Police Brutality
(Joshlyn)It was Friday. It was hot outside, so everyone was out enjoying the weather. Just like a regular day, we were standing on and around the block, talking and having fun, when ten police cars suddenly approached my block from both directions. They jumped out of the car, yelling and accusing people of selling drugs and having guns. They put the black men in handcuffs and started searching them and their cars.
They searched us, but didn’t find anything, so they let the people go. Everyone on my block started yelling at the officers about how they just pulled up, wrongfully searched people because of their biases and didn’t find anything, all because of race. They also started yelling at the black officers because they treated the innocent African Americans the same as white officers racistly did, even though they were black.
The officers usually pick on us, telling us we can’t stand in front of a gate because it wasn’t our property, regardless of the fact that the owner of the property didn’t mind. They didn’t apologize or show any type of remorse for the way they treated people, even though they knew they were wrong. They just left the scene, and as they were leaving, they left confusion, frustration, and anger on the faces of the people they hurt. (Shaquite)
Experiences like the one above happen often to many people who don’t deserve it. Police often degrade and attack people of color just because they have a badge. The problem is that racism gets in their heads and make it hard for them to make decisions that positively affect the lives of the people they supposedly serve and protect. The majority of the time, when a police officer is doing something that is wrong, their judgement is clouded by the skin color of their next “victim.” They don’t think about what’s wrong and what’s right because their judgement makes them think that the things they do are right, even though they aren’t.
--
Freddie Gray. Laquan McDonald. Tamir Rice. Eric Gardner. Micheal Brown, Jr. Tanisha Anderson. Walter Scott. Trayvon Martin. Aiyana Jones. Oscar Grant.
Ten of the hundreds of people killed by a police officer for doing nothing wrong. What do the majority of the people killed by the police have in common that is the true reason for their deaths? The majority of the innocent people murdered by a police officer are African American. Innocent African American boys and girls are being shot by police while playing with friends. Innocent men and women are being choked, brutally beaten, and shot by police officers while on their way home, to a store, or to work.
The number of African Americans being killed by police is growing and many people are beginning to believe that there isn’t really anything they can do about it, considering the fact that police are a part of an unfair system designed to keep specific groups of people from accomplishing anything.
Police brutality has become a prominent part of African American neighborhoods and communities. African Americans fear for their lives when they are pulled over, but why? Why do people have to turn on cameras in order to make sure any contact or encounter with an officer is able to be used elsewhere? Why do we have to plead for justice because another unarmed African American was killed by a person who is supposed to “protect and serve” the people of every community and neighborhood, regardless of race, religion, sex, sexual identity/preference, etc?
Since African Americans were enslaved and brought to America in the year 1619, we were forced to live the lives provided to them, not the lives they were destined to live. Since brought to America, African Americans have been seen as “different,” not “unique.” Some may be thinking that different and unique are synonyms. In regards to the lives in which everyone lives, unique and different are two distinguished concepts. The dictionary defines different as not the same as another or each other; unlike in nature, form, or quality; novel and unusual; distinct; separate. The dictionary defines unique as being the only one of its kind; unlike anything else. The way in which these 2 words are used may have a negative connotation that is representative of how African Americans are viewed. This plays a major role in discriminatory practices that occur in regards to how African Americans are treated.
In relation to police brutality, the way African Americans are depicted gives an officer one more reason to shoot. The way African Americans are seen gives an officer a justification for a wrongdoing. The way African Americans are seen gives another reason for the incarceration rate to increase.
Human Rights are something that we all deserve, even if there are some things that we don’t deserve. The amount of people whose human rights are violated for reasons that should not justify the violations occurs often and is inexcusable. I shouldn’t have to fear the people that are supposed to make me feel safe. I shouldn’t have to remember to keep my hands on the steering wheel so that it doesn’t appear as if I’m reaching for a gun and say yes or no sir when talking to a police officer so that I am not seen as hostile. I shouldn’t have to record any encounter with a police officer because he/she has wrongfully harmed me. I deserve the human right of life. I deserve the human right of safety. The amount of police brutality in specific communities is an extremely clear violation of every right people deserve to have, which is every right we do have (Joshlyn).
They searched us, but didn’t find anything, so they let the people go. Everyone on my block started yelling at the officers about how they just pulled up, wrongfully searched people because of their biases and didn’t find anything, all because of race. They also started yelling at the black officers because they treated the innocent African Americans the same as white officers racistly did, even though they were black.
