A religious figure:

If a SMALL percentage of looting RIOTERS discredits the ENTIRE movement, what does a SMALL percentage of RACIST, MURDERING COPS do?

— Bishop Talbert Swan (@TalbertSwan) June 12, 2020

That's a fair question. However, that small percentage of lawbreakers seems not to have disturbed the American people, not to have undermined their support of the protesters.  Not only does a clear majority of voters favor the protesters, a sizable majority have a "very or somewhat favorable opinion about the Black Lives Matter movement."

By the same reasoning, a small percentage of racist, murdering cops should not discredit the entire police profession.

It evidently has with some individuals, however, because

PSA: trying to seem caring and compassionate will be completely negated when you're dressed for battle. https://t.co/bCGS7OONZ0

— Pé (@4everNeverTrump) June 12, 2020

We cannot definitively know what proceeded the interaction depicted in the video because the latter begins once the officer is out of her vehicle and close to the child. It is possible that a police car pulled up for no reason and the young girl did immediately raise her hands and start crying. However, if you simply assume the accuracy of what "Big Boss" says, you're an idiot, and if you're reading this blog you're an individual of uncommon good sense. Trust, but verify.

But if there was no precipitating cause of the interaction, it illustrates even more clearly what the officer was up to. She may have stopped precisely in order to interact with citizens in an effort to increase trust between the Police Department and members of the community.

The officer could have held out her hand, maybe even give the child a "high five." She would avoid scowling or grimacing as she spoke. Possibly she'd even crouch, virtually going down on her knees to be on eye-level with the child, increasing communication and emphasizing that she was not pulling rank or considering herself in any way superior.

That is precisely what this police officer did. Admittedly, she did not shed her uniform or her gear, an extreme action which even Sergeant Schultz never quite did on "Hogan's Heroes."

That's insufficient for some people, such as our tweeters.  This sort of thing is insufficient also for some people in Minneapolis.

The dialogue- or lack thereof- included

Unidentified male: ... Reelection next year. If he says no, that's what [bleep] we're going to do next.

Unidentified female: Yes or no, will you commit to defunding Minneapolis Police Department?

(Minneapolis Mayor) Frey: The abolition of it?

Unidentified female: What did I say? We don't want no more police.

Frey: No more.

Unidentified female: Is that clear?

Frey: I do not support the full abolition of the police department.

Unidentified female: [Expletive]. You're wasting our time. Get the [expletive] out of here.

Defunding Minneapolis Police Department; full abolition of the police department. They're coming after you, men and women in blue- and the law-abiding public.

Share |