Courageous. I like it. Thinking of people in terms of 'process' instead of
a noun ("racist" or other) is helpful. It's hard especially now to express
these sentiments, but as a white woman with no criminal background, I've
had some encounters with police officers that would make your head spin.

Liz Swan, PhD

Program for Writing & Rhetoric
University of Colorado Boulder

Independent Broker & Owner
Swan Real Estate LLC

Certified Yoga Instructor


On Thu, Jun 11, 2020, 3:41 PM Ari Delashmutt <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> Joe's rant was pretty epic and knocked me in the head hard. It made some
> things click. I wrote an article about said things, Medium says its a 6
> minute read. I'd love to hear your thoughts.
>
>
> https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__medium.com_-40ariintheair_inquiring-2Dabout-2Dall-2Dlives-2Dmatter-2D3a248f6e568&d=DwIFaQ&c=eLbWYnpnzycBCgmb7vCI4uqNEB9RSjOdn_5nBEmmeq0&r=HPo1IXYDhKClogP-UOpybo6Cfxxz-jIYBgjO2gOz4-A&m=lXkirlPsEB4UpThKjZjTCSCAABNtdY6sXuJLlx17Xu4&s=yGI7NXuUO20JbTg-rJwZp72wk0UaJc2h6W8_E1Z3b5A&e= 
> <https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__medium.com_-40ariintheair_inquiring-2Dabout-2Dall-2Dlives-2Dmatter-2D3a248f6e568&d=DwMFaQ&c=eLbWYnpnzycBCgmb7vCI4uqNEB9RSjOdn_5nBEmmeq0&r=HPo1IXYDhKClogP-UOpybo6Cfxxz-jIYBgjO2gOz4-A&m=zBJ6lBDpCiQ4Bhq3euXX5MZVnTU26c6Dwa6pgV0hj3Q&s=1nPhh9I2G6sNcfQdNXTlBXMG1P33L3umcXo8VIJrIXI&e=>
>
> With love,
> Ari
>
> On Thu, Jun 11, 2020 at 9:44 AM Henriques, Gregg - henriqgx <
> [log in to unmask]> wrote:
>
>> Joe,
>>
>>   Thanks for this analysis. Very helpful in clarifying the sociological
>> issues.
>>
>>
>> Best,
>> Gregg
>>
>>
>>
>> *From:* tree of knowledge system discussion <
>> [log in to unmask]> *On Behalf Of *Joseph Michalski
>> *Sent:* Thursday, June 11, 2020 12:04 PM
>> *To:* [log in to unmask]
>> *Subject:* Re: Two articles on Policing
>>
>>
>>
>> Dear Colleagues:
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> With all due respect, I simply cannot support a "50-50, he said, she
>> said" approach to the analysis the state of policing and justification
>> systems invoked to support particular agendas. Please feel free to ignore
>> the following "rant" from a stereotypical "left-wing" sociologist, yours
>> truly. I don't agree w/ that characterization, but what choice do I have?
>>
>>
>>
>> Even if one could step outside of the political firestorm, the social
>> scientific theories and certainly the empirical evidence - including that
>> which Heather MacDonald (author, btw, of a book that I read a couple years
>> ago titled *The War on Cops*) cites - points to deep-seated biases &
>> differential treatment, as well as real-life differential outcomes for what
>> happens to "real people" in "real communities." But the discourse is so
>> tilted in the U.S. (even moreso than in Canada where I live) that it would
>> take far too much time to make the case for why even much of the discourse
>> even in the current framing tends to be far more "right-wing" and
>> conservative, as well as at odds with the social scientific literature.
>> MacDonald states that "I urge this committee to reject the proposition that
>> law enforcement today is systemically biased. The evidence does not support
>> that charge." And yet her own highly distorted & limited presentation of
>> the numbers *still* provides evidence of biases in policing and
>> disproportionate surveillance & criminalization of African-American (and
>> racialized minorities) in general. And, of course, she ignores the far
>> wider range of evidence that's even more damning and that would subvert her
>> claims entirely.
>>
>>
>>
>> But here's the bigger point. Most people ignore the fact that if you want
>> "more crime," then hold constant civilian behavior and simply increase the
>> number of police. More surveillance alone leads to more crime, all else
>> constant. More people looking for "bad behavior" will lead to more
>> observations, more arrests, etc. And who's in positions to "identify" and
>> "observe" and then "sanction" perceived crime? Those in positions of social
>> advantage and power. And that story has not changed all that much, despite
>> the civil rights movement of the 1960s. Law enforcement continues to be
