Should Police Brutalizing Racial Minorities
Police Brutalizing Racial Minorities Police brutality and racial profiling has been the talk of the century. Dating back to the Civil Rights Movement, minorities have been treated as inferiors to the white race; even post Civil Rights Movement, minorities have yet to be treated as complete equals in the United States of America. In the past decade, police brutality and racial profiling have made the front page of many news articles and news channels. Law enforcement officers should incorporate using their non-lethal weapons; after all, it is unnecessary to kill someone in order to subdue them when a non-lethal weapon is available. Like most issues, there are two sides to every story. In the case regarding police brutality and racial profiling, there are indefinitely two sides. One is the agreement in which police abuse their powers and brutalize the members of minority groups. People believe that police officers often use excessive force against people who are suspected of crimes and often end up killing them. People argue that police use vague justifications in apprehending a suspect, which leads to the injury or death of a member of a minority. Also, police are allowed to use the stop and frisk method,
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which violates the Fourth Amendment ban on unreasonable search and seizure. Not to mention the Fourteenth Amendments requirement that all Americans enjoy equal protection of the law. In the opposition of this issue, people believe that police brutality is over-exaggerated, and that police rarely use excessive force. Often times, Police officers are put in difficult situations where they would have to make quick decisions. People say that crime has steadily decreased due to the police officers. With the use of the stop and frisk method, police had gotten major crimes off the streets, which included gun control and prevention of murders, which ultimately made the streets a safer places. People believe that police officers aren’t engaging in racial profiling, but merely focusing on the high crime neighborhoods. In horrifying events in which a cop murders someone without justifying means, there is little belief to their word compared to multiple witnesses’ statements. The opposition’s point has little evidence supporting their argument compared to the supporter’s views. Logically, the one with more evidence would be the one believed. As a cop kills one person with multiple witnesses, people would often believe the multiple witnesses’ statements rather than a cop’s sole statement. There are many ways in which an officer can avoid murdering someone when the suspect is supposedly moving to attack. Police officers are equipped with a hand-gun, a Taser, and a baton; which two out of three are them are non-lethal. Police brutality and racial profiling has been evident all throughout history. In order to support the argument that, even today, police abuse their powers to brutalize members of the minority, the article “White Power, Black Crime, and Racial Politics” incorporates the rhetorical appeals of logos and pathos. Due to logos, the inclusion of the different statistics, the history of racial profiling, and police brutality dating back to the civil rights movement, supports their argument. It is said in the article that, “The Civil Rights Act of 1964 may have reduced the possibility that entire racial groups could be sanctioned for mistreatment, but in reality law enforcement can still legally target individuals based on their race.” (White Power, Black Crime, and Racial Politics 32). By including stories of people’s experiences with racial profiling, supports the argument with the strong sense of pathos. A Professor from Harvard University was racially profiled due to a bystander was unsure on whether or not a potential robbery was taking place. When the reporting officer appeared at Professor Gates’ household, it is said, “The officer demanded proof that Gates was the lawful resident and was shown his driver’s license and Harvard University identification card.” (37). It is proper precautions to make sure that he is the one that is the resident of the house, but if Gates stepped out of the house before showing the officer identification, the situation would’ve been different. Gates’ lawyers had told him, “Sergeant Crowley would have been within his parameters as a police officer to arrest Gates for breaking and entering if he had stepped outside, surrendering his protections against unreasonable search and seizure and mirroring the trap that many black men fall into when encountering police in profiling situations” (37). If Gates had not acted accordingly; he would’ve been arrested for presumably breaking and entering into his own house. It is easily proven that he is the resident of the household, but due to his color, it would’ve been a long and strenuous process. Although there were no physical acts of police brutality, obvious signs of racially profiling had occurred. There are many attempts to shed light on the brutality that is done onto racial minorities; the article, “Black NYPD Cops Expose Climate of Rampant Racial Profiling in Force”, however, opens people’s eyes that white policemen also brutalize their African American coworkers. Incorporating the rhetorical appeals, logos and ethos, this article becomes credible by including the statistics of the African American officers who were victimized to the racial profiling and interviewing said officers. In this article, it is said that, One statistical counterpoint is that over 90 percent of blacks who are stopped for one reason or another are found simply to be minding their own business. And yet all 25 of the interviewed officers reported being racially profiled. Of those, only a third filed complaints, officially or unofficially. Twenty-four of the interviewed officers reported being racially profiled by their white peers when off-duty and not in uniform. (Black NYPD Cops Expose Climate Rampant Racial Profiling in Force 1).
