Pittsburgh’s Police Chief—the #EndWhiteSilence Twitpic Cop—Isn’t What He’s Cracked Up to Be
In this era of raw nerves, protests and increased tensions, Americans really want leadership. It’s natural for the public and the media to desperately seek out examples that appear to affirm that our nation is changing for the better.
But if our desire for quick answers, accessible leaders and hashtag activism takes the place of real investigation and substantive change, the nation is done a disservice. Is it really considered speaking out against racism when the police chief protects violent cops over innocent citizens?
Can he be called an example of good policing when he backs down to a bullying union and supports long-debunked policing strategies that disproportionately harm people of color?
Or does a viral picture taken with a bunch of activists in a coffee shop outweigh the actual actions and policies on the ground? It’s important as this national dialogue continues that we remember it is policies and commitment that matter, not just photo ops and hashtags.
While a picture can be worth a thousand words, if it gives us a distorted image, the picture isn’t worth much at all.