By: Caroline Whiting

Caroline Whiting — Sun, 06 May 2018 18:49:06 +0000

This is a great post, Maia! Your questions you leave us with are so intriguing. I wish I had an answer for where we falter in our justice system, but I think the issues are so engrained in the system that we can not change one specific aspect without essentially having to recreate the whole system. The fact that there is a system that is in place that makes officers feel comfortable and safe even though they know they are in the wrong is exactly why things need to change. Stephon Clark did not need to be shot 8 times, or really at all for that matter. The fact that the system, like you mentioned, sides with police even through lies and wrongdoings is the root cause of all that is wrong with our justice system. This is where things need to change.

By: Carli Weimer

Carli Weimer — Tue, 24 Apr 2018 23:50:45 +0000

Your post reminds me of a conversation I had with one of my close friends, who is a Black male. I was talking to him about police brutality, and he proceeded to tell me that there is a reason why he dresses the way he does. He does not wear hoodies or any clothing that he believes might make him stand out. My cousin is a police officer, and your post intrigued me, so I asked him whether or not training to become a police officer involves any type of training about racism in America. I was not shocked to learned that there is barely any training. I think one of the reasons it does not exist is because incorporating that type of training would mean admitting that White people have implicit biases and hold negative stereotypes about all people of color. White people pride themselves on supporting egalitarian values and also believing in a just system. There was absolutely no reason for Stephon Clark to be shot from the back 8 times. One or two bullets is enough to kill somebody.

Comments on: Not the First, Not the Last

By: Caroline Whiting

By: Carli Weimer