This article provides proof of racial profiling conducted by law enforcement. Since the officers who fell victim to the police brutality and racial profiling were interviewed, people can get a bigger outlook from the victim’s point of view, since the facts and the credibility enhance the article. In regards of police brutality, the article “Police Brutality: Do U.S. police departments use excessive force?” supports the argument where law enforcement officers abuse their power to brutalize and abuse people in the United States. The rising amount of brutality done by the police has caught the eyes of the nation. Supporters of this argument argue that police are using excessive force to apprehend suspected people of crimes and often killing them regardless of being innocent of guilty. Opponents argue that the excessive force is being exaggerated. The supporter’s argument of police departments using excessive force has many strong points with the multitude of statistics and listing of events in which police officers use too much force. The rhetorical appeals, ethos, logos, and pathos, are found with very strong points. The credibility of this article is found worthy due to the sources that were cited, the statistics, and the stories of the event that had happened. There were many events that have happened within 50 years to create a havoc and controversy. The leading case in this article appeals to the rhetorical appeal, pathos, is an event that had happened in Ferguson Missouri. This article states,
“In August 2014, a deadly incident in Ferguson, Missouri, catapulted the issue onto front pages across the country. Darren Wilson, a white police officer in Ferguson, a Missouri town near St. Louis shot and killed Michael Brown and a friend for walking illegally in the middle of a street” (Police Brutality: Do U.S. police departments use excessive force? 1).
This case had shaken the country and created havoc among the people of Ferguson. There were two sides to this story, which included the police officer’s side, and the witnesses’. It is said, “While police claimed that Brown attacked Wilson in his car, eyewitnesses asserted that Brown was shot while holding his hands in the air to show he was unarmed” (1). After this incident, there were a vast amounts riots in which led to “excessive force against demonstrators and for arresting journalists” (1). Another case similar to Brown’s case, a man who was allegedly selling cigarettes illegally has been killed by the hands of a police officer. It is said that, “Footage of the incident recorded by a bystander showed police gripping Garner, who was asthmatic, in a choke hold, causing him to lose consciousness and die” (1). Due to this incident, NYPD decided that they were going to go over on the training specifications for police officers. These events also tie into the rhetorical appeal of logos. By this article including many different cases in which racial profiling has occurred along with the event of law enforcement officers using excessive force, intensifies the argument in this article. Statistics are included in this article, which shows the percentile of complaints against police officers that had used excessive force, 60% happened to be physical force. This article also included a brief history of police brutality has been included to show how far back police brutality has been going on. The article, “Stop and Frisk: Should police have the right to stop, question, and frisk anyone they deem suspicious?” enunciates the power given to law enforcement officers as they have the means to abuse it. The “Stop and Frisk” methods is thought of as a great way police officers get guns off the streets and prevent a numerous amount of crimes that eventually led to New York City to be a safer place. But many people oppose that using clouded judgment, officers use this method to approach and harass members of the minority group with unjustified reasons. The rhetorical appeals ethos and logos have strong points in this article. Ethos is shown with the inclusion of a Federal Judge’s input on the “Stop and Frisk” method. In 2013, federal judge Shira Scheindlin ruled, “NYPD had violated the Fourth Amendment to the Constitution, which protects people from ‘unreasonable search and seizures’ and the Fourteenth Amendment, which guarantees every person ‘equal protection of the laws’ by disproportionately targeting minorities without reasonable cause” (Stop and Frisk: Should police have the right to stop, question, and frisk anyone they deem suspicious? 