehend how painful this must be for the people of colour this has happened to time and time and time and time again.
It’s appalling for this to happen so regularly and seemingly without consequence in 2016.
The comment section of the DM seems to have provided a nice, comfortable home for crazy, intolerant, ignorant keyboard warriors from all over the world. In the days before the internet I could pretend that bigots like this were few and far between, not anymore unfortunately.
My advice is to simply avoid the comment section at Yahoo, DM, youtube, wherever you find hatred and ignorance. That sh*t is just bad for the soul.
The NYT FB page comments have turned into a cesspool, too. I’m just beside myself at how much hate oozes from so many people, so openly.
Have you guys seen Joe Walsh’s Twitter? Not gonna link but good lord, just put on a glory suit and be done with it.
Speaking of, the young man hung in Piedmont Park. It’s never ending.
Only those with the most vitriol and least brain activity comment. The reasonable folks stay well away from the slop so it just concentrates into a pure cesspool
TG, for a second I thought you meant the former Eagles guitarist and was like HUH?
but yeah, that was disgusting. I am so sick and tired of people saying “real americans blahblahblah”…we are ALL Americans, you sh*tstain. And “watch out Obama”?! I hope the Secret Service pays him a visit.
Yeah, DM is another site I try to avoid, not only because both the smartphone and the laptop seem to act up on that site, but because of the comment section. “those with the most vitriol and least brain activity” is a great description for a lot of those sites.
I did see Joe Walsh’s tweet, disgusting but not surprising coming from him. He’s from my part of the country and he and his ilk are BIG part of the problem. Don’t get me started on the people defending him on the Chicago Tribune story about it. Those people are horrendous humans, too.
The Daily Mail, Yahoo and pretty much anything on facebook that isn’t a secure group or forum are best avoided if you don’t want to have a severe rage attack and break your electronic devices.
Which makes her and her actions all the more powerful, to me.
–TheRealPinky
Can’t go much harder than a police group putting out a public statement refusing to protect her.
Lol THIS. Dude Bey should just tell the Hive to show up at whatever rally/protest is being organized. Within minutes of posting that message, the contactcongress dot org’s server went down.
I can’t believe they did that. So shameful.
I think she handled that in the best way possible. Just keep on keeping on. Her tour was amazing and people loved Lemonade. All the boycotters didn’t care about her to begin with and the police are there to protect the fans and for crowd control, for the most part. So they were going to neglect those citizens?
With what just happened last night in Dallas there just doesn’t seem to be an end to this kind of insanity.
Sadly her words and others that have been calling for justice and fairness will be used in ways they were not intended. I saw examples of that last night and this morning.
Oh definitely. And honestly f*ck everyone who just started to care about cops killing unarmed black men AFTER the Dallas incident. F*ck the politicians who hemmed and hawed over what should’ve been done in the hopes that the outrage would die down. F*ck everyone who said they needed to “wait and see while all the facts come in,” with all the previous deaths of black men. Will we still be following that policy after last night? Or will the immediate condemnation of the Black Lives Matter movement be more appropriate first?
This is exactly why when you see something wrong you fix it. Otherwise things fester, and people get angry, and then they misdirect their outbursts. Rodney King riots all over again. RIP to everyone dead because of society’s inaction.
right on- perfect.
Yes Lynnie.
Nothing more to add to Lynnie. You said everything I feel and then some.
Absolutely. I saw a friend post a meme that said “If you are upset and outraged this morning but you weren’t upset yesterday morning or the day before that, then you are part of the problem.” That sums up a select few people that I know, and I wanted to share that and tag them, but I’m not even trying to start something like that right now. If people don’t get it now, when will they ever get it??
Does it really feel like there is ‘a war on the people of color’? I feel like her wording divides people instead of uniting them.
it’s a war if we’re being killed for being BLACK! don’t be ignorant okay ?
Don’t mind Bianca, she usually does these “I don’t understand why this is racism” when an obvious case of racism appears on CB. My fellow Celebities White, Black, Hispanic and Asian go the extra mile to explain the issue to her in LENGTHY posts only to have her continue to “not understand”.
I read CB everyday and know our regulars (love you gals!), Bianca I have noticed seems to only post on topics related to racism. I wonder why? Interesting user name…
@Bianca: People knowing they or their family/friends aren’t as safe around cops or in places of worship (or other public places) because of race is an example of inequality, and people are pointing that out. Pointing that out in a straightforward way isn’t ‘being divisive’, it’s acknowledging the problem.
Yup, this is what Bianca does and then she pleads ignorance, being from a different country, but the next time there is something on racism she starts up again. Learn woman, learn!
@ Wilma I’ve only commented on this site a couple of times before, once about Clooney and once about Bar Refaeli. You must be talking about a different Bianca.
Reading Beyonce’s message again, I think the conclusion is this: ‘We must use our voices to contact the politicians and legislators in our districts and demand social and judicial changes.’
PS I’m trying to learn about the problems in other countries, I don’t think my country lives in a bubble. My countrymen migrated to Spain, Italy, France, UK for economic reasons, and have been the target of xenophobia – including recently, after Brexit.
We’ve idealised western countries so much before and after communism, you have no idea how badly we envied you and wanted to be at your level economically, politically, socially etc. You were better than us in every respect and 50 years ahead of us, at least. Everybody wanted to migrate to the west, especially that the changes in our country were so slow. And after recent events, it feels like you’ve fall down from a pedestal, it’s frustrating, I don’t know how to explain. You were the highest standard and that’s dissipating. (Sorry, English is not my first language.)
the irony of the poster’s name being bianca though
I’m not saying you were making this argument, Bianca, but your comment reminded me of this wonderful poem by Lorna Dee Cervantes “Poem for the young white man who asked how I, an intelligent well read person, could believe in the war between the races”:
I believe in revolution
because everywhere the crosses are burning,
sharp-shooting goose-steppers round every corner,
there are snipers in the schools…
(I know you don’t believe this.
You think this is nothing
but faddish exaggeration. But they
are not shooting at you.)
Poem link: http://www.ohio.edu/people/hartleyg/poems/young_whiteman.html
Every time these shootings happen, I don’t know what to do besides look for reasons not to despair, and art does that for me.
Yes. She should have demanded that we all hold hands in kumbaya as young people of color are profiled and murdered in cold blood by the people sworn to protect them. /sarcasm ….(in case you are too soaked up in your racist denial to realise that I am mocking you.)
Just going to say “yes.” Yes, there is. And it is not new.
Have you been under a damn rock or are you willfully ignorant. We are BEYOND mad. BEYOND. The time for nice explanations has past. Politicians don’t listen. Cops continue to kill us without accountability. The answer is yes but I cannot believe you’re that ignorant to the climate since slaves were brought over from Africa
@bianca I can see why the use of the word “war” could sound divisive. But I think her message is that lives are being unnecessarily taken by inept, prejudiced or poorly trained cops and those lives lost are most of the time minorities. I think the Minnesota shooting so sadly demonstrates that. I think the system needs an overhaul and police need some better training asap. BTW – a white mentally ill homeless man who was acting out but had no weapons was brutally killed by poorly trained cops in Venice a couple years ago, so its not just minorities.
You are correct. It’s not just minorities. I remember that case. In that case the officers involved were tried in court. That is how it should be when a life is taken. But in almost every case that has come into the media where a person of color suspiciously died at the hands of law enforcement the officer doesn’t even get brought to trial. That, in addition to the prevalence of these incidents is why there is so much anger. That people could be killed on video or in front of lots of witnesses and have the justice system basically say “nothing to see here, this is not a problem” is why we’re angry. Police brutality is something everyone should be concerned with but getting justice after the fact is something that people of color don’t seem to be entitled to.
http://www.npr.org/2015/07/04/420019849/paper-finds-one-quarter-of-those-killed-by-police-are-mentally-ill
Ky, the problem is that Kelly Thomas’s murder did bring cops to court…but they were found to be innocent. Even though one officer said on tape, “I’m going to f*ck you up” while putting rubber gloves on his hands, before inflicting a fatal beating, he was still found to be innocent.
Getting to court is a good step, and one that many cases don’t get. However, I think we also need to address the injustice that is happening in the court system as well. Another example is the Freddie Gray case.
It doesn’t feel like it, it is a fact. I say this as a white woman who lives an ocean away and has never seen racism in the U.S. up close. But my god, I do own a tv and a computer. Beyonce isn’t dividing anyone. People who doubt the facts are.
Beyonce isn’t dividing people, she is telling the truth. White people need to be able to hear the truth, nothing will get better if we continue to wear blinders.
Mira, as with Obama, people say that he’s “dividing the country” by simply TALKING about racism and acknowledging that it still exists. pointing something out does NOT equal “creating” it.
it’s their way of saying they wish he’s shut up about so they can go on doing it.
@Doofus-I listened to POTUS’s words from the NATO conference re: Dallas and you could tell the poor guy was struggling to toe that line. It’s so f*cked up that he has to walk on eggshells so as not to incite the people who say that he is a “race-baiter” or divisive, whatever. Listening to him, a shiver ran down my spine, so much respect for POTUS and the difficult job he’s had of being the first black president. The pressure must be too much to bear at times.
But mostly, listening to President Obama reminded me of how awful it would be if we had Trump as our POTUS. Can you imagine Trump trying to issue words of comfort to the American public or worse yet, the black community?
Sorry if I’m getting to political or off-topic but it’s something that truly scares me..
it scares me too, Kitten. I can’t imagine Trump offering comfort to ANYONE. but himself, of course, as he looks in the mirror.
I keep thinking that maybe once he leaves office he can really let it fly. Shame he can’t (or thinks he can’t) do that now but I doubt he will hold back on the issue once he leaves the White House. That’s at least something to look forward to.
What is it going to take for people like you to get it through your skulls that people that institutional racism is the problem and not black or other marginalized groups standing up for our rights. We are pointing out a problem that is existing for us and all you(this includes POC too) people are doing is sticking your heads in the sand and saying ” all lives matter” or “dividing instead of uniting” as if we were ever united. We were never united, ever. This country was built on taking things from others, abusing people and then rewriting the history to make white men (and some white women) look as if they were mythical heroes going on adventures instead of elitist, racist, lazy, delusional thugs in wigs.
