Those are the salient facts of this latest racially charged encounter involving the police, a young African American, and someone with a cell phone. I believe it also is the issue upon which the 2020 election will be decided...are the American people more fed up with policemen using deadly force, or are they more fed up with watching their cities burn?
The reaction to this latest shooting has been identical to every other high profile case of its kind. One side bemoans the use of deadly force against an unarmed and outnumbered citizen and asks questions like, seven shots in the back? Couldn’t three police officers have subdued one skinny guy without resorted to gunfire? The other side points out the criminal record of Mr. Blake, the fact that he had just recently been arrested on a sexual assault charge, that he was dangerous and may have been reaching for a knife, and who are we to criticize the police who do a dangerous job in terrible circumstances every day? Nothing ever changes. Nothing seems capable of moving the needle, even high profile multi-millionaire athletes, playing in front of cardboard cutout crowds, walking off the job in dramatic fashion. We become further entrenched. Their tears are immediately branded as of the crocodile variety. Meanwhile, Tucker Carlson suggests that we shouldn’t be surprised that teenagers emerge with rifles to restore order since no one else seems willing to do the job.
Joe Biden and the Democrats point to Jacob Blake and say, See? See what will happen if you re-elect Trump?
Donald Trump and the Republicans point to Kenosha, Wisconsin and say, See? See what will happen if you elect Joe Biden?
So, what do I think?
I think that to shoot a man in the back seven times is an abomination and the fact that it continues to happen is a disgrace, representing a complete failure of training and temperament and an abuse of authority. I think that the continued destruction of our cities, the looting and burning of businesses brave enough to locate in our inner cities in the first place is also a disgrace. For any of this to be fixed will require a combination of empathy, resolute action, and brave leadership. I see little of these qualities on the political horizon. Accordingly, it will take men and women of good will and good faith to step up, filling the gaping leadership vacuum of the moment, ordinary citizens reaching out to the other side in humility and grace, saying...We are tired of the hate. We have grown weary of the violence. We’re tired of politicians pitted us against each other. Come, let us reason together. Let us find a way out of this dark place. Some are doing just that, but their voices can’t be heard over all the screaming.
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