[Back to the Trainer Resource Index Page]
In the April demonstrations in Washington, D.C., some white protesters who were justifiably angry about police actions seemed to completely forget in the moment who they the protesters are (white) and who many of the police are (black). That's the moment when unconscious racism started showing up in condescending treatment of black officers. Take a minute to think about the following before you protest:
In Philadelphia, a high percentage of police are people of color, especially African Americans. How does this come about? When it comes to job choices, people of color experience life differently from whites.
The militarization of our society often traps people of color; as in schools that lure poor students into ROTC programs and are automatically enlisted into the military. This trend extends to jobs such as policing, which can be viable economic alternatives for people who traditionally face discrimination in education and jobs.
Many people of color see the increased percentage of rank-and-file police of color as a hard-won victory. Historically, neighborhoods of people of color have suffered from lax law enforcement. Not so long ago, the police force didn't include their people. The possibility of having police of their color -- police who will care more about violence in their communities -- is welcome.
Many white protesters come with a different life experience and different point of view about the function of police. They may resist the hard work of understanding that their life experience is limited and their point of view may not be the only valid one.
The point of view of these white protesters is also important. Plenty of evidence does support hard criticism of the functions of police forces. Overall, police forces are set up to - protect property - enforce laws which have generally been made in the interests of those with wealth and power.
Police have a very distinct role within an oppressive and violent structure. They are given force of arms to protect private interests and are given the power to hurt and kill people. Police are the front-men and -women employed to enforce the status quo.
Although they are frightening and can seem all-powerful, police are really doing others' bidding. The police are workers. They do not make policy; they are the "hired guns" carrying out the will of the elites which try to control society.
White protesters sometimes forget this and set up the cops to be the enemy. What this actually sets up is an opportunity for unconscious racism to show up in scary confrontations.
Society conditions whites to link racial difference and fear.
To break out of that conditioning and resist racism, experiment with giving up the cops-as-enemy rap which heightens fear--and focus attention on the elites who really try to exert the power!
Or as one of our trainers says--
"As an African American who often plays a bridge role in getting whites and people of color to work together, I honestly expect white allies to make a priority of working on their issues about class and race! I hope they will work their awareness at the same time as they work the streets."-- Barbara Smith, Training Associate at Training for Change
Copyright 2000 Training for Change, 4719 Springfield Ave.,
Philadelphia PA 19143-3514
tel 215-729-7458, fax 215-729-1910,
e-mail <peacelearn@igc.org>