There are many opinions and solutions to the problems in our American police forces. This is just one interpretation. This page is not to tell you how to feel or think- but to explain the meaning behind "ACAB".
Are all cops bad?
From Confessions of a Former Bastard Cop
"American policing is a thick blue tumor strangling the life from our communities and if you don't believe it when the poor and marginalized say it, if you don't believe it when you see cops across the country shooting journalists with less-lethal bullets and caustic chemicals, maybe you'll believe it straight from the pigs mouth."
"Just a few bad apples"
ACAB stands for "All Cops Are Bastards". But what does that mean? If you're one of the people who say "there are good people on the force", you'd be correct. There are a number of good people who are also in law enforcement- but once they put on that badge they fall under the systemic racism and abuse of power that has been tormenting people of color and poor of this country since it's very beginning.
Police officers use their badge to legally discriminate against people of color, and use their privilege to avoid the consequences. The people we pay to enforce the law, break it just as much. Put all of the other cases of the police system failing its citizens on hold (and there are numerous)- let's just focus on the racial aspect.
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In these first 6 months of 2020, people have began to realize the corruption behind the badge after the killings of black Americans like George Floyd. But it's not just a few bad apples. The entire orchard is rotten at the roots. Just in 2019, 1098 people were killed by the police in America. There were only 27 days in 2019 when the police did not kill someone. Is it a badge, or a license to kill? The people we pay to protect us, are the ones we need protecting from.
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African Americans are incarcerated at more than 5 times the rate of white people. Black people also are 3 times more likely to be killed by the police. In 2014, African Americans constituted 2.3 million, or 34%, of the total 6.8 million correctional population- despite only making up about 13.4% of American population. That means that there is a huge correlational gap between black people incarcerated and the number they hold in the total population.
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When you look at the systems of racism on which the police force was founded- it's not surprising that people color are targeted and incarcerated more than white people. Black people were and are painted as criminals by the government and the police carry out the dirty work in order to supply this country with legal slavery through prison labor.
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In the past few months, police officers have stood fully armed against peaceful protesters, tear-gassing and releasing lethal rubber bullets on unarmed civilians. The citizens they are paid to protect. Police officers are attacking neutral parties such as the media or press, and the police are committing war crimes by assaulting neutral medics. There are countless cases where the police have instigated violence and used unnecessary force when met with peaceful protesters- but when confronted with people screaming to get hair cuts during COVID or even the KKK(a literal hate group) they remain calm and collected.
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Perhaps the most dangerous part of the police force however, is the brotherhood formed between those
within law enforcement. It has become such a priority for the police to "protect their own" they turn a blind
eye to the lawless bandits among their ranks. The police ignore the wrong doings of their fellow officers to
either protect them - or out of fear of being blackballed and harassed. The only time cops get charged for the
murder of an innocent person, is when it has been heavily exposed to the media- would George Floyd's
murderer be free if we hadn't taken to the streets?
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There is no accountability for their actions. In 2019, only 4% of officers involved with killings were charged-
and only 1% were actually convicted.
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As a country, how can we expect our police to act without bias? How can we make sure the people we
make police are all good people? How is it a lawyer must study for 8 years to understand the law but a cop
is expected to learn and enforce it in 6 months? Do we defund the police? Do we even keep the police?
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Unfortunately, I don't know the answer to those questions. I cannot tell you how we can fix this great injustice to American people, but this is why we vote. You can vote for the people who are willing to work with prison reform, and you can vote for the people who care about citizens- not capitalism. Justice reformed for the people, by the people.
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