Qualified Immunity is Leading to Police Terrorism

There are things in life that make one uncomfortable — like watching live the injury of an NFL player — and there are things that may infuriate you — like watching Donald Trump escape accountability for so long. But very few things in life may boil your blood like this video of two Texas police officers acting with extreme brutality against two innocent father and son black men. The video below, shot back in 2020, demonstrates how Qualified Immunity is leading to police terrorism in this country. When it comes to policing, we have become a Soviet Union on steroids.

Nothing is off limits to the new pro-Trump, hard to grasp illegal behavior of this new police force acting as if there are no laws to govern their behavior. In today’s America, nothing will stop a racist and angry police officer from breaking the law to satisfy their stupid need to impose their unstable will on innocent Americans.

We are entering a phase of total police lawlessness. If we don’t reform nationally police practices, we are heading to a point of no return where citizens might become vigilantes against every police officer they may encounter.

If your blood does not boil after watching this video, then you are not human. You are an animal in Trump’s jungle. We must revoke Qualified Immunity to hold police officers accountable for their clearly illegal actions.

IT KEEPS HAPPENING

These brutal police actions keep happening, across the land, to innocent black and brown people minding their own business; yet, we still have to hear from any political leaders, starting with President Biden, about truly reforming the police on a national level. It’s a red line for many politicians who would rather not tackle it for fear of losing the white voters.

Many white voters, of course, would like to see a course correction in support of a more gentle police force no citizen should fear, but rather respect. Instead, we have reached a point of total police lawlessness. Many, on the other side, have long been marching to the tune of Trump’s racism, which sparks these tragic events in the first place.

Grant you that the police chief in Keller fired police officer Blake Shimanek who pepper sprayed the father. The city paid a $200,000 settlement to both son and father. We believe the dignity of both black men is worth much, much more.

The reason ex-officer Blake Shimanek arrested the son is because he rolled up his window when he saw the police car approaching. Imagine that. It is now illegal, according to the police in Texas, to roll up your window when you see a threatening police officer whose eyes are shooting darts of racism. It’s a made up law but it just shows how Qualified Immunity is leading to police terrorism.

QUALIFIED IMMUNITY IS LEADING TO POLICE TERRORISM

We are not familiar with the vetting process, if any, for each jurisdiction looking to hire police officers. But we bet that had this process been stable and substantial, no black communities would suffer the indignity these two black men, and thousands of others before them, would have suffered. It seems to us that the first steps of hiring police officers are fraught with unintended consequences, some of which may be deliberate if one conjures the systemic racism we all see embedded into our legal and social structures.

Had Shimanek been subjected to an emotional test to show his maturity level, this tragic incident would not have happened. How could any police department issue a gun to someone who is emotionally unstable? It really starts with the faulty hiring practices, which the fraternal order of police may be playing an important role in supporting and implementing.

FAULTY HIRING PRACTICES

Police departments are constantly emphasizing community policing. Yet, they hire police officers incapable of understanding the importance of their role in society. This has to change. Neither taxpayers, nor innocent Americans can continue to suffer from stupid police behavior, which in this instance borders on police terrorism.

No, rolling your window is not illegal. No, filming illegal police interaction with the public is not illegal. So, when police officers, on the spot, decide both actions are illegal and act if they are above the law, this is terrorism. Pure and simple.

It’s really up to good police officers to stop this kind of terror. Protest openly and vehemently every time a colleague breaks the law. Otherwise, you may find all your good work go to waste when a community looks at your uniform and pledges no cooperation for no fault of your own.

Stand up and speak. Against police terror in your police departments.

Qualified Immunity is Leading to Police Terrorism