It was with no small amount of surprise that I was able to whisper “thanks be to God” when I learned the jury verdict in the trial of Derek Chauvin. I don’t dispute that police reform by means of legislation is an important part of moving forward, but I am convinced that Chauvin did not come upon his disregard for human life in Black skin only upon donning a police uniform. In other words, any reform must start much, much earlier.
Many of us are familiar with the words of the song from South Pacific noting “you’ve got to be carefully taught.” To make meaningful change among police, and every other segment of society, we need to begin at birth, in homes, schools, neighborhoods, churches and other gathering places to instill in everyone, through practice, the fundamental notion that each one of us is worthy of respect as a fellow human being. Legislation now to curb some of the behaviors that in part stem from a different sort of upbringing, along with careful screening of would-be police officers, with the hope and intention that in the future we may come closer to what Verna Dozier has described as God’s dream, “a friendly world of friendly folk beneath a friendly sky.”
Alice Perry
Sutton Mills