The officers usually pick on us, telling us we can’t stand in front of a gate because it wasn’t our property, regardless of the fact that the owner of the property didn’t mind. They didn’t apologize or show any type of remorse for the way they treated people, even though they knew they were wrong. They just left the scene, and as they were leaving, they left confusion, frustration, and anger on the faces of the people they hurt. (Shaquite)
Experiences like the one above happen often to many people who don’t deserve it. Police often degrade and attack people of color just because they have a badge. The problem is that racism gets in their heads and make it hard for them to make decisions that positively affect the lives of the people they supposedly serve and protect. The majority of the time, when a police officer is doing something that is wrong, their judgement is clouded by the skin color of their next “victim.” They don’t think about what’s wrong and what’s right because their judgement makes them think that the things they do are right, even though they aren’t.
--
Freddie Gray. Laquan McDonald. Tamir Rice. Eric Gardner. Micheal Brown, Jr. Tanisha Anderson. Walter Scott. Trayvon Martin. Aiyana Jones. Oscar Grant.
Ten of the hundreds of people killed by a police officer for doing nothing wrong. What do the majority of the people killed by the police have in common that is the true reason for their deaths? The majority of the innocent people murdered by a police officer are African American. Innocent African American boys and girls are being shot by police while playing with friends. Innocent men and women are being choked, brutally beaten, and shot by police officers while on their way home, to a store, or to work.
The number of African Americans being killed by police is growing and many people are beginning to believe that there isn’t really anything they can do about it, considering the fact that police are a part of an unfair system designed to keep specific groups of people from accomplishing anything.
Police brutality has become a prominent part of African American neighborhoods and communities. African Americans fear for their lives when they are pulled over, but why? Why do people have to turn on cameras in order to make sure any contact or encounter with an officer is able to be used elsewhere? Why do we have to plead for justice because another unarmed African American was killed by a person who is supposed to “protect and serve” the people of every community and neighborhood, regardless of race, religion, sex, sexual identity/preference, etc?
Since African Americans were enslaved and brought to America in the year 1619, we were forced to live the lives provided to them, not the lives they were destined to live. Since brought to America, African Americans have been seen as “different,” not “unique.” Some may be thinking that different and unique are synonyms. In regards to the lives in which everyone lives, unique and different are two distinguished concepts. The dictionary defines different as not the same as another or each other; unlike in nature, form, or quality; novel and unusual; distinct; separate. The dictionary defines unique as being the only one of its kind; unlike anything else. The way in which these 2 words are used may have a negative connotation that is representative of how African Americans are viewed. This plays a major role in discriminatory practices that occur in regards to how African Americans are treated.
In relation to police brutality, the way African Americans are depicted gives an officer one more reason to shoot. The way African Americans are seen gives an officer a justification for a wrongdoing. The way African Americans are seen gives another reason for the incarceration rate to increase.
Human Rights are something that we all deserve, even if there are some things that we don’t deserve. The amount of people whose human rights are violated for reasons that should not justify the violations occurs often and is inexcusable. I shouldn’t have to fear the people that are supposed to make me feel safe. I shouldn’t have to remember to keep my hands on the steering wheel so that it doesn’t appear as if I’m reaching for a gun and say yes or no sir when talking to a police officer so that I am not seen as hostile. I shouldn’t have to record any encounter with a police officer because he/she has wrongfully harmed me. I deserve the human right of life. I deserve the human right of safety. The amount of police brutality in specific communities is an extremely clear violation of every right people deserve to have, which is every right we do have (Joshlyn).
Police misconduct is associated with conscious or unconscious discrimination. Misconduct has been shown to be related to personality and education, but it can also be related to the culture of the police. Police brutality is a related problem, that has to do with personality, education, and the culture of policing. “According to data released by the Bureau of Justice Statistics (2011), between 2003 and 2009 at least 4,813 people died in the process of being arrested by local police. Of the deaths classified as law enforcement homicides, 2,876 deaths occurred of which 1,643 or 57.1% of the people who died were "people of color.” (Bureau of Justice Statistics) On study found something interesting that may be related to police culture: “We found what appears to be a vicious cycle: The more an officer was worried about being perceived as racist, the less confidence they had in their authority and the more likely they were to condone abusive policing tactics...The same was true for officers who reported being more cynical about their line of work.” These are all factors that contribute to the startling statistics above. (Darius)
Sources: “The Force of Fear: Police Stereotype Threat, Self-Legitimacy, and Support for Excessive Force” https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2019/07/racist-police-officer https://www.halt.org/10-examples-of-police-misconduct-to-refer-to-for-your-case/ https://www.bjs.gov/content/pub/pdf/ard0309st.pdf
Sources: “The Force of Fear: Police Stereotype Threat, Self-Legitimacy, and Support for Excessive Force” https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2019/07/racist-police-officer https://www.halt.org/10-examples-of-police-misconduct-to-refer-to-for-your-case/ https://www.bjs.gov/content/pub/pdf/ard0309st.pdf
According to The Intercept, “police brutality is one of several forms of police misconduct which involves undue violence by police members. Widespread police brutality exists in many countries and territories, even those that prosecute it. Although illegal, it can be performed under the color of law.”
