BDW Profile picture
Jul 6, 2018 14 tweets 6 min read Twitter logo Read on Twitter
You asked about racial violence between cops and people of color.

Fundamentally, you're asking if #BLM is right.

Let's start a conversation about what we know - and what we don't - about police, bias, and the killing of our fellow citizens. (1/14)
Most of us would agree that a single death of an innocent person by a police officer is one too many.

Black or white.

Police departments agree. They have training & oversight to ensure shootings don't happen or officers are punished when an unjustifiable killing occurs.
#BLM argues that, regardless, the system isn't working; cops are still targeting black people w/ violence or avoiding punishment when caught.

It's a belief founded in America's very real & ugly history.

A brief review of that shameful past is here: wapo.st/2NqtYLD
Yet a focus on the crimes of yesterday only gets us so far as we work to prevent the deaths of our neighbors today.

That requires unbiased data to help us understand the severity of the problem.

Incredibly, the govt doesn't collect it. A few in academia & the media have tried.
.@washingtonpost data show about 1,000 people are killed annually. The majority are white, have mental problems, & brandish a weapon.

Yet, on a percentage basis, more black people are killed than white.

WaPo's conclusion: we have a racist cop problem. (wapo.st/2tZkBuh)
A Harvard study, however, came to a different conclusion.

It found a degree of police bias against communities of color but not when it comes to shootings.

In other words, police aggression is real but there's no evidence of a killer cop crisis. (nyti.ms/2j2bqEK)
Whether you prefer WaPo's study or Harvard's, this much is clear:

Most people killed by cops had weapons. Most were suffering from a mental breakdown.

That's a recipe for disaster, no matter the race of the victim.

This nuance has been missing from the #BLM debate.
Meanwhile, we often forget that the number of people killed by police annually is 1,000. In a country of 325 million.

While that ratio is very small, it is of no consolation for the families of the dead. Even one killing is one too many.

But is it grounds for riots?
No matter your response, #BLM is right to demand that the issues be acknowledged & addressed.

Police departments are trying.

For instance, there's a renewed emphasis on community policing. When it's properly funded, the approach works

Here's an example: bit.ly/2KAUPGR
Yet the issue of racial bias isn't just about police. It's about all of us.

Our brains are hardwired to default to stereotypes. These snap judgements are designed to keep us safe but easily lead to biased thinking.

A quick read on this issue here: dailym.ai/2fuJCbI
Some #Progressives argue that bias is largely the problem of white folks & their privilege.

But is that fair?

Consider this story of a black man finding himself biased against other black men.

It's a sobering reminder of how bias works within everyone: bit.ly/2u7skFF
To be clear, #BLM is about more than police violence. The group has a list of demands, some of which are much needed and reasonable. (bit.ly/2aIgQAK)

For example, criminal sentencing reform.

Other demands, however, are alarming.

Like reparations & #AbolishICE.
I offer these reflections with great humility, knowing neither they nor I can capture the thicket of issues surrounding race, police, & justice. Our nation has been struggling with this for over 200 years.

But it's important to talk to each other. To listen. To act. To learn.
And what we've learned is that most cops use their power wisely & bravely. Indeed, over 100 died last year doing so.

Yet there are horrifying exceptions & a culture of bias.

So let's collect better data, improve LE training, & remain vigilant for abuse.

We're in this together.

• • •

Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to force a refresh
 

Keep Current with BDW

BDW Profile picture

Stay in touch and get notified when new unrolls are available from this author!

Read all threads

This Thread may be Removed Anytime!

PDF

Twitter may remove this content at anytime! Save it as PDF for later use!

Try unrolling a thread yourself!

how to unroll video
  1. Follow @ThreadReaderApp to mention us!

  2. From a Twitter thread mention us with a keyword "unroll"
@threadreaderapp unroll

Practice here first or read more on our help page!

More from @BryanDeanWright

Aug 24, 2018
The NY Times just got a bunch of people killed.

All because of its hatred of Donald Trump and Republicans in Congress.

Here’s how. (Thread)

nytimes.com/2018/08/24/us/…
The Times wants us to believe our Russian intel sources have dried up.

Reporters @julianbarnes & @AllMattNYT shared classified details that speak of our struggling clandestine efforts against Putin & his regime.

Never mind that highlighting our weakness atrenghrens his hand.
To wit, this para:

“Informants close to Putin are very rare... The United States, in recent years, has had only a few, and at times been reliant on only one or two for the most important insights on Mr. Putin, according to former officials.”

Let that treachery sink in.
Read 11 tweets
Jul 30, 2018
Defining “Socialist” isn’t hard. You just have to read their work & listen to their leaders

And what you’ll find is frightening

Worse yet, the Dem Socialists of America (DSA) actually has a good shot of gaining power if we don’t wake up & fight back

Let’s read their plan: 1/17
.@DemSocialists want to abolish capitalism and transfer ownership of “essential” industries / related businesses to the govt or worker committees.