If we are dividing anything, we are trying to divide a good majority of white people from the idea that racism is over, because it is not. We are trying to actually get to a place where everyone is equal but a good majority of white people people taking their heads out of their asses and start to take accountability for their part in what is going on. White people can no longer stand by and casually throw out a MLK quote or say something to the effect of “well I’m not like that” or “not all white people” and think that they are not still a part of the problem. BTW, they are still a part of the problem.
We can and should no longer try to sugar coat things so that white people feel comfortable. In order for us to be united, we actually have to confront every dirty thing that has ever happened and really talk about it, and then come up with a workable strategy to make things better. Things do not get better by wishing them away or ignoring them or renaming the problem as something else. Things get better when you confront the problem head on. This message and all of the protests are a start.
THANK YOU, well said.
Exactly this. The first step is recognizing that there is a problem.
@bianca I will never have to worry about being shot while reaching for my license in a routine traffic stop. That is just not part of my reality as a white woman. We have been shown over and over again that the reality for a black person in this country is very, very different. We need to stop being ignorant to that fact.
I am not having it today or any day after. Bianca and Mini can both go to hell.
It seems that I have offended everyone, sorry about that, but it was a genuine question. I am not an American, I live in Eastern Europe. Your country just decided to send 1000 people to my country to defend us against potential threat from the Russians, under NATO leadership. And then the next news is that this happens in your country. And the word ‘war’ is pronounced by Beyonce and is on the cover of New York Post. I guess I should be glad I live in my relatively small and insignificant country.
I’m just reading the news and trying to understand the world, I didn’t mean to offend people. Peace!
Hope you did not take it personally Biance. Emotions run high and as a fellow european I also wonder about race wars. what I see on tv is black & whites together in the army etc so that black & whites hates each other in the states seems a bit wierd. On the other hand there are segregation and mistrust between locals and immigrants here as well so maybe not that wierd after all.
Sorry if this also offends any one it is not my meaning. But not every comment you don’t like is an attack. When english ain’t your first language it is hard to get the point through in text, and we who don’t live in the states does not have the same experience as you and explanations/clarifications would be welcome. Does not mean we are racists or ignorant.
Hopefully you do take this personally Bianca, because this is the umpteenth time you posted something like this! Stop being ignorant, enough people have explained to you the past year about institutional racism and white privilige. Now do something with that knowledge and stop posting ignorant things!
@bianca the more we talk about the differences and learn about each others’ experiences, the more we can understand the anger and rage of people who are being unjustly treated because of their race or any other differences. I wasn’t offended by your question because it seemed like an honest question. We can’t attack everyone who asks “what’s the big deal,” about situations. Its best to explain it instead of demonize questions even if it seems glaringly obvious to other people. But its a hard topic to discuss because racism, although not as obvious as it was in the 1960s is still here, and people get tired of trying to explain things. They just want to see change.
Just last night I went out with some of my friends to go bowling, and after my white male friend and I wanted to get ice cream while the rest wanted something more. We decided to split up and call it a night. (This is around 8pm)
As we’re driving out to the place my friend gets pulled over, and we’re both puzzled because as far as we can tell he hasn’t done anything wrong. Meanwhile I’m slowly getting worried, but everything should be fine because he’s white right?
The cop comes over, and before my friend can even say “What seems to be the problem officer?” he goes, “Aren’t you a little young to be a John?”
The cop thought I was a prostitute. All because we’re in a wealthy part of town, the driver was white, and there’s absolutely no other reason why a black woman could’ve been riding in the same car as him.
If that’s not divisive or doesn’t feel like an attack to you I don’t know what to tell you.
Lynnie that is outrages!!! I’m so angry that you and your friend have to deal with harassment. This isn’t right and nobody should have to deal with that. It is time that this country has a wake up call regarding race relations. I feel so helpless and I want to do something about this. I’m so sorry.
My jaw is on the floor. I shouldn’t be surprised but oh my god….these threads do nothing to improve my opinion of law enforcement….just nauseating, repulsive, shameful…wow. SMDH
That’s so heartbreaking to hear. I feel like the bad cops (not all cops) will now have even more motivation to act recklessly. When will we realize that cops killing the people they Vowed to protect is not a racial issue, the fact that the victims are mostly likely to be African American is what makes it that. We should all be outraged at police brutality and abuse of power.
OMG. Thats horrible, I am so sorry you went through that. I know it wont be a comfort but this happens a lot. It happened to one of those actresses on Django http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/09/14/daniele-watts-actress-detained-police_n_5818304.html.
In short, a black woman kissed her white husband in the middle of the day. She was wearing a mid thigh flowy sun dress. The cops put two and two together and ended up with five. They assumed she was a hooker and cuffed HER. They didnt touch him of course, apparently she was breaking the law by herself. Somebody took a pic of her crying with her hands cuffed behind her and she posted that on Instagram. Its a tragic pic.
jaysus…it would have taken all of my strength to not say back to him “and aren’t you a little dumb to be a cop?” wtf?!
I can’t use the language I’d like to use to respond to that, but that’s an outrage. This whole situation is just a nightmare, and it breaks my heart.
Lynnie, that is appalling. I can’t imagine how marginalized, disrespected, and possibly endangered you felt. I’m so very sorry.
What happened to you is so disgusting. I am so sorry. Law enforcement needs to root out the evil with new leadership, mass firings, new policies and culture change. You can’t fix people like this through training.
Holy [redacted], that’s…wow.
Thank you for the kind words everybody. One good thing did come out from it though. My friend has always been one of the kumbaya types, but after yesterday he’s been MAD and has been telling everybody who’ll listen about what happened yesterday, how treatment of POC of is unfair, and is just generally learning/getting up to speed on things. I wish he learned that earlier, but I”m taking that as a small blessing. Also I was too anxious to think straight and get his cop number, but I’m going down to the station and making sure they know I will not comply to being singled out like that.
@aims Campaign Zero! Use that and show your friends or anyone who doesn’t understand. You never know when your words will reach someone.
@Naya I remember reading about that and just feeling horrible for her. “The cops put two and two together and ended up with five.” I LOVE this. Gonna use this when I go in to file a complaint.
@Doofus Hahahahha, believe me I don’t think it was restraint so much more as it was me being shocked to the point of being mute. My dad made up for it when he spoke to the cop though.
@Popup Totally agree
uhm how do you even prove you are not a hocker? Seems like dad did a great job though 🙂 Sorry to hear about your experience
wow. so sorry you had to go through that. and to think that’s just the tip of what many black people experience in encounters w/ police.
Wow. That shows not just the stupidity, but the racism and sexism of that cop. (In the back of your mind it’s like “stupidity and stereotypical thinking shouldn’t be so shocking,” but when you actually hear an experience like that it’s like, “Everyday people like cops still think like this? In 2016?”) If you were either white, a man, or both, there’s no way in hell that police officer would have automatically jumped to the conclusion of “this young guy is a john driving around with a prostitute.”
I am weeping. That is so WRONG!!!!
Hugs to you!
Ugh – I’m so sorry that happened to you. What’s worse is that I am not surprised. Black women get the double dose that is racism & their *casual* misogyny.
I’m off to Google to see how my measly little November vote can have more impact on this deadly crisis.
And there you have it. But there is no race problem right? God I can only imagine how hurt and outraged you must have felt. And that cop . . . my thoughts on him are not fit to print.
omg, Lynnie. I am so sorry. And just as bad as the label is that fact that you cannot defend yourself against it, because the cop’s inherent bias against you is clearly demonstrated- and given the culture of cop violence against POC color, you know you just have to sit silently so as not to enrage him.
I don’t know if this makes me want to issue a primal scream of frustration or a torrent of tears more. Sometimes I hate this country.
If you don’t feel it then you choose not to feel it. You decide when you finally want to make the effort to care.
So are minorities just supposed to sit back shut up and take it as we are being killed for existing? It’s always division and “it’s racist against whites” when people are asking for equality and to be treated like we matter. We can’t come together because that’s not what people want. They want us to stop talking and pointing out the injustice we face. Not going to happen anymore. People are beyond fed up.
Not so fun fact, one the police officers who killed Alton sterling’s name is Blane salamoni. In 2014 he was suspended for shooting another black person. Charges were dismissed. His father in law, who was also a police officer, said “I’m totally against these people (blacks). They take advantage of every situation to promote their agenda”.
bianca no there aren’t troops obviously it’s not an actual war in the military sense. However the word war has been used in other senses for years so this use is not at all hyperbolic compared to “war on drugs”, “war on terrorism” (that Did turn into the war but it also included Tsa procedures and monitoring of phones and emails of any U.S. Residents) and “war on Christmas” ,”war on women” you could use the word about any trend / problem or even policy ideA
Well to us, yes it does. It feels like a war to us, especially when you are willing to do the historical retrospective and the modern social models. It is belittling to simply imply this is dividing us. Being killed by white police officers causes the division, discussing it does not, saying “stop killing us” does not cause division, the racist actions of others do. The media systematically determining to painting a black man at a BLM rally as the snipper last night, when they (newscasters/reporters/police) knew it was a lie causes division and actual physical harm to an innocence person, that’s divisive.
Your naiveté is problematic.
Do NOT let what happened in Dallas distract from what happened to Alton Sterling and Philando Castile. Already, these two men are being erased from the news when they deserve justice as much as those officers do. I’ve even seen people justifying Sterling and Castile’s murders by linking it to Dallas. Absolutely disgusting.
But I get why. 2 dead in 48 hours? It would feel like war has been declared when those who are supposed to protect are doing the killings. What is she supposed to call for? Cuddles?
That we know of. That the media shows us. My heart goes out to their loved ones, including the police officers who were killed too. A professor made a statement that was very profound, he said that he believes we are being pushed into a race war, pitting blackagainst white where it should be crime vs crime n the reasonfor that shooting,if based on color should be on the killers shoulders as opposed to a peoples race. Statistics showed up to 2012, black on bblack k crime and white on white crime was muchhigher, that fairness should be on both eequilibriums. But when a man who was not white raped a white woman, they won’t show it for fear that it will Crete race wars. When did we as a community forgot to differentiate color crime.
