This whole thread is a study in white privilege and mostly white male privilege. It’s hard to wrap your head around the validity of this issue (that is: People of Color have a different experience with law enforcement than white people) when you are the one enjoying privilege
This reminds me of when certain women try to feel extra virtuous by holding it over men's heads that they couldn't possibly know what it's like to have a baby and therefore any complaint or ailment men may have or hardship they may endure is null and void by comparison. This is often their only claim to fame and the only reason they have it is because they happened to be born female. It wasn't through any special talent of their own. Oddly enough, they don't throw this up into the face of a woman who like men, can't have a baby and can't know what that experience is like....they reserve this little chestnut for men only because that's all they have.
Men cannot have babies but we can well empathize what it must be like to experience such a thing but there's noting we can do except try to was their pain and be as helpful as possible. Many men have developed medications and procedures to assist women in childbirth Men do experience pain and mens lives are not generally filled with days of blissful comfort and ease. Thankfully the majority of women realize this but no matter what, there'll be the weak minded ones who have no other claim to fame who will always throw that in men faces as often as possible.
Women have been "underprivileged" throughout history and Men (including black men) are therefore considered privileged compared to women. I would ask Black Men if they should feel guilty for their privilege over women and does it make you want to help women more when they jeeringly undermine and dismiss the struggles you've endured? What are they doing on a daily basis to rid themselves of their male privilege? Who is more under priveleged, a white woman because of her gender or a black man because of his color?
There are inequities in this world that need to be sorted out but I'm always a bit suspicious of anyone or any group who blames their struggles or problems entirely on outside forces and rarely mentions their own role in the problem and who's efforts primarily involve changing everyone but themselves.
If every white person disappeared from the face of the earth, there would still be those who did well and those who claimed that things were unjust. If every Man disappeared from the face of the earth, there would be women who preyed upon the weaker and or disadvantaged women.
The other day I heard a black man from a predominately black area on the news say "Every day when I leave my house, I never know if I'm going to make it home again or if I'm going to be killed by a police man". I'd say this is a bit of an exaggeration and would ask him who he would call if he heard someone breaking into his house and I'd ask him who is more likely to commit a violent crime against him, steal his car or break into his house, a police officer or one of his neighbors?
There are studies that show that if every man woman and child were given a million dollars, within a year the same folks as before would be broke and the same folks would be doing well. I have a feeling that if we got rid of all white police men and hired only black folks for the job, we'd end up with the same situation we have now because the police have the thankless, impossible never ending job of dealing with folks who simply aren't willing to follow any kind of rule unless they're forced into it. It's very evident during these periods of unrest how many people there are who are 2 seconds away from being the lawless individuals they really are once they got the chance.
