Don’t Just Blame the Cops: Who Is Responsible for America’s Killing Fields?

Shame on white Americans, black Americans, brown Americans and every other skin tone in between for not taking responsibility for their part in allowing racism, prejudice and bigotry to dictate justice in America.

And shame on so-called “patriotic” Americans who equate good citizenship with blind obedience to government authority and adulation of the military for not taking responsibility for holding their government officials accountable to the nation’s founding principles. Remember, “we the people” were entrusted with the power to make and unmake the government whenever it ran afoul of its primary purpose, which is to protect our lives, freedoms and property.

Clearly, there’s more than enough blame to go around, but the real question is what can “we the people” do about it? What can average Americans do to stay alive and counter the violence being inflicted on our communities? What can you do to push back against the power of the police state?

For starters, let’s all agree that violence can never be the answer. Violence will only give rise to more violence.

Stop buying into the “us vs. them” rhetoric being pushed by politicians, police unions and those who use the race card as a justification for bloodshed. No matter what color your skin is, what politics you subscribe to, how much money you’ve got, whom you love, where you live, whom you worship, what school you attend, where you work, or any other superficial label that is used to divide us: we all bleed red.

Put your prejudices behind you and stop dealing in stereotypes. Not all police are bloodthirsty. Not all young black men are thugs. Not all people who challenge government authority want anarchy.

In a police state, you’re either the one with your hand on the trigger or you’re staring down the barrel of a loaded gun. In other words, we’re all in this together. The oppression and injustice—be it in the form of shootings, surveillance, fines, asset forfeiture, prison terms, roadside searches, etc.—will come to all of us eventually.

Stop allowing yourself the luxury of distraction and the sin of neutrality. These things happen—the madness and the mayhem—because good people stood by and did nothing.

The only real power we have to push back against the police state is as a unified body.

So what can you do on a practical level?

For starters, find common ground on the issue of gun control, especially as it pertains to government agents. Demilitarize the police. It’s worked in other countries.

Demand that police be held financially responsible for official misconduct.

Put your taxpayer dollars to work for you instead of against you for a change. Tell your elected representatives to stop investing in militarization, wars and weaponry that will only be used against you eventually. Instead, apply the same funds being wasted on endless wars abroad on badly needed infrastructure here at home. By putting more Americans to work rebuilding our communities and our economy, we’ll also strike at the heart of the poverty that drives crime.

Get informed about the workings of government. Get outraged about the corruption that has rotted our republic from the core. Get vocal about the need for transparency, accountability and reform. There are so many issues in need of attention. Pick just one to start with and raise hell about it. For instance, why has the government been spending three times more on jails and prisons than schools for the past 30 years?

Finally, take it upon yourself to interfere. Pay attention to what’s going on around you. Use those cell phones that are never far from your side and record police interactions in order to hold them accountable to playing by our rules, the rules of the Constitution. Most important of all, take a stand for freedom and humanity. “Neutrality,” as Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel reminded us, “helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented. Sometimes we must interfere. When human lives are endangered, when human dignity is in jeopardy, national borders and sensitivities become irrelevant. Wherever men and women are persecuted because of their race, religion, or political views, that place must – at that moment – become the center of the universe.”

Article Appeared @https://www.rutherford.org/publications_resources/john_whiteheads_commentary/dont_just_blame_the_cops_who_is_responsible_for_americas_killing_fields

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