It was a moving article, I believe we need to pull together,as human beings an defeat the hate that lives within these people who happen to be seen by their color n not their souls. StArting with making police taking responsibility for their crimes because it will only lead to officers who are innocent dying. People dying for their stupidity n ignorance.
I live half here n the other half in Canada, what a difference.
+everything Fee
1000000% agree, there will be so many who use what happened in Dallas as justification for this. Those actions don’t represent the entire movement but will probably used as “proof” that the police somehow did the right thing in those situations. It’s desperately sad.
People need to question the organized, calculated and triangulated sniper fire against police in Dallas last night. Wouldn’t be the first time a hate group capitalized on a peaceful protest to incite violence and undermine the cause. Dallas mayor has urged caution and (amazingly) has not ruled out terrorism* in last night’s shooting.
*Although take that with a grain of salt, as Dylann Roof (shooter of 9 POC in their church) was never labeled a terrorist by MSM.
@ TG
Precisely, as soon as it happened, FoxNews anchors basically hinted that this was a well orchestrated and planned event with highly experienced people. The profile fits a personality of White Nationalists.
Yep. It’s already happening with assholes like this former congressman: http://theslot.jezebel.com/former-congressman-tweets-declaration-of-against-obama-1783332512
He’s an Ann Coulter wanna be since he was given the middle finger by his constituents. Ignore all the feces that spill forth from his fetid maw.
Well it should direct it because apparently a lot of people have judged the police officers guilty and the murderer in Dallas took it one step further by becoming judge, jury and executioner.
But of course. I expected this as soon as I heard about the shooting in Dallas. Watch them use this tragedy to distract and deflect.
Did you know that she lost 100k followers immediately after putting that up. Yes. Beyoncé lost followers for saying “Stop Killing Us”. This goes to show the idiots that claim she’s only using the #BlackLivesMatter to boost record sales. She also observed a minute of silence in their honour during her show in Glasgow and had their names put up on her 60″ Monolith. I’m glad she’s speaking up now and I know she’s been speaking up before but I like that she’s really involved this time.
Kim I wanna be black kardashian also chose this time to put up pictures of her in undersized bathing suits.
I’m also ever ready to report the “All lives matter” and “she couldn’t have written that she’s so dumb” comments…. You will not perpetuate a demeaning stereotype while Black people are being killed
Celebrities have a platform to reach millions, a tweet to me is phoning it in as many do. Find the time and be part of the movement,put a spotlight n support it regardless how much time it takes. Bee didn’t do anything wrong, while her husband has made videos of gangsta life, ex drug dealer, demeaning women etc…is hypocritical when he says we are victims cause J u have never been a victim.
Jay actually did grow up in the hood, so I can see how he feels as if he was victim. He did grow up in the “gangsta life” too. I agree about the other problems with his earlier subject matter though
F outta here with that respectability politics. As if black men are targeted because of valid reasons. Please. There are more white drug dealers than there are black or latino and yet you dont see cops gunning young white men willy nilly with no consequences. Shame on anyone who even attempts to conflate these two VERY SEPARATE conversations.
Even Kylie put up an awesome interview from a radio personality asking a cop why they never condemn one of their own that’s obviously doing a bad job, but instead try to protect them. Does Kim not realize she has a black son now?
Meanwhile Tyga tweets all lives matter. Smh
Right? She is raising black kids. She probably doesn’t realize this, but in America, her biracial-don’t-want-to-be-defined-by-skin-color kids are black. And no matter their financial privilege, will be judged as such. Idiot.
–TheRealPinky
I laughed when I saw Kim’s bikini photo. I was like not today Kimberly, NOT TODAY.
Kim put up a pretty great blog post about BLM a few hours ago, specifically addressing her fears for her son amongst other things.
To me, those who unfollowed her because of this are bringing their true character to light. I LOVE Activist Beyoncé. I’m glad she’s using her superstar status to bring attention to a systemic problem we have in the US, one that is both dire and ignored by those in power. I’ve gone from being pretty meh on her to really liking her, in particular for her politics.
Me too. I’ve always admired her dedication and discipline, but wasn’t a fan til Lemonade dropped. I’ll gladly stan for activist Bey.
Just like those who claimed they loved Jesse Williams until his BET speech. If you like Jesse or followed him slightly you would know what he is all about.
This.
me too
i’ve never been a fan of her singing or music, but i love how she is using her celebrity
i also love that kimono or robe in the pictures above and need to have it
She doesn’t need those fans. Good riddance. I’m glad to see she is taking a stance. She’s in a position of power and not afraid to throw her weight around now.
Bey is not the only one. A ton of celebrities are getting racked over the coals on their social media and losing followers. I am a new found respect for a few of them now.
Tiffany, I have been reading some of the Instagram comments where people are saying “I’ve lost respect for you” “You have lost a fan” “Unfollowed” Yeah, I’m pretty sure they didn’t want you as a fan anyway.
agreed.
I will be honest, I’m scared of the police. I know there are plenty of good officers out there, but just having one drive behind me makes me nervous. I have never once been in trouble with the cops, never been arrested, never had any reason to fear for my safety, yet most minorities do. I’ve had one ticket in my life for speeding and just reaching into my purse for my license I’m afraid I would get shot, that’s how sad society has become. And I’m just a black woman, black men have even more to fear then anyone. No one wants good police officers to have to fear for their life, but scared trigger happy ones are making ALL cops look bad. We want to stop the police brutality, the killing of POC and the continuous injustices of killer cops NEVER getting sentenced for their crimes!
+10000000
Agree with everything.
I was listening to coverage of the Dallas attack on NPR this morning where they interviewed an activist who had been working with the LAPD for years, attempting to improve their race relations and educate them about racism. She said one white police officer took her aside and said quietly to her “Can you help me? I’m scared of black people.”
It just reminded me that at the root of police brutality, when we get beyond the racist optics, lies a deep-seated fear propagated from simply not understanding, not knowing. Yes it is ignorance and stereotypes and racism, but at the heart of that is fear.
What’s so sad to me is that the protests in Dallas were peaceful until the very end when the perpetrators opened fire. It could have been an opportunity for the community-both law enforcement and civilians, black and white-to come together, to share experiences, to work towards getting to KNOW each other. But then it ended in gunfire and the cycle of fear and hate is reignited.
I’m not trying to be overly optimistic and I’m not naïve enough to believe that racism can be cured overnight but this could have given us a chance to take a small step forward.
I think white law enforcement is so divorced from the black community—and seeing black people as just nameless faces enables police brutality. If there was that connection there, then maybe the police would feel a sense of duty and accountability to these people that they swore to protect.
I have so many emotions swirling around in me about the Dallas attacks. It’s heartbreaking and tragic on so many levels and while I feel so enormously sad for the families of the police officers, I still keep coming back to how powerless black people and other minorities must feel. I just feel so enraged that this keeps happening to our fellow black citizens.
Sorry for the rambling…just so sad.
I watched the video by the girlfriend (heroic woman). And the voices of the cops in the background describe what you say perfectly, Kitten. All I could hear was extreme paranoia in a mix of anger and fear. The cops themselves sounded high on roid rage or similar.
For all we have our own problems with racist and/or brutal police here in Britland, which we most certainly do, they do not operate on that elevated level of – well, I don’t know what of. But it’s not safe, I know that.
Exactly, Sixer.
On that topic, I recently began watching a BBC cop drama called WhiteChapel. In the third episode of the series the officers finally get the Bad Guy, who then stabs both of the cops and runs away. It was such a strange scene to me and my American self was like “Come on, man, just SHOOT the guy!!”
..and then I realized that British police officers don’t carry guns.
*That moment where you recognized how desensitized you are to gun violence.*
If that scene had played out on an American cop drama, there would have been a shoot-out, complete with bomb squad gear and 6 or 7 police units.
It would have ended with somebody or several people getting shot dead.
The armed man who just assassinated one of our MPs in a public street was safely arrested by two unarmed police officers. He’ll stand trial, which to my mind is the only proper justice.
Having said that, you give ours a gun and they shoot people too. See: Mark Duggan and the London riots.
But it can’t all be about guns. Although it’s nowhere NEAR on the same level as just going about your business as a POC in the US, I do have some experience of being regarded as an enemy of UK police, thanks to a long history of demonstrating. I was hoofed out of the road once – laying in it to obstruct during an anti-war protest – by my belt and my collar by a charming PC who said to me “Fcuking leftie cnut. You’d be a better fcuk if you were dead.” I’ve been kettled. Etc etc. So it’s not like our police are total gentlemen. Or that they don’t have huge problems with institutional racism and brutality.
But at no time in all that have I had any sense at all that British police officers have completely lost the plot to the extent that they are trigger happy, off-their-head maniacs and a danger to life and limb. But that’s how my Britisher ear hears it when the US cops are shouting on all these awful videos. They sound pumped up and hysterical and a danger to everyone around them. It’s hard for me to credit that police forces in the US send their officers out on the street in that frame of mind.
(I like Whitechapel as I have a soft spot for both Rupert Penry-Jones and Phil Davis. Daft at times, but fun show.)
I want to know THAT Sixer-protesting in the streets 😉
“They sound pumped up and hysterical and a danger to everyone around them.”
YES. It’s absolutely terrifying that we’re sending these guys out with that mindset. As you said, guns are definitely an issue, but not the ONLY issue. I think there needs to be more comprehensive training of police officers, a dedication to providing them with alternative measures of keeping the peace, and more accountability. The law enforcement institution is one that is unionized and highly political. They have that systemic protection as an additional safety net, on top of the gun in their holster.
Phil Davis is wonderful and Rupert becomes more handsome to me with each episode. On a really superficial level, I love how tall he is.
You know me: always a pain in the arse!
