Phil wrote: ↑30 Jun 2020, 10:33
mertol wrote: ↑30 Jun 2020, 08:01
Police are under no obligation to save criminals' lives where do you get that crap? If you are dumb enough to fight the police then don't get upset when you get killed. There isn't even any race involved here.
I was against american gun laws but looking at the riots I get it. I stand corrected.
This. If you resist an arrest and seek confrontation, I really don't see what people would expect. Has absolutely zero to do with skin color, but all to do with common sense. I don't see where this belief comes from that one has the right to resist over someone with authoritative power (e.g. the police) and is armed. That's just asking for trouble.
It's never that simple, though.
You probably have seen the video of an old (white) man trying to hand over a riot helmet to an officer. Although the officer yelled to the old man to back off, the old man just wanted to give the mask and was completely harmless, eventually he got shoved down, hitting his head hard to the pavement to the point a puddle of blood appeared in seconds. The officers just walked by like as if nothing happened (ultimately somebody of the national guard look to the person).
Likewise, I am sure there violent deeds done against police officers justifying a violent response either for selfprotection or to protect others.
Resisting arrest and seeking confrontation is a very situational thing therefore to act on. If that involves substantial risk (and not just imaginary risk!), then deadly force is rational. If resisting arrest means trying to pull free from a hold or trying to run away, then shooting with a gun should not be the answer.
Police officers are put in a special position where they get authority and in some cases the license to kill. Society is right to expect they use that power in a rational and logical way. Even if citizens are not conforming with what you demand as an officer, you still have to ask the question if violence is appropiate, and if so to what order.
I do agree it shouldn't be just black lifes that matter, but all lifes. Now is there a statistical significant difference in how white vs black people are treated? Yeah, there is. But, just limiting your view on racism on one race, is kind of racist too.