Questions from a Black Man
(Open Letter to America from Royce West)
Why are you afraid … of ME?
Is it because of the color of my skin?
My APPEARance?
The way I talk or walk, or dress?
Are you set off by my mannerisms?
Or have the lessons taught about me at YOUR home, crept outside?
Do lessons learned at school, or in some books paint the pictures you see when you see ME?
Or is it the awful images of me portrayed by television programs or in videos?
In your heart of hearts, what preconceived beliefs do you have about me as I stand before you?
What baggage do you arrive with?
What about me frightens you?
Why is it that when you approach me, you feel a sense of insecurity?
And when I approach you, fear shows in your eyes.
If I ask you a question and WE disagree, why do you feel disrespected?
Is it the tone in my voice?
Or my demeanor during our discussions?
Is fault found with the words I use?
What is it?
Does my age not matter?
If I respond politely to your inquiry or not, what changes?
How is it easier for you to grant men of other ethnicities the regard you deny to me?
Why then, is your first response to my misstep, the label of criminal.
No matter my test score or achievement, no level makes me worthy, or successful in your eyes.
Why?
If I have done the work and earned a place at the table, why is it difficult for you to listen to my recommendations; often discarding them only to agree when someone else restates my idea?
And, why am I condemned for wanting the same things you desire?
Respect,
A family,
Access to a first class education,
A job where I can make a decent living and a contribution, and
To be secure in my home and community.
Can you understand why a grown man would not like to be called “boy?”
Will you OPEN your HEART to feel what I feel?
Can you OPEN up your HAND and reach out for mine?
Can you OPEN up your MOUTH and speak the truth?
Will you OPEN up your MIND to my experiences and in doing so OPEN your EYES to your reality as ME?
Maybe then, you wouldn’t be afraid.
We’ve asked these questions for generations. I hope and pray that our sons and grandsons don’t have to ask them again.
(NOTE previously submitted, email address corrected this copy)
In the perception of many, civil police departments have become military detachments imposing martial law…enforcers exempt from civil prosecution. This perception…right or wrong in realistic terms…would be a significant “visual” signal to the community that civil authority/police departments wish to project a community image…a civil authority as opposed to a military/martial law enforcer.
Chief of Dallas Police Brown, articulate, highly regarded and
charismatic Dallas citizen could significantly move the nation’s police
forward. Remove those four-stars from the collar. These “stars” are
indicative of a military order.
As Chief Brown is well aware,
Civil Authority is functionally different from military authority. The
positing of civil authorized police as “quasi” military, by emulating
military dress/signage as in the four general stars, is a divisive
projection of civil police departments across the nation.
“Do” remove
this military regalia. No press announcement needed. Remove them, do
not wear them and pass the word to colleagues. Alleviating four-stars
is an initiating step to lessening the gap between community and civil
police. The regard with which the police community and “civil”
community would hold such a step-forward would not go unheeded.
As one voice out here in the wilderness called the U.S.; I agree with Roy. But to take it further – the military culture needs to be modified and maybe removed from police culture. Police do need to be able to shoot to kill – if necessary. BUT of even more importance than military skills in policing is the human element. A police person needs to first be a human…not a killer or abuser of humans. The social skills of a police person is the most important skill a police person can have. Yes! Police need to be social workers who swear allegience to the people (who pay the taxes which pay their salaries) not the blue wearing gangsters who commit tragic crimes in the name of law and order.
Not everyone can be an effective police person. Currently the training that most police receive does not prepare them for the job. That is the fault of our society – not the police. At the same time, judges, prosecutors, politicians, and preachers have no excuse for supporting police officers when they commit the horrible crimes which they sometimes commit.
And also, guns are tools – not the essential problem. New rules about the use of the tools might have some effect, but they will not fix the problem. The problem is the spirit, mindset and culture of our people.
Skipping details – far too many of us are just plain crazy and this includes many police.
anonymous says,”the problem is the spirit, mindset and culture of our people.” from the reading of Congressman West’s letter I think he would (as I do) completely agree with this statement.