Police Brutality has caused a negative impact on Chicago as a whole, but mainly on the south and west sides of Chicago, like the Englewood and Austin. People of color, especially Black men and boys, are being exposed to the mistreatment of police misconduct. Intercept News says: “CHICAGO POLICE ARE 14 TIMES MORE LIKELY TO USE FORCE AGAINST YOUNG BLACK MEN THAN AGAINST WHITES.” This is a very terrifying thing to hear because as we know police officers are supposed to “serve and protect “ but instead they “torture and neglect.”
Also, this is a screenshot of a video about Jon Burge, who was a former Chicago police officer, found guilty of torturing innocent African Americans into confessing to murders they did not commit. Many of those people are still in prison. (Destiny) https://theintercept.com/2018/08/16/ chicago-police-misconduct-racialdisparity/ https://www.pbs.org/video/midnight-years-memoir-story-survival-after-torture-9ltt5r/
When you think of police brutality, you probably think about what anyone else would think about: “it needs to stop” or “it's not right,” but it's deeper than that. There are different forms of police brutality, such as false arrest and wrongful imprisonment, wrongful search, racial dicrimination and more. Police brutality ties in with mental health. It continues to damage the communities that are affected by it causing mental health issues. A study shows that shootings of unarmed black men and women cause more depression, stress, and fear in more and more African Americans across America, both young and old. The google definition of police brutality is “the abuse of authority by the unwarranted infliction of of excessive force by personnel involved in law enforcement while performing their official duties.” Police brutality started as far back as 1872. I, personally, have not experienced police brutality, but I have seen it when I'm hanging out with my brothers. My brother gets stopped by the police for just walking down the street and regularly gets pulled over by the police for no specific reason. (Sanniah)
Stereotypes
Stereotypes are kind of complex. It’s something I believe can’t be avoided but it could be contained to a degree but it’s something you can’t run form because there are people in our society who do this alot and this also ties in to them using this as a form of violating your human rights. For example, Article 6 from the UN Declaration of Human Rights states that, “You have a right to be accepted everywhere as a person according to law,” which is regularly violated with racial stereotypes. Some stores will harass you and some kick you out because your’re a black man with a hood on, which the stereotype is all black people steal, but obviously isn’t true.
I also experienced a form of this a while ago. When I was 10 years old, I was addicted to these toys. They were Mattel WWE action figures. My mom used to take me to Walmart every two weeks to buy these toys so I had a whole collection of them. But one day we went to Walmart, and as we walked into the store, I noticed that there was this Walmart employee that seemed odd.
He was wearing black shoes, brown pants, and a white shirt with a blue vest with a Walmart name tag. He was white and bald with a beard and he was wearing glasses. He was staring at me for a long time on our way entering the store, and I felt like something was off. We were walking through the store, near the toy section and I didn't know what toy I wanted, so my mom told me “You have until I’m done looking for a new tv to pick two toys.”
So when she walked off, the employee walked passed me twice while I was looking at the action figures and since I was always kind of a smart kid, so in my head I knew what time it was he was on dirt with me I just didn’t understand why because I was a ten year old boy. But anyways, I picked my toys and began to walk out of the action figure section and began heading to where the TV’s were, which was next to the video game section and before the the bikes then the toys. As I was coming pass the bike section, the employee was coming out to follow me. I was looking off the side of my eye and saw him walking behind me. I didn’t feel scared at that point, so in my head was like “I gotta lose this crazy man and get back to my momma.”
I began to run through the store to get to my mom the man shouts”THEFT! STOP!” and my heart started beating, and I began to run as fast as my small legs took me to get to the TV section. I run to the section and threw the toys in my moms cart and the man grabbed me a squeezing my arms very tight and my mom said “what are you doing to my son?” He told her I was stealing and needed to be banned and in “Juvi.” I didn't know what that place was at the time but I knew didn’t belong there because I wasn’t stealing. We went inside of the room with the cameras and the boss was in there we explained our stories and the man was fired for racial profiling.
