Fuck the police. Surely, this is not an unreasonable statement in light of the circumstances we find ourselves in. There seems to be no end to the brutality. We have reached a point where one cannot love their neighbor and shout anything else. Yet, there still is that space of neighbor. That place where God sits. So, yes…fuck the police…but what comes after that.
Duante Wright should not have been profiled.
Duante Wright should have never been stopped.
Duante Wright should not have been manhandled.
Duante Wright should not have been threatened.
Duante Wright should not have been murdered.
There should be no denying that a crime was committed.
There should be no denying that an arrest should be forthcoming
There should be no denying that a conviction should be handed down.
There should be no denying that a severe punishment should follow.
These are facts.
However, the affirmation of such facts only speaks clearly to this particular tragedy. Repeatedly, we’ve seen these tragedies play out and nothing changes on a wider scale. In a few weeks…sometimes even a few days…the tragedy plays out all over again. Why are we always so shocked? We didn’t do anything to correct it the first time. Make no mistake, there will be many more Duante Wrights into we are prepared to do something different. Surely, it is beyond time for us to join each other in a vast movement of revolutionary change. Surely, it is time for us to shout, “Fuck the police.” Surely, it’s time to abolish policing as we know it and do something completely different. If we continue down the same path, there will be more Duante Wrights.
So, yes…fuck the police…abolish the police…but that is still not enough…
Hate cannot destroy injustice…hate cannot reform policing…hate cannot create a sustainable future…only love can do any of these things.
So, the last task is of course the hardest. There is no such thing as lasting reform without Kim Potter. We have to find a way to meet the Potters of the world in love and proceed forth as a community. That doesn’t mean that Potter shouldn’t be punished…but it does mean that we have to get to a place where we earnestly believe that no one is expendable. If we leave Kim Potter behind, there will be more Duante Wrights.
So, yes…fuck the police…abolish the police…and love Kim Potter.
The revolution will not always be simple.
The revolution will not always be clear.
The revolution will not always be televised.
Thus is the path of love.
Amen.
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