The events that have occurred since the killing of George Floyd have shaken the world. How should America respond? I would urge cautious optimism.
The realization that black lives matter is long overdue. It is important that we move carefully in the implementation of much-needed reforms.
Some reforms can take place relatively swiftly. The ban on chokeholds and transparency in the way police go about making arrests deserve immediate attention. Transformation of the police culture will take longer and we should not expect overnight change. Defunding the police at this time is not something that should be a simplistic slogan for protesters. It is not clear what this even means. We should be careful what we ask for. Policing serves a valuable function for society and needs to continue in some form.
What is in question is not the enforcement of law and order but whether it applies equally for everyone. Racial profiling and the use of deadly force against African Americans should be the focus of change. Our pledge of allegiance’s last words are “liberty and justice for all.”
FRANK WARMAN
Hopkinton