Why?

“Wealth is a social creation and should be controlled by society as a whole.”

(bit.ly/2vfQ7E5)
DSA’ers are squishy when defining which industries they’d nationalize. But the list touches every possible business, from food to electronics

Workers would then vote on which role is best for them, similar to the disastrous experiment at Zappos in 2016. (bit.ly/2DKlGNd)
Read 17 tweets
Jul 16, 2018
Ms. Ocasio-Cortez — the alleged future of the #DemocraticParty — explains that she wants:

1) Death to capitalism & profit
2) Free housing, college, & healthcare
3) Open borders
4) End to killing terrorists

Here’s why this Dem thinks she‘s nuts. (1/6)

pbs.org/video/alexandr…
Capitalism has eliminated more poverty than any economic system on the planet.

Period.

Is it a perfect system? Not by a long shot. But Ocasio’s dream would unquestionably put at risk millions of people who have climbed out of poverty.

Just ask anyone who lives in Venezuela.
Meanwhile, Ocasio‘s promise of free govt services is a joke.

1) Free healthcare for all? She has no plan to pay for it.
2) Free housing? No money left after free healthcare.
3) Free college? But seriously, we’d be out of money.

These aren’t bold ideas. They’re bald-faced lies.
Read 6 tweets
Jul 1, 2018
Yes, I’m an angry #Democrat.

We’re not a reasonable party anymore. We’ve exhausted ourselves with conspiracies & outrage while ignoring facts & careful analysis.

Then we have the audacity to complain about the fatigue of it all.

Let’s review the party’s madness. (1/11)
Since our #2016Election loss, we have flopped in every direction to find an excuse for our failure.

Blame the 63M deplorable Trump voters.

Blame the #ElectoralCollege.

Blame Comey.

Blame the Russians.

No. Stop it. Blame Clinton, the DNC, & her primary voters. They suck.
About those #Russians.

We have assured ourselves that Trump is a Russian traitor. We’ve held up the #SteeleDossier as proof.

Nevermind that CIA Director Brennan gave it “no particular credence.”

Rather than let Mueller find the facts, we’ve already executed POTUS for treason.
Read 11 tweets
Jun 20, 2018
Our foreign affairs must be strategic.

#CentralAmerica is a priority because of immigration. Illegal migrants cost us billions.

Meanwhile, all focus must be on containing the Communist #China threat. Where that involves alliances w/ poor nations, aid must be rendered.
The plan for #CentralAmerica is being retooled by WH’s John Kelly & DHS. (reut.rs/2JVEIzy)

I believe a further step is needed w/ a stabilization force, built with a coalition of Latin American nations.

Meanwhile, let’s beef up our border (fence/wall/tech solutions).
But the #CentralAmerica plan is medium to long term. What about right now?

First, let’s stop with the Nazi talk. It’s factually wrong, morally repugnant & does nothing to solve the problem.

Next, Congress needs to get off their butts & send Trump an #ImmigrationReform bill.
Read 4 tweets
Jun 16, 2018
Illegal minors can’t be imprisoned w/ adult parents. Bush & Obama released all onto US soil til judges ruled. Rife w/ abuse.

Trump stopped this by separating illegals & their kids, holding both in jails & camps. All to force DC to fix the broken system.

It’s a brutal strategy.
While we debate whether #Trump’s strategy is right (or humane), the facts are being distorted.

Case in point: the holding facilities for kids (both accompanied by adults and those running on their own).

The left paints them as Nazi camps. They’re not. wapo.st/2t3sE8G
Critics also claim that #Trump’s policies are resulting in kids being lost or abandoned. You see it in the frothy #WhereAreTheChildren cries for justice.

One problem. Kids aren’t being lost. It’s hysterical fear mongering like always. mobile.nytimes.com/2018/05/28/us/…
Read 7 tweets

Did Thread Reader help you today?

Support us! We are indie developers!


This site is made by just two indie developers on a laptop doing marketing, support and development! Read more about the story.

Become a Premium Member ($3/month or $30/year) and get exclusive features!

Become Premium

Don't want to be a Premium member but still want to support us?

Make a small donation by buying us coffee ($5) or help with server cost ($10)

Donate via Paypal

Or Donate anonymously using crypto!

Ethereum

0xfe58350B80634f60Fa6Dc149a72b4DFbc17D341E copy

Bitcoin

3ATGMxNzCUFzxpMCHL5sWSt4DVtS8UqXpi copy

Thank you for your support!

Follow Us on Twitter!

:(