I do think it’s that war zone, pumped out mindset that needs to go. Probably the last time we had that here was during the miners strike in the 1980s. Look up The Battle of Orgreave on Wikipedia to see what I mean. Same thing: police pumped up beyond sanity to see a group of people as an enemy. Also Northern Ireland during the Troubles. Not the way for a state agency or its members to be if we want a decent society.
Even after years of diligently reading all the comments on this site and others, I can’t pretend to even fully understand, let alone have any answers for, the poisonous dynamics of racism in the US. But it does seem to me that the only possible first step is for that blue line of police unions to accept that they will have to sacrifice their rogue elements to the justice the victims deserve.
(For a poshie, Rupert is a nice man, too.)
Wow, Sixer. I don’t remember The Battle of Orgreave at all..of course, I was only five at the time but still..
One thing that I appreciate about the Brits is that you guys label things “The Battle of____”
Because that’s exactly what it is: a battle.
Just because it’s between organized law enforcement and civilians doesn’t change that fact. In the US it seems like we’ve reached a saturation point with police violence where we simply view shoot-outs as another day. It’s not a Battle of _____, it’s just Thursday or Friday or any day of the week.
I share your sentiments about not knowing what it could possibly feel like to be an American black person. I would imagine that I would feel so completely betrayed by my country and my fellow citizens. Frankly, I would probably move to another country.
I’ve been ridden at by mounted police. It’s bloody scary!
I was only 10 when Orgreave happened but that strike is writ large in my family. All my older cousins and aunts and uncles were doing everything they could to support it. The Welsh side of my family still had miners in it in those days. Do note: same blue line. Same establishment denial. No enquiry. No real justice for the victims. Oppressive state violence is worse than criminal violence, and I’ll never hear different.
If I were a believer, I would offer prayers for all black Americans to be safe. As I’m not, I’m really at a loss for what I can do, here in another country, that would help.
Kitten this was a really profound comment, thank you. Some of the police officers start out with good intentions and then end up seeing the people in these neighborhoods as suspects and perps, nameless, faceless entities. When you stop seeing people as human beings the problems arise. I also see it like priests and the Catholic church. The wrong kind of people are being drawn to these professions for the wrong reasons. People with lots of anger and rage and the need to control others are drawn to becoming LEOs. The system is flawed, cover ups are rampant. That doesn’t mean every cop is bad or all black cops are Uncle Toms. I feel for the families of the Dallas officers as well. I believe only one has been identified. The whole situation is awful and the whole system needs to be fixed. There has to be better training, dialogues need to be started. If these officers are able to go into a training class and say “hey listen, I’m scared when I go into these neighborhoods. I feel like these men have weapons and that I’m a target.” I read that one of the officers in the Alton Sterling case had been involved in another shooting with a black man. We need to have black people seen as human beings to these officers. Believe it or not, some black officers don’t even see blacks suspects or perps as human either. It’s a cycle that needs to be addressed. More officers need to address this problem instead of just closing ranks. Unfortunately black men are automatically labeled a threat (which is the EPITOME of white privilege) and until that ceases, this nonsense will continue. Thanks for being so woke Kitten (and Sixer, too!)
Have you heard the details of how the Dallas shooter was taken down? The police told him they were sending a phone to continue negotiations, but sent in a remote-controlled robot carrying a bomb.
That is completely and utterly insane. Cops should not be bombing people.
General consensus seems to be that it was legal, since it would’ve been legal to use lethal force in the form of a sniper. The police chief is saying “We saw no other option but to use our bomb robot and place a device on its extension and for it to detonate where the suspect was. Other options would have exposed our officers to great danger. The suspect is deceased as a result of detonating a bomb.”
No other option??? I’ll buy that there was alternative safe way to kill the suspect, sure. But what about non-lethal options? Whatever happened to waiting the bad guy out? Or sending a robot to deliver knock-out gas? The mentality is terrifying. Even though this guy was anything but innocent, deciding to blow him up rather than risk arresting him is just another example of the fear that drives cops to shoot innocent people.
Lucrezia – I don’t think this will ever fully sink into my brain as having actually happened.
once when pulled over for a traffic violation, i had a cop act quite belligerently over a left turn i made over solid lines. it scared me, although i can’t remember now if i had challenged him (young and stupid at the time) to instigate things. and i’m an asian american – not a black woman – i’m not saying that his belligerence was racially-based even. but i shudder to think of how the situation would have turned out if i were black.
Same. I had a cop who was trying to walk someone across a crosswalk on our big parade day and I simply didn’t see him and almost drove right past him instead of stopping. He came up to my window, shouting and verbally berating me. He even said “if I didn’t know better I would think you were intoxicated.” Which is ridiculous because I wasn’t going over the speed limit, swerving, and it was the 11:00 on a Sunday morning-obviously I was dead-sober. I simply DIDN’T see them on the edge of the crosswalk. There wasn’t a stop sign or a light there, just the yellow sign to stop for pedestrians.
Anyway, it was terrifying and scary. I felt so bullied and intimidated. I just kept saying “I’m sorry, officer I didn’t see you” over and over again.
And I’m not trying to say that it’s anything like what black people deal with, just to say that this is one of many reasons why I’m not a huge fan of police–because that was not the only incident where I’ve seen an officer go over the line. I know it’s a stressful job and sometimes these guys/gals work very long shifts and are probably exhausted but there still needs to be a requirement that they maintain a level of professionalism and decency when interacting with the public.
Same here. I was stopped for a non-moving violation. I had renewed my plates, but had not placed the updated registration sticker in my wind shied
The young cop who pulled me over was “flexing” big time. I showed him the processed paperwork & sticker, but he continued to grill me: Was I wearing the corrective lenses as per the restrictions on my DL? He actually got right up into my face to see my contact lenses. His stare – it felt like he was trying to find something to shake me. When the Sandra Bland footage was made public, I shivered thinking I was watching the same cop & that my experience probably would have been so very different if I was not a white woman.
My one horrible experience happened when I was the victim of domestic violence who called the police. I know that those are the most dangerous calls and that the officers are on edge already, but my ex had already been taken to jail and I was the victim! I was crying and he was yelling at me asking me if I was on drugs and if I had drugs in the house. I said no, I’m upset, my boyfriend just beat me up and knocked me out cold, I was hiding in the bushes to call you, I’m literally just upset, sir. He then proceeded to go on and on saying how can you live like this, how can you let someone treat you like this, how can you feel guilty for calling us, if you were my daughter I would tell you to change your life around. I said can you tell him to shut up and stop being an asshole. When my mom found out I said that, she was furious and was like you know better than to ever speak to the police like that, are you crazy. I was like, did this dude have any training? It left a bad taste in my mouth for a long time, but I have since had pretty pleasant dealings with cops (like one who pulled me over because my car matched the description of one fleeing from the scene of a stabbing, and then he said oh yeah I don’t think you’re my suspect- it was apparently some white wannabe gangster- which describes half the guys I grew up with). I’m glad it didn’t end like Sandra Bland, but you honestly just never know who is walking up to your window. And yes, I know, they don’t know who they are walking up to either. It’s a recipe for disaster sometimes, like we saw with Philando Castile.
@The OG BB,
I’m so sorry, honey!
My story is not as horrible, but it echoes the ones above you: I, too, had an interaction with an officer over a minor non-moving vehicle violation. I’m white and I was with a white male friend. The way the cop was talking to me, you’d think he found a pound of heroine, a corpse, or both in my trunk. He actually asked my friend if he were my husband and when he said no, the advised him to get out of the car to “avoid problems”! That terrified me to no end, to this day I’m grateful that my friend didn’t leave (he was in a hurry to get on one of the last metro trains, so he was under a lot of pressure to go ASAP).
I still don’t understand how and why all of that was necessary and who trains those people.
I’m white, and I’m afraid of the police.
My heart has been shattered these last couple of days. I honestly don’t know what to say about this anymore.
Sending helpless love your way my lovely. Helpless, but love nonetheless.
Thanks Sixer, it really is appreciated.
Pray, cry n smile. We need unity.
I Just can’t believe we live in a society where the crime of being black is punishable by death.
Its disgusting how people in this world can pull a trigger can kill someone. Cops killing people, snipers killing cops. It is a never ending cycle of violence. Cops that already have something against poc will use this as a reason in their minds to kill other blacks or other minorities.
I haven’t really been watching the news for a while now it all very depressing and it just angers me. I read comments saying they shouldn’t of resisted arrest, even when you are you do not deserve to get shot. There are ways around these situations. There will be cases where the cops will need to pull the tigger when their life or others are in danger but from looking at the last 2 shootings it doesn’t look like thats what happened.
Correct me if I’m wrong but the 2nd shooting he had a gun (legally) and said he had a gun then went to reach for his wallet then the cops fired? Why didn’t the cops just bring him out of the car and teach him rather than fire before asking questions? am i missing information? I feel like i am cus it makes zero sense to me.
I get so angry with these shootings of poc, that when i try to discuss it with friends and family i didn’t realise how racist and indifferent they are to people losing their lives.
They say that “blacks kill more blacks then cops, why did he resist, why weren’t they polite to the cops” it is so frustrating.
Even as a mix family (white/asian) they can’t see how racist it is. I told my mum they were white cops that killed one of them, she insisted that one of them was asian like it not all white cops that kill blacks? And the thing that really grinds my gears is my mother has been subjected to verbal abuse form other about being asian. I don’t understand why she can’t see how wrong she is.
I love my family but they can be so f-ing stupid.
I also live in Australia and its it just difficult to see and understand the amount of gun violence there is in the US. i feel like if the govt can limit what guns you can by and stricter laws in obtaining a gun there would be less of this sense violence and deaths.
Why can people just be nice to each other then there would be no hatred.
I went to DM they were saying is B was going to write a letter or a memorial about the cops that died tonight otherwise she is a racist.
ugh sorry for the long and jumbled post. I needed to vent.
You are supposed to announce to the officer that you have a firearm. After that, they will usually have you step out of the car and remove your wallet and license and your firearm from your pocket. That situation sounds like a complete lack of training and judgement on the cop’s part. Why in the world would a man with no warrants or criminal record reach for his gun when his girlfriend and her daughter were in the car? He wouldn’t, so people can try to spin this anyway they like and try to blame the victim (don’t worry folks, I have already done seen it) but that was senseless murder (as was Alton Sterling, both of his hands were restrained).
