Whether or not Philando Castile was a criminal — which I don’t believe he was from everything I have heard — police are there to enforce the laws by bringing criminals to justice. They are responsible to bring assumed criminals to a judge in a court of law who has trained in how to interpret laws and mete out justice. The police are not hired to be judge, jury and executioner, nor should they be allowed to act as such. 

We are the only so-called “civilized” first-world country to have a police force that regularly gets away with blatant and frequent brutality. Over 500 American citizens have been killed so far this year by police. It is very possible to provide officers with the means to subdue criminals and defend themselves without giving them a blanket clause, in the name of fearing for themselves, to kill at will any person or animal in their way.

Most police officers are great people, devoted to their jobs and their communities and making the world a better place. I admire the vast majority of our police officers. Law enforcement is not an easy calling, and the admirable majority are taking a lot of negative publicity due to the acts of the violent, power-tripping minority.

I have no doubt that racism plays a role in some of the fatalities, when African-American citizens are so disproportionately represented in the fatality count.

At the end of the day, the corrupt few are killing people of all races and both genders; why is that being condoned by our government and media?

This is not the type of country that I want to live in and raise my children in, if this is the kind of country that will continue to allow this kind of behavior to continue unabated and blame the victims instead.

We can and should be better than this, America.

 

Bethany Greiner

Albert Lea