"White Shield!"

[StarfishSaver]

This is both over-the-top depressing and extraordinarily inspiring at the same time ...

The fact that this is necessary and that it actually works makes me wanna hollah while the fact that our white allies are willing to literally throw their bodies between us and danger makes me wanna hug all of them.

Link to tweet

[5X]

1. That is telling. n/t

[ck4829]

2. "THUGS! LOOTERS! RIOTERS!" *white people take point* "Playful scamps... sport celebration, right?"

[StarfishSaver]

3. ...

Link to tweet

[AlexSFCA]

4. brilliant idea

“white shield”. Never would have thought. It’s like we are witnessing civil rights movement in real time being filmed and broadcasted 24/7. White people have learned a lot in the past 2 weeks. I love it when racists reveal themselves online and then get fired. Now it’s time for all those police who did wrong and we have a recording - not only be immediately fired with no pension but prosecuted as well.

[Cracklin Charlie]

13. Do you understand now, why they didn't want a "community organizer" for president?

The man was a great teacher.

Thanks, Obama!

[Ohioboy]

5. Wow, the fact that this actually works proves racism

That pisses me off.

[StarfishSaver]

6. Exactly

[BobTheSubgenius]

7. Police behavior changed?

Wow. Really?

Is there ONE person that's surprised by that?

[StarfishSaver]

8. Unfortunately, plenty of people are surprised by this

Too many people still deny that white privilege exists.

[Ohioboy]

15. I know white privilege exists

I just didn't know it could be demonstrated in such a fashion. If the police literally change on the spot just from having a white person step up front, that needs to be studied and exposed.

[StarfishSaver]

17. Did you see the video of the police harassing the young black man in front of his apartment?

He's picking up trash and a cop rolls up on him demanding ID that proves he lives there. He refuses to do it because he knew his rights. It escalates to the point that the cop threatens to tase him. Then a white guy shows up and says he's with the University, says the young man is a student whose work study job is to pick up trash. And they don't ask for ID or proof he's who he says he is. They just take his word for it.

That happens ALL the time.

[Ohioboy]

18. Did not see that, but I'm sure it happens all the time

[StarfishSaver]

20. I can't count how many times I've needed to have a white person vouch for me

when some authority figure thought I didn't have a right to be doing whatever I happened to be doing or trying to do at the moment

[Ohioboy]

22. Hopefully, the more people understand, the better it may get.

Please consider me an ally. I will speak out and try to understand as much as I can.

[Demsrule86]

9. If the protesters were not diverse, it would have been a blood bath, These cops need

to go. Fucking unbelievable.

[BComplex]

31. That's the point. The white supremacists have DELIBERATELY infiltrated police departments all over

the USA; every state, every city, every county sheriff's office...all of them. That is where the cleaning needs to start, and there needs to be a Board of black and brown people in every town that does background checks and interviews before a cop is hired for the next 5 to 10 years.

The police that are already on the job need to be reviewed in this same manner.

[betsuni]

10. What the police think when they see the white shield: LAWYERS!

[Stuart G]

11. When you think you have seen it all, there is more...always more..Add "White Shield" to the story..

I think there will be more, but I know not what that will be..

[Collimator]

12. I can certainly understand how complex

a person's feeling could be when confronted with such reality.

The whole "white shield/white savior" thing is incredibly insulting as well as knowing the fact that the police would suffer more serious social disapproval if they hurt white people.

So, while the white people standing before the police may have faced some physical danger, they probably knew on some instinctive level that there were not in as much danger as the average black person in a similar situation.

The behavior of the people forming a line in front of their fellow human beings is wonderful. The social reality of the situation is horrible.

[StarfishSaver]

14. Exactly

White privilege is real. These white people didn't create it and it's not their fault they benefit from it. But I give them so much credit for recognizing they have it and using it for good.

This is both heartbreaking and heart warming.

