Again, how the police chief talks about a young white man who terrorizes a city. Remember how they talked about innocent Black children like Trayvon, Tamir or young men like Freddy Gray. Police: Austin bomber left 25-minute confession on phone @CNN cnn.it/2IHrHJt 
I believe passionately in acknowledging the humanity of those who commit even terrible crimes. Reading this police chief’s empathy for this young white man highlights the awfulness - the plain awfulness - of the persistent refusal to extend this empathy to young Black people.
The ease with which total innocents like Trayvon, or young Black ppl protesting against injustice are labeled thugs. The way young Black ppl who make mistakes & break the law (at not nearly this level). And the words that are used to dismiss their turmoil, struggle, fears.
We have to confront this. The unwillingness to extend the very minimal assumption of humanity to Black young people. If you can’t do it you shouldn’t wear a shield and carry a gun. If this police chief can do it for Conditt, every ofcr should be able to do it for Black young ppl.
The answer is not to regard the Austin bomber as an animal. But to look at a Black young person as a human child with a story. It shouldn’t be hard.