1) The Judge doesn’t believe that the method itself is unconstitutional, but the way that the method is being used to target members of the minority groups. Including statistics on what race is more victim to the “Stop and Frisk” method, shows logos in this article. It is said that, “In 2011, more that 80 percent of those stopped were black or Hispanic, even though members of those groups constitute only about half of the city’s population” (1). Another study claims that, above 50 percent of people who were stopped by the “Stop and Frisk” method were because of furtive movements, while 33 percent was due to suspect casing location. This method in apprehending actual criminals is an underlying excuse to racially profile members of the minority group. Living in the 21st century, the economy is continuously progressing. Prior to the civil rights movement, people fought for equal rights. Even after the civil rights era, where equality became a part of our Constitution, people are still fighting for equality. In many parts of our country, racism still lingers. With the continuous acts of police brutality and racial profiling, law enforcement officers should go about different means where everyone is treated equally despite their color. Police should implement different means when regarding apprehending a suspecting culprit. Instead of only focusing in high crime areas, they should spread their focus equally amongst different areas. Police departments across the country should review the way that they train their upcoming officers, so that equality is being practiced. With the uprising of incidental murders of innocent people, people of America become unrestful. With the probability of lessening police brutality benefits the greatest amount of people. By getting criminals off the street in a non-lethal and justifiable way would make America safer. Across the country, people are dying.
But a multitude of those deaths include members of ethnic minorities by law enforcement officers. With these heartbreaking events, questions start to rise. Questions such as: Are police using excessive force? Are police abusing their powers as law enforcement officers? Does racial profiling have to do with these murders? These questions are all controversial topics in which has struck America, leaving the questions unanswered. In order to lessen the uproar towards law enforcement, officers should incorporate using their non-lethal weapons that they are assigned with. It is unnecessary to kill someone in the act of subduing them. After all, law enforcement officers are equipped with their gun and weapons that are
non-lethal.
Works Cited
"Black NYPD Cops Expose Climate of Rampant Racial Profiling in Force." - RT USA. 24 Dec. 2014. Web. 19 Mar. 2015.
“Police Brutality: Do U.S. police departments use excessive force?” Issues & Controversies. Infobase Learning, 25 Nov. 2014. Web.
Staples, Robert. “White Power, Black Crime, and Racial Politics.” Black Scholar 41.4 (2011): 31-41 Academic Search Premier. Web. 19 Mar. 2015
“Stop and Frisk: Should police have the right to stop, question, and frisk anyone they deem suspicious?” Issues & Controversies. Infobase Learning, 11 Nov. 2013. Web.
which violates the Fourth Amendment ban on unreasonable search and seizure. Not to mention the Fourteenth Amendments requirement that all Americans enjoy equal protection of the law. In the opposition of this issue, people believe that police brutality is over-exaggerated, and that police rarely use excessive force. Often times, Police officers are put in difficult situations where they would have to make quick decisions. People say that crime has steadily decreased due to the police officers. With the use of the stop and frisk method, police had gotten major crimes off the streets, which included gun control and prevention of murders, which ultimately made the streets a safer places. People believe that police officers aren’t engaging in racial profiling, but merely focusing on the high crime neighborhoods. In horrifying events in which a cop murders someone without justifying means, there is little belief to their word compared to multiple witnesses’ statements. The opposition’s point has little evidence supporting their argument compared to the supporter’s views. Logically, the one with more evidence would be the one believed. As a cop kills one person with multiple witnesses, people would often believe the multiple witnesses’ statements rather than a cop’s sole statement. There are many ways in which an officer can avoid murdering someone when the suspect is supposedly moving to attack. Police officers are equipped with a hand-gun, a Taser, and a baton; which two out of three are them are non-lethal. Police brutality and racial profiling has been evident all throughout history. In order to support the argument that, even today, police abuse their powers to brutalize members of the minority, the article “White Power, Black Crime, and Racial Politics” incorporates the rhetorical appeals of logos and pathos. Due