Yep. It’s not simply — at least not solely — about color/racial prejudice. It’s about individuals who join the police force because they feel that it gives them the power — the “right” — to treat others in ways that they would otherwise be restrained from doing.
And when enough of those sort get into the force, the entire force (now there’s a double-entendre!) encourages such attitudes and behavior and actively prevents reform.
Not all that different from decades — centuries? — of pedophile priests.
The abuse of power is mind boggling…humans seem to have an infinite need to be “top of the heap”…look around….everywhere…man’s inhumanity to mankind is universal and not restricted to humans.
It’s been known for a long time that the color of the specific cop is fairly irrelevant as long as the system itself ingrains in them the concept of the black person being inherently more dangerous and worthy of preemptive violence.
Not all cops are bad…but all cops protect other cops including those who are bad. This makes them at best accessories. The access to power under color of authority attracts those who relish having and abusing power for it’s own sake.
This case shows that it isn’t JUST white cops being violent but the use of lethal force against black suspects IS more likely to occur when the cops are white. One reason this case has gotten the level of attention it has is because the officers are black and that is unusual. It is also the reason that they’re being so swiftly charged with a crime and sent to court. Had these guys all been white it would have taken months, if not years to get to the point we are now.
Cops are given extraordinary latitude when using force and must be held to an equally extraordinary level of accountability when they do. Until actual good cops are willing to hold their brother officers to the standard of the law they’ve sworn to uphold events like this will continue.
When white cops get caught pulling crap like these guys did they get “suspended” with full pay while the charges are “investigated.” These guys got fired. Hhmmm. You can join the club but the club may not join you.
We want to fight crime and get tough on criminals. We want SWAT teams and Scorpion units. We want military gear and military equipment hand-me-downs. Then we recruit the toughest of the tough, from among the police ranks, to man these units and use this equipment. And then we’re surprised with the ruthlessness these team members use in carrying out their “assigned duties?” How could we expect anything else? And through all these efforts we lose sight of what the real mission of policing should be: Crime Prevention.Someday somewhere sometime someone is going to be enlightened enough to dare to design a police organization focused on crime prevention as the exclusive focus with law enforcement as a last resort. I think then, and only then, will we be able to have an organization of properly motivated people who are rewarded by the crimes they prevent and not the bodies they throw “in the slammer.”
There is a group mentality, a club thinking, that all of our police, fire, EMT’s, indeed, all groups of people share. Sometimes this is beneficial, enabling a team effort to get things done efficiently. But, as we’ve seen, especially with our police, the unit whole can bring about an almost mob think action, sometimes leading to death of the very ones they are sworn to protect.
I’m afraid, in the the case of the Memphis police force, and others units that have cases on file of brutality by its staff, this cancer may require extreme measures including dissolution of the force. While firing everyone would probably not be a good move, leaving many neighborhoods open to crime, at least a drastic reorganization needs to be done. And just disbanding the special unit from which these 5 men worked in would not be enough as the same cancer that existed in this unit is probably existent throughout the whole force
While it’s horrible that this killing took place, it has shown that there’s more to the black killings by police than just racism. True, many of the white police did have racist feelings, but I suspect that the problem might also be the group think of their police force that had a hand, a major hand, in their miss use of force.
Diversity is not the entire answer. As CRT can show us, if the culture has a bias against POC, even POC joining the force get culturalized and therefore can become biased against POC.
So what if they’re “cops of color”? They had NO RIGHT to treat Tyre that way,period! EVERY human being deserves to be treated with common courtesy,respect & compassion…..Sadly,too many cops have lost their senses with regard to these 3 little words…………
They should put these cops in the same prison cell with Derek Chauvin! This whole situation of misconduct by police officers no matter whether Black or White, is becoming a very serious problem and one that I think Joe Biden should fully focus his attention on! No need to defund the police but instead, weed out the bad ones! And the ones who have multiple civilian complaints on them, get rid of them or put them through rugged retraining on dealing with the public!
@aristoclesplato9- Totally agreed! It’s not about Black or White but rather, the false sense of power that comes with that gun and badge. And many cops whether Black or White, feel that having a badge and gun makes them superior to civilians! I was a NYC School Safety officer for 32 years and I worked in some real insane asylums! Even some that were in the top 10 most dangerous schools in the city but I never got hurt or injured! Why? Because early in my career I took up martial arts. And in my system we specialized in taking on 2, sometimes even three attackers. And I’ve often said that many of these cops become cops because they’re punks who can’t fight!
Erse IS better 4 months ago
Cops are cops first. If only because they NEED the other cops to have their backs… so they have to pre-reciprocate.
Kareem has a LONG article about all this.
https://kareem.substack.com/p/manuel-teran-and-tyre-nichols-what
gammaguy 4 months ago
Yep. It’s not simply — at least not solely — about color/racial prejudice. It’s about individuals who join the police force because they feel that it gives them the power — the “right” — to treat others in ways that they would otherwise be restrained from doing.
And when enough of those sort get into the force, the entire force (now there’s a double-entendre!) encourages such attitudes and behavior and actively prevents reform.
Not all that different from decades — centuries? — of pedophile priests.
GOGOPOWERANGERS 4 months ago
Colour of red
S&C = Dismayed&Depressed 4 months ago
The abuse of power is mind boggling…humans seem to have an infinite need to be “top of the heap”…look around….everywhere…man’s inhumanity to mankind is universal and not restricted to humans.
