Context Matters

There are a lot of news outlets comparing the picture of Ieshia Evans standing her ground in protest, opposed by local police in riot gear, to the picture of “Tank Man” standing his ground in protest in Tiananmen Square, opposed by a column of tanks.

To say Ieshia Evans is a beautiful and powerful symbol peacefully protesting is one thing. I completely agree.

What I cannot stand for is the reckless merging of these two moments into some shared symbolism to further an agenda which further demonizes police. It is dangerous, completely devoid of context and defies reality.

I think it’s CRITICAL that we do not compare our local police departments, who are a lot of times living in the very communities they protect & serve, to totalitarian regimes ruthlessly subjugating its citizens under tyrannical rule.

Our police are the only real force standing BETWEEN its citizens and a totalitarian government. They are the glue that holds a civil society together. Without them there is anarchy.

That being said, I’d like to add a little bit of context into these two moments.

Ieshia Evans was arrested by police when she refused to move off the highway as instructed. She spent 24 hours in jail and said the arrest was “a little rough, as was processing. While in jail a kind officer made sure all of the demonstrators were treated well.” She was held overnight and released. (BBC/AP)

By most accounts, “Tank Man” was disappeared and executed by his Communist government never to be seen again by his family and friends.

Just like comparing Donald Trump to Adolf Hitler is intellectually lazy, so is comparing these two pictures in search of a common thread to fit a particular narrative. It’s unnecessary.

Both Ieshia Evans and Tank Man can stand proudly on their own.