It’s difficult to emphathize with a protest against racism if empathy, at it’s core, is projection. To my knowledge, I have never been the victim of racism, nor have I ever victimized another on the basis racism. I do not believe that I have a racist bone in my body, but I have been, according to my perception, brutalized. No, not by the police, but certainly by authority figures, and mostly from early in life. Plus, I loathe authoritarianism. A protest against police brutality I can get behind and support and empathize with, but it’s driving me crazy that the narrative surrounding the current episodes of protests are focusing on racism, and not the authoritarianism inherent in monopolistic policing practices. Minneapolis City Council is pledging to dismantle their police department. Let’s hope this reduces the disgusting and shameful authoritarian impulse and spreads around the country. And that’s today two cents.
On Police Brutality III
