Peaceful Protests & Police Reform.
Thousands of people marched peacefully in Seattle Saturday afternoon until outside groups came in and caused destruction.
Today we saw something similar in Bellevue as well. There were peaceful protests and then came the group who had other intentions and they didn’t care what others were there for..
It is important that law enforcement understands and prepares for this very early.. The law enforcement cannot control huge crowds.. Things will go out of control pretty quickly because of one bad move.
One may ask how do we do then join a peaceful protests?
If you see that the crowd around you has other intentions, then move away to a place that can accommodate bigger crowd.
Avoid public places/malls as this would lead to looting and the whole protest would become a blame-game.
Amplify and make your intentions clear before going to a protest.
Don’t go after law enforcement just for the sake of it. They have a family too and real protesters need to respect that.
Push for police reform. This should be the number one priority as a free ride cannot be accepted. They are responsible to save lives and we don’t want to see criminals in uniforms.
The black lives matter, the black communities matter have been out there for a long time.. It’s important that people respect each other and say no to racism. In the US, it is a crime to make any racist comment or treat others badly just because of color/race. The states have very clearly called out laws and make it a point that individuals/businesses across do not involve in any kind of racism.
Police Reform?
There is definitely a need for police reform across states. The way some officers have reacted and targeted certain individuals is condemnable. The law enforcement and people who are supposed to save lives shouldn’t take things for granted. They have a duty and they should protect the individuals. If someone thinks they are above the law, they don’t belong there.
There is also need for medical check-up and counselling sessions for law enforcement officials. They are humans and they need to be fit and should be offered time-off.. The law enforcement is a tough job as they are needed in every place and they maybe called for backup anytime.. it’s really a tough job..
There should also be public/private partnership. The officials are given the power to keep the streets and cities safe.. there should be more awareness campaigns. City and state leaders should engage with the communities more often. There is need to build more trust.. the changes need to happen at the top and people shouldn’t be labeled for expressing their views or when they protest peacefully.
Privileges and upbringing
There are also privileged individuals who feel they can get away because of the race/color. This mentality needs to change and there should be inclusiveness. If one doesn’t understand what inclusion means then they should step out of their comfort zones and check out the work of the individuals and orgs who are working day and night to make this a better place for us. It is easy to make a comment and get away. When someone makes a racist comment they are not thinking how it would affect an individual. It starts at a young age and should be stopped before it’s become a habit.
Parents and elders have to be careful coz the racism could be part of your upbringing. If parents do not stop their kids from making racist comments then they won’t be able to stop them at a later stage. You know what it means and practice inclusion and try not be the source. Many think they will get away coz their parents said so.. it is this privilege that’s another problem..
I sincerely hope and pray that people regardless of race/color stand up against injustice and don’t get carried away by emotions. Fight for what is right. Stay safe and protest peacefully.