Communities of color are policed more heavily than white communities. Drug abuse is as high or higher in white communities. But police spend their time patrolling black and latin communities as if they were occupying a foreign country. Not engaging or trying to improve the communities, but trying to hit quota.
The truth remains that police use lethal force more than necessary. Not just with black people but with all people. Since police are more likely to pull over or otherwise interact with POC, they are also at a higher likelyhood to be victims of police violence.
African Americans make up 12% of the population yet are more than twice as likely than white to experience police violence.
The United Nations Committee Against Torture has sharply criticized the growing militarization of police departments in the United States. Which is in the context of a year over year decrease in crime.
In the United States we have trial by jury, with a separate sentencing phase for serious crimes. We have a presumption of innocence until proven guilty. Saying that people such as Phillando Castille and Eric Garner ‘were criminals’ and did not respect the cops is ludicrous. The police did not respect the justice that they are supposed to uphold. If these men are criminals, they deserve the same due process that we all do. However the police they encountered assumed the roles of judge, jury and executioner. No evidence was presented, no defense. And a sentence was carried out, extra-judicially.
Selling loose cigarettes shouldn’t be a death sentence.
