“Black Lives Matter” is a much-needed organization, fighting for recognition of the obvious and the inevitable. Millions of Black people are seeking justice in an unjust system, where historically, it’s been just us. But, it is my opinion that “Black Lives Matter” lends itself to misperceptions and misunderstandings. What we are really saying is “Black Lives Matter, Too”. As a Black person, know that we are not here to turn the table over, we just want to have a seat at the table of brotherhood. It is past time, and now, due time.
There is a national movement underway to devalue and defund the police. There’s so much room for improvements in so many ways, but devaluing and defunding the police is not the way. When you have a good, well-trained police officer, you have the very best society has to offer. They are underpaid and under-appreciated, having to deal with the vilest of society. While others are running away from, they are running towards. In the case of an emergency, call ghostbusters if you must, but as for me, please, give me 911. The police are deserving of our gratitude and our respect.
They say there are bad apples in every bunch, and if the bad apple is not removed, the whole bunch becomes rotten to the core. The bad, untrained police officer is the worst of society’s ills. They have the power of life and death, acting as judge and jury alike. When there is a George Floyd, a Breonna Taylor, an Ahmaud Arbery, a Sondra Bland, a Tamir Rice, and others far too numerous to list here, these criminals with their guns and with their badges should be fired, charged, and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. This societal ill can be remedied by the advent of accountability. The police chief should be held accountable for everyone under his charge. He should rein and train. If he allows these bad apples to act in a way that’s detrimental to the department and to the community they supposedly serve, not only should the officer be held accountable and fired, the chief also should suffer the consequences of the officer’s actions, or lack thereof.
Let the record show, I am a proponent of the police, and also a proponent of the right to peaceful assembly and protest. However, there is no rhyme, reason, or room for rioting, looting, and burning in the name of peaceful protests. Conversely, and I say this just as loudly, there also is no place for the police or society to have their collective knee on the neck of Black people, to the point that we can not breathe. We are waiting to exhale.
“BLACK LIVES MATTER, TOO.”
Calvin Kendrick, Burlington
