 |
| Riots in Ferguson, MO. |
It will lose because Michael Brown’s death, while extremely tragic, was just one example of a greater issue: the police and the public have become enemies in our society.
Gone are the days of the Andy Griffith show, where the sheriff is idealized as a community leader. Now, we all have our heart rate jump up when we see a police car behind us. Even if we think we are doing everything right, we can’t shake the feeling that they can find a reason, or make up one, to pull us over any time they want. Instead of public servants, the police feel like predators looking for an excuse to put us under the microscope.
How else could the phrase “speed trap” become common vernacular. Of course, I am talking from the majority. I can’t imagine how minorities and people who survive in the “legally gray” areas of society must live in terror every single day.
All that being said, the police aren’t enjoying any of this either. Every time they walk up to a car they have to wonder if it will be their last time. Imagine having a job where you never have a happy customer. Even a tech support line gets to make a customer’s day every now and then, but police pretty much have 100% negative interactions all day long with the public.
Interacting with people all day long from the position of being a threat takes a mental and emotional toll. The reality is that it is a bad relationship for society, and we are making our own volatile powder keg.
See more by clicking HERE
No comments:
Post a Comment