Chauvin Verdict Means Nothing
– By Ed Kociela –
I hate to be a buzzkill, but before you get all carried away, patting yourself on the back for the triple-guilty verdict in the Derek Chauvin trial, pause on the sobering fact that within 24 hours of the jury’s decision, six other people were shot and killed at the hands of police in the United States.
So, no, we are not on the cusp of cultural change, we are not witness to a new era in race relations, we are not on the edge of much-needed police reform to serve and protect all of us regardless of our skin color, and we are not, by a longshot, solving the racial inequity that has existed since the founding of this nation.
The problem remains and no amount of whitewashing will solve it.
And, the grand and glorious praise being heaped on that Minnesota jury?
Totally out of line.
Those jurors simply did their job. They examined the evidence and came to the right decision, something they promised to do when selected to serve. It took no courage, it broke no new ground, it did nothing to break the cycle of police violence against people of color.
I mean, since when should we get all proud and puffy about simply doing the right thing? Isn’t that what we are supposed to do? I once heard a parent brag that their child was not in a gang, did not do drugs, and although not a candidate for Mensa, had reasonable grades in school. I asked why that made the child so special and got one of those deer in the headlights stares in return. I explained to the woman that children are not supposed to join gangs, do drugs, and should work hard for good grades, that she should demand that as a minimum standard. Instead, she was proud of her son for doing what society expects from him. It’s like getting a participatory trophy in youth soccer – a reward just for showing up instead of working hard to excel.
That’s not how life goes. Just because you show up for work sober and put in your daily nine to five does not mean you necessarily deserve a raise or promotion. That is what is expected of you. The folks who make the extra effort, who go above and beyond the norm are the ones who are going to get the good gig and bigger bucks. At least that is what we were told about how the system is supposed to work.
So, please, until we see real police reform until we see a solution to the widening racism, and until we find the path to true justice you might just as well shove your hands in your pocket and shuffle away because you don’t deserve that pat on the back.
Nothing we have seen as a result of the Chauvin case indicates transparency in how law enforcement operates, we have not seen any steps towards accountability, we have seen no efforts to reform police procedures. Black folks are still being harassed, whether through racial profiling or by looking down the barrel of a gun. With technology what it is today, police have plenty of alternatives to drawing a sidearm to restrain a potential bad guy, even if they are armed. In many of these killings, the victim is not armed.
But instead of decent, fair, equal treatment, the police are taking an alternate route. They have armored vehicles, assault weapons, and gear that were once used only on the battlefield. They have created a “them vs. us” mentality that is enhanced by the ingrained systemic racism that has poisoned law enforcement for far too long. It is indicative, of course, of a deeper infection in our souls. Reasonable people abhor this, of course, but how many reasonable people walk among us these days? Besides, certain permission has been granted for outlandish behavior, particularly among those who refuse to look beyond their lily-white lifestyles.
I must admit that I was a bit surprised by the verdicts. I know how incredibly difficult it is to obtain a conviction against a cop. The badge still carries a lot of clout among many, especially the elderly who come from a much different time when they actually knew the first name of the cop walking the beat. If not for the body cam and phone camera evidence, I seriously doubt Chauvin would be behind bars today. The street witnesses just would not have carried the same credibility as the guy wearing the badge. That’s why I’m pretty sure Chauvin would have walked, which makes my stomach turn as I think of all those instances when there was no body cam or cell phone to document what really went down on the street.
So, don’t go patting yourself on the back. That jury in Minnesota did what it was supposed to do: convict a guilty man.
And, certainly, don’t claim that the verdict is a reflection of a change in racial justice. Check back in a couple of years, when we can look at the new numbers, examine how any changes in police procedures have gone, and how we treat each other before we make any claims because right now, we still have a lot of work to do.
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