[Blue_true]

16. It is over the top depressing for me.

I believe the answer lay in rigorous sensitivity training in the academy and constant monitoring on the job. The problem has a racial component, but there are also other issues at play, one of the cops at George Floyd's murder looked Black, I have seen video with Black cops beating protesters - there is something wrong with how cops view people that are in opposition to them, either a person who demands to know why a stop was done, or a peaceful protester who insists that a public square is just that, a public square that he or she has a right to be in.

[StarfishSaver]

19. The problem is the dehumanization of black people, particularly men, by police

And sometimes black police officers go right along with it. If this were simply a case of "us against them," police would regularly beat the crap out of white people, too.

You can't train that out of people, at least not in the short term.

[Blue_true]

27. I don't disagree with what you wrote. Like Hillary said, "Laws don't change what is in a person's

heart". So maybe the core of the solution starts with the type of people that are selected to train to become police officers. Their are police officers that follow the "protect and serve" mantra each day, forces need 100% of that type and not the testosterone splashing assholes that we regularly see today.

[Collimator]

24. Some people feel such a void within themselves. . .

. . .That they gravitate to the main sort of "power" that our culture understands--power over others. A friend of mine believes that there is a certain psychological type that keeps showing up in police officers. One may not be able to expect perfection, but surely something can be done to screen for certain personality types before handing people a badge and a gun.

[Blue_true]

29. I agree with you.

I actually believe that I can detect the arrogant police officers by how they ride around in their cars, it's just the posture they take, how they hold the steering wheel. I have seen good police officers work, like one that I saw get out of her cruiser in a violent lightning storm to try to get a handicapped Black man who was out in the open to safe shelter - those cops get overlooked and their work undone by the macho idiots that abuse or kill the public.

[Collimator]

34. Saw a video clip of some cop

refusing to give one young woman her insulin. She and her friends were very civil and respectful in their tone. They kept saying "Go ahead and inspect the bag, but please give her the insulin", or "If you need to confiscate the bag, we understand, but I need my insulin."

One young woman made the point that her friend's diabetes could kill her and the cop's response was, "I know what diabetes is." I'm not going to exaggerate his tone in an attempt to mock him; he wasn't dripping with sarcasm or anything when he said that. But I get the impression that he was insulted when they tried to explain the seriousness of the young woman's condition to him.

You know what diabetes is, pal? Then why not give her the insulin that she needs? Because you're a cop and the idea of having the power to deny someone their needed medication gives you a little thrill. If you were an honorable person with a real respect for the badge you would feel a sense of responsibility to make certain that she had her medicine. But you got actual satisfaction from denying their pleas.

Aren't you the big, powerful law enforcer? (Now THAT was sarcasm.)

[Blue_true]

35. Whoever took the video should have filed a complaint and showed the video on local

television. That guy sounds like someone who should not have a police badge.

[Collimator]

36. No question that man doesn't deserve the badge.

One can only hope that someone did file a complaint and that it was taken seriously. Over this past week, I have read and seen so much media content on what is happening around the country that I cannot identify the source of the information that I shared.

[spudspud]

21. Wonder twin, white privilege powers, ACTIVATE!

/revision/latest?cb=20100722103813

[Jarqui]

23. "both over-the-top depressing and extraordinarily inspiring"

That captures my reaction.

I'm grateful to those who stepped up to protect but dismayed it was required.

[greytdemocrat]

25. Exactly!!!

I'm grateful too for this reaction!!!

[JudyM]

32. Same here, such a graphic example of reality. Tears in my eyes, so poignant.

[Gothmog]

26. The multi-racial composition of these protests make me smile

[BComplex]

33. I know! I love that about these protests! It's everyone that is sane, regardless of color!

I know there would even be more of us out there if we could be. I sure would!

[Hortensis]

28. Terrific that they're organized, a resistance fighting unit. nt

[Maeve]

30. Heard that from the protests in Columbus, too

"White people to the front!" when they were facing off across Broad Street last week.

And no, I did not go down myself--I am a part-time caretaker for my 89-yr old mom and limit my exposure to crowds to protect her. There in spirit only

[ananda]

37. Wow is right. Hmm..

We already know the role of agent provacateurs in provoking riots and looting.

That the police are also provacative is a national disgrace,
and that is why policing must change for the better.