Minority Policing

One major disappointment I had with Obama's tenure as president of the United States was the fact that he did not do anything concrete to address police procedures in regards to dealing with minorities or reverse the increasing militarisation of the police force and law and order mentality. The culture of suspicion and profiling of minorities can't be resolved overnight but more could have been done to address the establishment tolerance for the use of lethal force against unarmed minorities.

The recent case in Chicago of the police shooting dead a heroic Black security guard who had foiled an attempted armed assault yet again raises issues about how the police are conditioned to respond to Black people. This wasn't even a case of mistaken identity. The police didn't see the assailant they were there to apprehend they just saw someone who they assumed was an assailant for no  reason other than his skin colour. This is further illustrated by the case of the police officer who shot a man in his own home and claimed she mistook him for an intruder after mistaking his apartment for hers!

There have been recent suggestions in the UK for the police to be allowed to require a lower standard of suspicion to conduct 'stop and search' checks. This is mainly targeted at tackling knife crime amongst young Black men. The supposition here is that it would be legitimate to stop almost any Black man because there is a reasonable chance that he may be armed with a knife. This ignores the fact that the proportion of Black men involved knife crime is probably too small to even add up to a whole number. The Met's inability to develop intelligence networks within minority communities is a reflection of how they relate to such communities. It also might be an unintended consequence of how the Met treats such intelligence sources when they do come forward. This sort of oppressive approach to tackling demographic groups is exactly what happens in totalitarian and fascist states.

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Undoubtedly there are some good police officers and some excellent examples of community policing but there is a toxic culture in law enforcement when it comes to the perception of minority groups. This includes how they treat members of the public and fellow police officers from minority groups.

A radical and drastic programme of reform is desperately needed not only to address institutional racism in law enforcement but also to redress a culture of fear and apprehension in the perception of and attitudes adopted towards minority groups. At some point it needs to be instilled in law enforcement that there are no circumstances in which excessive force is an appropriate response when dealing with unarmed and defenceless people from minority groups. It certainly isn't a way to serve or protect them. It can only lead to alienation which creates a vicious circle of fear, overreaction and tragic consequences.

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Parliamentary Privilege and a Jaundiced Judiciary

The recent case of a member of the House of Lords using parliamentary privilege to name Philip Green as the businessman who had gone to court to block the reporting of the non-disclosure agreements (NDA) he had entered into with staff employed by him raises issues of the role of the courts in promoting fairness and equality. It would appear the court decided the NDAs were entered into willingly and therefore should be considered valid and lawful.

I was brought up to believe that courts are meant to dispense justice with the objective of reinforcing social values and norms. It is hard to believe that NDAs entered into as a result of one party’s improper conduct should be considered worthy of protection over any consideration of public best interest. The fact that NDAs are very much the province of the rich and powerful raises the question of how fair it can be in real terms. And when it is used to buy the silence of workers who might have been wronged by an employer then it feels manifestly unfair.

Assaulting the American Constitution

The American constitution is revered because it was supposedly drawn up by honourable men to protect the liberty and dignity of all Americans. It is amazing how over the years that honourable intention has been left to a less than honourable partisan political system to uphold. Even more stark is that the subject of the current Supreme Court confirmation is a person who is far from open and trustworthy, and may possibly sitting on the Supreme Court and delivering interpretations of the constitution that will have an impact for a lifetime.

A lot of Brett Kavanaugh’s response to the sexual assault allegations seemed to depend on the absence of evidence and corroboration of the claims; and the fact that the Republican Party has a majority on the committee conducting the hearings. He was content to belittle Dr. Ford’s credibility and berate the Democrats on the committee without really making any effort to address the issue of his conduct on the night in question. He denied being at the party but didn’t really give an alternative account of exactly where he was on the night.

Kavanaugh was happy to invoke pity and sympathy for his family, while not making any effort to recognise or acknowledge the need and right of victims of sexual violence to speak out and be given a fair and compassionate hearing. And this should hold true even in cases of historical sexual assault. He had no problem making a direct reference to his daughter while diminishing the validity and significance of Dr. Ford’s account of the sexual assault she endured. And this in the week Bill Cosby was sent to prison after being convicted of sexual assault. It has to be of some concern that this is a man who will be expected to influence the course of law on gender and racial equality for the next thirty to forty years.

It is no surprise that Donald Trump very much enjoyed Judge Kavanaugh’s testimony. He would have recognised his own attitude to truth and personal accountability in Kavanaugh’s strident declamation of the confirmation process. In fact, he had compared the sexual assault claims against Kavanaugh to the claims that were made against him during the presidential elections. I’m not sure whether that would have done much for the public’s perception of Kavanaugh but it certainly seemed a chest beating moment for Trump.

If Americans truly have as much regard for the constitution as they claim then they must be a lot more discerning about the people they choose to up hold its values. If women cannot be made to feel safe when involved in political and judicial processes then a large portion of Americans cannot be considered to be truly free.

Which Way America?

Nationalistic politicians controlled by special interest groups. Right wing groups and individuals directing hatred and violence at foreigners and minority groups. Discriminatory and brutal law enforcement and criminal justice system. A culture of abuse and exploitation of women and young girls. Religious leaders exploiting their followers for money and power. Mass media that celebrates transient and superficial celebrity. Communities that are deprived, under educated, self destructive and losing touch with the mainstream.

Sounds like a fictional dystopia? Well, this is America!

