6 Ways The Left Could Message The Need For Criminal Justice Reform More Effectively
Even Social Movements Need Decent Marketing
For a split second in late May, there was a glimmer of hope that Americans could come together to fight for criminal justice reform and an end to racially prejudiced policing. Unsurprisingly, that hope faded quickly. In the weeks that followed, somehow, and really somehow, both politicians and the mainstream media managed to paint the protests as a partisan issue. The right using looting, antifa, and calls for police abolishment as a way to portray activists as lawless and unhinged. The left claiming victory over small scale reforms, while characterizing anyone not 100% in line with the mainstream opinion as racist, intolerant, and an outsider.
The sad truth is, is that prison and police reform don’t have to be one-sided issues in America. According to new polling from Pew Research, 78% of Americans are in favor of criminal justice reform, and over 75% of Americans found the angered response to George Floyd’s murder to be justified. In terms of actual legislative progress, there is an argument that radical calls for change push the Orwellian wheel forward, and we have seen some small reforms happen in the last month. However, in this overly partisan era it is still important to try to reach over the aisle, welcome discourse, and educate the masses, in an effort to appeal to a broader audience.
Recently there seems to have been a momentum shift, and not in the right direction. So how can it get back on track?
1. Less Emphasis on Just Police Killings:
Cop killing is bad, there is no denying that. However, I have watched activists, protesters, and media figures describe the main goal of nationwide protests as a movement to stop police killings of unarmed civilians. That may be an item on the agenda, but it should also be portrayed as the tip of the iceberg. A singular focus on fatal incidents provides an escape for both detractors and law enforcement. Instead of pursuing broader systemic change, this talking point allows police to secede to the idea of weeding out the “few bad apples” and nothing more.
The broader issue here is accountability. The fact that the entire system allows police to operate with near impunity is a systemic issue, solidified by a historic unwillingness from those in charge to punish police for their wrongdoings.
It is true that a police killing — Michael Brown, Eric Garner, George Floyd — especially caught on camera, causes the initial outrage. But that’s just the match that lights the fuse. The holistic indignation stems from the need of a complete institutional overhaul.
Take Ferguson for example, a city where there was an average of three active warrants per household in 2014. Ferguson experiences an overload of petty fines, overwhelming racial bias, and a cash bail system that prays on poor and minority members of the community. Residents would get slapped with hefty fines for minor offenses, then when unable to pay off their debts, those residents would get thrown in jail. Citizens in Ferguson had long held frustrations with the entire system, an angle that went far too undiscussed at that time.
On another note, comparatively speaking, there is a surplus of fatal encounters with police officers in America. Yet, the volume of incidents is less prolific than the media would like you to believe. For instance, the Minneapolis police department recorded 8 police killings between 2013–2019. That is certainly something to address, but an over focus on just police killings leaves a lot of reform measures still on the table.
2. What’s with the statues?
In the midst of unprecedented civil discourse, groups of people have taken this time to also gather at public squares, and either vandalize or tear down public monuments. Some groups tore down monuments commemorating the confederacy, while others took things even further by removing statues depicting Thomas Jefferson and Christopher Columbus.
On a personal note, I don’t mind the removal of confederate statues. They did lose after all. But, the removal of ALL pre civil-rights monuments is a precedent, that at the very least, needs to be discussed in detail. To a lot of Americans the idea of shielding, censoring, and/or erasing history sounds much more dangerous than it does productive.
However, the bigger question…is right now really the best time?
This feels like a part of the left’s tendency to fall prey to platitudes and symbolic victories over actual legislative change. Videos from the removal of Thomas Jefferson and Christopher Columbus statues go viral, and then get strewn across right wing platforms. Potential proponents of reform buy back into the culture war narrative and out of favor with protests. It just feels like these kinds of symbolic victories can wait.
3. Differentiating Black Lives Matter, the Group vs. The Slogan vs. the Movement
Black Lives Matter has surged in popularity in recent years. The phrase has decorated city streets, become a rally cry in protests, and has now been adopted by corporations to show alignment on race relations. As for the slogan, there is nothing to really debate. If anyone really takes offense to saying “Black Lives Matter” because of the notion that it devalues “All Lives” then that person requires a legitimate reinforcement on how English works.
That being said, “Black Lives Matter” is also a relatively new, and quickly growing network of political organizations. This dual meaning causes some confusion. BLM — the organization — has started to posture various legislative changes, endorsed political figures like Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders, and has added tens of millions in donations in recent years.
Some on the left have turned support for BLM as a kind of racism check point, a necessity to qualify for allyship. Yet, BLM is a politically driven organization, and disagreeing with their actions is just a part of being in politics. As the leading voice in this movement, BLM has a massive responsibility to try their best to uphold their end of the bargain, and it is the people’s job to hold them accountable.
