Injustice With the Justice

     Police brutality has been a recurring situation in the news. Through all social media platforms, and all news channels nationwide it has become known that many have been injured, but most killed because of law enforcement. 987 people have been shot and killed by police officers in 2017, and 264 have been killed in 2018. It’s truest shocking how many have died due to the same law enforcement that is supposed to also keep us safe. Granted some might also be justifiable, as in there life was truly at risk and it was either get shot or shoot. Many deaths, that have been revealed to the public have been in the African American community, could this mean that many of these fatal incidents have a racial motive behind them or is it really “an accident”? 

     Stephon Clark, a 22 year old African American male was shot and killed by Sacramento police officers earlier this month. According to Mark Berman from, The Washington Post, he was shot eight times most of them landing on his back, but also hitting his neck and thighs. “These bullets broke bones and pierced his lung which made him bleed massively” said Forensic Pathologist Bennet Omalu. During this whole time Stephon was unarmed in his own backyard.

     According to an article on Vox by German Lopez, in 2016 police officer Philip Brailsford opened fire on a man known as Daniel Shaver who he believed, while handcuffed was reaching for a gun, when in reality he was just reaching for the waistband of his gym shorts. On trial Brailsford fully believed that he was reaching for a gun, and that he would make the same decision again, claiming he felt scared for the safety of the others including the woman at the scene. A thought comes to mind when researching this, shouldn’t they have patted him down to check for any firearms while he was handcuffed or is it not a thing anymore? The bs excuse of a perceived threat, through already existing legal standards, even if Shaver had no weapon that gesture alone legally justified the shooting. In other words they defended the cop even though he wrongfully shot an unarmed man. Curtis Gilbert, a correspondent for APM Reports states, de-escalation tactics are taught to police officers in only 34 states, but the rest neglect ordering police to learn these tactics to avoid shootings. Local agencies are left to do the training, but most either do not conduct, or teach very little de-escalation tactics to avoid these fatal shootings. 

     This all brings the question, is America actually less safe than other countries? This question is important considering many come to America for a "better life". According to the CAP National Security and International Policy Team, Trumps record on Americas national security has been freighting. Under Trumps presidency we have retreated from Americas moral and global leadership roles, dissolved our democratic allies, and abandoned the bipartisan defense of liberal ideals which led to over 70 years of security and prosperity. 

     Reading through these articles puts into perspective how many are unjustifiably killed through police brutality. Also the fact that many officers are let off easily, with paid leave. It is truly shocking how the same law enforcement that is supposed to help us, and save us is the same that is killing us.