Phil McCracken wrote:
Tall Midget wrote:
I should add that it's not necessarily BLM that police should be concerned about--rather, they should be worried about people like Gavin Long, individuals who are so alienated from our political and social institutions that they don't see political protest as a valid mechanism for achieving social change. Say what you will about BLM, but it is channeling black anger into a very conventional form of political expression. That's why Gavin Long found the movement's response to police brutality insufficient.
With all of these shootings and stuff I think the bigger picture aspect of some of it beyond the obvious brutality of cops and racism of the system is the alienation alot of people feel in society these days. I kind of think all of the smart phones and technology has only made feeling alone more acute and I think it is pushing people towards this kind of violent action as a way to lash out because they have no real ties to anyone or anything worth living for so they just want to destroy. I think this comes into play in situations like this and other mass shootings along with some of the radicalized terrorist elements. I have no idea how to fix it mind you but I do feel like this alienation especially among young men is a real thing that is having an effect on the world.
I think what everyone needs to understand, whether they are a white person, or a police officer, or a person who used a sad emoji on facebook for the police officers is that the justice system not only exists to punish those who do wrong but to give us all a feeling that if something is done wrong to us that there will be a means of retribution that doesn't involved violence.
The problem is that there is not a belief from many people that the current justice system does that in regards to incorrect police violence. Most police officers are good people who just want to do their job and do it well but the system is broken to the point of breaking down and there needs to be change on both sides.