“If All You Have Is a Hammer, Everything Looks Like a Nail”
Note: Links include graphic images of police violence.
We are witnessing what happens when you give bullies tools of war and carte blanche to use those tools however they like. Suddenly, everyone starts looking like an enemy combatant to them.
Here is a (non-exhaustive) list of the people who have been attacked, terrorized, maimed, and killed by the police in the last week:
Peaceful protesters, young protesters, elderly protesters, journalists, elected officials, business owners, people walking home, people in their homes, people in their cars, people trying to disengage, people trying to deescalate.
We are witnessing, writ large, what happens when you give the “good guy” a gun. Suddenly, they look for every chance to use that gun.
Here is a (non-exhaustive) list of the weapons and ammunition that police have used on peaceful protestors:
Bodily force, batons, tasers, pepper spray (tear gas), pepper balls (tear gas), rubber bullets, flashbangs, tear gas (internationally banned chemical agent), bikes, horses, cars.
Thank you, officers, for showing the world what the communities you have menaced for centuries have always known: Your mantra to “protect and serve” is a farce.
I would like to be absolutely clear: I am not an expert on social justice, racial justice, police violence, policy making, public spending, etc. There are many, many, many people who know a lot more about all of these issues than me. I am sure you have seen plenty of posts recommending writers, activists, policymakers, and others to follow. Follow those people. They know more than me, and in this time of unrest and upheaval, it’s now more important than ever to surround ourselves with people who know more than us.
Let me also stress that there are many ways to fight the good fight. Some ways may be bigger and more impactful, but a river is made up of many streams. Find your way of consistently taking action — whether that’s political and community organizing, volunteering, donating money, supporting POC-owned businesses, writing about what’s happening, talking to friends and family about social justice (a conversation that can take many forms and cover many topics, not just those occupying our current discourse!), teaching your kids, voting — and follow through on it.
I do not know what’s best — either for you or for the situation. All I can offer is a template for the action I am taking, and you can decide if it’s something you’d like to do as well. (And of course, I welcome your recommendations for this action and others I can take.)
Right now, I am in the process of contacting all elected officials who represent me — the mayor, councilmembers, county representatives, state officials, federal officials. I am starting with my city, where my vote matters most. This is the message I am sending them, in the form of calls and emails. Feel free to use it as a template, and to revise with your policies of choice:
Dear [official name],
I am horrified by the displays of police brutality against our residents and peaceful protesters. I am horrified by the use of military tactics, equipment, and weaponry against our community.
I am demanding that you take immediate steps to 1) demilitarize the police force; 2) reduce and reprioritize the police budget to focus on reducing police violence against the community; 3) reallocate funding to support community well-being and empowerment, including public education, public health, housing, social services, transportation, etc.; and 4) implement measures to hold police officers accountable for their actions by instituting stricter standards of conduct and discipline and establishing independent oversight.
If you do not support these efforts, you will not have my support in the upcoming election.
Sincerely,
[Your name]
For everyone out there protesting: You are the most courageous and patriotic people I know. There isn’t a lot to be hopeful about right now, but you give me hope. Stay healthy and stay safe, and know that I love you.