LaVar Hosting Jeopardy July 26-30 Stan Account 👁

Ugh just had a shitty interaction with a cop (not dangerous, just an asshole who thought his badge entitled him to be an asshole), and I am reminded that policing is a hard job, though not for the reasons most people think.

It’s not the danger (which I think is overstated), it’s not the stress, it’s not the proximity to violence: it’s the power.

The power cops have means that nine people out of ten they meet on the street, they can treat badly, in ways both subtle and murderous. That’s even more true when it comes to black folks bc ppl assume we don’t know nobody and have no power.

And most people, given that power, would act like most cops do: like complete fucking assholes. And most aren’t assholes for the fun of it. They just get frustrated like everybody else, or anxious, or angry, or scared, or sad. And then they take it out on the public.

Cause what’s stopping them? Civilian review boards? Complaints? Surely you jest. Cops are assholes bc human beings are generally assholes to anyone who can’t harm them, and who they don’t know and/or love.

And I’m not boiling down the carceral state to “people are assholes,” don’t get me wrong. There is deliberate hate and exploitation in that system too.