We're about to hear a whole lot of "bUt ThEy ShOuLdN't HaVe BeEn StReEt RaCiNg!!!" takes regarding a Tacoma Police Officer running through a crowd and over individuals attending a local street race. Let's go ahead purge this bad faith argument now. Thread. 1/8

Of course street racing is dangerous and illegal. But this incident, as is almost always the case with law enforcement, highlights once again who our systems view as a threat and who is subject to violence. (Hint: it's people of color) 2/8

America's 20th Century car culture drew young people to participate in illegal drag racing for decades. Tacoma was no exception. Go ahead and ask any old timer about weekend nights on the Tide Flats, South Tacoma Way or (as was the case last night) Pacific Avenue. 3/8

If they we're a teen in 50s, 60s, or 70s around Tacoma, I promise you they have glory days stories about racing on those strips. They might even tell you how Tacoma was unique in it's car culture, which is kind of backed up by a major car museum opening up here in 2012. 4/8

So why does this matter? Well, it's just another example of who historically can have the expectation of safety, even while breaking the law, and who can't in our communities. 5/8

As is the case across the board, law enforcement handles street racing differently depending on the color of one's skin and generations of White teens could expect to engage in this behavior, not without consequences per se, but certainly without violent police encounter. 6/8

In one way, that's why last night was so brazen and shocking. We know it was poisoned by racial animous because nearly identical situations have played out across America for generations. We know damn well that the kids in "Grease" weren't getting mauled by police cruisers. 7/8

In sum, don't give a pass to the line that because folks were at a street race that they are somehow culpable in their own brutalization. It's a racist, blinders on argument that only serves to further insulate the perpetrators of police violence. 8/8