A CHANGE HAS COME

We all know the horrific story about the tragic death of Tyre Nichols at the hands of five Black Policemen. Some of us dared to watch the video because we had to see it. I had to watch because to tell you the truth it was very hard for me to believe that five Black police officers in their right minds had done such a thing, so inhumane and brutal causing injuries that led to Tyre Nichols death three days after the traffic stop. It was reminiscent of some of the most infamous cases of police violence or killings involving Black victims and primarily white officers: Rodney King in Los Angeles, Michael Brown in Ferguson, and George Floyd in Minneapolis. And though it didn’t involve the beating of a defenseless man, I must share Chicago’s LaQuan Mc Donald’s death by 16 shots fired into his body by one police officer as others watched.

We’re accustomed to this sort of police brutality, but rarely is it Black policemen leading the murderous crimes. If you’re not trying to prevent it and you watch you are a participant. But let me stay on track here. We must not let this become the norm.

Clearly there’s a lot to examine and think about because of what this particular crime brought to light. So many things. And we must look at ‘Black on Black’ crime. It’s a real thing. We know it and we always steer away from the discussion. It hurts my heart. I’m a Baby Boomer on the tail end when Black Power emerged from the Civil Rights Movement and we embraced our African bloodline, our natural hair and our beautiful skin. We looked at ourselves and said, “We are related, we are brothers and sisters united against a country/world that targets us. Hence, our handles ‘Sister, “Brother,’ used to address one another. It was a reminder that we were supportive of one another, not at war with each other.

The Black community once thrived under the foundation of love, respect, and appreciation of community. But now we have generations of children having had babies under some of the worse conditions and circumstances. Some are children of crack addicts, or other uncouth origins, environmental, social and behavioral situations that have fostered an entirely different mindset. One of indifference and lack of concern, respect, or love for their Black community or what we ‘Baby Boomers’ would refer to as our brothers and sisters.

The fact that the five police now ex-police officers are Black and were assigned to a special unit or elite division called Scorpion killed a younger unarmed Black man who had done nothing that triggered their unacceptable behavior is at first mind boggling. Scorpion was like other specialized police units — including the county-run Multi-Agency Gang Unit — in that the officers seemed to stoke fear and distrust by the way they confronted people. Why would that be the behavior to defer to? I mean police need to be pursuing a different route to befriend

Kai EL’ Zabar Editor-in-Chief

the community rather than instill fear, distrust, and hatred towards them. One Memphis community activist pointed out that Scorpion was the Memphis’ Police’s own internal gang. That mentality corrupts the mission of policing and what they’re supposed to be about.

At the end of the day, we are called upon to examine the consistency of this behavior by police across the board throughout the United States. Police are accustomed to getting away with what goes wrong when they are wrong. It’s a known fact, that their contracts protect them, keep them employed, and grace them another chance, so they do the unjustifiable again and again.

Usually, the Police Superintendent is white, male, and a union man. He always protects his men no matter what or how it looks. But Memphis has a large Black leadership contingency. In fact, the majority of the Memphis police force is Black, according to the city’s website. And Memphis Police Chief Cerelyn Davis is the first Black woman to serve in that role for the city. She stepped outside of the usual police blue rule and without hesitation changed the game. She fired the five police officers immediately. She said in a television interview that ‘the officers’ actions reflected no police procedure and that their behavior was inhumane.’

As a woman, she stands alone amongst the numerous police chiefs across the country. I am sure they’re upset with her. We will have to see what happens. Will they make her life uncomfortable or will she reign as a change agent?

Some of our folks are upset . . . and rightfully so that even in this situation the Black male gets the short end of the deal. White police officers even though they clearly appeared guilty from video footage, were graced with suspension and trials.

Well, Black people, I was taught as were all my Baby Boomer generation, that we must be ten times better than ‘them.’ . . . And so, we behaved consciously aware of the scrutiny under which we were judged.