Jan 29, 2023·edited Jan 29, 2023Liked by Garrett Bucks
Thank you for this. I've been on social media so much less (is it weird that I have Elon Musk to *thank* for something?) that I've managed to completely avoid the video of the beating and have only seen the joyful video Tyre's family wants people to see, with him skateboarding against a beautiful sunset. I saw someone's comment about people not knowing what to do if they can't just boost a horrible video to show they "care" and you nailed it with every bit of this piece.
On the Walgreen's thing, which isn't the largest point but is part of the overall pattern you're describing, Judd Legum did a great piece on the manufacture of outrage about nonexistent shoplifting https://popular.info/p/how-walgreens-manufactured-a-media.
I watched the first part of the first video long enough to see that there was zero reason for this to ever have happened. My heart has such a hard time with injustice. That was all I could watch.
I had to do a triple take on the words “black cops” in the text of the news channel report because my initial assumption was that it was the expected white cops.
A friend posted “I can’t stand this was us doing that to us.” One of his friends posted “That was all Them, not Us.” He responded “I get what you mean sis. But I’m saying black Men...black people in general.”
His friend was right though. My thoughts are that The Police is a white male institution. It’s systemic and ingrained with the whole idea of being a cop. Same with the court system.
If we really want things to change - we need a start over. We need a refresh. All of these systems need to be taken to the ground and begin again with diversity - reframe it all with a founding group with equal representation of gender and ethnicity. Of course that would never happen, but, I’m pretty sure that’s what would have to happen in order for the US to start becoming one of people equality. Every system we operate under in the US is one framed and imagined by the white male. I’m not just blanket dissing white males. I’ve just been thinking so much about how everything we are living now is based on those antiquated systems...
Thank you, Garrett. I needed that and so appreciate your ability to articulate the underlying issues and how desperately we need to care for each other.
> The President did not offer 1,176 condemnations last year. Neither did the Governor of Delaware or Chiefs of Police in Idaho and Minneapolis or the Mayors of Portland and New York or the hundreds of elected officials and law enforcement leaders who are— we are assured— feeling strongly disturbed by Nichols’ death.
Yes, Garrett, yes. Our policing system is broken. Our punishment system is broken. While I'm relieved to see the speed with which there were consequences and accountability for the officers involved, I can't help but think of all the times when that was *not* the case. (e.g., George Floyd was not the first person Derek Chauvin had killed or assaulted in his career).
Excellent, Garrett. And right on point. Thank you for articulating those feelings I too have been unable to shake.
Thank you for this. I've been on social media so much less (is it weird that I have Elon Musk to *thank* for something?) that I've managed to completely avoid the video of the beating and have only seen the joyful video Tyre's family wants people to see, with him skateboarding against a beautiful sunset. I saw someone's comment about people not knowing what to do if they can't just boost a horrible video to show they "care" and you nailed it with every bit of this piece.
The wonderful urbanist thinker/doer Jay Pitter said it so, so well on Twitter: "This time, I refuse to suffer the indignation of reminding you that our lives matter." https://twitter.com/Jay_Pitter/status/1619400991782350848?s=20&t=IpZPDBkHi5DRpvZs86nxbQ
On the Walgreen's thing, which isn't the largest point but is part of the overall pattern you're describing, Judd Legum did a great piece on the manufacture of outrage about nonexistent shoplifting https://popular.info/p/how-walgreens-manufactured-a-media.
This is an incredible piece! Thank you!
I watched the first part of the first video long enough to see that there was zero reason for this to ever have happened. My heart has such a hard time with injustice. That was all I could watch.
I had to do a triple take on the words “black cops” in the text of the news channel report because my initial assumption was that it was the expected white cops.
A friend posted “I can’t stand this was us doing that to us.” One of his friends posted “That was all Them, not Us.” He responded “I get what you mean sis. But I’m saying black Men...black people in general.”
His friend was right though. My thoughts are that The Police is a white male institution. It’s systemic and ingrained with the whole idea of being a cop. Same with the court system.
If we really want things to change - we need a start over. We need a refresh. All of these systems need to be taken to the ground and begin again with diversity - reframe it all with a founding group with equal representation of gender and ethnicity. Of course that would never happen, but, I’m pretty sure that’s what would have to happen in order for the US to start becoming one of people equality. Every system we operate under in the US is one framed and imagined by the white male. I’m not just blanket dissing white males. I’ve just been thinking so much about how everything we are living now is based on those antiquated systems...
Thank you, Garrett. I needed that and so appreciate your ability to articulate the underlying issues and how desperately we need to care for each other.
> The President did not offer 1,176 condemnations last year. Neither did the Governor of Delaware or Chiefs of Police in Idaho and Minneapolis or the Mayors of Portland and New York or the hundreds of elected officials and law enforcement leaders who are— we are assured— feeling strongly disturbed by Nichols’ death.
Yes, Garrett, yes. Our policing system is broken. Our punishment system is broken. While I'm relieved to see the speed with which there were consequences and accountability for the officers involved, I can't help but think of all the times when that was *not* the case. (e.g., George Floyd was not the first person Derek Chauvin had killed or assaulted in his career).
The political theatrics continue.
I don’t hv much hope either but we persist