Chicken and Egg

I’ve given thought to the divide between police and minorities.  I am not certain that it is any different in other countries and frankly it might, but I don’t care about other countries at the moment I can about the country in which I live.  I am concerned with what is in front of me.

As a teacher in urban schools, I see a learned dismissal, disobedience and even disrespect for authority (race has no factor on these feelings).  These feeling are similar to the fear that is generated by the actions that have been occurring to minorities in this country for hundreds of years at the hands of authorities (Irish, Italian, Black, Natives, Asian and such).  Because of these actions, it is understandable for minorities to be distrustful, want to strike back and at times become violent.  I am not suggesting violence, nor would I ever, but I am accepting that the “fight, flight or freeze” reaction to a scenario where a person feels fear and cornered only has 3 options, especially after a history of hundreds of years of maltreatment and unwarranted violence upon minorities.

I also understand the fear of the unknown and the fear of the different.  Therefore, like minorities, the majority may be afraid of something the things they are not familiar with.  I do understand that it’s more than even just this at the base, but the complexities and intricacies of the class level using fear to control, but that is another post.  Police and persons of authority (who are really not in charge but are used by the people who are) have a tendency to be afraid and act accordingly, which perpetuates the actions that create fear police.

As a teacher, at times, I see generational assumptions against the authority and distrust of the “establishment”.  This becomes a learned disrespect and learned behaviors that can create fear in persons who are unaware.  The authorities, in such the police, react to what they have come to learn through fear and that is a presumption of guilt as a prejudice against the unknown.

I have not had the opportunity to come to a final understanding of this dilemma, I think about a lot of things often and this is just one more of the many things about which I think.  Is it a chicken and egg question?