I'm so sorry to hear your space was invaded like that. It's such an unsettling feeling when the places that are supposed to be our sanctuary are violated, regardless of what's taken. It definitely sounds like you made the right call not involving cops though. Literally every experience I've had with cops has been made worse by their involvement. It's so clear there are not a few bad apples, it's a corrupt system. Between living close to a station in Chicago at age 18-19 and getting hit on by almost every cop I saw daily, getting laughed at and demeaned for reporting my laptop stolen, and being doubted, scolded, and completely re-traumatized when I reported a sexual assault I have to wonder if anyone who doubts defunding and abolishing has actually needed to interact with cops in any significant way. I mean, I'm a white woman who, even when I live in lower-income neighborhoods, benefits from the privilege of not having a target on my back and I still feel dread and anxiety when I see one of them. It's absolutely insane that we let them hold onto their power given my experiences are the benign side of things compared to what POC face. It seems like there are only more people facing housing insecurity, lack of mental health treatment, etc with the conditions of the pandemic and I truly hope we can start to seriously shift resources towards our communities and away from those assholes.
That last line. Kind of wraps it all into the bigger picture. Who are we willing to sacrifice for our own security? I'd love to think "nobody" but I've seen way too many of us hesitate or balk when the sacrifices are to our comfort or social status or children's achievements and the sacrifices are out of sight or far away or easy for someone to dehumanize.
I was called for jury duty a couple of weeks ago involving (I think) a guy charged with obstruction of a police officer during the BLM protests this summer. The prosecutor asked “raise your hand if you have a problem with the Missoula Police Department.” Only 2 people raised their hands. On top of that, the judge started the proceedings by saying “I believe we have the best legal system in the world.” And just the day before, I had started up Vine Deloria’s “Custer Died for Our Sins” and got to the part where he points out that the United States has broken more treaties than any other nation on Earth.” The level of abject denial runs so deep here.
Culpability. That’s what’s I’m fixed on these days. I do a lot of good shit, but I’m still reaping the benefits of having been fortunate enough to get a good education and good employment. I pay the taxes that get misused, I elect the liberals and progressives who still never get to going after systemic exploitation, I buy the gas and whatever that perpetuates the degradation of our neighbors and our planet. And funds the police. It’s really fucked up to live an authentic and fairly conscious life yet unwillingly contribute to a seriously fucked up country that makes my first world angst possible.
I'm so sorry to hear your space was invaded like that. It's such an unsettling feeling when the places that are supposed to be our sanctuary are violated, regardless of what's taken. It definitely sounds like you made the right call not involving cops though. Literally every experience I've had with cops has been made worse by their involvement. It's so clear there are not a few bad apples, it's a corrupt system. Between living close to a station in Chicago at age 18-19 and getting hit on by almost every cop I saw daily, getting laughed at and demeaned for reporting my laptop stolen, and being doubted, scolded, and completely re-traumatized when I reported a sexual assault I have to wonder if anyone who doubts defunding and abolishing has actually needed to interact with cops in any significant way. I mean, I'm a white woman who, even when I live in lower-income neighborhoods, benefits from the privilege of not having a target on my back and I still feel dread and anxiety when I see one of them. It's absolutely insane that we let them hold onto their power given my experiences are the benign side of things compared to what POC face. It seems like there are only more people facing housing insecurity, lack of mental health treatment, etc with the conditions of the pandemic and I truly hope we can start to seriously shift resources towards our communities and away from those assholes.
That last line. Kind of wraps it all into the bigger picture. Who are we willing to sacrifice for our own security? I'd love to think "nobody" but I've seen way too many of us hesitate or balk when the sacrifices are to our comfort or social status or children's achievements and the sacrifices are out of sight or far away or easy for someone to dehumanize.
I was called for jury duty a couple of weeks ago involving (I think) a guy charged with obstruction of a police officer during the BLM protests this summer. The prosecutor asked “raise your hand if you have a problem with the Missoula Police Department.” Only 2 people raised their hands. On top of that, the judge started the proceedings by saying “I believe we have the best legal system in the world.” And just the day before, I had started up Vine Deloria’s “Custer Died for Our Sins” and got to the part where he points out that the United States has broken more treaties than any other nation on Earth.” The level of abject denial runs so deep here.
Culpability. That’s what’s I’m fixed on these days. I do a lot of good shit, but I’m still reaping the benefits of having been fortunate enough to get a good education and good employment. I pay the taxes that get misused, I elect the liberals and progressives who still never get to going after systemic exploitation, I buy the gas and whatever that perpetuates the degradation of our neighbors and our planet. And funds the police. It’s really fucked up to live an authentic and fairly conscious life yet unwillingly contribute to a seriously fucked up country that makes my first world angst possible.