How Do We Make The Issue Of Police Brutality A Campaign Stump Issue?

[damnedifIknow]

"What I mean is no more data collection. No more rallies. No more being pacified with Department of Justice investigations, which rarely reach a conclusion (What has the DOJ concluded in the George Zimmerman case? We still don’t know.). No more fighting alone and separate in our own enclaves for justice. Since police misconduct, abuse and brutality are considered serious issues in the community, our national political agendas should represent that interest."

"We should be looking towards candidates, who in addition to their pledges of being tough on crime, are sincere about education reform, and party-lined approved stances on immigrations, gay rights, campaign reform and other special int"erests, treat police misconduct abuse and brutality as major party platforms. We need candidates who speak fluidly, with ideas and solutions to fix the culture of deadly and excessive force, which has been normalized in our nation’s police departments. We should be asking candidates of both and all political parties, particularly those candidates pandering in our spaces and organizations for support, to speak about how they plan to fix procedures, which give police “wider discretion” in the killing of average, particularly unarmed, citizens."

* Independent citizen review boards, mandatory body and dash cam equipment, mandatory physiological testing including testing for any racial and gender bias; the repeal of Stand Your Ground, stop-n-frisk, broken window policies and the passage of tougher penalties for excessive force (even if these laws force challenges up to the Supreme Court), are all just a start on how we can make our local departments responsive to our needs. But it is only going to come if we begin to take the issue of brutality and the protection of our rights more seriously than we have."

http://madamenoire.com/473270/make-issue-police-brutality-campaign-stump-issue/2/

[YarnAddict]

1. Police brutality

doesn't affect the vast majority of people in this country, so making it a campaign issue would do no good. In the areas where it is a huge problem, it might work to get the vote out.

[damnedifIknow]

3. We have to stop being like this

Just because an issue such as police brutality hasn't hit personally yet, we have all seen the militarization of our police forces and this alone should jolt citizens to start asking hard questions of people who run for office.

[YarnAddict]

4. It is frightening

I had no idea until I saw the Ferguson videos.

I agree that we all should care, but if you are a middle-aged white woman in the 'burbs, there are issues that you care more about. You will probably never be a victim of police brutality, your teenage kids won't be stopped for DWB, and your husband won't be choked to death on the street.

"Should" involving a hypothetical is not going to work as a campaign issue.

[markpkessinger]

2. I think the best way to start . . .

. . . would be to have as many Democratic candidates as we can find who are willing to back legislation creating a top-level commission (like the 9-11 Commission or the Church Committee) to formulate a set of national standards for policing and police accountability.

[damnedifIknow]

5. Like this

"Police brutality is completely inexcusable. I'm going to apply justice fairly, even to those who wear a badge," said Marilyn Mosby, who is expected to be the next Baltimore state's attorney. The Democrat is the only major party nominee on the ball"ot, though she faces opposition in the Nov. 4 election from a write-in candidate."

I will have a zero tolerance for police misconduct and brutality," Neverdon said."

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/sun-investigates/bs-md-settlements-follow-20140929,0,6391511.story