Race Profiling and Predjudice at High Levels
Before starting. When I say POLISH in the thoughts below, pronounce this word PAW LISH. Sort of like what you do to shoes. This has nothing to do with the citizens of Poland. Also, forget any of your own racist thoughts about the picture. It is meant to represent "polish" and if you see anything else, read this article twice.
I have been listening to the prejudiced babble of President Obama, yes, you read that right, and wonder why this man, who wants to be great, cannot see this in himself. And before we go on, prejudice is what it is, it is not a failure, just a characteristic. You have to be aware of it, however, to understand how the President of the United States can say that the Cambridge Police "acted stupidly" after saying he did not know what had happened.
Let's check the dictionary:
prej·u·dice, noun, 13th century Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin praejudicium previous judgment
1: injury or damage resulting from some judgment or action of another in disregard of one's rights
2a (1): preconceived judgment or opinion
2a (2): an adverse opinion or leaning formed without just grounds or before sufficient knowledge
2b: an instance of such judgment or opinion
2c: an irrational attitude of hostility directed against an individual, a group, a race, or their supposed characteristics
All of these might apply to an extent, let's use the least toxic definition first, 2a (1) and (2). This is what the president did. He formed an opinion, which he communicated to all of us, that the police acted stupidly, without just grounds or before sufficient knowledge. He even stated that he did not have knowledge of the incident, then blabbed the opinion anyway.
Continuing, if the statement by our president, which was mildly adverse, was based on his leaning formed without just grounds, as I believe, then definition 2b must also apply.
Since the attitude was not based on rational judgment, 2c applies only weakly as I do not believe there is real hostility of any magnitude involved here, just prior experience and at the most exasperation with things that have been experienced by Obama in the past.
Which rolls us back to the first definition. Did injury or damage occur? Sadly, I am going to say yes. Because of this prejudged statement, the policeman and the police departments were dragged through the mud, and continue to be. Because of the ensuing media circus, the professor's anger management issues and prejudices are on public display.
It's the way I see it. One final thought. My Dad was a funeral director and worked very hard on maintaining a professional image. He used to call the ability to react public ally and also privately in a measured manner, "polish." Polish in this definition is the ability to shine, say, and do the right thing under all circumstances in order to make involved feel respected and understood. The result is that bumps in the road do not become major crashes.
Personally, I think Obama knows all of this and his self knowledge will be his contribution when all involved sit down to have a "beer" on Thursday. I think it is a good time for us to say Obama is human, needs to get a bit more polished (Lord knows Bush lacked polish), and pray the men will be open enough to get at least to first base on understanding the humanity of the situation.
Obama, and the president has the greatest responsibility here to make lemonade of this sour incident, The policeman as a public servant has great responsibility to ensure that, in fact, the police acted no differently than they would if the suspect had been, say, purple. Lastly, the professor should admit he has anger management issues and that these may have contributed to making an embarrassing situation worse.
As much as I despise law enforcement as practiced in the United States, I do believe that these fellows and ladies are trained to the point where people acting like assholes are treated the same, pretty much regardless of race, They do this, if for no other reason, to be protected when high government officials act unknowingly.
Good luck, gentlemen.
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