This is crafted as a response to Amerikkka Strikes Back: Why “Good Cops” Don’t Matter, or Exist published on Odyssey on July 13, 2016 and soon after reaching the front page of the same site.
For a good number of months now, I've been writing here on Odyssey. Mainly, I just enjoy being part of such a great site––I truly believe that this is a place where Millennials are able to communicate and voice their beliefs, ideas and solutions to the world. Odyssey generally represents the perspectives of the people of this generation.
However, following this horrific week of violence, I have been altogether dissatisfied with my generation's response to the great men and women who every day put their lives on the line to protect their community and their country.
I am not arguing that racism is dead––it is alive and well in many forms across our nation. Nor am I arguing that every police officer is right and just––I know for a fact that this is not true. I am not even arguing that the officers involved in the killings of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile were justified in their actions––while also I do believe that their motives should not be outright assumed as racist, my argument does not dwell on these two specific incidents.
I am the son of a police officer. I'm not trying to stir up an emotional us vs them scenario. I reveal this only to prove that I generally know what I'm talking about when it come to the use of force in situations.
- There are good cops, stop making blanket statements
- Policing was not rooted in slavery
- Denver Protests were all colored
- Police kill more whites than blacks (when per capita is involved, there is more crime in black communities).
- Making the argument/situation "Us vs Them" does more to hurt race relations than a small number of police ever could.
- Realistic Police situations, etc.