>> highly skewed and biased, almost regardless of the metric that you use.
>> Tons of empirical stuff does not even get counted, such as the # of times
>> that people who are stopped for "identical reasons" if you could hold all
>> else constant (e.g., speeding) end up being treated *differently* on the
>> basis of race, ethnicity, gender, or any # of other social factors, to say
>> nothing of human psychology, that might affect how transactions &
>> interactions unfold. Where's all that data? Nowhere. And yet, do a thought
>> experiment with me. Imagine if you were to test all the police in terms of
>> their propensities for implicit bias or even overt manifestations of
>> racism? What if you did comprehensive personality profiles? What would you
>> find? And, then take that a step further. Despite the training they receive
>> (often only 12 weeks or less), how might they end up interacting with
>> "random" samples of people from the general public? What do you think you
>> *might* find if you were to really study these issues in-depth and
>> scientifically? Do you think you might see various forms of differential
>> treatment, especially if "unfiltered" (although, apparently in the case of
>> some officers like Derek Chauvin, it really doesn't even matter if the
>> camera is rolling)? What would be the distribution in terms of the general
>> police force, even if 90% were totally enlightened, fair-minded individuals
>> committed to the highest aspirations of the "protect and serve" philosophy
>> (btw, the evidence on who the police "are" from social scientific research
>> paints a vastly different picture)? So, if "only" 10% act on their biases,
>> what effect would that have & who would disproportionately be targeted? And
>> so on.
>>
>>
>>
>> And so the problems are far more deep-seated. If you want certain groups
>> to be targeted, then increase police presence & see what happens. For
>> example, what happens to "peaceful protesters" if there are more police
>> around to "watch"? Forget the rioting and looting - how many arrests of
>> looters have been caught on tape (and even then there are other issues to
>> consider)? How many peaceful protesters have been beaten, or tear-gassed,
>> or abused in one way or another?
>>
>>
>>
>> If there's a call to "de-fund" the police, does that mean no policing
>> services? Or does that mean shifting some of the funding to investments in
>> other types of services, education, health, infrastructure, opportunities,
>> and investments in "poor" communities? Even among self-identified
>> "liberals," how many want to live among and work with the poorest of the
>> poor, be the awesome teachers I had in Fairfax County in the 1970s (white,
>> privileged, wealthy, and largely segregated outside of TC Williams!) for
>> young people "at risk" in those communities, move their families & live
>> among & befriend those in the poorest neighbourhoods, and invest in small
>> businesses or have their larger corporations relocate in those communities
>> to create work incentives? And who's providing the health and social
>> services, working with those suffering from substance abuse problems, or
>> coaching the kids in sports and extra-curricular activities? No, none of
>> THAT stuff can really be "legislated" and you certainly cannot force people
>> to live in more integrated or diverse 'hoods, but at least recognize that
>> much of the funding and tax relief directly benefits the wealthy (as Billie
>> Eilish might sing, "Duh") and those in positions of power, including the
>> police & the military. Far more money is spent on the U.S. military (yes,
>> that's *directly* relevant to this discussion) and to U.S. policing than
>> to all other publicly-funded health and human services. Not even close,
>> especially if you set aside social security (which no one seems to define
>> as "socialism" in the U.S., but I digress...) But what's the narrative
>> being advanced in halls of power and certainly by the Trumpian leadership
>> on the right?
>>
>>
>>
>> I cannot even begin to do justice to the thousands of scientific research
>> studies that demonstrate the full range of biases and inequalities built
>> into the systems of advanced-industrial democracies in general, to say
>> nothing of what's happening in the most extremely polarized & militarized
