Thinking Defensively in 2019

By Dr. John E. Warren Publisher

When one looks at the number of African Americans killed by police in 2018 and the varying conditions under which they were killed, it becomes clear that law enforcement is basically ignoring the public outcry against their on-the-job deaths of other human beings. It should be very clear that we must do something more than just protest. We must become proactive and we can do that without violence.

First, we must train ourselves, and our sons and daughters, that all encounters with police have the potential to be “fatal”. We must learn the tactics of law enforcement for provoking us to escalate encounters from “contact” to “violence and felonies”. We must come to understand that all initial contacts of disrespect are designed to provoke us. We must not confuse our knowledge of having done nothing with their objective of inciting us to anger; we must come to understand that there is a difference between what we have a right to do or say as free citizens “under the law” with what hostile police behavior is set on, in spite of what is obviously right and nonthreatening.

We should become mindful of when and where we drive and walk, not because we don’t have a right, but because we refuse to allow our rights to be used against us.

To Black males: You have a right to wear your pants anyway you choose; to actually look like the thug who is really on the streets harming people or selling drugs. But how about choosing not to look like that person. How about making it harder for the cops to do the harassment because there are fewer people on the streets looking and acting like criminals? How about making our language and behavior more respectful of others instead of trying to frighten people into “respecting” you?

How about not killing each other, as we appear to be doing here in San Diego, with murder and crime rates down?

We must not be deceived by “Task Forces” or “Commissions” and groups that gather data on police conduct, but produce no new policies, laws or penalties for that police misconduct. We can accept that there are some good law enforcement officers, many are our neighbors, family and friends, but they must not be confused with the idea that every uniform is friendly.

We must not lose more lives in 2019 to needless police violence in or out of custody. Let’s police those among us who prey on us and let’s be about the business of keeping each other safe and alive. Let’s live and not die in 2019. Not “just because” or for “any cause.” Let this message go out nationwide that all may live and not die.