*I’ve been hearing a lot of talk about White guilt since the release of that video showing the modern-day lynching of George Floyd three weeks ago. In recent weeks I’ve had my own experiences with White people offering larger monetary tips than usual at work and more compliments on how beautiful I am.
Most Black people don’t need White people to confirm their intelligence or that our Black is beautiful. Random acts of kindness won’t erase deliberate acts of corporate discrimination, miseducation about African and American histories, systemic brutality by law enforcement officers or unfair treatment of Black people by the criminal justice system. If that’s not bad enough we have to acknowledge as tax-paying citizens African descendants of Slaves (ADOS) have been funding our own genocide!
Our money pays the salaries of those bully, liar and killer cops! And now, after the recent release of video showing thirteen Chicago policemen who hid in an office building for hours when they were being paid to protect and serve during protests, I must add thieving cops to the list. Lounging when you should be working is stealing.
We should demand our local representatives to redirect taxpayer funds away from police departments as they currently exist and towards initiatives that better serve our communities. We want to start by requiring police to live in the communities they police. No more living in the suburbs then coming to our neighborhoods to beat and brutalize residents. Do that to their own people in their own communities if they must. If city council members and state lawmakers won’t support legislation for the protection and improvement of your community, vote them out and get someone else who will or run against them yourself!
The latest example of constituents wielding their power is in Louisville where the city council voted last week to ban no-knock warrants in that jurisdiction. That’s good news. The bad news is it took the killing of Breonna Taylor by bully, liar, killer cops to make it happen. Sgt. Jon Mattingly, Officers Myles Cosgrove, Brett Hankison and a fourth officer who shot into the apartment from his post outside have been reassigned, but still are on the payroll and still have not been charged with a crime. Judge Mary Shaw, who authorized the warrant without considering all the facts of the case, also should be held accountable. Shaw will be up for election to Kentucky’s 30th Judicial Circuit in 2023. Tell anyone you know who lives in the Louisville area to vote her out of office.
Every state except Oregon and Florida allow ‘no-knock warrants.’ Don’t wait until killer cops show up at your door to take action. Get it banned in your state now. And stop paying for legalized genocide of people who look like you. Start supporting people who support you. Power belongs to the people. Take back your power, people.Â
Steffanie Rivers is a freelance journalist living in the Dallas-Ft. Worth metroplex. Email her at [email protected] with your comments, questions and speaking inquiries.Â
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