There couldn't be a simpler, more direct
message in all of the incredibly frightening
and disgusting murders of unarmed
civilians in recent years.
(Make no mistake: Cops murdering
innocents has been going on since their
inception, but we have visibility and
awareness on our side now.)
But even with the act of raising hands high
to show surrender--and a lack of a
weapon to even threaten with-- cops continue to
be undeterred in their murder spree.
Time after time, with no remorse, we see cops
gunning down innocents and unarmed suspects
who are complying. With extreme force, with no
attempt at arrest, with great antagonism.
So we can safely say that there is no confusion
about the message of the issue. Cops have
doubled down on the idea that they hold the
authority and power over us, and feel they can act
however they want.
And of course that is certainly the message sent
down by prosecutors, grand juries, judges,
and investigators. There is not even the pretense
of justice or punishment or accountability for
cops who murder civilians.
So maybe the people who need to change are us.
No more compliance. No more hands up.
No more passivity.
No more victimization.
And certainly, no more being without a
weapon when walking the streets, so long
as the dangers of law enforcement lurk.
******