The interview with Philando’s sister was enough to start my tears flowing…both are such truly heartbreaking situations (as is Dallas), but her pain was so raw and real I just cried right along with her. This world is a scary place right now.
Phil worked in the cafeteria of a Montessori school for ten years.For some reason I cried when I heard the kids loved him for many reasons including he gave them extra Graham Crackers on the sly.Another dad whose kids attended tweeted he had to tell his kids gentle Mr Phil had been killed by the police after they got dressed for school yesterday.:-(
RIP to the cops who were killed in Dallas also.
Eye for an eye leaves the world blind.
I didn’t know him, but Philando Castile was part of my community. Killed not even three miles from my house. He was known and loved by many, and this world seems dimmer for his light being senselessly extinguished. It’s heartbreaking and faith restoring all at once to see our neighborhood come together over this, people are offering to babysit for parents who are protesting, remembering Philando’s kindness, but dammit, this should not have happened. This should not keep happening. He should still be with us.
Fear and ignorance have no place in to protect and serve.
It’s so sad.
Oh my goodness, that graham cracker detail just started the water works. *sigh*
They said he knew all the children by name and took special care to memorize all their food allergies and sensitivities. That really got me.
So much sadness, pain, anger, frustration, and hurt over the past three days. My heart goes out to the families and friends of Alton and Philando and to the city of Dallas. There are just no words.
“First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Socialist.
Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Trade Unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.”
Everyone needs to rise up against this.
Thank you for your comment. As a black woman, I’ve been stopped by the police twice and both times was terrified because I didn’t know if they would find a reason to shoot me. This is a reality. I have always spoken up when I hear/see things that aren’t right because of the truth of what you’ve written. If you don’t speak up for others, there will be no one left to speak for you.
Watching Philando Castile’s girlfriend call that PO sir after seeing him shoot her love dead left me reeling. As a black female, I know the score, you must be subservient or your life is at stake. When I read other people’s comments who wanted to suggest that she was culpable because she was so calm. That was disgusting sentiment to have.
I don’t know if anyone has experience shock, but you are extremely calm. I have been in true shock only one time in my life (when my friend’s toddler died suddenly) and I remember being so calm and just saying over and over did it actually happen, did she really just die or did I imagine that? People can take several seats until they walk a mile in someone else’s shoes. My mom told me I have to be polite to the police all the time as a form of protection for myself. Diamond was probably so shocked and scared at the same time. It was really heart breaking.
It also reflects how ignorant the general population is to typical psychological responses to trauma. The same ideology that extreme situations result in extreme emotions is part of why rape victims are often dismissed during questioning. When your survival is on the line, you do what you have to do to survive, even if that means being clam and deferential to your attackers. Our culture has a lot to answer for in terms of how we portray mental health issues.
‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’”
There is so much sadness and pain in our country right now. It’s heartbreaking, discouraging and scary. While it may not so much, I pray for our country. I hope all of us celebitchies would set the example and begin to be catalyst of change in our homes and communities. Be kinder to one another, educate our children, neighbors, family to believe in love and equality regardless of race, gender, religion, sexual orientation. And also, to speak up when someone else’s voice has been taken away.
I’m really gutted. I really do feel like our country has gone back 50 years. And as a law abiding black woman that has experienced unfair legal problems ( though no violence) it does bring back memories. I’m grateful and lucky to lead the life I have and I know the vast majority of police are good and just trying to do their jobs. I’m so sad about Dallas. I’m also scared about what’s going on right now.
I agree Luca. I was just lamenting to a friend how I feel like things are 1000 times worse now than 30 years ago. I’m not sure if it is just my priliveged white girl revisionist history in my mind but I do feel that racism is far worse now than it was in the 70s, 80s, etc., and also sexism is far worse than it was in the 80s and 90s as a working woman in my experience. I don’t understand what is happening in our country.
Despite starting this morning in tears at the news, you screen name gave me a small chuckle, so thank you for that.
On an aside, I don’t think racism and sexism are necessarily worse, it is that they are no longer accepted by those targeted, and a national topic, as they should be. I do hope as awareness, and fighting back against them increases, there will be some positive change.
I can hope, right??
I’m going to attempt to say this in a way that is not demeaning or to not show my sympathy and support to POC or the BLM movement.
Part of my job is dispatching police. It’s a rewarding yet thankless profession. I live in a mid-sized city and work with a police force of about 350. Through my job I have developed relationships with officers that are both positive and negative.
We don’t have much diversity here, our population is predominantly white/black. We do have a relatively high crime rate with homicides and other violent crimes happening daily.
My number one priority as a dispatcher is to keep my units safe. That is their number one priority also. When things like the Dallas shooting occur, or any string of violence against the police happen, our force is on edge. Every where they go, they go in twos or more. It’s dangerous, and they are afraid.
More officers have been killed in the line of duty by armed black men (and whites) then officers have killed civilians. I understand they are sworn to protect and serve. I understand that there are plenty of instances that police have been ‘trigger happy’, towards blacks, and towards all races. That’s why movements like BLM are so important.
I would like to emphasize, especially to those who are scared of being in any contact with police, to consider that they are scared too. When an officer conducts a traffic stop (statistically the most dangerous part of their job) they are just as afraid of you shooting or harming them as you are concerned for your safety.
It’s remarkably heart breaking to me that this is the situation we are in.
This does not give justification for instances like that had occurred in MN, etc. Murder is murder and they should be held accountable. But as someone who sits on the other side of the fence professionally, as someone who has listened to the fear and panic in an officers voice when in harms way, I just had to make this comment.
I don’t doubt they’re scared.
I think they were scared before Philando and Alton and Dallas, I think a deep rooted fear drives and motivates much of the actions of those bad cops. I think watching a video of a woman calmly telling an officer why he made a mistake in killing her friend while he shrieks and shivers like a child with a weapon tells us all how scared they are.
But with their fear they have power, guns, and the law on their side.
With our fear we have nothing.
When we balance those scales perhaps what happened in Dallas will feel more like a tragedy. For now it just feels like the horrific reality of a society and police union that keeps trying to get past its dirty little secret without dealing with it.
I’m not blaming you. I’m not saying this comment in anger. Im saying police whether black, white, Asian or Latino wear a uniform to eliminates them as an individual and represents them as a force that makes me a woman of color want to turn my head and hide when I see them. I don’t wan’t them to die, but I don’t want to die either.
Ugh if I had known you were typing I wouldn’t have bothered with my comment.
I looked forward to your comments this morning, ESE. They never disappoint.
Type always Kitten, many voices are needed and I’ll be honest today I just don’t think I have the ability to try and explain it all. It just hurts, but seeing all the compassionate and informed comments from you and everyone else on this board helps a lot.
I can always count on you Eternal to post the most woke comment. The fact is police are supposed to be trained to deal with high stress situations to mitigate their fear. Otherwise why in the hell are we giving them guns? You have cops getting spooked and firing in stairwells, rolling up on 12 year olds and shooting in under 2 seconds and shooting a man reaching for his wallet after being instructed to do so.
If you’re that afraid you need to not be a cop. And no more cops have NOT been killed than civilians. there have been almost 600 people shot by police this year alone. Since 9/11 being a cop is safer than its ever been
Perfect response. Love you, ESE.
Great commentary, ESE.
Firstly, I want to say that I really appreciate you sharing your perspective.
But I have to take issue with this: “More officers have been killed in the line of duty by armed black men (and whites) then officers have killed civilians.”
I think even ONE unarmed civilian being killed at the hands of an officer is far, FAR too many.
I get that being a police officer is a risky job in some respects, but nobody makes someone become a police officer. They have a choice, they sign up for the job knowing the risks. To me, that is so vastly different than an unarmed person, going about their daily lives, being shot dead or killed at the hands of an officer using excessive force.
As civilians, here’s what we know: American police officers have guns on their person–guns that they are trained to use. They also have a union-based system that largely protects them. An innocent civilian may have a gun on their person, but likely do not. To summarize, the average American citizen is essentially POWERLESS against law enforcement.
This isn’t just about having a gun and the potential to get shot, this is about an institution that closes ranks, protects their own, and essentially gives officers a free pass to shoot to kill if they feel threatened. Combine that with a group of fearful, on-edge people with guns and you have a recipe for disaster.
Nobody NOBODY should be scared of the people who are sworn to protect them. I mean, on purely psychological level, can you understand how TERRIFYING that must be?
Less than 70 officers have been killed this year.Cops have killed over 500 people.You can make your point without making a ridiculous statement.
RIP to the others who were killed.
I didn’t include ‘this year’ in my statement. And you can make your point without being rude.
It doesn’t matter what year you are talking about because there is NO year that more civilians have killed cops than vice versa.EVERY year a few dozen officers are killed vs hundreds of civilians killed by cops.
I understand them being afraid – it’s a dangerous job.
but if/when they allow that fear to take over their actions, to the point that they cannot do their job without killing innocent people?…they need to quit. they shouldn’t be doing that job. as ESE said, that woman whose BF had just been shot was more composed than the cop was. the cops should be held to a HIGHER standard than the general public, not a lower one.
ETA: Kitten makes a great point. most cops are more likely to close ranks and defend “one of their own” than they are to speak out against the bad cops. if they DID speak out against events like this more often, you’d likely have less of a divide.
I’m going to retype this, because the original message got sent into moderation, probably because of the links:
I have no doubt they’re scared, and yes, there are cases when police shooting a suspect is justified.
But this statement:
“More officers have been killed in the line of duty by armed black men (and whites) then officers have killed civilians. ”
is easily disproven by an easy Google search.
The police are scared of us, and I’m scared of the police. This isn’t good, especially not for a democracy that’s supposed to be based on the rule of law.
To those of you who replied thoughtfully, I appreciate your feedback. Ultimately this is tragic, multifaceted conversation that needs to be had.
On the condition of anonymity, this being a blog, I’m willing to divulge some personal information.
