>..if that vent comment was a
>response to my ramblings. I
>really wrote all that to
>say that folk (especially chocolate
>ones of the male persuasion)
>have TONS of reasons to
>be mistrustful/scared/negative toward police/

*** Noooo - it wasn't meant to be a barb. I'm glad that you stated how you felt. As a matter of fact, I would love to see us vent about this for a change. After all, I believe that the first step toward action is to acknowledge how you feel about the situations. Perhaps then, everyone involved (including those who, um, didn't have any idea as to how we felt) could understand why we are so hostile toward the police.

>
>As far as solutions, yeah filing
>a report and all that
>is cool. But unless you
>got video (and even then
>in Cali) or a gang
>of witnesses who have nothing
>to do with you, who
>are they gonna believe --
>the person with the social
>stigma or the officer in
>question?

*** That's a good point. In fact, I feel the exact same way (this will be one of the questions that I will ask when I speak with the officer in charge of the seminar). However, what can WE do to make it so that we WILL be listened to? Are we voting? Are we indeed filing enough complaints so that the powers that be at least call attention to the fact that we are no longer being silent and complacent?

>The best advice I can give
>is Watch your behind. Do
>everything in your power not
>to be a target for
>ignorance (ie - don't give
>'em an excuse). And even
>if you still do that,
>you better be praying too,
>cause someday it just might
>be you in that darkened
>doorway.

*** That's the officers' point in giving the seminars. Simple as that.

Seriously, though, I am at a loss in determining what our communities' course of action should be. Like I said, I am conflicted to the point of activistic (there's a word for ya!) paralysis. I mean, I have ideas, but I would like to hear others' points of view also.

:-D
The Smut Phoenix

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