The Bishop and the Butterfly: Murder, Politics, and the End of the Jazz Age

    So let's do something about it.

    By Flavius on Wed, 04/29/2015 - 10:25pm |

    When I got to my unit, we were still in tents waiting for the Russians to go back to barracks. Almost the first thing my battery commander told me was, "Truman forced through the integration of the Army. In the long run it'll be good for the country but right now it’s bad for the Army."

    But as those integrated units actually went into combat later: in Vietnam or the Middle East, their integrated nature hasn't seemed to seriously degrade their effectiveness. Or at least not to the extent that anyone now advocates un-integrating them.

    I don’t know whether there’s reliable academic work on racial relations among ex-solders. So I’ll guess that it’s not bad. Better anyway than the relations between the Ferguson cops and blacks. And maybe than between most cops and blacks.

    A seriously integrated police force is in some ways analogous to Afghanistan. You’re under pressure among people who you think might harm you. And you increase your chances of getting home to your friends and family if you get along with your companions. Of any color.

    It doesn’t necessarily mean that if later on you're on Staten Island instead of Afghanistan, you’ll be less hostile when involved with a minor black offender. And it absolutely doesn’t guarantee that fellow black cops will intervene. But the very least it does mean this:

    If 30% of a Ferguson police force were black, it’d be 30% less likely that the level of hostility in treating Blacks will reflect the force's long standing resentment of Blacks. Just mathematics. Worst case a seriously mixed race unit will be somewhat less offensive than a mostly white one.

    If that’s all that happens, I’ll take it. We've been at this for 140 years. Without success.

    If someone’s got access to statistics refuting me I’d be interested .While waiting I'll continue to believe that "mathematical" decrease in cop vs black hostility will be augmented to some extent.

    If for no other reason, than because the white cops will have some degree of concern that their black compatriots might scorn them. Or" happen" to be looking the other way when they really do need someone to watch their back. Or - heaven forbid –act as witnesses against them.

    Exhortations won’t change behavior . Those hostile cops have to want to change it themselves.

    The racial composition of every police force should reflect that of the community it serves. But never less than 10% black or more than 50.% .

    Comments

    Black law enforcement can be as brutal as white law enforcement. There are black pundits and reporters on Fox. In the snippets that I have seen, they merely serve to reinforce the racist tone of the network. In GOP politics, both Curly Rand and Ben Carson look at the carnage left by police abuse in Baltimore and lay the problem at a lack of morals in the black community. Clarence Thomas sides with Scalia on most issues involving Civil Rights. Changing skin color does not mean that the culture would change.

    If we are penalizing unions as a national endeavor, police unions should be penalized for their actions in getting bad cops reinstated. If bad cops cost communities millions in payouts, then police salary increases should be tied to how much the city has to pay out in lawsuits. This is no different than tying teacher's salaries to children's grades. Economics may force changes in behavior. As it stands now, we send teachers to jail for fudging test results. But let police Who maim return to the force. Change in policing will only come if there are consequences for bad behavior. Bad behavior costs cities money. Economic loss should result in stagnant salaries.


    by rmrd0000 on Thu, 04/30/2015 - 10:01am

    All people ,black ,white, purple can be shaped by their experience. Yesterday's deprived waif is tomorrow's thug..

    Unless our society changes- don't hold your breath-we'll continue to produce generations of black thugs, black presidents, thuggish cops and brave helpful ones. I have no suggestion or hope that that will change so I'm in effect proposing an analog of "set a thief to catch a thief."

    A truly integrated police force won't magically  become kinder and gentler. But I suggest it may become  less oppressive because that particular segment of officers will be afraid not to change.

    I think the police unions have a particular job to do ,like any defense atty. If cops of any color should be disciplined that's what the police hierarchy should do.


    by Flavius on Thu, 04/30/2015 - 11:28am

    I have already told you  at Ramona's blog that I agree with you.

    We live in a segregated society; de jure and de facto.

    I will see what studies are available.

    But we need to provide access to fully funded GED centers open to minorities.

    We need to provide training centers open to minorities.

    We need to provide employment centers open to minorities.

    We need decent homeless centers open to minorities.

    We need.....

    The police of course are the 'front' used to protect the capitalists. It has always been so and always will be. Property over persons.


    by Richard Day on Thu, 04/30/2015 - 1:56pm

    Of course I agree with most ,maybe all, of what you write. But I have stayed away from the general subject of race relations because you and others are covering.

    What did Swift call it?. His "modest proposal" to bake and eat Irish infants.

    My modest proposal above reflects my naive belief that rather than another 150 years of alibi-ing we should bloody do  something. . Now. Get off the dime..

    In WWII the services of course trained lots of  officers in temporary  schools. With mixed results. When a similar need reappeared in 1949 the brass decided to do it better. .I knew a guy whose Major General father was part of the fix it team and who told me that a key conclusion was that junior  officers should make things happen .

    It was  pretty simple minded ,and who knows whether it worked but one thing they tried   was to deliberately give the trainees conflicting orders and then shout at them for not acting.. A favorite phrase was "Do something even if it's wrong.". .I sort  of like that.

     

     

    . .

     


    by Flavius on Fri, 05/01/2015 - 12:30am

    This is really well put and Swift is my saint, even though he was a devout Catholic. hahaha

    I hereby render unto Flavius, the Dayly Blog of the Day, given to all of him from all of me.

    This is really well done.

    In My Humble Opion (without Twitterizing) ha

    I have to add that this comment just got to me today.

    And for good reason.


    by Richard Day on Fri, 05/01/2015 - 5:52pm

    Peace


    by Flavius on Fri, 05/01/2015 - 11:20pm

    So I was somewhat surprised ...when a self-identified gay man....came to my office to complain about police brutality....Unfortunately the  man never called me back.

    I was disappointed . My experience was that if I presented a plausible case of police misconduct....the department would investigate ,report back to me that nothing untoward had occurred but privately reprimand those involved.

    page 34

    "Frank". Farrar,Straus and Giroux. Copyright 2015 by Barney Frank.


    by Flavius on Fri, 05/01/2015 - 9:02am