I grew up in the same area I live now, in what would probably be considered extreme poverty by American standards. Child of alcoholic parents living on food stamps, in condemned houses, sleeping in cars. I say this not to garner sympathy, but as a back drop to show my own personal negative experiences with police and others in power.
I have vivid memories of doing things like shoplifting for food or clothes from a point of necessity. This resulted in contact with various officials in the legal community. I have memories of being treated as less than human by authority figures, whether it be the law, teachers, or other people in my city. I looked poor, I was poor, was treated poor, feeling the repercussions of being poor at no fault of my own.
Through these early experiences I developed a severe distaste and distrust for authority of any kind. I struggled with this for years and it’s an issue that military training and education have elevated, but not eradicated. I still have conflict in positions like employer/employee relationships.
My experience only goes so far as distaste and distrust though. I cannot, nor will I ever, be able to fully understand what is like to be black in America, with the threat of physical violence ready at every turn, from the very people you should be able to trust. I can however, due in part to my upbringing, empathize and have recollection of what fear and wariness of authority feels like.
Being a white female, now middle class, I don’t believe I’ll ever be stopped by an officer and threatened with violence for no justifiable reason. More honestly, being a police dispatcher with a military background like many of them I doubt I’d even get a ticket. As it is, in part, I belong to that system. I’m sickened by the crimes committed by any part of that system against blacks, or anyone. I suppose it leaves me torn between to worlds, both of which I’ve been part of.
@Here’s Wilson-It sounds like you’re the type of empathetic and understanding person we need in the “system”.
I appreciate so much that you put yourself out there. This forum can be tough sometimes.
Thank you Kitten. Putting down some of these experiences into words can be difficult. Hopefully it helps to show some of our similarities in a society were we are constantly presented with our differences. My aim and ambition are to be part of the solution not the problem, as you have also shown to be.
+1 here’s Wilson.
Here’s the thing. If cops are going out there on edge, nervous, scared…they aren’t fit for service. They certainly shouldn’t be armed.
I work alongside the police force in my country. The way American police officers react to situations seems absolutely insane to me. In my country, unless the suspect is someone armed and dangerous whose already committed a MAJOR crime (murder spree, violent home invasion etc.), you don’t shoot unless you’re being shot at. The suspect having a weapon isn’t enough, being 99% sure they’re going to try and shoot or stab you isn’t enough, they have to actually attempt it, and even then, killing them is the absolute last resort. So many officers in the US seem to think it’s just fine to kill someone because they *might* pose a threat or because they were *about* to pose a threat. They don’t try and defuse the situation. They just go straight for their gun, in situations where foreign officers wouldn’t even have a gun and wouldn’t feel any need to call in back-up who do. In the US officers freak out and kill people they have pinned to the ground because they see someone that could be a gun. It’s pretty pathetic.
It seems to be an issue of American culture in general though. This whole idea that you need a gun to protect yourself in your own home…what on earth are you guys so scared of? You live in an incredibly safe country. There hasn’t been a war on your soil in any living American’s lifetime. Crime rates are as low as they’ve ever been. Yet I’ve been to war zones where the people were significantly calmer and felt safer than many Americans living in suburbia. It’s mass hysteria on the most extreme of scales.
“Crime rates are as low as they’ve ever been.”
“Crime rates are as low as they’ve ever been.”
“Crime rates are as low as they’ve ever been.”
I just want to keep SAYING it, over and over again.
It absolutely IS hysteria, just not MASS hysteria as you say.
It’s really important that people understand that gun ownership is on the decline in the US. I think there’s a tendency for non-US citizens to see salacious headlines about mass shootings and assume that the average American has an arsenal of guns or whatever.
It’s just not true.
But that doesn’t change the fact that you are right in that *some* Americans are scared sh*tless and they are stockpiling guns like crazy people. In 1994 the average American gun owner had four guns and today, the average gun owner has EIGHT guns. It’s scary to think that we are sharing the same soil with these paranoid people and their guns.
http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/us-gun-ownership-declining
“It absolutely IS hysteria, just not MASS hysteria as you say. ” “But that doesn’t change the fact that you are right in that *some* Americans are scared sh*tless ”
There is a segment of our society that wants to be scared, wants to be manipulated into think ISIS is going to kill them in their sleep, or that that black man walking into the store is going to rob it, etc.
Sadly, right now, they’re controlling a lot of our politics and our media, and not to the betterment of our democracy.
There’s be an alert and wary, and overreacting to things that odds are, aren’t going to happen to you.
This is all kind of what I was trying to say above. I kinda feel safe on this aspect of it because I don’t think I have anywhere near enough understanding or experience to comment on the race aspect, except to offer solidarity.
What looks so gobsmacking to me, as a non-American, is that the freedom argument is all about how it’s important for freedom to own guns. When it seems so bloody obvious to the rest of us that the freedom is actually found in going about your business in society without being worried about guns, especially those in the hands of a state agency that is consistently held unaccountable for what they do with those guns.
Great comment Pepper
@Kitten-
I agree with you in general, except the problem is that those who most want to stockpile their guns are mostly racist, some crazy handsome both.
And I do think that the racist contingent is the largest group, who have sadly become more active since Mr. Obama took office. I truly believe that with all my heart, and it makes me sick and sad for the future of this nation.
As Brother Malcolm would say chickens are coming home to roost. The US created systematic poverty, using the pyramid system of wealth building means there will always be a much larger group that is required to be poor and disenfranchised. These systems of political and economic behaviors begat social behaviors, morals, and codes, at the determent of minority populations because large numbers of minorities are in low-income communities. This is by design, not an accident, meaning that there was a level of policies put in place aligned with violent actions (i.e. lynchings, bombings, riots) to ensure that poor remains a particular demographic. Poverty leads to crime, it is a symptom of the diseased system.
Police Officers are entrusted with “protecting” these communities, that requires a type of characteristics and personality that would have high morals and the ability to quickly judge situations and people to ensure safety. When prejudices are allowed to run rampant within a police force, when perceptions are allowed to take root and grow, these people become a plague. White Nationalists do not wear hoods anymore because they do not have to, instead, they are lawyers, doctors, police officers, court clerks, etc.
So when the system is not allowed to be questioned, when we are told to look the other way because it’s a risky job and they have fear in what they do, I’m going to question that. I am not allowed, in my profession, to not have the emotional and psychological health that stunts my ability to make smart choices, neither should the police. It’s a scary job, but they signed up for it, trained for it and made an oath. They need to live by that and if they falter on it for any reason then they should make a career change. BLM activists are not out there killing people, they are not out there hanging people, they are not out there calling for the deaths of people, nor are they out there saying they hate people. BLM activists are saying, “please don’t kill me”. That’s a different conversation.
PREACH! The system is broken.
I just don’t know what to say. This madness must stop. I’m happy with Bey’s powerful statement. I pray for the victims and their familles.
One thing that I imagine has to be really hard for my friends who are Black is feeling like they have to take time to listen and explain and argue at times like this with people who are in denial about how racism and white privilege work. But I also know that the desire to actually *do* something among white people who do see the reality of racism is a real thing. It’s just that we can’t put the burden of asking what we should do on the Black community right now. They are grieving and trying to survive and protect themselves and it isn’t their job to educate white people. There’s a group called Campaign Zero that’s really great for offering concrete steps you can take if you’re wanting to make changes in policy and track police violence in every state. Just thought I’d mention it in case anyone else feels like I do and wants to start acting. I’m starting to feel like no amount of verbally condemning it will bring a change. Good for Bey for speaking out.
Really well-said and thanks for the tip about Campaign Zero.
Yes, thank you for your excellent post & the Campaign Zero info. I’ll be sharing this with my friends, well actually, anyone and everyone.
I was sad and now angry. Where the f*** are our politicians, the big talkers running for President?
You don’t expect Trump to care about an unarmed black man being killed by the police?
Goodness no, but Hillary’s mealy mouthed tweets, bemoaning the “tragedy”, as if it these shootings weren’t cold blooded murder, *really* pissed me off. Contrast that with her tweets regarding the appalling sniper attack on police in Dallas. And this from former Congressman Joe Walsh (since deleted):
http://time.com/4397937/joe-walsh-war-black-lives-matter-dallas-shooting-police/
I feel like we’re cracking up.
I love all of you that post here, no matter the things that make you, you. I love having this place where we can all connect. Thank you. From Nicole W.
Im just tired.
I have brothers, friends, a mother. I’m tired.
I don’t trust the police. Even Dallas has me numb. It won’t solve anything but at the moment nothing else seems to be solving the issue either. I just sincerely wish that people would try, not those who claim they do and then sink deeper into their blanket of disassociation knowing their relationship with police will never be anything but respectful and equality driven.
I wish they would try to see this epidemic for what it is. That we have a group in the US that we have slowly trained all poc’s to be terrified of – good or bad – and that ultimately in the country many of us saw our ancestors build through blood, tears, and sorrow clawing their way to a better place we’re left feeling like caged animals.
I’m just tired.
I am so sorry. “Blanket of disassociation” is spot on. This is an epidemic…and I too feel helpless.
I am too Eternal. Spent most of the morning yesterday crying because I was just SO ANGRY. Went on a social media blackout just to save myself the mental stress. Its terrifying to the point where I don’t want kids and I don’t want to live here anymore. Constantly stressed about the political climate here and I no longer have any optimism left that things will change.
The state of the world makes me not want to have kids either. Why bring more lives into a world that is so horrific?
The real game changer here is the cell phones that can take videos – and upload them to the world instantly.
It isn’t really a game changer. The world watched Eric Garner die at the hands of the police but nothing happened in that case.
The world watched Rodney King been beaten by cops in 1991,twenty five years ago.
Exactly. Nothing is changing. People tweet, leave comments and then move on with their lives. Nothing is being done…it’s going to take A LOT for actual change to happen. Is this generation up for it? I don’t know.
We didn’t need cellphones to show what happened to Rodney King.
That was over 25 years ago.
But this was happening WELL before Rodney King and it will continue to happen unless sweeping changes are made.
Side note: Apple patented a “kill switch” for iPhone cameras that can be remotely activated when deemed appropriate.
