Affirmative Policing: An Idea Whose Time Has Come

Can we be real for a minute? I am stick and tired of the racism that people of color have to go through. A 17 year old BLACK CHILD was gunned down by a white homeowner in Miami. yes, Trayvon Johnson, the BLACK CHILD, broke into the woman's house and was stealing things, shooting a BLACK CHILD is not necessary and that nasty white woman needs to be charged with murder, period. 

But that's almost beside the point, sadly. This happens too many times for it not to be systemic and we need a systemic solution. I think the new wave of social justice can be found in Affirmative Policing. Affirmative Action in the workplace has worked very well for black people who we all agree need a leg up due to systemic racism. The systemic racism exists just as much in policing, so why not enact Affirmative Policing? 

I could go on and on with the statistics. Black people are incarcerated at a much higher rate than white people. Black people are arrested far more often than white people. Black people are more likely to be reported for crimes. All this is evidence that people are being racist in reporting black people more often for crime. And even if black people are committing more crime (which I don't think they really are), then it's society's fault for making them poor and desperate.

Some (not all, but some) of this can be alleviated by adjusting policing rules to give black people an advantage in dealing with police, to adjust incarceration rates. For example, if a black child invades someone's house and Kills someone, police should just let that child off with a warning. When stopping black males for violent crimes, police should allow those black males to get off the first time no matter what. I think we can all agree that a little leniency would go a long way.

Honestly, it seems like nothing can end racism. It's everywhere, and that makes me sick. But we can take another step to solving the problem by affirmative policing. 

Some URGENT Thoughts on White Privilege Conference

As a respected Feminist in my community and noted Feminist Blogger on the internet, I religiously attend the White Privilege Conference each and every year. It's one of the things I really enjoy, as it presents deep thinkers speaking the reality about things we usually never see. I really think the White Privilege Conference provides something needed for the community.

I'm attending every day of the White Privilege Conference, and this year I was really pleased  to be in sessions of the concurrent workshops. And I think I really added to the conversation with a Feminist Perspective.

Particularly the opening keynote with Yusef Salaam brought me to tears when he told us what Muslims have gone through in history and what they are continuing to go through now. I think that really was the highlight of the conference, especially in light of the bigotry coming from Republicans right now.

That's why I was so fucking disappointed when known white male "Historian" Jim Loewen showed up to give his keynote speech the next day. I'm of the opinion that any White Males coming to this conference should only be observers, but apparently even we at the White Privilege Conference have more work to do in checking our privilege.

It was what Loewen started saying that really caused me problems. He began giving a speech ans saying the N-Word. Yes, I know he was just trying to give examples of how it was used and was using quotations, BUT THIS IS NOT OK. NO white people should even be allowed to use those words due to the TRAUMA it has caused for CENTURIES.

I sat in my chair in shock. I just couldn't believe this and I felt we were all being taken back to a time when things were so bad for everyone except straight white cis males, and I could feel the trauma all over again. I know I wasn't the only one. I'm sad to say this but I began shaking and had to excuse myself to the bathrooms because I was having a mild panic attack.

Last night I couldn't get to bed until 4am, and I began throwing up this morning as a result. I'm sorry but HOW THE FUCK DID THIS HAPPEN?! WHO SCHEDULED THIS SHIT! THIS IS EXACTLY WHY WHITE PEOPLE NEED TO SIT DOWN AND SHUT THE FUCK UP WHEN THEY SHOW UP HERE. THIS IS A SANCUTARY WHERE PEOPLE OF COLOR NEED TO BE VULNERABLE AND REAL AND THIS IS ALSO WHY WE NEED HATE SPEECH LAWS SO PEOPLE CAN BE PUT IN JAIL WHEN THIS TRAUMA HAPPENS.

I apologize for the rant here but my hands are literally shaking right now and I can barely type. FUCK YOU JIM LOEWEN FOR RUINING ONE OF THE FEW THINGS I LOVE IN THIS SICK WORLD