Crime and Punishment in 2020 & Beyond
Clearly we have a wide range and depth of issues in our cities, and with people living in the impoverished areas within them – which our larger society – with the individual neighborhoods and communities together – must address. I invite you to seek out my coming composition Survived but Never Reconciled.
I have no need to ‘guess’ why Rayshard Brooks fought so hard that fateful night – because I know; and so, I have an insight to offer, and perhaps a partial solution to add to this imperative discussion.
It’s not THE solution but if we begin to shift our point of view – just a little – maybe we can take a fair swing at real change for many people.
[I suggest]We need to clearly establish the varying degrees when it comes to legal, illegal, and criminal; and, adjust how we enforce and respond to violations. I suggest, we need to better establish as a larger society – which events that should immediately take away a man’s’ or women’s liberty … and those which ought not.
Further, how we enforce a law matters. Do we enforce with lethality a violation which had no violent component – do we take a person’s liberty – on the spot – for a non violent violation? And, if he objects – do we shoot him?
Even further, allow me to digress and say clearly that towns, villages, small cities across America Do Not Need to be able to deploy SWAT teams to anywhere in the town or county – at the drop of a hat!
These municipalities do NOT need to be able to cordon off blocks, neighborhoods – with the forces and actions, which are so common in America today.
This man, Rayshard Brooks, and so many others like him, fought [and fight] simply because he wanted to go HOME that fateful night. He did nothing that should have led to the loss of his life – to be candid – he did nothing that made it imperative to take his freedom on the spot.
This was (could have been handled as a mostly CIVIL matter) [if law and enforcement had a different mindset] – but the mindset of the day is CONTROL, ARREST.
Immediately take away the most precious thing a man or woman has … their Liberty.
The kind of violation has become irrelevant … this guy wasn’t violent – he just wanted to go home –
The Police, on the spot, were going to take his liberty because he fell asleep waiting in line. I get it – shame on him – and, he was surely driving and drinking. Impound the car – give him a ticket – and send him home. It gets handled civilly … by courts and communities; not the police.
Some of this is really that simple; and that complex. If we had some National Standard where … IF a subject of police contact has not committed violence in any way – that person can expect to go home that day [after processing and arraignment].
And, that is just one point of departure for a new and needed discussion. I pray our President has the courage to get into all this – we need someone to [please read the coming composition Survived but Never Reconciled.].
Mr. Brooks would be alive if that was the law of the land. It matters not if he had drugs in his pocket, unpaid parking tickets, was intoxicated, had no drivers’ license, or just smelled bad and had a lousy attitude.
The Subject Goes Home That Day; [unless violence is a part of the reason for arrest].
This simple standard puts Justice back in the courts, and, ultimately back into the hands of the People; and takes a great deal of stress off ‘routine’ police interactions and encounters.
I’m Just Sayin’ … .