to logos, the inclusion of the different statistics, the history of racial profiling, and police brutality dating back to the civil rights movement, supports their argument. It is said in the article that, “The Civil Rights Act of 1964 may have reduced the possibility that entire racial groups could be sanctioned for mistreatment, but in reality law enforcement can still legally target individuals based on their race.” (White Power, Black Crime, and Racial Politics 32). By including stories of people’s experiences with racial profiling, supports the argument with the strong sense of pathos. A Professor from Harvard University was racially profiled due to a bystander was unsure on whether or not a potential robbery was taking place. When the reporting officer appeared at Professor Gates’ household, it is said, “The officer demanded proof that Gates was the lawful resident and was shown his driver’s license and Harvard University identification card.” (37). It is proper precautions to make sure that he is the one that is the resident of the house, but if Gates stepped out of the house before showing the officer identification, the situation would’ve been different. Gates’ lawyers had told him, “Sergeant Crowley would have been within his parameters as a police officer to arrest Gates for breaking and entering if he had stepped outside, surrendering his protections against unreasonable search and seizure and mirroring the trap that many black men fall into when encountering police in profiling situations” (37). If Gates had not acted accordingly; he would’ve been arrested for presumably breaking and entering into his own house. It is easily proven that he is the resident of the household, but due to his color, it would’ve been a long and strenuous process. Although there were no physical acts of police brutality, obvious signs of racially profiling had occurred. There are many attempts to shed light on the brutality that is done onto racial minorities; the article, “Black NYPD Cops Expose Climate of Rampant Racial Profiling in Force”, however, opens people’s eyes that white policemen also brutalize their African American coworkers. Incorporating the rhetorical appeals, logos and ethos, this article becomes credible by including the statistics of the African American officers who were victimized to the racial profiling and interviewing said officers. In this article, it is said that, One statistical counterpoint is that over 90 percent of blacks who are stopped for one reason or another are found simply to be minding their own business. And yet all 25 of the interviewed officers reported being racially profiled. Of those, only a third filed complaints, officially or unofficially. Twenty-four of the interviewed officers reported being racially profiled by their white peers when off-duty and not in uniform. (Black NYPD Cops Expose Climate Rampant Racial Profiling in Force 1).
This article provides proof of racial profiling conducted by law enforcement. Since the officers who fell victim to the police brutality and racial profiling were interviewed, people can get a bigger outlook from the victim’s point of view, since the facts and the credibility enhance the article. In regards of police brutality, the article “Police Brutality: Do U.S. police departments use excessive force?” supports the argument where law enforcement officers abuse their power to brutalize and abuse people in the United States. The rising amount of brutality done by the police has caught the eyes of the nation. Supporters of this argument argue that police are using excessive force to apprehend suspected people of crimes and often killing them regardless of being innocent of guilty. Opponents argue that the excessive force is being exaggerated. The supporter’s argument of police departments using excessive force has many strong points with the multitude of statistics and listing of events in which police officers use too much force. The rhetorical appeals, ethos, logos, and pathos, are found with very strong points. The credibility of this article is found worthy due to the sources that were cited, the statistics, and the stories of the event that had happened. There were many events that have happened within 50 years to create a havoc and controversy. The leading case in this article appeals to the rhetorical appeal, pathos, is an event that had happened in Ferguson Missouri. This article states,
“In August 2014, a deadly incident in Ferguson, Missouri, catapulted the issue onto front pages across the country. Darren Wilson, a white police officer in Ferguson, a Missouri town near St. Louis shot and killed Michael Brown and a friend for walking illegally in the middle of a street” (Police Brutality: Do U.S. police departments use excessive force? 1).
