I will reignite my thread with Salient Topical News!
I do not distrust the Government and/or police because I'm black. I distrust them because they are people and all people have the ability to be corrupt. Even more so when they have more power than the average individual. But most importantly, that distrust doesn't mean that I instinctively hate them all
I was asked about how I felt about the recent Starbucks incident [http://money.cnn.com/2018/04/16/news/companies/starbucks-ceo-apology/index.html]. I said it was a shitty situation. It was unnecessary to be escalated to that situation, and while they could have left (even though they apparently shouldn't have since it seems people just hang out at Starbucks all the time), this incident apparently came from an overreaction by the manager.
That answer wasn't enough. I was asked about how I feel about how those cops needlessly arrested those guys. And I was honest. I don't think it was needless.
I can't prove bias in that manager's heart (although I can sense it). I wasn't there at the incident. I don't know how the gentleman asked to go to the bathroom. Was he rude? Was he confrontational which made the woman feel unsafe? I don't freaking know. I never will. But more importantly, I don't have to know. Unless a big sign is put out front saying "We don't serve Mudbloods", it is well within the rights of a store manager to ask someone to leave.
Now, while I strongly, STRONGLY believe that she had some bias she might not even be aware of, look, at the end of the day she is the person with authority in the establishment. If she expressed to those gentlemen that they are not allowed to be on the premises, they are not allowed to be on premises. If she expressed that and if it was ignored by the gentlemen, she was within her right to call the police.
That, in turn, means that the police were there to uphold the authority of the manager. They were not there to get the gentlemen's side of the issue and come back to the manager and try to talk her out of it. They were there to do their duty. And at that time, the duty was to uphold the manager's wishes, no matter how fucked up they might be.
This left my friend stunned who thought I distrusted the police. To which (tying this all up for you guys!) I had to explain that my distrust from them is merely the distrust I have for all autonomous groups that have a measure of authority over me that I can never replicate. People can be corrupted, groups of people can be a magnify said corruption by magnitudes. But that simply doesn't mean that every action they do is to the ill of the public. Unpopular or not, they did what they came out to do. And yes, I'll say it again, the gentlemen could have left. I understand why they didn't. Morally, I even agree with it after learning that it's common practice to hang out at Starbucks like they were.
But morally does not supersede laws or the authority of those in lawful expression of rights. Morally, no one should be homeless. I wholeheartedly believe that. But legally, if a homeless person breaks into a place and squats... they can't do that because they don't have permission. It's hugely, hugely unpopular to kick them out. But it only fills us with bad feelings when it's not our residence. When it DOES become our residence, the police better do their jobs, right?
... Still distrust the police, though. But like government, they have their function.
I do not distrust the Government and/or police because I'm black. I distrust them because they are people and all people have the ability to be corrupt. Even more so when they have more power than the average individual. But most importantly, that distrust doesn't mean that I instinctively hate them all
I was asked about how I felt about the recent Starbucks incident [http://money.cnn.com/2018/04/16/news/companies/starbucks-ceo-apology/index.html]. I said it was a shitty situation. It was unnecessary to be escalated to that situation, and while they could have left (even though they apparently shouldn't have since it seems people just hang out at Starbucks all the time), this incident apparently came from an overreaction by the manager.
That answer wasn't enough. I was asked about how I feel about how those cops needlessly arrested those guys. And I was honest. I don't think it was needless.
I can't prove bias in that manager's heart (although I can sense it). I wasn't there at the incident. I don't know how the gentleman asked to go to the bathroom. Was he rude? Was he confrontational which made the woman feel unsafe? I don't freaking know. I never will. But more importantly, I don't have to know. Unless a big sign is put out front saying "We don't serve Mudbloods", it is well within the rights of a store manager to ask someone to leave.
Now, while I strongly, STRONGLY believe that she had some bias she might not even be aware of, look, at the end of the day she is the person with authority in the establishment. If she expressed to those gentlemen that they are not allowed to be on the premises, they are not allowed to be on premises. If she expressed that and if it was ignored by the gentlemen, she was within her right to call the police.
That, in turn, means that the police were there to uphold the authority of the manager. They were not there to get the gentlemen's side of the issue and come back to the manager and try to talk her out of it. They were there to do their duty. And at that time, the duty was to uphold the manager's wishes, no matter how fucked up they might be.
This left my friend stunned who thought I distrusted the police. To which (tying this all up for you guys!) I had to explain that my distrust from them is merely the distrust I have for all autonomous groups that have a measure of authority over me that I can never replicate. People can be corrupted, groups of people can be a magnify said corruption by magnitudes. But that simply doesn't mean that every action they do is to the ill of the public. Unpopular or not, they did what they came out to do. And yes, I'll say it again, the gentlemen could have left. I understand why they didn't. Morally, I even agree with it after learning that it's common practice to hang out at Starbucks like they were.
But morally does not supersede laws or the authority of those in lawful expression of rights. Morally, no one should be homeless. I wholeheartedly believe that. But legally, if a homeless person breaks into a place and squats... they can't do that because they don't have permission. It's hugely, hugely unpopular to kick them out. But it only fills us with bad feelings when it's not our residence. When it DOES become our residence, the police better do their jobs, right?
... Still distrust the police, though. But like government, they have their function.
