Reply #7: I am sorry it turned into another "discussion" that doesn't go anywhere

[TayTay]

I think it was a Cambridge story, a Mass story and a national story and it's different on each level. And that each level shares elements.

I think it's a Cambridge story in that Cambridge has tried incredibly hard to do diversity outreach. They have had community meetings with different interest groups within the city to try and be sensitive on a range of issues. They have LGBT outreach and officers, they have African-American and Latino outreach and so forth. I think they have made genuine good-faith efforts to be sensitive to a range of Cambridge residents and their concerns.

I think most Cambridge police officers don't live in Cambridge because they can't afford it. (Cops, btw, make nice paychecks in MA. My brother is a cop and he makes over $100K. Still can't afford Cambrdige.) I think Cambridge, particularly near Rindge Ave is having a lot of trouble with gang activity and there have been shootings and other violence there. The residents in that area are scared. I think the cops are trying to help out and it's not easy in bad economic times when money and resources that could be applied to help, aren't there.

I think Mass has a history of bad faith and racism that goes back a long ways. We also have the nation's only African-American governor. I think an African-American male has a higher chance of interacting with the cops than white males. I think there is a long history of racial profiling. (There have been several law suits brought which is why Sgt. Crowley taught how to avoid racial profiling in the first place. If there wasn't a need, he wouldn't have offered to teach that class for free.) I remember standing outside with a friend during the Patrick campaign in 06 and talking about race and if MA was "ready" to elect a black Governor. I was asked if white people would say they would vote for him and then not do it? I remember talking with my friend about our kids and our worries about our kids driving and how they would act if pulled over. My worries were enough, hers were overlaid with that fact that her son was black and had to be taught "the script" of how to act when interacting with the police. (Geebus, isn't it enough to have to worry about your kids being out without that hanging over your head too?)

I remember nationally having to answer, over and over, why the media was making such a big deal about Barack Obama's race just before the inauguration and how that irritated some people. "He didn't run as a black man, why is the media making this the overriding thing about the inauguration. He's the President of all the people and they are dividing people by overemphasizing this one thing." I remember asking if it was okay that Irish Americans had felt pride when JFK was elected.

I think I cried when Deval Patrick took the oath of office as Gov in Jan of '07. (I wrote about it here.) I think it brought up both good and bad emotions and reminded me of things that are painful. I felt was had made progress but had a ways to go yet.

I think we still do.

I think there is no "teachable moment" if both sides dig in and won't talk to the other. I think that the hateful words and caricatures have to stop. They are blocks that make it hard to see human beings on the other side. I think the President made a mistake and then was gracious and elegant in admitting that and finding a way to try and get the nation beyond the stubborn war of words. (What a good man.) I think we have a ways to go, both here in Mass and in the nation. We need to keep talking to each other and try and keep the name-calling and preconceived notions to a bare minimum. I think we could try thinking of each other as people of good faith who make mistakes. That would be a start.

So, I think a lot of things. And I worry. I have kids. Are they going to have this discussion in the same way 20 years from now? Are we doomed to an endless loop where the same soundtrack plays over and over or can we overcome that and really talk to each other. I worry about that.

And I have no answers for you. I think this was a sad incident. I hope something good comes out of it.