Police entitlements a more serious evil

Re: Entitlement assumptions of politicians insulting — Brown-john column, Jan. 8

It is very normal for people to choose their battles, but we would hope those who are experienced social commentators would put the most important battles at the top of their list.

Lloyd Brown-john gets a full column in order to express his concern over the entitlements used by political officials that were contrary to recommendations regarding social distancing during the pandemic and not engaging in travel in order to minimize the potential danger to many of us who have vulnerabilities.

Surely, he must have seen the many examples, even in Canada, of police personnel going beyond the maintenance of public safety and presuming their entitlements allow them to engage in the imposition of justice to a subgroup of people on the street — namely killing of Blacks.

These were people who, in many cases, were simply protesting or not engaging in any violent activities which put the public (or police) in immediate mortal danger.

The term Black Lives Matter is significant when juxtaposed with treatment on the street some members of police forces impose on people they deem not in their class level of entitlement.

Unfortunately, distinguishing features — skin colour, race or gender — are at times used in a cavalier manner to make such decisions on the street.

I feel the murder of people on the street is a more serious and immediate evil to be addressed in our society than the misuse by politicians of entitlements by those who should be leading exemplars of societal behaviour.

Philip H. Alexander, Windsor