Fundamentally, you're asking if #BLM is right.
Let's start a conversation about what we know - and what we don't - about police, bias, and the killing of our fellow citizens. (1/14)
Black or white.
Police departments agree. They have training & oversight to ensure shootings don't happen or officers are punished when an unjustifiable killing occurs.
It's a belief founded in America's very real & ugly history.
A brief review of that shameful past is here: wapo.st/2NqtYLD
That requires unbiased data to help us understand the severity of the problem.
Incredibly, the govt doesn't collect it. A few in academia & the media have tried.
Yet, on a percentage basis, more black people are killed than white.
WaPo's conclusion: we have a racist cop problem. (wapo.st/2tZkBuh)
It found a degree of police bias against communities of color but not when it comes to shootings.
In other words, police aggression is real but there's no evidence of a killer cop crisis. (nyti.ms/2j2bqEK)
Most people killed by cops had weapons. Most were suffering from a mental breakdown.
That's a recipe for disaster, no matter the race of the victim.
This nuance has been missing from the #BLM debate.
While that ratio is very small, it is of no consolation for the families of the dead. Even one killing is one too many.
But is it grounds for riots?
Police departments are trying.
For instance, there's a renewed emphasis on community policing. When it's properly funded, the approach works
Here's an example: bit.ly/2KAUPGR
Our brains are hardwired to default to stereotypes. These snap judgements are designed to keep us safe but easily lead to biased thinking.
A quick read on this issue here: dailym.ai/2fuJCbI
But is that fair?
Consider this story of a black man finding himself biased against other black men.
It's a sobering reminder of how bias works within everyone: bit.ly/2u7skFF
For example, criminal sentencing reform.
Other demands, however, are alarming.
Like reparations & #AbolishICE.
But it's important to talk to each other. To listen. To act. To learn.
Yet there are horrifying exceptions & a culture of bias.
So let's collect better data, improve LE training, & remain vigilant for abuse.
We're in this together.