Good questions that need to be asked

We’re asking all the wrong questions here or, rather, the media is leading us astray. The devastating recent events, namely the cases of Mike Brown and Eric Garner, that have sparked a national cry for attention is not about anything we’ve really discussed before.

The question isn’t, “What was Mike Brown really like?” We all know Mike Brown performed strong-arm robbery. It was caught on security tape. He was an 18-year-old who committed a crime. Maybe he had a history of delinquency and aggression but I can’t say with certainty; however, the theft is not up for contention because it is indeed fact.

The question is neither, “Did Officer Darren Wilson excessively and unnecessarily shoot Mike Brown?” This seems to be an important inquiry for the dominant narrative. But let me answer that quite frankly: Yes, he did. Look at the autopsy (roughly six shots). If Darren Wilson’s claim that they were wrestling for his gun is in fact true, then clearly he was able to regain possession. The self-defense argument is not a valid one. It’s clear that they fought over the officer’s gun because Brown lacked a weapon of his own. Darren Wilson should have known by that point that Brown was unarmed or at least did not possess a gun. A man with an automated weapon has a clear advantage over brute strength. If the goal is to prevent a suspect from endangering your safety, then my goodness shoot at any of his appendages. There was further evidence of Brown running away and then charging towards the officer after a couple more shots. At that point, Officer Wilson should have known that he was relatively safe considering his weapon and distance.

Okay, maybe Officer Wilson was emotionally charged and was not thinking quite “straight.” We need to then talk about actions that can be taken in high-stress situations. If Officer Wilson wanted to hinder Brown from causing harm to him, we must talk about how officers can deal with resistance.

Firstly, law enforcement officials should not be afforded the luxury to default to “self-defense” in justification for police brutality. Their guns are not a birthright extension of their arms. Their duty is to protect and serve the community. Although I hold officers accountable for their actions, I am reluctant to individually blame Darren Wilson. He is only a minuscule part of the issue at hand. The operations of the police department is inherently flawed and problematic, and that’s why police officers function as they do.

Individuals make up a system. A system makes up individuals. It’s a two-way exchange of perspectives, actions, and wrongdoings.

This is the real question to ask: Why does law enforcement function the way it does?

Further questions to ponder: Why do police officers so readily take on annihilation mode?

In a country that puts so much emphasis on innocent until proven guilty, why do we assume African American males are guilty? Because we’ve all been socialized to believe that African American males are dangerous. Officer Wilson engaged in conflict with Mike Brown with the preconceived, detached view that this person was a “demon” — an inhuman, lethal being. Emotionally jaded, Officer Wilson acted on his impulsively subtle racist idea that Brown was uncompromising thug.

Police officers have a right to defend themselves when they are in harm’s way just like anyone else but they carry an unnerving mighty privilege that is rarely ever questioned.

A few more questions to ask: Why don’t policer officers consistently practice hypothetical situations? Why didn’t Darren Wilson taze? What situations warrant a gun anyways? Where do we draw the line?

Apparently it takes a young soul and hundreds of protests to even begin to question systemic power.

May peace be left with both persons.

My stance on the issues of Mike Brown is not fully defined but I stand in solidarity with the victims of police brutality and abuse of power.

Photo Credit: William Royster, 21, from http://thechronicleherald.ca/world/1257423-sanctioned-violence-anguished-questions-america%E2%80%99s-police-on-trial