For instance, BLM recently faced scrutiny regarding a lack of transparency in how they spend charitable donations. They were asked about this at a recent press conference:
“Right now, our programs are focused on civic engagement, expansion of chapters, Arts & Culture, organizing and digital advocacy resources and tools,” — Kailee Scales, BLM founder
For many people this answer was far too vague, and that’s okay. The left has to do a better job of not just going along with every provision within BLM, but rather being active and vocal critics as well.
4. No Need to Defend Looters, and Seattle
Peaceful protest is not always effective. That’s a fair point. In fact rioting is really one of the only ways to get any attention nowadays, and clearly it’s worked. Many American were on board with the rioting at first, one poll finding over 50% of Americans felt it was somewhat justified to burn a police precinct in the aftermath of George Floyd’s death.
That being said, many left wing outlets were also trying to perform the PR gymnastics of defending looting, and that is a much bigger stretch. For conservative media, looting is a god send. They are able to completely take attention away from protesters as small business destruction becomes the new headline.
If you watched the news in the days after May 26, you saw a montage of emotional small business owners, walking through the remnants of their decimated stores, while explaining that they may never open shop again. Small business testimonials are genuine stories, and siding with looters ends up damaging the cause.
Chaz or CHOP is another story that has managed to dominate headlines. Fox and other conservative outlets use the situation in Seattle to forewarn their viewers of what the future of leftist politics can be. The left has taken the responsibility of instead defending the group. The Seattle Autonomous Zone’s inhabitants may think their efforts are important, but in reality it appears a lot like some spoiled kids in search of their own personal acclaim.
Seattle’s mayor recently came forward and said the six block city takeover, was actually part of a “summer of love”, with the governor showing unwillingness to address the matter as well.
It shouldn’t fall on deaf ears that the new inhabitants of CHAZ have taken over a police precinct, impacting actual businesses and residents. Recently they have drowned out the voices of members of the African American City Council and even pushed for segregation within the zone’s limits. Certainly the situation gets hyperbolized but it is noteworthy nonetheless. Ultimately, it feels more like a group of entitled young people hijacking a movement to garner attention, and nothing more.
5. More Precision on Defunding vs. Abolishing the Police
The idea of defunding the police moved from fringe to mainstream in just a couple weeks. For me personally, I learned of the idea from people on Instagram posting about well…defunding the police. So in a way, hearing the weight of the actual statement was what prompted myself and others to do some additional research.
There has been some debate from the left about a softer term to use, like “divest the police” or “reallocate police funds”. That sounds like simple semantics, but could play a role. Ultimately the aim is the same — to move police dollars towards avenues like recreation, community building, and schooling.
The issue that I’ve seen however, is the lack of consistency in what the phrase really means. Some proponents have called for smaller departments, others have called for a revamped community driven approach to policing, and some have even called for the complete abolishment of police services as we know them.
Under immense social pressure, the city of Minneapolis became the first to disband their own police department. What garnered criticism wasn’t the decision, as much as the lack of an explicit strategy. Members of the city council had little to say about the long term goal, nor have they given details about what policing will look like following the disbandment.
These are major reforms, and should be treated as such. The ideas require lengthy strategic planning, calculated messaging, and a holistic risk analysis. For an idea that’s so new to a lot of Americans, we should be working to educate people on the scope of “defunding the police” rather than simply stating it as an absolute.
With coronavirus lockdowns ending, there has been a surge of violence in a few major cities. Chicago recently saw a weekend with 85 shootings, and NYC experienced their most violent two-day period in a long time with 22 shootings. These events will be used to counteract calls for police defunding, and advocates should have an idea of how to reassure the safety of residents that are in these areas.
6. Losing the Us vs Them Attitude
Fighting for equal rights or dramatic systematic shifts is never an easy process, nor is it meant to be kumbaya. Yet, moving the needle forward still requires an ability to: welcome allies, converse without fear of retribution, and engage in discourse that is constructive and challenging.
In this era of hyper-partisanship, we fail to mention how popular reform measures are within the country’s populous. The magnitude and degree to which people want to see the system change may vary, but most people are in agreement that reform is a necessity. The reality is, politics has once again divided us, and now people feel compelled to choose a side. This is not just the fault of the right.
An alarming trend is brewing on the left. We are becoming increasingly hostile to free speech. Those who disapprove of certain left wing ideals and policies are treated as enemies, dubbed as “racist” or “misogynistic”, then henceforth silenced by the community. Cancellation has replaced conversation, and in many ways this is stymying potential progress.
History will not be kind to the American criminal justice system. The system will be viewed as a human rights crisis, one that destroyed communities and failed its people to an absolute breaking point. The stakes are monumental, and a change in messaging is not meant to dilute the overall message, but rather make that message even more impactful.
