A Cure for Social Unrest?

An ancient principle may cure social unrest. Our country is still reeling from the unjust death of George Floyd. People of all races have joined together in protest of police brutality. These protests have helped to bring this issue to the forefront, but they haven’t solved the problem. What is the answer? I’ll get to that in a minute.

Hopefully, the protests will put pressure on authorities. Congress needs to pass bills for police reforms. Dangerous practices, such as neck choke holds, need to be eliminated. Departments should also provide better training for their staff.

Better officer training will help, but we need safeguards included, too. Unions and judges should not protect bad cops. They must uphold the law when it involves police brutality. We can no longer tolerate terrible attitudes. The rot in one bad apple spreads to others.

How can we develop the best police force? Extensive background and psychological checks can help officials hire people who truly are committed to serving their community. Checks can also weed out the control freaks. Accepted candidates must then undergo rigorous programs in such areas as bias training, minority sensitivity training, and emotional intelligence. They also learn how to de-escalate emotionally charged situations.

Good attitudes can spread, too. Yes, bad attitudes are contagious. But better trained officers can transmit good attitudes to others. It takes time and effort. Yet, with continuous work, improved attitudes and actions can change things for the better.

How did our nation split apart so quickly? George Floyd’s death was the most blatant example of police brutality, but certainly there were others as well. Officials did not properly deal with these situations in the past. This allowed abuses to continue for generations.

Resentment against these actions boiled under the surface. It finally erupted with George Floyd’s death. Now angry mobs blamed all police for the actions of a few bad ones. Protests turned violent, and rioting and looting resulted. Many policemen were hurt, and some were killed.

What caused those officers to develop bad attitudes? Perhaps the only black people some of them ever come into contact with were criminals. Less than ten percent of the population commits more than ninety percent of the crimes. After a while, officers may come to believe all black people act the same way.

These law enforcement officers needed to meet and get to know those Afro-Americans who are law-abiding persons. After all, the small criminal population does not represent the entire race. Most black people are fine, upstanding citizens.

Where do we go for the answer? Training and legislation will help, but Jesus gives us the best answer for peace. His principle is, “Love thy neighbor as thyself.” It sounds overly simple. Yet, if we really apply that principle, we should see dramatic results.

Interaction is the key. How can we love our neighbors if we don’t know them? Fortunately, the local police in our town have taken great steps to reach out to the community. Any time there is a good cause in the town, the police are there to support it. They invite blacks to express their concerns over Coffee with a Cop or at a Barbershop Rap Session. In these settings people feel free to voice their frustrations to officers. They develop trust when they feel officers really care.

The police participate with the black community in MLK Unity Weekend events and an annual MLK Golf Tournament. These actions help black members of our town build trust and confidence in our police force.

Children see police as helpers. Our local schools have police resource officers in them. Students get to know them as protectors. In some situations, they think of them as big brothers. The department also hosts a Community Carnival, operates a Youth Explorer program, and gives Angel Tree gifts to poor children.

At times, the officers go into a community to have cook-outs. Some play basketball with teens. They also have fishing tournaments for kids. Their support of local causes creates good will in our locality. For these reasons, our town’s force has become a friendly and important part of our community.

What can people do to keep safe from police brutality? First, don’t commit a crime. But if you do run afoul of the law, please be respectful. A police officer will be more likely to treat you with respect if you are respectful to him.

Don’t resist arrest. If you do, the officer may have to use additional force on you. This is bad for both sides. Imagine how an officer will feel after you lead him on a one-hundred-per-hour mile car chase and then fight the arrest. You just made the police officer’s job more dangerous. Of course, don’t even think of shooting a cop. That’s a good way to get yourself shot dead.

Don’t mouth off. If you feel you’ve been unfairly accused, save your story for an attorney or judge. The court will be less sympathetic to a person who calls a cop a “pig.” A calm representation of the facts will best help your case. It’s much better than an angry rant or a sassy mouth.

Steps you can take to heal social unrest. If you want to bring healing to our land, there are a number of things you can do. Following the “Love thy neighbor” principle, we can engage in conversations with people of different races. After all, our neighbor can be anyone, anywhere.

We can also do little acts of kindness for others. Perhaps we can find ways to help those less fortunate than us. Get to know others with different points of view. You’ll develop a greater understanding of people.

When you see police officers, smile and give them a friendly wave. Send a note to the department, thanking the police for keeping you safe. Let them know they have your support.

We can all be bridge builders. Our actions can help heal the divide in our country. Our country can always improve, but it is truly a great country. It will be even greater when its citizens work together to bring about positive change.