Do unto others

Haven’t we read that somewhere?

Rayshard Brooks should be alive today. What makes his death so tragic is that it was completely avoidable. Watching the multiple videos of his encounter with police makes you realize that such deadly outcomes do not necessarily come from racism or malice, but from ignorance, stupidity or poor training on how the police can de-escalate any encounter.

There are multiple videos of this encounter, allowing us to see what really happened. Rayshard obviously had too much to drink, and he was smart enough to get off the roads. He fell asleep while waiting in a car line at a Wendy’s—maybe there to get coffee in an effort to get sober.

When the police first encountered him, he was very peaceful. There was a protracted discussion without any hostility on anyone’s part. He urged the police to let him park his car, lock it under their supervision, and walk back to a sister’s house, which he said was nearby. He even explained he had celebrated one of his children’s birthdays the previous day. It was all going so well.

Then the officer asked him to do a sobriety test. You know what must have gone through Rayshard’s mind.

Something probably like: “I am trying to peacefully cooperate, why do they want to do a field sobriety test? I am no danger to anyone else at this time, and I do not even want to get back in the car and drive.”

Watching the video, you see Rayshard reacting with justified exasperation, but he agreed. When he failed the sobriety test, the police officer decided to handcuff him. That decision to handcuff and arrest a peaceful cooperating person was the inflection point which resulted in a dead man, a burned-down Wendy’s, a fired police officer, and riots in Atlanta.

Let’s go back to the inflection point. Why handcuff a man who is completely peaceful, agrees not to get back in his car and drive, and who is cooperating fully with police officers? What police need to do is to de-escalate a situation like this, not escalate it. When the police decided to handcuff and arrest him, Rayshard probably reacted with a flash of anger, maybe thinking: “Why are they doing this to me—just because they can? How unfair.”

WHAT IS the solution? Some would argue that better training is the answer. Others would argue we need to pass more laws. But maybe the simplest and best solution would be for each and every police officer in America to learn and practice the Golden Rule: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

If that police officer has been in the reverse situation, he would have greatly appreciated being given the opportunity to park his car, lock it, and go home. Following the Golden Rule, why not give him a ride and escort him to the front door? Just think how much goodwill that would have created, not only with Rayshard and his family, but his neighbors, too. Isn’t that the essence of community policing?

Lots of people in America have turned away from religion. There are certainly too many examples of abuse in the clergy, just like every other profession. But if the real answer to a situation like this is not in more laws and regulations, bur rather in the human heart, a single religious principle could go a long way towards humans treating others with respect. And avoiding another tragedy.