Catherine Spencer-Mills Premium Member 4 months ago
Hasn’t anyone heard of the Stanford Prison Experiment?
cdward 4 months ago
It’s been known for a long time that the color of the specific cop is fairly irrelevant as long as the system itself ingrains in them the concept of the black person being inherently more dangerous and worthy of preemptive violence.
aristoclesplato9 4 months ago
So now blacks should not become cops? This has nothing to do with race or cops overall.
Every occupation has evil people working there. When we find them we bring them to justice.
Direwolf 4 months ago
Not all cops are bad…but all cops protect other cops including those who are bad. This makes them at best accessories. The access to power under color of authority attracts those who relish having and abusing power for it’s own sake.
This case shows that it isn’t JUST white cops being violent but the use of lethal force against black suspects IS more likely to occur when the cops are white. One reason this case has gotten the level of attention it has is because the officers are black and that is unusual. It is also the reason that they’re being so swiftly charged with a crime and sent to court. Had these guys all been white it would have taken months, if not years to get to the point we are now.
Cops are given extraordinary latitude when using force and must be held to an equally extraordinary level of accountability when they do. Until actual good cops are willing to hold their brother officers to the standard of the law they’ve sworn to uphold events like this will continue.
Motivemagus 4 months ago
Except for the SIXTH cop, who only got called out WEEKS after the black cops. Funny…
Upton O'Goode 4 months ago
When white cops get caught pulling crap like these guys did they get “suspended” with full pay while the charges are “investigated.” These guys got fired. Hhmmm. You can join the club but the club may not join you.
Alberta Oil Premium Member 4 months ago
Evidently.. the problem is, they laid a licking on a brother. That just can not stand.
dkolsen1125 Premium Member 4 months ago
We want to fight crime and get tough on criminals. We want SWAT teams and Scorpion units. We want military gear and military equipment hand-me-downs. Then we recruit the toughest of the tough, from among the police ranks, to man these units and use this equipment. And then we’re surprised with the ruthlessness these team members use in carrying out their “assigned duties?” How could we expect anything else? And through all these efforts we lose sight of what the real mission of policing should be: Crime Prevention.Someday somewhere sometime someone is going to be enlightened enough to dare to design a police organization focused on crime prevention as the exclusive focus with law enforcement as a last resort. I think then, and only then, will we be able to have an organization of properly motivated people who are rewarded by the crimes they prevent and not the bodies they throw “in the slammer.”
FicklePickle 4 months ago
They are not cops. They are cruel.
walkingmancomics 4 months ago
that’s right
preacherman 4 months ago
There is a group mentality, a club thinking, that all of our police, fire, EMT’s, indeed, all groups of people share. Sometimes this is beneficial, enabling a team effort to get things done efficiently. But, as we’ve seen, especially with our police, the unit whole can bring about an almost mob think action, sometimes leading to death of the very ones they are sworn to protect.
I’m afraid, in the the case of the Memphis police force, and others units that have cases on file of brutality by its staff, this cancer may require extreme measures including dissolution of the force. While firing everyone would probably not be a good move, leaving many neighborhoods open to crime, at least a drastic reorganization needs to be done. And just disbanding the special unit from which these 5 men worked in would not be enough as the same cancer that existed in this unit is probably existent throughout the whole force
While it’s horrible that this killing took place, it has shown that there’s more to the black killings by police than just racism. True, many of the white police did have racist feelings, but I suspect that the problem might also be the group think of their police force that had a hand, a major hand, in their miss use of force.
Henwood 4 months ago
Do today’s kids still play Cops n’ Robbers, and, if they do, who are the good guys?
RabbitDad 4 months ago
These 5 black cops were fired and arrested within the week. That’s how we know they were black.
knutdl 4 months ago
White ones, black ones, yellow ones, red ones Necrophiliacs looking for dead ones (Dr Hook)
ShadowMaster 4 months ago
Point taken. As I’ve been saying, it’s police violence on blacks
Rich Douglas 4 months ago
Diversity is not the entire answer. As CRT can show us, if the culture has a bias against POC, even POC joining the force get culturalized and therefore can become biased against POC.
ragsarooni Premium Member 4 months ago
So what if they’re “cops of color”? They had NO RIGHT to treat Tyre that way,period! EVERY human being deserves to be treated with common courtesy,respect & compassion…..Sadly,too many cops have lost their senses with regard to these 3 little words…………
djtenltd 4 months ago
They should put these cops in the same prison cell with Derek Chauvin! This whole situation of misconduct by police officers no matter whether Black or White, is becoming a very serious problem and one that I think Joe Biden should fully focus his attention on! No need to defund the police but instead, weed out the bad ones! And the ones who have multiple civilian complaints on them, get rid of them or put them through rugged retraining on dealing with the public!
djtenltd 4 months ago
@aristoclesplato9- Totally agreed! It’s not about Black or White but rather, the false sense of power that comes with that gun and badge. And many cops whether Black or White, feel that having a badge and gun makes them superior to civilians! I was a NYC School Safety officer for 32 years and I worked in some real insane asylums! Even some that were in the top 10 most dangerous schools in the city but I never got hurt or injured! Why? Because early in my career I took up martial arts. And in my system we specialized in taking on 2, sometimes even three attackers. And I’ve often said that many of these cops become cops because they’re punks who can’t fight!
Grandma Lea 3 months ago
Or attempt to!