I saw that earlier. Yeah, no chance that could be used in a horrible, overreaching way.
As horrible and tragic as Dallas is, I’ll be interested to see if it serves as the catalyst for change in law enforcement or they’re going to dig in deeper and continue to feed the cycle of violence and fear.
“Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and it never will.” — Frederick Douglass
I think anyone from Australia should be circumspect about criticising America in this case when we have such an awful history of black deaths in custody. Our police may not shoot poc in the violent and public way these deaths occurred but black deaths in custody in Australia is real and an ongoing problem.
Alton Sterling was pinned to the ground, no way of reaching into his pocket for anything, much less a gun. Philando Castile did what the officers told him to do – stepped out of the car, told them he had a conceal and carry permit, and reached for his ID as directed to. Both men were shot. Both men were MURDERED. And the cops who did it are suspended WITH PAY? And now it starts, the slow dissemination of information designed to make the victims look less like victims and more like willing participants in their own murders. No. You don’t get to change the facts. You don’t get to make the cops look like the victims here. You don’t get to lie, besmirch, and sully reputations. These cops murdered two men. And I strongly doubt they would have murdered them had they been white.
I am the recipient of white privilege. I am a professional white female who makes good money. I see the world differently than my black friends, colleagues, etc because the world IS different for me. And it shouldn’t be.
“And now it starts, the slow dissemination of information designed to make the victims look less like victims and more like willing participants in their own murders.”
My question is why do outlets like CNN, Huffington Post, NBC, etc even do that? Do they understand they’re part of the problem? Are they going to lose that many views if they don’t participate? Why would they do this?*
*I think I already know the answer, but a part of me is too naive and doesn’t want to believe it’s true
They do it because they can. They do it because fueling the fire is more dramatic than stopping it.
I’ll tell you why: views/ratings = $$$$$, and how disgusting and soulless is that?
Actually Philando Castile never got a chance to step out of the car. He was shot with his seatbelt still on.
It is sick and twisted everytime they try to paint the victim as someone who deserved what happened to them. The most sick and twisted was when they did it to Trayvon. A child…. a child that was murdered.
Tamir Rice.
@paranormalgirl – you are spot on.
Aside from these 2 men being straight up murdered, that has been the most infuriating part about it – trying to paint them as less than saints in order to make their deaths seem justified?
I don’t care what kinds of things either or these men got up to 5, 10, 15 years ago – none of that has a damn thing to do with why the police felt it was necessary to kill them. The police didn’t know of their records or anything like that before they killed them, why should it matter now that they’re dead??
Also, the media using a mugshot of these men as their photo during the news story reporting on their deaths is BEYOND inappropriate.
I too am a privileged white woman who will never know what it’s like to fear for my life the way the black community is right now. I want to say to people of color that I love you all and it’s beyond time to put a stop to this.
A white female relative of mine through marriage (I’m of Korean descent) posted a viral FB post by a black man who was stopped by white cops in a traffic stop. He also had a gun in the car and disclosed it to the cops, who treated him respectfully. He was describing a peaceful interaction and, fine, the good cops are out there, but where this dude lost me was when he said that as long as you’re respectful and cooperative, it’ll turn out okay. What?! And yet a lot of people, regardless of race, actually think this way. Tell that to Philando Castile. This is such victim-blaming nonsense, The burden is not on civilians to not get shot to death by the police. If they resist arrest, the police need to figure out how to de-escalate and control the situation without shooting someone to death or breaking someone’s neck or suffocating them or leaving them to bleed out on the street.
The corrective action needs to be assumed by the people abusing their power, namely the police. Reminds me of the advice women receive to avoid getting raped – e.g., don’t dress provocatively, don’t drink, etc. How about placing the burden on the would-be rapists not to rape. It’s just gross, the whole spectacle of the aggressors shrugging off responsibility.
Ugh I know that post you’re talking about and yes I always have the same feelings. Oh good, one example magically clears up all the other instances of racial bias and people being murdered by cops. Lucky us right?
Amen, ” de-escalate and control” that is the main issue I see with the police. Is training and training. Why does shooting have to be the first option? Are they not thought to de-escalate things?
Yeah, as if one non-violent police stop with a POC simply cancels out a violent one.
It’s so frustrating to see white people (which I am) twist themselves into pretzels to deny the systemic racism exhibited by law enforcement. Just because YOU haven’t experienced, just because YOU haven’t seen it, just because you’ve obvserved positive policing that one time, doesn’t mean you get to negate the experience of an entire community you refuse to understand.
I still cannot believe how calm and measured Diamond Reynolds was talking to the police as her boyfriend lay dying right next to her. And her daughter was in the backseat!
She is extraordinary, listen to her livestream and the video, what would you have done if you were bf was dying next to you while a policeman still had a gun pointed at your face….and yet she managed to expose step by step every detail of the attack.
This woman needs to run for president.
Agree. That she was able to stay focused on documenting the appaling act of violence that was taking place inches away from her suggests extraordinary levels of courage and inner strength.
I can’t even imagine being in that situation, let alone wondering how I’d react, but I know for an absolute fact that I do not have the inner resources this woman was able to call upon when confronted with such wanton and bewildering brutality.
Maybe her daughter will become a leader one day, too. Only four years old and comforting her mom from the back seat. Little girl is an angel. No child should have to be put in that position, but it seems she got her strength from her mama.
Another infuriating thing about this story: Diamond Reynolds was separated from her daughter while she was in custody overnight. Not only that, they received no food or water or given the opportunity to contact anybody. Is that even legal?
The part of the video where she lets go of that calm and shatters is chilling. This woman literally just went through hell. And then the cops handcuff her and hold her until 5 am? On what freaking grounds? Diamond did NOTHING to warrant being in custody over night.
Exactly, and why did the cops make Diamond KNEEL on the sidewalk in front of them? FFS, her little girl, who had just witnessed the cops killing her mother’s boyfriend for no cause at ALL then saw her mother forced into a pose of abject servitude before them! What is this child going to feel about LE officers for the rest of her life?!?
It says a lot about her strength (and it’s terrible that her and her child even had to experience that in the first place). It makes you wonder if part of the reason for her handling it so calmly was knowing that if she reacted in any emotional way that could have been read as ‘wrong’, she might have easily been the trigger-happy cop’s next victim. Most people would probably not be able to hold it together like that if this happened to them.
I agree, she was being super strong, probably because her daughter was with her and she had to keep it together for her, and also because she feared being shot herself. She was probably also in shock…it can take time to finally sink in. She will probably suffer from PTSD, and perhaps her daughter will too. That video is so hard to watch. I don’t know how anyone could watch it and not be sickened.
I haven’t been able to bring myself to watch it, and I thank you for your insights.
Innocent lives lost all around. Not all Black men are criminals for God’s sake, and not all police officers are racist. WTF man…this world is such a depressing place. We seem to be going backwards in time. I feel sorry for children growing up during this time and being exposed to nothing but crap like this week after week. It has to be f*cking them up.
I just want to say that while I love coming to Celebitchy for the escapism (we all need a bit of that) I also love that this community will address these pressing issues and horrifying events in such a thoughtful and productive manner. People listen respectfully and seem to learn from each other. It gives me hope in these dark days.
Black Lives Matter. I’ve found the following articles helpful when explaining racism to my white family.
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2010/07/15/884649/-Why-there-s-no-such-thing-as-Reverse-Racism
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2010/7/15/884494/-Reading-Racism-Right-to-Left:-Reflections-on-a-Powerful-Word-and-Its-Applications
http://www.nationalseedproject.org/white-privilege-unpacking-the-invisible-knapsack
You know, I will readily admit to not really “getting” the whole BLM movement… because all lives matter and such (insert self directed eyeroll here). But now… now I truly understand the movement. These men (and the others before) were killed because of the color of their skin. What happened to them more than likely (OK, probably never) would have happened had they not been black. Black Lives Matter is not saying that ONLY black lives matter, it is saying “hey, do not marginalize us. WE matter as much as anyone else.”
I apologize for being so short sighted as to not truly getting it until now. But those videos of the two recent murders really impacted me in a way nothing else ever has.
Thank you for coming around to understanding what has been this movement’s intent all along. We need more people to reflect and admit this.
I can’t understand how shooting black people without any justice/reason is still happening. It is as if all the past victims don’t count and Police is not fearing any consequences to their repeated actions.
As a visible minority myself (North African) I feel so much compassion with the African-American communities. It is not our fault being born a certain colour or into a certain religion. We are only responsible for what we become as adults.
The world is so full of injustice towards minorities but we still have to keep fighting for awareness and respect.
Well, it seems that black men don´t have 2nd amendment rights. If they carry a gun, they will get shot by a police. It is time to think things over or sink into the abyss.
I’m pretty sure the usual 2nd amendment supporters would like to add “only for white people” in their legal documents. I always had the feeling that’s what it’s all about. “Black criminals have illegal guns, we law-abiding white gentlemen need the right to defend ourselves!” is the usual narrative. Black men having the right to carry guns legally probably never crossed their minds.
Yes Diamond’s daughter was in the backseat and not only witnessed the entire thing but saw her mother being taken away by police and held overnight!
If it weren’t for Diamond’s strength and courage under pressure we would never know what really happened.
She is my hero.
I admire her for taking a stand. So many celebrities are afraid to speak out,
I think her statement is eloquent and to the
point, and I ask each of you who is responding to take two more minutes and ACTUALLY FOLLOW THROUGH by sendI got your elected officials a letter/email.
I live una. Country where police is famous for corruption, and I still have in my hearth a big space for the federal police who risked their lives and saved us during a car- blocking robbery in the middle of the Mountain. Some people criticize the police when we see them, but I remember them carrying us to safety, defending us young students scared in the night, and how they risked their lives to drive our injured bus driver to the nearest hospital. I think you have many people in your police forces that are like this, doing a good job for you, regardless of who you are.
