Dear Mr Policeman

Dear Mr Policeman,

This is going to be difficult to put into words that represent what I am thinking but maybe, just maybe...stop shooting black people in such horrendous numbers would be a good place to start. Two shootings that I am aware of this week and I saw somewhere at least 114 this year alone. Everyone with a conscience should know about the race problem in America. Not just being racists but how the system is dealing with the problem as a whole.  And before we Canadians slap ourselves on the back, we're racist too and we have our systematic problems as well. This is not a uniquely American problem but certainly in America you're taking a chance with actually making it home alive from a traffic stop or trying to sell a cd or two on the side of the road. What the fuck America?

I can't help but circle back to the whole gun debate. A cop knows that there is a good chance anyone he is pulling over has a gun on their person. Mostly legal. And I get that there are stats out there that would make anyone wary of approaching, well, anyone really. It seems America is simply an angry place and reaction with resistance or violence can seem reasonable...so how fucked up is that? So we have the police always on edge and never knowing if this is the time that a punk pulls out a real glock. Blacks and Latinos knowing they are going to be roughed up because they are black or Latino. Recipe for carnage my friends. And sadly, I get it from both sides. Being a policeman is thankless and dangerous. Being black means you have a target on your back a lot of the time. It's a sad reality. So what do we do?

Well, for one, stop being so quick to the trigger. There are multiple things to address here; training, attitude, relations with a community, engagement and so on and they really need to be worked on simultaneously. Open your hearts and minds to your community and maybe we won't need to read about another victim of police brutality. And while were at it, everyone needs to take a good hard long look in the mirror. Blacks, whites, Latinos and everyone else, be honest...are we doing the best we can for our children? Am I a positive role model or am I part of the problem. No one ever takes responsibility for themselves...it is always someone else's fault. They're to blame for our lot in life. Stop that shit....everyone just needs to stop. Instead of pulling a trigger, open your hand in embrace. Open your ears and your heart. What is left but to talk. Figure it out and get moving because if we don't...the civil unrest heading your way is going to make Trump a very happy man while blood and tears flow in the streets.

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