So far this thread has seemed to overlook the history of the last year in this country, in which black people have been shot by police in various states. Killed, dead. No warning, no justification other than “I was scared.” And the police are let off. Over and over. Afterward, you get justifications, allegations, representations, but the bottom line is that unarmed black people are shot by police. Now, as a middle-aged white female, I know that if I am stopped by a policeman and I argue with him, I will probably not be shoved around. The worst that will happen to me is that I am arrested, and probably not even that, even if (horrors!) I swore at him or her. Drunken white people do that kind of thing ALL THE TIME, and even sober white people can swear at police without fear of being slammed to the ground. The argument that “If only he had been respectful to the nice policemen he would have been fine” is completely unsupported by the experience of most young black men, as I understand it, and as actual studies have shown, in the disparity of treatment of people of different skin colors.
And the argument that police are authority figures who ought to be respected ignores two points: One, if they have behaved disrespectfully to you, why have they earned your respect? and Two, police vary. There are police who are excellent defenders of the public safety, and police who are, in fact, jackbooted thugs. My own feeling is that police who act like jackbooted thugs are not worthy of respect, no matter what uniform they may or may not be wearing.
Perhaps we will find out what “really happened” in time. I have less faith in the truth-finding abilities of self-interested parties than others may. Meanwhile, I continue to be troubled by the treatment of young persons of color by persons who have been put in positions of power.