Dear All:
The same acrimonious relationship that exists amongst the police and the
African-American communities in the USA
is also prevalent in Canada, especially in large urban centres in the country.
I couldn't agree more with both Dr Anthony Obi Ogbo, a Nigerian-American
and Mayor Sylvester Turner of the City of Houston, Texas.!
We must allow common sense to prevail.
We must learn to jaw- jaw rather war- war.
As mayor Turner opined, American citizens including African Americans, Hispanics and other minorities
cannot be calling 911 over 200 million times per year while at the same time continuing
the negative rhetoric against the law enforcement authorities at the current high decibel
levels notwithstanding the fact that most of the rhetoric is justified
Just as there is a small percentage of rogue officers amongst the police in almost all jurisdictions
in the USA and Canada, we must admit that there is also a small percentage of African-American and African
-Canadians who commit crimes at much higher rates than the remainder of the African communities
and the broader populations in both countries.
A minority of the police stereotype African-American males as potentially violent criminals just because of the
frequent negative interactions they have had with the criminals in our communities. However, the African-American communities
in both countries would be guilty of an even greater stereotype if we assume that the majority and not necessarily a small
minority of the police are prejudiced against us.
There is a need for continuing reform of the law enforcement agencies to rid policing of its inherent systemic bias against minorities
that have lasted for centuries. There is also need for improvement in the training of police officers so that they are more aware
of the communities they police.
The introduction of community policing in many jurisdictions has led to a decrease in the crime rate and in the frequency of incarceration of young males of African descent
in both Canada and the USA. More needs to be done!.
Last but not the least, the federal state, provincial and local authorities should work with the communities to address the root causes of crime.
With the exception of a miniscule of psychopaths amongst the human population, it is safe to say that human beings
are not born to be criminals. There is no criminal gene in the human genome.
Most of the drivers of criminality are environmental ---due mostly to economic deprivation,
pervasive poverty, poor parenting, poor educational facilities and lack of opportunities for economic
advancement in impoverished neighbourhoods.
Bye,
Ola
---- Original Message ----
From: International Guardian News <guardian@guardiannews.us>
To: olakassimmd <olakassimmd@aol.com>
Sent: Mon, Jul 11, 2016 12:24 pm
Subject: Lowering the rhetoric – why activists must listen to Mayor Turner and soften their tongues
-- From: International Guardian News <guardian@guardiannews.us>
To: olakassimmd <olakassimmd@aol.com>
Sent: Mon, Jul 11, 2016 12:24 pm
Subject: Lowering the rhetoric – why activists must listen to Mayor Turner and soften their tongues
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