>> system on the face of the planet:  the U.S. military-industrial complex,
>> who funding exceeds the next 10 countries in the world combined. I'm sorry,
>> but I have spent my life trying to understand human behavior and,
>> specifically crime, violence, and social control - and none of that (or the
>> best of the work by the top leaders and pioneers in the field) gets
>> noticed, acknowledged, or built into most of the discussions. Speaking only
>> for myself, I think I may have reached the end of my career in even trying
>> to have intelligent conversations about any of this stuff any longer. I'm
>> sure I sound like a raving idiot. I just wish people could see at least
>> *some* of the arguments and evidence as to how far to the right the
>> discourse & justifications have shifted to the right. The one small kernel
>> of hope? Some white protesters getting beaten again randomly & for no
>> reason being detained are starting to ask, "Hey, I can't believe I'm being
>> attacked for simply 'living my life' and 'being here'." No shit. That's
>> what African-Americans and Indigenous peoples and racialized minorities
>> have been saying for centuries. Duh.
>>
>>
>>
>> Or, as a right-wing nutcase brother of mine once complained, "I can't
>> believe a group of young black kids stopped & yelled at me 'hey Honky'
>> while I was playing tennis in LA." He was so angry that these youngsters
>> would throw that epithet in his direction, unprovoked & without knowing
>> him. I thought: Great, a teachable moment. I asked him to reflect on how
>> angry he got that this happened to him exactly once and as a successful,
>> wealthy, 40-something lawyer w/ a multi-million dollar home. And could he
>> imagine how his African-American counterpart might feel who experienced
>> this type of prejudice, bias, and discrimination regularly from the time of
>> being a child right on up throughout one's life. No, not *everyone* would
>> act that way toward the African-American walking among them. MOST people
>> would be kind and treat each person fairly and with respect. But, that
>> said, how many in the population would treat the racialized minority or the
>> "other" differently, negatively, and/or with hostility? And how many times
>> would that have happened over the many years? And what impact would that
>> have on one's self-esteem, confidence, or general feeling of well-being?
>> And yet look at what impact, my dear brother, just ONE incident had upon
>> your mental health and well-being as a successful grown man. He still
>> doesn't get it, and never will.
>>
>>
>>
>> So much more to say, but I'll move along as an "old guy" now. But, in
>> contrast to a lot of others in my generation, I have a different sign on my
>> lawn. It's not "get off my lawn", but rather "all are welcome - come and
>> hang out on my lawn & I'll even get you a drink if you're thirsty..." Best,
>> -joe
>>
>>
>>
>> Dr. Joseph H. Michalski
>>
>> King’s University College at Western University
>>
>> 266 Epworth Avenue, DL-201
>>
>> London, Ontario, Canada  N6A 2M3
>>
>> Tel: (519) 433-3491
>>
>> Email: [log in to unmask]
>>
>> ______________________
>>
>> *ei*π + 1 = 0
>>
>>
>> ------------------------------
>>
>> *From:* tree of knowledge system discussion <
>> [log in to unmask]> on behalf of Henriques, Gregg - henriqgx
>> <[log in to unmask]>
>> *Sent:* Thursday, June 11, 2020 7:47 AM
>> *To:* [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
>> *Subject:* Two articles on Policing
>>
>>
>>
>> Dear TOK List,
>>
>>
>>
>>   For folks who are interested in understanding the divergent
>> “justification systems” that are operating about the state of policing in
>> this country, I recommend the following articles:
>>
>>
>>
>> Heather MacDonald is a conservative scholar who has long argued that the
>> fundamental progressive narrative about brutal cops as an aggregate is
>> misguided. This is a transcript of her testimony to congress yesterday:
>> https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.city-2Djournal.org_repudiate-2Dthe-2Danti-2Dpolice-2Dnarrative&d=DwIFaQ&c=eLbWYnpnzycBCgmb7vCI4uqNEB9RSjOdn_5nBEmmeq0&r=HPo1IXYDhKClogP-UOpybo6Cfxxz-jIYBgjO2gOz4-A&m=lXkirlPsEB4UpThKjZjTCSCAABNtdY6sXuJLlx17Xu4&s=Pre8rkmuBfvnH0YgFMPA672Il1o2zu-ll1C81Rg5GqY&e= 