This is the age of Trump; the culmination of long periods of social discontent from almost every section of America, eras of political mismanagement and a perceived loss of power and stature in global standings. Trump has become synonymous with untruthfulness, prejudice and ego driven self interest but the American malaise started long before his muddying of the waters. From two terms of GW Bush, to Sarah Palin being selected as a presidential running mate, to Obama's battles with Congress America has been teetering on the edge of a far right cesspit.

There is no doubt that America needed change. And certainly change that the people could believe in would have been nice. Unfortunately, that was change that Obama couldn't quite manage to make good his promise of. And change under Trump appears to be regressive, hate filled and brutal. So what are the chances of things changing for the better? And exactly how is that going to happen?

The upcoming midterm elections are not showing any convincing signs that the Democrats quite know what they need to do. It isn't entirely clear if they have figured out that the people who hate politicians far exceed those who hate Trump. If they are going to defeat Trump in the presidential elections they will need to choose a candidate who is good over a good candidate. In Hilary Clinton they had a good candidate, who they hoped would benefit from the Clinton name and legacy. Unfortunately in the eyes of the electorate she just wasn't a candidate they could relate to as a good person.

It is difficult to tell if America is at a crossroads right now but it is very right to say that the country is in turmoil. There is a growing alienation felt among those minorities who feel the government and establishment does not represent them in any way. There is also a tidal wave of seething fury in those who feel they need to take back control of a country they feel is becoming less like they imagined or wish it to be. It is no coincidence that whenever circumstances place either of these mindsets in close proximity of each other violence erupts.

Deposing Trump would bring some small satisfaction but it will not solve the conflicts and discontent that has started to break through the veneer of civility that has held it in check. In order for either group to start feeling safe a lot more will need to be done to tackle prejudice, crime, violence and social deprivation. Unfortunately these are generational problems and America is no closer to solving them now than it was just before the Civil War.

The Limits of Mindfulness

Self empowerment and personal development are essential parts of every person's progression towards a fulfilling existence. Reaching one's full potential requires being self aware and building up one's self esteem. The more a person comes to understand their self the greater the likelihood that they will be able learn and grow in line with their needs and potential.

However, there are many occasions in which doing what's best for you might not necessarily lead to a pleasant prospect for the rest of the world. Take for instance, that person who goes to the park to exercise but doesn't bother to close the enclosure gate. Those people who go to the playing field and park their cars across entrances and ramps, blocking them. Those who take phone calls in public with their phones on speaker mode while talking at the top of their voices. The generous 'manspreaders'. Those who hit all around them with their backpacks. People who spit in public without any consideration for those around them. Sometimes being at peace with oneself can leave one out of step with others.

The doctrine of mindfulness has become so popular it is almost becoming dogma. Mindfulness encourages the individual to take some time out to consider how one's thoughts, and the world around one generating them are not the essence of the actual individual. In taking a step back one is able to move oneself forward positively and holistically into a sounder and more positive path. Focusing on just the moment should allow one to experience that moment without all the usual pressures and anxieties that usually accompany our every waking moment.

Mindfulness' vanguard has presented personal growth as some sort of later life photosynthesis that doesn't need any sun. There is a suggestion that all the elements needed to grow are already right there inside of us. We just need to close ourselves off to all the blockages and obstructions in our way. However, a healthy sense of self needs dynamic biological and environmental settings in which to blossom. People cannot be their best selves outside the context in which they have to express themselves. Sometimes friction is required for an object to achieve its optimal form. One might require positivity to remain motivated but one also needs challenge to sustain drive and direction. There aren't too many situations in which one can just be regardless. That's not too say one shouldn't come up for air occasionally and get some relief from all the pressure. However, there are too many latent sociopaths out there who are acutely aware of their own rights without any commensurate acknowledgement of their responsibilities to others.

All individuals are personally accountable for their lives and what they do with them. Investing in one's wellbeing and development is one of the foremost requirements for living a worthy life. And it is right to take time to consider our own needs and the barriers that we might encounter in meeting those needs. However, it is also a human necessity to connect with people and work out a balance for harmonious interaction. That can happen casually or through very personal relationships. These connections are what truly define our character and how we fit into the wider world around us. Mindfulness does not advocate disregarding these connections but the tendency for them to become collateral damage in the pursuit of personal growth suggests that they might be dispensable. This is a worrying and dangerous trend. 

Make America White Again

It is probably no coincidence that the Trump administration has chosen to withdraw from the United Nations Human Rights Council around the same time it introduced immigration control measures that  seem the exact kind of actions that would come under the purview of the Council. Separating children from their parents and then detaining he children in steel ringed camps was unreasonable and excessive. Withdrawing from the Human Rights Council would proved only a brief relief from the torrent of condemnation that followed revelations about children ripped away from parents at the US border.

Donald Trump claims his extreme anti immigration measures are designed to prevent America from being overrun by illegal immigrants. This seems a simplistic and racist feeding into right wing fears that the white American population will be exceeded by the population of people of colour at some point in the future. It is clear which people Trump has in mind when he paints his apocalyptic vision of an American future with foreigners running wild all over the land. He certainly doesn’t seem very concerned about the countless Europeans who are living in America illegally. Even the language he uses to describe non-caucasian migrants says a lot about his perception of them.

If Trump was truly interested in tackling illegal immigration then he would do more to tackle its causes. Businesses that hire migrant and seasonal workers could be given priority to apply for temporary visas for their workers. Some of the billions of dollars he wants to use to build walls could do a lot more good as development aid to neighbouring countries. At the very least he could have dialogue with his neighbours to look into migration and border security. Some cooperative efforts could go a long way to tackling the issue.