Defunding the police
Trouble with the slogan
Regarding “‘Defund the police’ isn’t about elimination,” (A17, June 12): Sometimes we do it to ourselves. Using the term “defund the police” to advocate for shifting resources from armed policing to social programs reducing crime and poverty is like handing a weapon to authoritarian candidates. On its face, the phrase appears to promote elimination of police altogether, which no one wants. It is a gift to “law and order” candidates to frighten voters with potential descent into chaos. Its effect is to blunt the broad, deep and vital soul-searching stirred by the tragic death of George Floyd and countless others at the hands of police. We need to stop using that phrase right now. This is too important. Maureen Wharton, Houston
There is one common thread in police mistreatment of civilians from Rodney King to George Floyd.
First, there is the official report, which details how the civilian did not follow orders and had to be restrained with whatever force needed. Then there is the video taken by a member of the public, which shows what really happened.
It makes me wonder how many other civilians were beaten or killed and the action justified only by the lack of an independent video to show what had occurred. William Greene, League City
I was impressed physically and emotionally as I viewed the crowd along the route to George Floyd’s funeral. It was hard for me to for see the depth of pain in the community. So many standing out in the hot sun to see the carriage pass. The reaction as the car passed by; I found myself choking with empathy. I was overwhelmed. I grew up in the Deep South and was a product of that. We must demand that authorities do what is necessary to ensure that mechanisms are in place to deal quickly with behavior that abuses any person under the cover of authority or perceived power. It has been too long. Edgar Taylor, Houston