Blacks cannot bring about justice with violence

Blacks cannot bring about justice with violence

By Roger Caldwell

Last week was a violent and sad period in the American psychosis, when five policemen are ambushed and killed, seven are shot and injured, and two Black men are senselessly killed by the police.

My heart and prayers go out to the families that are impacted by this senseless violence and tragedy. It is time for America to look in the mirror and establish, “Where is Justice?” No one is all right and no one is all wrong.

Police in America must be accountable, responsible, and transparent. Everyone knows that a police officer’s job is dangerous, but a cold despicable act with a gun may become the norm with so many individuals with legal permits, and mental health problems.

The five police officers killed in Dallas were Lorne Ahreno, 48, Michael Krol, 40, Michael Smith, 55, Brent Thompson, 43, and Patrick Zamarippa, 32. These five courageous officers will not be home to share time with their families, as a result of the pervasive violence in our society.

Michael Xavier Johnson, 25, a Black man, is the shooter in Dallas, who decided that violence and killing was the only way he could make a difference in America. This is a sick commentary on America, but many think violence is the answer.

Jim Pasco, the executive director of the Fraternal Order of Police, which represents 330,000 officers said, “We’d like to see the President make one speech that speaks to everyone instead of one speech that speaks to Black people as they grieve and one speech that speaks to police officers as they grieve.

“We don’t need two Presidents, we only need one. We need one who works to unify the United States.

It is very easy for police officers to bury their heads in the sand, but there is a crisis in every major city with police killing young Black men. When Philando Castile 32 was killed by police, while riding in a car with his girlfriend and child, the police shot first and asked questions later. When Alton Sterling 37 in Baton Rouge was shot repeatedly by at least one of two white officers while he was on the ground, there is a fundamental problem with the treatment of young Black people.

Three is a pattern of police killing poor Black men and women, and a broken tail light could be the simple reason you are murdered. Philando Castile made it clear to the policeman that stopped him, that he was getting his license and information to prove that he was legal to carry a firearm. But cultural misunderstanding or a fear of the Black man took over, and he was immediately killed.

Mr. Paso talks about one America, but everyone knows that Blacks in the poorer areas of town are treated one way, and people in the nicer parts of town are treated another way. Black on Black crime is an epidemic in the poorer sections of town and the police are aggressive whenever they have to respond to a call in the ghetto.

There is a need for more cultural diversity in the police force in the Black community, and a need for more community police review boards. Everyone must work harder to respect each other, but this problem is not going away tomorrow. Blacks are angry and with the proliferation of guns, certain individuals with mental health issues have made the choice to kill police.

Every American wants justice, but many Americans are not willing to do the work, and some think we are already there. In order for there to be justice in America, everyone must have an equal seat at the table, and begin to listen to each other.