Ot: praying for peace

[Faded blues]

Praying that police and the public can find a way to interact without violence.

[Formula 21]

Today was a bad day in America. Too many innocents died.

[QSmokey]

A BIG 'Amen' to that, Faded Blues.

[Mister Hoarse]

Wat happened? I don't watch the news on TV, it causes cancer.

[Millionaire Wussy]

Praying that police and the public can find a way to interact without violence.

Awesome. More love and togetherness.

[floydefisher]

Wat happened? I don't watch the news on TV, it causes cancer.

Probably a good idea.....a BLM protest went bad, and 5 cops and the sniper died.

[Millionaire Wussy]

When I was waiting for the local bus a couple weeks back I met a black dude that had injured himself with a very sharp knife accidentally just minutes before I got there. He had quite the wrapping around his fingers (he got lucky that the Urgent Care was close by). He had a bike - with accessories - and a large backpack with him and I could see he was having trouble keeping it all together. So I offered my help in taking the backpack so he could handle the rest while we walked to his home. We never made it that far as it turned out he was very heat averse. We stopped under a tree for shade and began bullshitting about this and that. He was a very easy-going type and I the emotionally charged - per usual. Anyhow, he finally points to his arm and tells me exactly where a police dog bit him years ago (he was around 20 when that happened) when he was mistaken for someone else. He told me the cop was nasty to him and very unwilling to listen to him. I'm thinking this is right out of the fucking 1960's in Alabama or something. And that my new friend here would be mad as hell at all police now. No. Amazingly to me, he told me that he was raised better than that. He told me that the cop probably had a bad day - "people do" he said - and one bad cop doesn't make all of them assholes. I couldn't believe it.

Part of me wonders how any African-American can possibly feel safe around police. And then I think back to my friend who taught me that things like race aren't always as black and white as they may seem. Live in the gray.

[Faded blues]

When I was waiting for the local bus a couple weeks back I met a black dude that had injured himself with a very sharp knife accidentally just minutes before I got there. He had quite the wrapping around his fingers (he got lucky that the Urgent Care was close by). He had a bike - with accessories - and a large backpack with him and I could see he was having trouble keeping it all together. So I offered my help in taking the backpack so he could handle the rest while we walked to his home. We never made it that far as it turned out he was very heat averse. We stopped under a tree for shade and began bullshitting about this and that. He was a very easy-going type and I the emotionally charged - per usual. Anyhow, he finally points to his arm and tells me exactly where a police dog bit him years ago (he was around 20 when that happened) when he was mistaken for someone else. He told me the cop was nasty to him and very unwilling to listen to him. I'm thinking this is right out of the fucking 1960's in Alabama or something. And that my new friend here would be mad as hell at all police now. No. Amazingly to me, he told me that he was raised better than that. He told me that the cop probably had a bad day - "people do" he said - and one bad cop doesn't make all of them assholes. I couldn't believe it.

Part of me wonders how any African-American can possibly feel safe around police. And then I think back to my friend who taught me that things like race aren't always as black and white as they may seem. Live in the gray.

Back in my younger days I was in law enforcement. I talked so many dudes into my hand cuffs. The art of conversation is lost on the younger generation.

There were times when I went hands on to keep everyone safe. Most of the time the dude was whacked out on drugs and some dudes later thanked me for how I handled the situation.

I definitely wasnt a super trooper but that was how I was taught. That was how we were all taught.

Also, I worked where I lived. Knew everyone and they knew me. Had a report with the community.

In most of these cases today, I see two individuals who are scared of each other, tense and aggressive which is never a good mix.

Not a big fan of lawyers getting involved and telling cops how to handle situations. It's all about avoiding lawsuits.

The problem with force plus one is what does a cop due after he pulls his gun on someone and that someone doesn't listen?

Cops aren't trigger happy, they are just scared and react accordingly.

[Faded blues]

The problem in the black community is a lack of positive role models, opportunity and community support. When people have no hope, they are dangerous because they have nothing to lose.

I think brown from Ferguson was a prime example of that.

He was whacked out on drugs, had no future and had no role models to guide him/

[Millionaire Wussy]

I live in Palm Springs. Not in North Palm Springs where a substantial black population lives but right next to the Palm Springs airport. Not a lot of color where I live. Anyways, when I need groceries I tend to walk late at night (around midnight) from my place to "Ralphs". The heat is one reason I do this and my social anxiety another. It's dark and barely anyone drives by at midnight and that suits me just fine. I think I've done this walk late at night a few hundred times since my moving to my current place in 2008. You know not once have I been stopped or "lit up" (where the police basically use their giant flash-light out of their front window to effectively blind you) UNTIL I wore a sweater with a hood. Yes, I had the hood on. Then walking back home I get this huge light coming at me from the street - and it's a cop. I thought that was interesting it came while I was wearing my hood. I don't normally wear my hood as it's usually not cold enough or wet enough for that. But the one time I do I get police lights in my face. Isn't that what black people are so irate about? The hoodie has turned into a criminal unto itself. That seems beyond fear to me. That's profiling.

[Faded blues]

I live in Palm Springs. Not in North Palm Springs where a substantial black population lives but right next to the Palm Springs airport. Not a lot of color where I live. Anyways, when I need groceries I tend to walk late at night (around midnight) from my place to "Ralphs". The heat is one reason I do this and my social anxiety another. It's dark and barely anyone drives by at midnight and that suits me just fine. I think I've done this walk late at night a few hundred times since my moving to my current place in 2008. You know not once have I been stopped or "lit up" (where the police basically use their giant flash-light out of their front window to effectively blind you) UNTIL I wore a sweater with a hood. Yes, I had the hood on. Then walking back home I get this huge light coming at me from the street - and it's a cop. I thought that was interesting it came while I was wearing my hood. I don't normally wear my hood as it's usually not cold enough or wet enough for that. But the one time I do I get police lights in my face. Isn't that what black people are so irate about? The hoodie has turned into a criminal unto itself. That seems beyond fear to me. That's profiling.

This illustrates my point about community involvement. I would talk to you and get to know you and perform a background check but in a cordial way. So I would know that Alex likes to walk to Ralph's late at night. You would know me and I would know you. We don't have to friends, but have an understanding. This type of policing is ground upon by lawyers.

[richpjr]

That's profiling.

There is a reason profiling happens. Now whether one thinks that is a good thing or a bad thing is, of course, a hot point of discussion.