Thread by @FreedomFriesInc

(1) Republicans don't actually #BackTheBlue, as became obvious on and after 1/6.

The one thing they SHOULD support in response to the police brutality-exposing movement, is the firing and where possible, prosecuting of the "bad cops."

Derek Chauvin being a prime example.

https://twitter.com/NicoleSGrigg/status/1423348056204840961

(2) Republicans have encouraged, enabled and (still) condone those who claim Derek Chauvin did nothing wrong, while also claiming insurrectionist Ashli Babbitt did nothing wrong.

This alone exposes their rank hypocrisy and intellectual dishonesty.

It's all interrelated.

(3) The city of Phoenix, AZ does have a case to answer for it's policing practices.

Especially concerning disabled people. That term includes people with neurodevelopmental disorders like Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and ADHD. And it includes people with mental health issues.

(4) The civil rights of people with ASD is one of the most important political issues I follow and write about.

"Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere." -MLK Jr

This concept can be applied to every type of civil rights eg race, gender, disability etc.

(5) Both sides... all sides... have a record of failure in protecting the civil and other rights of disabled people.

The US has the ADA, which is very helpful legislation. But it is not used enough, and disabled people's rights hardly ever get the attention they need.

(6) Policing resources are stretched everywhere, especially during a pandemic (which has 3-4 years left to run, IF all goes well.)

Making PDs more just and effective regarding people of color will also help the interests of disabled people, women and girls, children etc.

(7) Names like George Floyd & Breonna Taylor are well known. There's another, #ElijahMcClean, whose case involves disability issues such as ASD, or what should have been the reasonable perception of ASD by first responders.

This resource is helpful:
interactive.aljazeera.com/aje/2020/know-…

(8) But it's only a partial list. If anyone has a more complete list of those who we should #SayTheirNames, please reply with a link below.

The death of Elijah McClean breaks my heart every time I read about it or remember it.

Aurora, CO has a major problem in it's PD.

(9) And paramedics in Aurora, CO and elsewhere.

The use of ketamine in such situations is one of the most reprehensible decisions it is possible to think of.

Disability, incl. medical conditions are often exacerbated by "less lethal" policing methods.

denverpost.com/2021/02/22/eli…

(10) To satisfy myself that race is a factor in these killings I did a fair amount of online research on the topic.

I do support the #BlackLivesMatter informal movement around the world. I don't support the BLM organization, due to valid concerns about it's operations.

(11) But I wasn't going to let those concerns put me off supporting the informal movement or the changes it is calling for.

POC are more likely to die in incidents where police (or other first responders) make terrible judgment calls.

Prosecuting those personnel is essential.

(12) Anyone, whether disabled or not, is at risk of death where unsafe restraint practices are used.

No PD in the USA has any excuse for not understanding this, after the DOJ published this 1995 resource.

1995.

ojp.gov/pdffiles/posas…

(13) I happen to be white. I happen to have disabilities and lifelong medical conditions. Some are "invisible disability."

Through this lens, I can see that if you happen to be a person of color, then you know from your own life experiences that discrimination is a daily thing.

(14) I work hard every day to overcome my disabilities and medical conditions. I'm certainly no "victim."

But I've had to accept that I am likely to encounter discrimination by some people for the rest of my life. Often, those people have legal or other power over me.

(15) There are disabled people in your life, whether you know about it or not. We seek understanding and support, at least moral support.

Bad policing practices are a daily threat to everyone. Especially certain groups.

(16) Objectively, the threat to POC in the US is greater than the threat to white people.

The same is true for anyone who is on the autism spectrum, whether they know this about themselves, or not.

And mental illness can strike anyone.

(17) There are some real horror stories of the mistreatment of people with disabilities or mental health issues.

If combined with being from a racial minority group & you encounter police in the USA, the risk is greatly increased.

Reform is in the interests of EVERY American.

(18) Some on the political left hate police in general.

This is also true among some on the right.

One of the few benefits of 1/6 is that is exposed this fact about some on the right. I'd now say "many" on the right.

(19) The >15,000 hours of 1/6 video footage that has been analyzed by the FBI and partners reveals the depths of the hatred of police in the MAGA movement. Including black police, as it happens.

Like everything, this issue can be summed up by what I say in the next tweet.

(20) In the US rn, the far right and the far left share similar lawless tactics and hatred of police.

The moderate right and the moderate left support the police, while demanding accountability and reform to weed out the bad cops.

The far right took over the Republican party.

(21) With the exception of Cheney and Kinzinger, every Republican in the US Congress has failed to stand up for police, the rule of law, and democracy.

20-30 of them lean toward the Cheney position but still failed to support a #Jan6Committee.

Source: accountability.gop/report-card/

(22) At first you wonder if these people are trying to cover up the Republican party's involvement in encouraging, enabling and (still) condoning 1/6 because of a carrot or a stick.

Confronting as it is, I think they agree with the far right ideology of Trump and the rioters.

(23) Since I'm not part of the far right (and never have been) I had to #WalkAway from supporting Republicans, for now.

BTW that hashtag is used by Rs who walked away from Ds. Brandon Straka led a movement with that name.

Info about his role in 1/6:
seditiontracker.com/suspects/brand…

(24) I'm not the only person who stopped supporting the Republican party after 1/6. But most of those people don't want to say so in public. I think their security fears are justified.

This is a challenging time. But, a change is gonna come.

🇺🇸