This case had shaken the country and created havoc among the people of Ferguson. There were two sides to this story, which included the police officer’s side, and the witnesses’. It is said, “While police claimed that Brown attacked Wilson in his car, eyewitnesses asserted that Brown was shot while holding his hands in the air to show he was unarmed” (1). After this incident, there were a vast amounts riots in which led to “excessive force against demonstrators and for arresting journalists” (1). Another case similar to Brown’s case, a man who was allegedly selling cigarettes illegally has been killed by the hands of a police officer. It is said that, “Footage of the incident recorded by a bystander showed police gripping Garner, who was asthmatic, in a choke hold, causing him to lose consciousness and die” (1). Due to this incident, NYPD decided that they were going to go over on the training specifications for police officers. These events also tie into the rhetorical appeal of logos. By this article including many different cases in which racial profiling has occurred along with the event of law enforcement officers using excessive force, intensifies the argument in this article. Statistics are included in this article, which shows the percentile of complaints against police officers that had used excessive force, 60% happened to be physical force. This article also included a brief history of police brutality has been included to show how far back police brutality has been going on. The article, “Stop and Frisk: Should police have the right to stop, question, and frisk anyone they deem suspicious?” enunciates the power given to law enforcement officers as they have the means to abuse it. The “Stop and Frisk” methods is thought of as a great way police officers get guns off the streets and prevent a numerous amount of crimes that eventually led to New York City to be a safer place. But many people oppose that using clouded judgment, officers use this method to approach and harass members of the minority group with unjustified reasons. The rhetorical appeals ethos and logos have strong points in this article. Ethos is shown with the inclusion of a Federal Judge’s input on the “Stop and Frisk” method. In 2013, federal judge Shira Scheindlin ruled, “NYPD had violated the Fourth Amendment to the Constitution, which protects people from ‘unreasonable search and seizures’ and the Fourteenth Amendment, which guarantees every person ‘equal protection of the laws’ by disproportionately targeting minorities without reasonable cause” (Stop and Frisk: Should police have the right to stop, question, and frisk anyone they deem suspicious? 1) The Judge doesn’t believe that the method itself is unconstitutional, but the way that the method is being used to target members of the minority groups. Including statistics on what race is more victim to the “Stop and Frisk” method, shows logos in this article. It is said that, “In 2011, more that 80 percent of those stopped were black or Hispanic, even though members of those groups constitute only about half of the city’s population” (1). Another study claims that, above 50 percent of people who were stopped by the “Stop and Frisk” method were because of furtive movements, while 33 percent was due to suspect casing location. This method in apprehending actual criminals is an underlying excuse to racially profile members of the minority group. Living in the 21st century, the economy is continuously progressing. Prior to the civil rights movement, people fought for equal rights. Even after the civil rights era, where equality became a part of our Constitution, people are still fighting for equality. In many parts of our country, racism still lingers. With the continuous acts of police brutality and racial profiling, law enforcement officers should go about different means where everyone is treated equally despite their color. Police should implement different means when regarding apprehending a suspecting culprit. Instead of only focusing in high crime areas, they should spread their focus equally amongst different areas. Police departments across the country should review the way that they train their upcoming officers, so that equality is being practiced. With the uprising of incidental murders of innocent people, people of America become unrestful. With the probability of lessening police brutality benefits the greatest amount of people. By getting criminals off the street in a non-lethal and justifiable way would make America safer. Across the country, people are dying.
But a multitude of those deaths include members of ethnic minorities by law enforcement officers. With these heartbreaking events, questions start to rise. Questions such as: Are police using excessive force? Are police abusing their powers as law enforcement officers? Does racial profiling have to do with these murders? These questions are all controversial topics in which has struck America, leaving the questions unanswered. In order to lessen the uproar towards law enforcement, officers should incorporate using their non-lethal weapons that they are assigned with. It is unnecessary to kill someone in the act of subduing them. After all, law enforcement officers are equipped with their gun and weapons that are
non-lethal.
Works Cited
"Black NYPD Cops Expose Climate of Rampant Racial Profiling in Force." - RT USA. 24 Dec. 2014. Web. 19 Mar. 2015.
“Police Brutality: Do U.S. police departments use excessive force?” Issues & Controversies. Infobase Learning, 25 Nov. 2014. Web.
Staples, Robert. “White Power, Black Crime, and Racial Politics.” Black Scholar 41.4 (2011): 31-41 Academic Search Premier. Web. 19 Mar. 2015
“Stop and Frisk: Should police have the right to stop, question, and frisk anyone they deem suspicious?” Issues & Controversies. Infobase Learning, 11 Nov. 2013. Web.