It’s important to point out that Bernie Sanders isn’t *that* radical. The fact that every city has a police department is not an argument against defunding the police. Instead of “redefining what police departments do,” maybe we should redefine how we think about public safety... https://twitter.com/adamkelsey/status/1270349211310096385

...*we* by which I mean the White majority, have this Pavlovian association between police and safety. A lot of Black folks have it too, they just want reality to comport better with what this pseudo-colorblind society has trained them to expect. (See: Double consciousness)...

...We should be asking how much potentially lethal force would really be necessary if we invested adequately in preventing crime. Which, by the way, should be an easy sell...

... As much as you like the idea of your loved one’s murderer getting punished harshly, wouldn’t you like it better if they hadn’t been murdered? Isn’t it better for your car not to get stolen in the first place, than to have someone to call who may or may not find your car?...

...Crime prevention > Law enforcement because being a victim of crime is inconvenient at best and traumatic at worst. Again, should be an easy sell. Beyond that, once crime has been adequately prevented, we can ask how much physical coercion is necessary for public safety...

...We can then ask if it makes sense to have one central department in charge of this physical coercion, or if it makes more sense just to give that capacity to the various public safety and social welfare oriented departments...

...Think of all the cases go-to cases that convince people police departments are the only option, then ask yourself how common they are in any given municipality. The answer is: Not very...

... And if you think those are only uncommon because police exist, research what actually causes them and see where “lack of fear of being arrested,” ranks. It’s not very high. Police are a bandage this society uses to try to staunch gaping head wounds.