What’s missing in this country?
So, let’s start a conversation …
Of the 990 people who were killed by police officers in 2015, the Washington Post reported 258 of them were black. So far in 2016, there have been 708 documented deaths in police shootings, 173 of which have resulted the deaths of African-Americans.
I know we have opposing views drawing most of the attention in the media, but can we agree all lives matter? Can we not also agree that just backing the blue unconditionally is problematic as well?
We can all think of at least 3 police shooting videos where we ask why didn’t they use the taser, why did they shoot at all and/or how were they ever found not guilty?
Our police need better training, resources and yes pay. We need to recognize that not every cop is a good cop though and not every black kid is carrying a gun looking for trouble.
I need the NFL to require players to get off their bended knee or at least help me understand why you would fine players who celebrate a touchdown, but coddle those who would disrespect our flag while encouraging high school and college kids to do the same.
The Post, which has been collecting data and public records on police shootings throughout the country since last year, reported 325 white people and 111 Hispanics have been shot and killed by police so far in 2016.
In a political year this argument is being used for nothing more than votes, but these problems have persisted long before people have been able to record the incident on their phones. We’ve just become more aware of it. In this day with social media on steroids on any given week we’re likely to see an innocent person get killed on a video on our phone before we ever get home from work. So, without following the political dialogue that we all have been fed way too long, what would you do? What’s missing in this country?
George Laurin
Americus