WHITE ALLIES COMMENT ON SO CALLED BLACK COMMUNITY & POLICE RAPPROCHEMENT

 

In the #blacklivesmatter movement people are protesting negative treatment of people of color by law enforcement officials all over America. However there are obstructionists in Hartford, Connecticut trying to make it appear as if there are no problems between Hartford Police Department and community. In order for such a ruse to work certain props are required, trotted out black leadership smiling like Sammy Sunshine in Little Rascals movies, white activists from out of town to present organizing skills for the people, and willing police officers to have dialogue. Now that the stage is set with necessary props the play can begin. And in Hartford the narrative being spun like spiders web is, “community and HPD are in the midst of rapprochement.” We have been bombarded with media campaigns depicting some sort of community support for police… community leaders on the steps of City Hall clapping in support of police.

 Sanitized public forums where people talk to city officials, and most recently black leaders actually participating in simulated scenarios to experience what police go through while responding to everyday situations. It is this last point that white activists responded to. After a television segment came out last week showing a black man at HPD with protective gear on pretending to engage in tense situations came out, people were scratching their heads in disbelief.  Several militant white activists commented on what they saw as “what a piece of propaganda” or “this is a joke.” One female activist replied “beware of wolves in sheep’s clothing. Do not be so conciliatory when there is still so much to be fought for.” Some of the comments about what white allies witnessed by this black leader during his HPD visit cannot be printed due to the liberal use of profanity, however you get the point. These long time advocates for justice understand, there is fierce fighting taking place for the [ Hartford ] public narrative, surrounding the aftermath of nationwide protests – after deaths of Michael Brown… Eric Garner- over police oppression. The word rapprochement is defined in Webster’s New Basic Dictionary as “a renewal of cordial relations, as between two governments.” Now when have people of color in Hartford been on good footing with HPD ? It has been a very long time since police and community met as equals. However black moderate leaders seem to be pushing that there is some sort of rapprochement “renewal of cordial relations” between police plus people of color. For white allies in the fight for egalitarian rights the latest episode of false rapprochement, with a black man leading the charge, stinks like old fish heads rotting in the June sun for three days. At least their voices only confirms the suspicion of black obstructionists being used as willing props for old Massa in Hartford.