Changing Perceptions Around Police Shootings — A Call for Unity
The following is adapted from Death by Cop: A Call for Unity by Wayne Reid and Judge Charles Gill.
While there have been increasing numbers of minority citizens killed by police, many of our dedicated police officers of all races are also killed. Neither situation is acceptable.
When a loved one’s life is suddenly taken through violence, the shock is powerful. It feels like heaven and earth have opened a floodgate of emotions. Futures are destroyed, families torn apart. Such acts bring forth emotional suffering which leaves many to beseechingly ask, “Why did this happen to my loved one?”
When answers elude us, I believe some people who seek understanding (like myself), turn toward Divine solace. It can feel like a soothing retreat from everlasting pain to have faith that a loved one is in a better place, and one day there will be a great reunion.
We cannot change what’s been done. We can only seek dignified answers to assist others and abolish future occurrences.
Everyone errs in judgment, though some decisions are so detrimental as to become catastrophic. When conflicts between blacks and whites become deadly, the race card is played. One may say this is a natural response. After all, investigations and police body cameras have helped identify the issues: the deaths of minorities by law enforcement from undue force, sometimes based on either unfounded fears for personal safety or brutality due to hate; and the senseless killing of police officers from those seeking retribution.
Personally, I believe our weaknesses and faults, including those which cause deep pain, can present learning opportunities. My hope is that they bring people together to seek lasting, positive resolutions.
Some police departments try tackling the situation directly with policy changes, while protests and the media keep attention on events when they take place. Yet, too often we find ourselves in tragic, repetitive cycles. How regrettable that this pattern results in missed initiatives for sustainable reforms. But that’s who we are.
It’s in our DNA to fight amongst each other, erect barriers of mistrust, and reinforce them with uncompromising stances. Humans create racism; we breathe life into it whether subtly or blatantly. It replicates like a virus from people to industries, often buried within one’s mind like a cancerous cell hidden within the body. Racism is an authoritative structure which fosters the wielding of power over a group of people. And when has anyone volunteered to relinquish their power?
So, it looms over America as the ultimate “elephant in the room,” with many hoping it will resolve itself while unaffected others don’t mind its presence. But what does this passive point of view accomplish, except to allow the bringing forth of more division and anger? We continue to react emotionally and ignore the facts which cause the misunderstanding or conflict in the first place.
I believe we can move forward. How? Most importantly, we need to shift how we view violent actions from a racially-based framework to the simple perspective of right versus wrong. If one abolishes skin color references and reports solely on the actions of a person, then judging whether someone is guilty of wrongdoing becomes easier to assess.
By switching the focus to right versus wrong, rather than this race against that race, we can all embrace the opportunity to move down a path toward trust and change.
To learn more about changing your perception on acts of violence, you can find Death By Cop: A Call for Unity! on Amazon.
Wayne Reid attended the University of Scranton and received a Bachelor of Science Degree in accounting. After considering multiple career paths ranging from professional wrestler to the military, he is currently pursuing a career in finance as an assistant controller for a global PR agency, headquartered in New York City.
Connecticut Superior Court Judge Charles D. Gill is a tireless advocate for the rights of children. He has been honored by two U.S. Presidents, has spoken before and received an award from the UN General Assembly, has testified in Congress, and was a consultant to the U.S. Department of Justice.
