Malcolm Gladwell: Sandra Bland & Talking to Strangers

    An extremely timely book taking a widesoread Analysis of different factors going into Sandra Bland's death, here's a decent extensive review.

    https://medium.com/@kylempalmer/talking-to-the-stranger-sandra-bland-5cd...

    Though what the review leaves out (i suppose to save the punchline) Is that the Kansas City policing method mentioned - a full court press akin to "Broken Windows", turning any enciunter into a search-and-seize escalation - is supposed to be used *only* in the *worst* blocks and slum houses of the worst districts (as seen on The Wire), as used on a general populace, it would alienate the 99%+ normal non-offending citizens way too much, and put the police in a caustic adversarial role. Except that's what we've done. Especially if you'e Black. The cops who killed Floyd, harassed Sandra Bland to suicide, were *just following orders*, US policing policy, where being a nosy intolerant asshole *leads to greater arrests*, which Is almost the same as reducung crime, or supposedly shows you're serious about it (again you can see in The Wire by new mayors or police chief's various cynical efforts to get homicide busts or Broken Windows/public urination-style arrests up).

    So instead of defunding police, give the majority in safer districts a mandate to police compassionately. And save the rough take-the-gloves-off stuff *only* for the worst, where the still large majority of law-abiding citizens, even of colors, Will appreciate the "tough love" to make their neighborhood safe and livable. Easy, no?

    Blacks abhor black-on-black crime. But they more abhor continual Injustice from outside, especially White people acting like entitled assholes And denying them their rights. Like duh. When your son Is getting his head pounded into the pavement by a White cop, you dont say, "hmmm, Black guys pick on colored folks more often, I should be outraged by that." You're enraged by the outsider, the Intruder, combined with centuries of injustuce. Why do we teach civics and history if we can't even grasp basics like this?

    Note: consider this with approaches towards protests, where police action isnt to quell problems in the worst lication & free themselves up in quiet zones - it's usually to treat all protesters as criminals, to use teargas and make arrests, to label all as "Antifa", to twist it so *cops* are the real victims.

    Another item: Gladwell notes with Sandusky, Larry the gymnastics doctor, and other cases of abuse - it's less likely that people Are trying to cover up, And much more likely we're programmed (self- and societally) to assume the best of people in our surroundings, despite evidence. Even *parents* assumed away stark evidence. Even a girl whod been molested over and over still thought it was a needed pelvic exam. Think of that when evaluating say conservative Republicans - it takes a lot to break with our community allegiance, whatever the facts..

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    In David & Goliath he describes J-RIP in Brooklyn as a community building anti-crime effort in a heavy crime district vs the heavy, fated & counterproductive British overkill/alienating commando style in Northern Ireland, as well as the limited & then counterproductive trending & failing of 3 Strikes imprisonment. Good things do not continue forever in a straight line, while overall long term you catch more flies with honey then vinegar. (better suggestions than "defund the police", for all its vagueness, and Gladwell gives a good example of a quick crimewave when police Are out of commissiin for just one day. This being about 8-10 years ago, not the latest phenom)


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