A recent article in The Economist entitled Wanted: cops with people skills, laments the loss of people's ability to simply talk to each other. Police recruits are lured with violent ads showing video game style shooting and high-speed chases, and attract, for the most part, men and women who have 'us or them' attitudes. Even before their 'kill or be killed' training, they think of violence as the proper action and response to protect and serve.

Ads which emphasize the social work angle of society are not nearly as likely to elicit applications. Consequently, of the incidence of shootings and other violence against unarmed, non-violent citizens is far greater than any other nation. In 2003, nearly 460 were killed and many others wounded. Of that reporting, believed to be only half of the actual number, some 240 were mentally ill. Chicago police alone kill more about 50 suspects a year, three-quarters of them Black. Great Britain's bobbies, by contrast, killed no one.

As usual, a sterling article on a very important topic with much to think about. As for the video, while listening to it, I saw another one that had the lyrics scrolling… Much better:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IF1_HZjbXos

Our current corporate prison and justice system is geared to profit for lawyers and prison companies. With all the "wars" on nonviolent crimes, many are put in the system for a minor offense and come out hardened criminals with few other options. I personally know of two cases of wrongful convictions and it makes me sick what has happened to these good people because of perception, not reality.

With most work requiring conviction screening, people coming out of prison have little choice these days. Minimum-wage jobs for those that were growing up with basketball stars and rap legends as heroes, finding college unaffordable, quick buck schemes are much more attractive than the drudgery of 40 hour monotony.

As far as police are concerned, perhaps 95% are good and well meaning people. Unfortunately, during an adrenaline filled chase situation or the perception of a weapon about to be used, often brings out the worst and a lack of judgment that haunts the four police officer who did it for the rest of his or her life. We all have a tendency to join our buddies in mayhem, even if we regret it later. There's also the human nature of protecting a buddy even if they did something very wrong. Like you wrote… It's our gang against their gang. Which gang is better?

Ron

This is a powerful statement about crime, violence, police brutality and how nothing ever really changes except the names, the dates, and where the dead bodies lay. Somebody must try to make sense of it all, or else the cycle never ends.