I Never Want to Hear “Not All Cops” Again
In the aftermath of George Floyd’s murder (and throughout the millions of protests over the years about police brutality, specifically in BIPOC communities), people have been protesting relentlessly. In Minneapolis, where I live, people are setting fire to buildings. They are looting stores, screaming for justice, gathering in crowds in the streets amidst a pandemic to speak out against the horrors of the American police system. They are holding up signs that say “ACAB” — an acronym for “All Cops Are Bastards.” And while there are many parts of the Minneapolis community and the nation that support their efforts, there is still unrest. There is an overwhelming amount of white voices spouting “Blue Lives Matter” and “Not All Cops” defenses.
“Hey, not all cops are bad!”
“My grandpa was a cop, and he’d never do anything like that.”
“It’s not okay what happened, but that cop was just a bad apple.”
There are countless things wrong with these statements. And if you are one of the people that stands behind rhetoric like this, please take a moment to understand the reasoning behind ACAB. Please take a moment to assess your privilege and to examine the perspective of BIPOC communities in this fight for…
