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My first response to the phrase 'defund the police' was to think it was extreme. Then I read up on the idea, and I'm floored by what an elegant, thoughtful solution it is to such a pernicious problem. I'm in 100%.
Like a lot of white folks, I was raised with the concept that police = safety. Police = law and justice. These are false equations, as the evidence bears out.
And the movement to defund the police is actually about funding safety, funding justice, just funding these values in a more effective way than funding the police has done.
It takes a moment to understand that though, to do a bit of reading, and update your concepts. Police = safety is an ingrained cultural idea in white culture. Something wrong = call 911 is an ingrained cultural idea in white culture.
It reminds me of the movement to end fossil fuels. When I say 'end fossil fuels' a lot of people actually hear something else. They hear: 'end economic prosperity' or 'bankrupt alberta' or 'end cars, heat, lights, electricity, life as we know it'.
Because for many people, oil = prosperity, and oil = energy. And neither of these equations is correct, not by any standard.
When I say 'end fossil fuels' I then say 'and replace it with renewable energy and make sure people have jobs in the transition'. But even when I say that, clearly, precisely, I am often misheard, and argued against based on faulty concepts of oil = prosperity or oil = energy.
I have yet to hear anyone come up with a good argument for why ending fossil fuels and replacing them with renewables isn't a good idea.
Just like I have yet to hear a good argument why redistributing police funds to initiatives that actually provide safety isn't a good idea.
Just like I have yet to hear a good argument why redistributing police funds to initiatives that actually provide safety isn't a good idea.
In fact; the arguments against both these concepts are overwhelmingly bad faith arguments, arguments made under the assumption that oil = prosperity or cops = safety.
And so often things fall apart right then and there. Journalists and politicians need to do better research on these two issues. They need to differentiate between issues of feasibility and issues that are actually opposed to what activists are saying.
But, it's my personal feeling that as white allies, we need to hold off on bad faith arguments in all areas. As Katharine Hayhoe often says, it helps to meet people where they are.
Your befuddled relative on facebook wondering about their uncle who's a nice cop isn't actually making an argument against defunding the police. They aren't necessarily against it. They just don't understand it.
Good cops can co-exist along with the extremely compelling and scientifically supported argument that the institution is structurally broken and must end to ensure the safety and survival of people of colour.
Just like good oil workers can co-exist along with the extremely compelling and scientifically supported argument that the institution of oil and gas exploitation must end to ensure the survival of humans on planet earth.
The black activists I follow have communicated again and again that they need white people to see racism as an issue we need to work on amongst ourselves. And that they are exhausted.
And something I wish to gently say is that those of us who are new to this concept, who are still in the learning phase; that we use our newness to it as a bridge to the man who don't understand it yet.
And empathize with our confused relatives and emphasize shared values. That this is above all about a battle for safety. Just safety for all, not just for some.
Those of us who are new to this issue, those of us who have not been personally affected, we can use our reserves of patience and empathy to engage people who might actually be staunch allies of this initiative but don't understand it yet.
Neither defunding the police nor climate activism need to be a culture war. Both initiatives can be about science, and looking at what the facts actually tell us. In both areas, the truth is on our side.
Thanks for reading the thread! Just wanted to note there is a typo three tweets above; it should say 'use our newness as a bridge to *those* who don't understand it yet'. Did not mean to specifically say 'man'.