The USA is not my reality, and I have heard quite a few stories of narrow minded or plainly brutal police actions in your country, (besides everything in the news) and hey, curiously particularly in Texas… But I have relative in the US who are of 100% Mexican origins and belong to the police. I care and worry for them, and pray to God that they are safe and have good criteria when dealing with people. I am so sad abou what is happening in you country right now. So many artificial and cultural divisions and instead of going forward, this happens.
Just want to thank everyone here for the many insightful, compassionate, eloquent and moving words about all this. This site is like a touchstone for my soul.
Hear…….hear!
As a northern european white woman that has never had to fear the police and have never experienced racism it is difficult to know what to say. I just want to say as other posts have stated that while I have not experienced your pain and fear, I hear you, I love you and I stand with you! It is so sad that this keeps happening.
An american white friend posted a long status update on facebook commenting on police violence, specifically as a reaction to the murders of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile, and spoke passionately about his support for the black lives matter movement. After the dallas police shooting he took it down, and when I asked why, he said he did not want to seem insensitive towards the police that was murdered. It is so unfortunate you cannot support an equal rights movement without fear of being perceived as condoning the killing of police?! Not mutually exclusive. I really do hope the police killings will not be used as a tool to divide the groups further.
While the States are making headlines these days on these topics, I also just wanted to say I recognize that Europe also has massive problems with racism and xenophobia, something that we unfortunately see more and more, especially I think in connection with the horrible war in Syria and the people seeking refugee here. The world seem to be cracking at the moment, and its heartbreaking to watch.
<3
Good for her. This sh!t needs to stop, it NEEDS to be called out, these shootings were senseless and cold-blooded murder. These officers get no pass from me, they get no sympathy from me. And a funny thing about that second amendmehnt everyone hollers about – now, suddenly, these same people screaming about their right to carry are saying about these victims, “but they were armed!” Okay cowboys. I’m close to getting my real estate license and yeah, I’ve thought I might go ahead and learn to use a gun and get a concealed weapons permit for showing houses, to be on the safe side. If I do, does that mean a cop who pulls me over gets to shoot me because I’m ‘armed’? Oh, wait, I’m white … smfh this has got me so riled up! The cops killed in Dallas, that was tragic as well, but I don’t want our nation to lose focus on #blacklivesmatter. Because people continually seem to need reminding of that and that’s a damn shame. I was arrested once, I’m white and 5’2″ 110 pounds and don’t own any guns and an officer threatened to tase me when I asked to call my dad to start bond arrangements before I went. If I’d been black, who the hell knows, I’d probably be 6 feet under right now. We’ve got to police the police – rant over.
I’m not as articulate as I wish to be, especially on this subject. This says it all:
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/king-micah-johnson-making-america-racist-creation-article-1.2704556
I live in St. Paul just a few blocks from the elementary school where Phil Castile worked and a few more from the governor’s residence where people have been protesting since yesterday morning. I pass that school almost every day while walking my dog; she likes to chase the rabbits out of the little school garden & grove of trees on it’s western side. I work in Falcon Heights on the St. Paul campus of the U of MN, frequently hit the shops, grocery stores & restaurants along Larpenteur where the shooting took place, share a birthday – July 16 – with Mr. Castile & am just one year older. I’m an Army brat in a family that’s always had guns — although Minnesotan, my dad not only has a license to carry but teaches a pistol use & defense course for women which my mother has taken & passed. He has also taught his pastor and other deacons at their church as well as family friends how to safely use and carry pistols specifically b/c the active shooter scenarios that seem so common these days. I say all this b/c he’s been teaching me how to shoot & I would already have my permit to carry if he hadn’t recently taken ill w/lung cancer. (We’ve had many conversations about what to do if you’re pulled over & have a weapon on you or in the car at the time. In MN, you are not even legally obligated to disclose you have a gun if you have a legal permit to carry unless a police officer asks — in which case you must answer truthfully.) And I’ve been pulled over a couple times here & there by local police depts for having a headlight out or going a little too fast.
This is all to say…. I’m no different than Phil Castile — normal Americans trying to build & live their lives. But I’ve never faced, nor will I likely ever face, what he and his family had to face because of one small, stupid, meaningless, inconsequential fact — I’m a white female.
I’m sadden, horrified, and enraged. This isn’t a perfect city or the safest — no one would suggest that — but this is not who we are. Since the beginning of the summer, there’s been a rash of gun activity in St. Paul — shots fired, a body riddled w/bullets dumped in a local business’s parking lot, gang & drug activity, etc — and an accompanying hypervigilance on the part of local law enforcement. I can’t help but wonder if this contributed to this officer making a catastrophic series of mistakes in professional judgment. But it’s no excuse.
What is the correct way to inform the officer about the gun?
“Officer, I have this and this type of gun and a licence for it, they are in my purse where I also keep my wallet with my ID and driver’s licence. If it’s OK with you, I will now take the purse to take my documents out.”
Or how is it done?
In my country, you only get a licence for firearms if you’re a police officer/hunter/soldier/shooter for sport/etc., but you cannot carry that gun in your purse, it has to have a special case and safety keeping (mainly to keep unwanted hands – f.e. children – from accidentally firing them).
I’m saddened by everything. I see human beings like me, who have families, friends, likes, dislikes, memories, and experiences, be killed for no reason at all. So many people have been needlessly killed in the past four days and it hurts my heart. So many people have gone to bed knowing their loved one will never be with them again on earth. I think we have all lost someone in these deaths. I will not use a “but” when talking about these deaths. The black deaths and the police deaths are unbelievably tragic and there should be no “but poc were killed/but police were killed” when discussing this. I’ve seen what appears to be a lot of excusing of the Dallas situation on here because of LA and MN and this doesn’t sit right with me. All of their lives are so valuable and they were just ended. It’s so sad. There is so much hatred in this country in every direction. It’s awful. Stupid and despicable racism as described in posts above and the worst attack in law enforcement since 9/11. These, all of these, are attacks on humanity. I will not stand for brushing of the MN and LA deaths and I will not stand for the brushing off of Dallas. Neither are excusable and it’s wrong to consider one death more important than another. LIVES WERE LOST. Let us mourn them all.
Come on USA, DISARM your country.
If not for yourselves then for your children. You are the only first world country going through this madness. DO SOMETHING!!
Otaku Fairy I agree with you and had the same thought–Diamond knew that she was seconds away from being next with the gun pointed directly at her and if she had been shot the real narrative would never have been known.
I’m still in awe of her…listening to her repeatedly and calmly calling the officer “Sir” is bone-chilling. I wish our own leaders displayed such grace under pressure, let alone with a gun to your head
We’ve told our 10 year old daughter that this happens in the US (we’re Canadians living in England ) and how it follows the horrible history of how blacks were treated and how white people were free to kill them in the US until the 1960s. She looked incredulous. Then finally said ‘They kill them just because they’re black??’ Of course she just couldn’t get her head around the idea. This level of hatred is absolutely learned. Of course it is. And it’s insane. It is irrational to the point of insanity. I cannot imagine what it is like to be an African American. I can see the news, cry the tears, feel my heart break for them….then I can continue to go about my day. They can’t. They have to live it. No relief. No real freedom.
I live in Britain as well and just can’t imagine it either.
I have never even seen a gun never mind have one pointed at me. What do you do in that situation?? I cannot understand why a country’s police force will shoot as a first resort – shouldn’t it be use your weapon as a last resort??
I’m sick of all this shit. I cannot comprehend it from a POC’s POV how they manage to live feeling under siege all the time.
I saw one comment after Dallas – that it was a disaster and the country is bereft of answers. This was echoed by friends of my husband. What utter BS! There are many answers, the country is bereft of action because a pretty small but powerful % don’t like the answers.
#1 on the long term game is overturn the Supreme Court rulings that allowed police such flimsy defense to stand. They literally only have to utter the words I was scared for my life.
I take hope as I read in these comments that a couple people have begun to realize that people of color really are marginalized and are at risk more often when dealing with police. This is one of the things we need desperately–white people suddenly getting it and then resolving to learn and to listen instead of shouting ALL LIVES MATTER from every corner of the Internet,
Sadly, I just saw an article from some right-wing media outlet saying that Philando Castile was actually an armed robbery suspect and that the media won’t tell the truth about it. So, we know the ALL LIVES MATTER crowd will decide that is the truth and keep being racist and saying offensive things like, “I don’t even see color.”
I hate this. I have so many white male police officers that are the most amazing citizens you would ever meet!!! I also have so many black male friends that are great citizens. I just know hate won’t stop hate. The world will burn with this mentality. Color blindness isn’t the goal here. Equality while seeing the color of someone’s skin IS the answer. Targeting innocent white police officers isn’t the answer. Making hate grown more isn’t the answer.
I am a law obiding citizen who has several guns, as is my right. I have never done anything to have those rights taken away. Guns are NOT the problem. People are the problem. Guns help feed my family(hunting) and help protect my family from anyone who enters our home without permission trying to hurt/kill my family. In all my years of life I have never seen a gun float through the air and kill someone. People kill people. Felons and bad people don’t care about the rules that responsible gun owners care about.
I know when my husband travels for work, the fact that I have a gun in a safe next to my bed helps me sleep better at night. If ANYONE brakes into my home to rape, rob or kill someone….they won’t succeed. Our fight isn’t with responsible gun owners.
i’m Canadian so our laws are different. i’m interested in what caused the police to hold Diamond, separate from her daughter and till 5:00 am. what justification was there for that? who took care of her daughter? i really don’t understand why the police would act like that.
i’m now a huge Beyonce fan because of Lemonade. i’m glad to see such a big artist stating the truth about it. thanks to anyone who answers.
Thank each and everyone of you that have expressed empathy. It takes a kindness and compassion for folks to not only feel but be moved to action to support a cause that they feel doesn’t directly impact them. Because in reality in affects all Americans, we can’t afford to retreat to our corners and be consumed by hate. But I can’t thank you enough for your compassion and understanding. As a woman of color, it’s beginning to feel like a need a chaperone for my family. We have very close Caucasian friends who called my husband and I this morning to offer their support. It was such an awkward call because we were all shocked that the world had forced us to acknowledge the fact that our skin is a different color…we’ve been friends for over 15 years.