The worst thing about this specific incident, imo, is that it was an obvious situation that would be a massive help to the cause that should be at the heart of this issue. That some cops shouldn’t be cops, and we need to do a better job of getting these guys out from behind a badge BEFORE a situations goes this far to tragedy. There are many situations that have happened in the past, where it was questionable that the officer did the wrong thing by using excessive force that resulted in death. I remember a big guy in Nawlins (I think) where he was wrestling on the ground with the cop, and the cop fired three into the guy while on his back. There was outrage, and I thought the cop was justified.
I haven’t heard a single person dispute that this video showed us a man who should t have had a badge doing something clearly wrong and unacceptable. But instead of this conversation on the national level (and legislative level) about screening and training and fixing the fvcking problem, we are going to that old discussion about whether the rage and destruction and violence Is justified.
Clearly it’s not. It never really is, imo. I’m not a pacifist totally, but violence, like this, rarely fixes a problem. This isn’t a government that isn’t equipped to deal with these issues (racial at its heart or not). We know this because we’ve seen the changes. Should there be more changes? Sure. But a rage against the machine mentality in the USA isn’t just useless and counterproductive, it’s a false understanding of this nation and it’s history. We have made great changes in the last 50 years, and have the mojo to make more.
Something like this happens, giving the mojo for change a clear and obvious path (a man clearly not cop material, with 18 prior complaints that shouldn't be on the force - racist or not) that can make real, effective change if followed. But everything goes sideways. It’s such a missed opportunity.