I shared this story to say if I was white, he would’ve done that to me. He was putting me in the stereotypical group of a “poor black boy who steals,” and I feel this happens alot in our society 13 because they take what what they see on TV and apply it to all, which I don’t think as fair. What I could’ve to probably limit that was not run but I feel since I was a little boy, he should’ve left me alone. Now, as an 18 year-old high school graduate, I understand what stereotypes are and now I understand his thinking on how he thought I was just another black boy with no money trying to steal and I feel to stereotype me based on my skin is wrong, but at first I didn’t understand any of his thinking or why he was picking on a little boy. (Gabriel)
Stereotyping is an everyday situation that people of many races, and of any age experience. Stereotypes start to become offensive when your old enough to understand it. Some stereotypes can be as harmless as saying people of color are really good at sports, while some people may find this offensive if they don't play sports, others may actually find it as a compliment depending on the person. Other stereotypes can be worse such as the era of blackface.
Blackface is when a white person darkens their face with burnt cork, coloring their mouth white, and put on a wig to perform as a black person. This is usually done to entertain a predominately white crowd. Stereotypes lead to many different scenarios such as discrimination, physical encounters, depression, mental unstability, and much more. It is important to learn about, so the cycle doesn’t continue to harm humanity mentally, and physically. If people think about the damage they can do to a person mentally, then maybe they will think about what their words do to others. If we all try to have a positive mentality towards other’s opinions on race, gender, sexuality, and other preferences, we may be able to make a change happen in the world. (Ashley) |
Segregation
We all know the concept of segregation, yet many fail to understand how the experience affects us. Minorities often don’t speak about this systemic separation of people because it is seen as normal. I see, I experience, I am a product of racial segregation. And sadly, I view it as a social norm. There are three main effects of living in extreme racial segregation: deprivation of understanding and experiencing other cultures; thus creating an environment of fear towards those who are different; resulting in the preference of those who are alike. This is a Cycle of Segregation, which basically screams “segregation creates more segregation.” The only way to stop segregation is to literally not be segregated. With the use of empathy and compassion we can learn we aren’t different humans, but rather vary in colors and characteristics.
My cycle begins at being deprived from associating with other races at an early age. Growing up in Chicago I rarely, if ever, saw a kid that was a race that wasn’t black. So my developing mind grew accustomed to only the black culture, which in turn limited my mind to those who are only visually similar to me. Basically if you weren’t black I didn't trust you, didn't want to know you, and did not like you from the moment I saw you. You are an entity that I would never associate with, and secretly despise deep down. You see, I was exposed to the hate/dislike people have 15 towards other races. The struggles of my people from a time in the past, and the unjust racially charged actions that deny their value as individuals made me sympathetic towards them. At a young age I was already trapped in a bubble and taught to hate others who are different and associating them with negative emotions. By being only accustomed to my own black culture, I never really learned how other races lived life, especially white people. All I know is that they exist and have better schools, supplies, jobs, homes, and an overall better life than those who are black. I also learned that we are seen as gangbanging criminals who shoot each other, and basically low-life trash.
But how would a person who’s never learned about other cultures, know what to expect? The answer is the television. This source was the only source I could “rely” on to learn. However it only encouraged me to be angry. Time and time again, I see stereotypes for not only blacks, but all races also. Whites are seen as the superior race, who sets the example for everyone to follow. They typically have a nice big house, with a loving family, and kids attend giant schools that offer amazing class courses, and they become successful in life. Asians are seen as a model citizen, very close or equal to those who are white. Although underrepresented, television shows that Asians live a nice comfortable life. Then it’s Blacks and Hispanics who are shown to get caught up with a life of drugs and gang violence, lacking in resources such as money or homes, and attending terrible schools, becoming dropouts or prisoners. This will hit home when I tell you I am not just referring to a fictional world, but rather the news. These stereotypes spread into the minds of the people, leading to the color of our skins being judged rather than the characteristics we behold.
But how would a person who’s never learned about other cultures, know what to expect? The answer is the television. This source was the only source I could “rely” on to learn. However it only encouraged me to be angry. Time and time again, I see stereotypes for not only blacks, but all races also. Whites are seen as the superior race, who sets the example for everyone to follow. They typically have a nice big house, with a loving family, and kids attend giant schools that offer amazing class courses, and they become successful in life. Asians are seen as a model citizen, very close or equal to those who are white. Although underrepresented, television shows that Asians live a nice comfortable life. Then it’s Blacks and Hispanics who are shown to get caught up with a life of drugs and gang violence, lacking in resources such as money or homes, and attending terrible schools, becoming dropouts or prisoners. This will hit home when I tell you I am not just referring to a fictional world, but rather the news. These stereotypes spread into the minds of the people, leading to the color of our skins being judged rather than the characteristics we behold.
Racism Word Search