>> <https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.city-2Djournal.org_repudiate-2Dthe-2Danti-2Dpolice-2Dnarrative&d=DwMF-w&c=eLbWYnpnzycBCgmb7vCI4uqNEB9RSjOdn_5nBEmmeq0&r=HPo1IXYDhKClogP-UOpybo6Cfxxz-jIYBgjO2gOz4-A&m=h6kB7iQCbvdCGiWf2dX8DsIsU4IDPEmOLWq59xpgmxA&s=2s_tONfe_Ppbxvo1_VFMw_2AtomzpYiwXjJUPwpWx2E&e=>
>>
>>
>>
>> Nicholas Kristof is a liberal NY Times columnist who has long advocated
>> for social justice causes. This is his call for how to effectively think
>> about “defunding the police”:
>>
>>
>> https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.nytimes.com_2020_06_10_opinion_defund-2Dpolice-2Dfloyd-2Dprotests.html-3Fcampaign-5Fid-3D2-26emc-3Dedit-5Fth-5F200611-26instance-5Fid-3D19255-26nl-3Dtodaysheadlines-26regi-5Fid-3D35223894-26segment-5Fid-3D30632-26user-5Fid-3D8e4f03af2447d5adeb5069c9fb9bdf47&d=DwIFaQ&c=eLbWYnpnzycBCgmb7vCI4uqNEB9RSjOdn_5nBEmmeq0&r=HPo1IXYDhKClogP-UOpybo6Cfxxz-jIYBgjO2gOz4-A&m=lXkirlPsEB4UpThKjZjTCSCAABNtdY6sXuJLlx17Xu4&s=P7XnIaJT2ILhHWP7as-G7czx735xJ9lzb6wyuXFJ-f0&e= 
>> <https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.nytimes.com_2020_06_10_opinion_defund-2Dpolice-2Dfloyd-2Dprotests.html-3Fcampaign-5Fid-3D2-26emc-3Dedit-5Fth-5F200611-26instance-5Fid-3D19255-26nl-3Dtodaysheadlines-26regi-5Fid-3D35223894-26segment-5Fid-3D30632-26user-5Fid-3D8e4f03af2447d5adeb5069c9fb9bdf47&d=DwMF-w&c=eLbWYnpnzycBCgmb7vCI4uqNEB9RSjOdn_5nBEmmeq0&r=HPo1IXYDhKClogP-UOpybo6Cfxxz-jIYBgjO2gOz4-A&m=h6kB7iQCbvdCGiWf2dX8DsIsU4IDPEmOLWq59xpgmxA&s=pmUhEi7QK-PfiU3_NKYdXNTORTXOCsIISOzgZPnoEXI&e=>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>   NEXT MONDAY at 5:30 pm EDT we will be having Professor Mike Mascolo
>> offer his insightful framework for understanding conflict, and bridging
>> divides to create common ground. A formal announcement will be coming soon.
>>
>>
>> Best,
>> Gregg
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> ############################
>>
>> To unsubscribe from the TOK-SOCIETY-L list: write to:
>> mailto:[log in to unmask] or click the
>> following link:
>> http://listserv.jmu.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=TOK-SOCIETY-L&A=1
>>
>> ############################
>>
>> To unsubscribe from the TOK-SOCIETY-L list: write to:
>> mailto:[log in to unmask] or click the
>> following link:
>> http://listserv.jmu.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=TOK-SOCIETY-L&A=1
>> ############################
>>
>> To unsubscribe from the TOK-SOCIETY-L list: write to:
>> mailto:[log in to unmask] or click the
>> following link:
>> http://listserv.jmu.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=TOK-SOCIETY-L&A=1
>>
>
>
> --
> [image: photo]
> *Ari in the Air*
> Athlete & Filmmaker
>
> 4582926933
> Bend Oregon
>
> <https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.youtube.com_channel_UCLdxnh60DzDlR-5FAYhF3CzlQ-3Fview-5Fas-3Dsubscriber&d=DwMFaQ&c=eLbWYnpnzycBCgmb7vCI4uqNEB9RSjOdn_5nBEmmeq0&r=HPo1IXYDhKClogP-UOpybo6Cfxxz-jIYBgjO2gOz4-A&m=zBJ6lBDpCiQ4Bhq3euXX5MZVnTU26c6Dwa6pgV0hj3Q&s=O89dNW0xRW7L4-xJj56GO54LUXCCu8PE2vW0n0WBhjs&e=>
> <https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__instagram.com_ariintheair&d=DwMFaQ&c=eLbWYnpnzycBCgmb7vCI4uqNEB9RSjOdn_5nBEmmeq0&r=HPo1IXYDhKClogP-UOpybo6Cfxxz-jIYBgjO2gOz4-A&m=zBJ6lBDpCiQ4Bhq3euXX5MZVnTU26c6Dwa6pgV0hj3Q&s=fA4PKO22v7mqA91xMbR1DnTGUi8TNVEkPVWmb9E1GdA&e=>
> Create your own WiseStamp email signature
> <https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.wisestamp.com_signature-2Din-2Demail_-3Futm-5Fsource-3Dpromotion-26utm-5Fmedium-3Dsignature-26utm-5Fcampaign-3Dcreate-5Fyour-5Fown-26srcid-3D6097410891841536&d=DwMFaQ&c=eLbWYnpnzycBCgmb7vCI4uqNEB9RSjOdn_5nBEmmeq0&r=HPo1IXYDhKClogP-UOpybo6Cfxxz-jIYBgjO2gOz4-A&m=zBJ6lBDpCiQ4Bhq3euXX5MZVnTU26c6Dwa6pgV0hj3Q&s=R7ezOAhiMuwIU7MVO9orENT8biPp2-q85EAxoRARvhk&e=>
> ############################
>
> To unsubscribe from the TOK-SOCIETY-L list: write to:
> mailto:[log in to unmask] or click the
> following link:
> http://listserv.jmu.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=TOK-SOCIETY-L&A=1
>

############################

To unsubscribe from the TOK-SOCIETY-L list:
write to: mailto:[log in to unmask]
or click the following link:
http://listserv.jmu.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=TOK-SOCIETY-L&A=1