The Contribution of Law enforcement Authorities to Racism
More than once, we have watched the news, and the most gruesome thing is how a police officer shot a black person. Every time one goes through the Civil Rights Act or the Constitution, there is a guarantee of equality and liberty. However, in practice, the situation is different. The people we entrust with maintaining law and order are responsible for problematic interactions with minority groups. They subject these groups to racial profiling, arbitrary killings, and brutality. This paper will examine the vilification of blacks by law enforcement authorities and how this perception results in societal perceptions towards an entire race.
The relationship between the police, the white society, and blacks is volatile. This is as a result of institutions like the police who are responsible for retrogressive actions. Police brutality has become a hot button issue, more so towards African Americans. With an upsurge in awareness regarding how police officers are treating blacks, whites are now accepting that they are privileged. In the Jim Crow era, police sanctioned killings were prevalent. In the modern era, racially instigated killings are still present in society. When an individual is black, the police are almost certain that there is a criminal record attached to it. William David Hart describes the issue of black profiling succinctly. According to him, being black means that you are marked for death (Hart 35). From the times of slavery, blacks have been construed as lesser beings. They were slaves who were treated with contempt and resentment. Because they fought for their rights, they were termed as violent. This animosity is passed down, generation after generation. As a result, the public views the entire race in a collective identity. In the lens of a white supremacist, all blacks are reactionary, suspicious, violent, and lacks decorum. The aggravated violence towards blacks is as a result of the collective identity that is cast upon them.
They stereotype towards blacks precedes their arrest. The moment a police officer sees a black, there is that mental image of a criminal and illegitimacy towards them. For instance, in the Trayvonne Martin case, the police officer who shot him quipped, “This guy looks like he’s up to no good, or he’s on drugs or something. It’s raining, and he’s just walking around, looking about.” The predisposition of blacks to crime is appalling. The same cannot be said about a random guy walking on a street. White supremacists have more than once stated that race is proportional to crime. In the words of William Bennett, “You could abort every black baby in this country, and your crime rate would go down. That would be an impossible, ridiculous, and morally reprehensible thing to do, but your crime rate would go down.” (ABC News). When such an individual with a high holding position makes such sentiments, it speaks volumes regarding the society. The inference is simple: kill black kids and bring down crime. Such stereotypical comments inform the harsh treatment of blacks by law enforcement officers.
Works Cited
Hart, William David. “Dead black man, just walking.” White Privilege Macmillan, 2008
News, ABC. “William Bennett Defends Comment on Abortion And Crime.” ABC News, 2007, https://abcnews.go.com/WNT/Politics/story?id=1171385&page=1. Accessed 15 May 2020.