Happy Black History Month

not only with physical protection, such as body armor and firearms, but also with the necessary mental state to protect others. It is well-known that individuals who commit acts of violence, such as school shootings or mass killings, are not mentally sound. Unfortunately, the same applies to police officers who commit such heinous acts of violence. With the inordinate power they wield over civilians, we must hold them to a higher standard for their actions but treat their mental state like anyone else’s to ensure they don’t need to be held accountable for anything. This means ensuring they are in the right mind before being deployed in the field.

I am convinced that the officers who brutally attacked Tyre Nichols were mentally ill and unstable. It is incomprehensible that they would beat an innocent man to the brink of death simply because he did not comply with their commands. I have encountered many police officers who have faced situations of a fleeing suspect, and none of them felt compelled to act in the way that these officers in Memphis did. This is not because they are necessarily better people, but because they are mentally stronger, or at least haven’t experienced an event or a group of events that has made them mentally unequipped to wear a badge.

The actions of unstable police officers have put America at a crossroads. Will we create an environment where law enforcement is hindered and exposed to increased danger, both from a legal and physical standpoint, or will we provide them with the resources to continually uphold the standards of professionalism expected of those who serve and protect? This speakable acts, there are millions of officers out there who would never do such a thing. For those officers, it is crucial that they are provided with the appropriate tools to discharge their duties to the best of their ability. This includes ensuring that they have access to mental health professionals so they can cope with and process even the most disturbing events they may witness, rather than allowing it to fester and cause them to harm— or even kill—innocent people.

Law enforcement officers are people like you and me. They have human emotions and experiences that they carry with them throughout their lives. No situation they encounter is something taken lightly; it exacts a heavy toll and adds a burden that has an impact on how they discharge their duties.

However, they also carry immense power in their role, which must be exercised with caution to protect the rights and liberties of those they serve. What these Memphis officers have done is done, and now we must move forward to prevent these tragic situations from occurring in the future. Investing in mental health resources for officers is how we start. Law enforcement is disrespected by being defunded and not supported, which is why so many have retired, and others refuse to consider the case altogether, leading to nationwide police shortages. Officers need support, too, and a part of that is having healthy relationships with the communities they protect and serve. The job is demanding and taxing, and only some people are willing to accept a position where they may not return home to their loved ones. We all benefit when we’re able to trust each other.

Armstrong Williams (@ ARightSide) is manager / sole owner of Howard Stirk Holdings I & II Broadcast Television Stations and the 2016 Multicultural Media Broadcast Owner of the year. www. armstrongwilliams.co | www. howardstirkholdings.com

Happy Black History Month, Amsterdam News readers. How will you make the most of this short month? If you have fallen short on your New Year’s resolutions, I always like to use the beginning of the new month as a reset—and no better month than February, when we celebrate the excellence of Black people throughout the diaspora, to add (or subtract) certain things to your life.

Many of you know that Carter G. Woodson initiated the first iteration of what we now celebrate. Woodson established Negro History Week on Feb. 7, 1926. Throughout the years, the acknowledgment and celebrations have led to what we now know as Black History Month.

As the author of “Black Ethnics: Race, Immigration, and the Pursuit of the American Dream,” I like to make my Black History Month celebrations diasporic, in that I like to include the contributions of Black Americans, as well as Afro-Caribbeans and Africans, in the United States and abroad. I also like to take time to recognize and celebrate people who are still alive and making contributions for a better and more just and equitable society.

I also like to recognize people who may quietly go about their jobs without much fuss or fanfare, but are making the lives of so many people that much better.

During Black History Month, we can celebrate our teachers and the janitors who keep our buildings clean and running smoothly. We can celebrate the bus driver or subway conductor who gets us to our destination safely, or the garbage collectors who keep our communities clean.

I often think of the wisdom of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. when he told us, “If a man is called to be a street sweeper, he should sweep streets even as Michelangelo painted, or Beethoven composed music, or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say, ‘Here lived a great street sweeper who did his job well.’” No matter our occupation, we can contribute to the collective efforts of making Black History Month a true celebration of the contributions and accomplishments of Black people, no matter where they are or what they do for a living.

How do you plan on celebrating this month? Will you research a famous Black person and learn more about them and their contributions? Will you go out of your way to recognize someone in your community who is doing the silent work of keeping your neighborhood clean and safe? Will you contribute to a Black-led organization so they can continue doing their work and training future leaders? Will you take time to recognize the ways in which you contribute to Black History?

Christina Greer, Ph.D., is an associate professor at Fordham University; author of “Black Ethnics: Race, Immigration, and the Pursuit of the American Dream”; and co-host of the podcast FAQ-NYC and host of The Blackest Questions podcast at TheGrio.