Response 8

“How a whistleblower brought down Chicago police chief”

                                 “It took a lot of courage to even seek me out confidentially, it’s something that could put their job and their life in serious jeopardy”

Literally– The quote means that in seeking out Craig Futterman the informant risked their job and life, because telling the truth about the shooting was more important then the person’s own life and livelihood. The quote also suggests that in telling the truth even confidentially the informant could be threatened or harmed by the Chicago police dept in which they worked for.

Intellectually– when i look at this quote it makes me think back to the original purpose the police to “protect and serve”. I believe that the police dept. in general have broken that oath. I believe they are serving and protecting themselves instead of the community. I understand that the job of a police officer is not an easy one but there has to be a better way to take down suspects. Officers are supposed to be trained to only use as much force as necessary and only shoot to kill if in that situation so why are so many people ending up dead.

Emotionally– This quote makes me feel sad and distrustful of law enforcement because i feel as if minorities are at war with with the police. I feel immense pressure to follow the rules and laws in my everyday life and it is damaging to my character to see men, women and children of my race dying in such dishonorable and inhumane ways. I continue to think upon reading this story “oh great here’s another one how many until my own family or someone i know is affected as well”.

Relationally– The quote and story relate to the theme of today were facing an enemy every time we leave our houses and its unavoidable. It’s not enough that many of us are uncertain of our own safety around other citizens, but now we must also watch out for the the people that carry a badge and hold a title. I continue to think of how this changes our everyday epistemology we have grown to tell future generations to watch their backs, follow the rules, do not anger the police or don’t go outside past a certain time; we have lost more than a sense of safety we’ve lost part of our freedom.

“A Public Menace” by Dorian Lynskey

“Liberals are torn between two desires. They hate injustice to the negro and they hate bureaucratic control of thought”

Literally– The quote means that the liberals are caught between two sides. On one hand, they hate that black people ( African Americans) are experiencing injustice. On the other hand, they hate that the business such as media and film relations are controlling the thoughts and views of the public.

Intellectually– Looking at this quote I believe that films and media have a huge impact people’s views and ideas about how history is portrayed and how the world works. But i also believe that if the media possesses that much power over the society the things that are portrayed should be in a neutral sense rather than choosing a side or putting forward an interpretation like most media does today.

Emotionally– I feel like there shouldn’t be an issue of choosing what you want to defend if liberals hate both injustice toward blacks and bureaucratic control of thought they should be able to defend both sides. We should not compromise our beliefs and ideals because of what media says for the moment.

Relationally– “A Public Menace” relates to the epistemology and state of mind of the public. If the media or film chooses to sew the facts of history the public will be exposed to an inaccurate set of information which each individual will continue to build on. Their behavior and the things they preach to others will be affected by this information whether true or not and people will be forever divided as a result.

“White Anxiety: Rachel Dolezal, Dylann Roof and the Future of Race in America” by Nick Powers

“Shut the fuck up. White people ain’t losing shit. If y’all losing, who’s winning? it ain’t us”

Literally– The quote means that white people’s opinion that they are losing the country is a false notion. When you lose power someone else has to gain it in some way shape or form black people and other minorities aren’t gaining it so have white people really lost power?

Intellectually– I think that looking at all the issues of today with race, no one is winning this race battle no one is benefiting. It seems like people are just dropping like flies and yet white people complain of loosing the country. If white people are losing who’s going to be left to gain anything when more minorities have died in the past few years than any other race. This is publicized everyday these are the facts more minorities are either killed or incarcerated as the years go by.

Emotionally– As an African American myself  i feel targeted everything we do is under immense scrutiny by the media and public. I feel whites are afraid of retaliation which signals that at some point in time they felt as a race that they crossed a point of no return. Some people view the very presences of the minority crowd so intimating that they vow to remove them at any cost. No person should ever feel as unsure of their as minorities feel today in America.

Relationally– This relates to the other two readings because this again relates to the information the society is being exposed to. No single race owns a country and if that is the view of white people that means they acknowledge their privilege in this country and are trying to keep it that way.