I saw Peter Pike mention David Wood's video here.
Also, Wood includes a lot of autobiographical material in his video. I think Wood is someone who was given so very little in life (albeit he's very intelligent), but who has turned his "little" into a tremendous harvest.
Hawk--
ReplyDeleteDavid Wood seems to be saying something similar to my contentions in the "Yellow Lives Matter" thread. If by "state-sanctioned" racism we mean bigotry encoded into law, then we have very little of that. But if we mean the laws "on the ground" (i.e., those policies which are actually enforced) in the local courts or in the local prisons or on the local streets, then we may have a sort of system which is, at the very least, unjust. For it is a law unto itself, and no one is holding it accountable. Being unjust, it can easily be taken as racist or sexist or classist or ageist or whatever. And indeed, the vulnerable are its most likely victims.
I watched the video because I tend to watch anything Peter Pike recommends, and found it very thought provoking.
ReplyDeleteI've long believed cops are at a special disadvantage for tending towaards having a jaded or low view of humanity in general. I pulled a stint for several years as the head of Human Resources for a large company and the stuff I saw on a *daily basis* served to reaffirm my existing belief as a Calvinist in Total Depravity. Sin runs amok constantly, but many people are shielded from it due to various societal filters. But in my role in our company the depravity was unfiltered and I was awash in it constantly.
Apply this to cops generally. What's their general job environment? Well, dealing face to face with often the very worst specimens of human depravity. Day in, day out. And dealing with a corrupt justice system that lets guilty perps walk free because of a slick defense attorney, or a technicality, or a bad judge, or any combination thereof.
Day after day. Week after week. Month after month. Year after year.
Are you telling me this system wouldn't effect any normal human being? Add to that that many cops are depraved, wicked sinners and you have a recipe for a human disaster.
Ultimately sin is the issue, and I was disappointed David didn't make it to the Gospel and the underlying reasons for the attitudes he described, but I nevertheless found his testimony and perspective instructive.
CD--
ReplyDeleteDid you ever use your authority as head of HR to screw somebody over just because you could? Or just because you didn't like them for some trivial personal reason?
I don't think David Wood downplayed the depravity of criminals. He appeared to be saying that in spite of a crappy interpersonal environment, many CO's went about their appointed rounds in a professional manner. They tried to do the right thing: administering rules strictly but fairly or even in a genuinely caring fashion.
In many ways, George Floyd was a lousy excuse for a human being. But almost no one believes he deserved to die. No matter how many guilty perps are set free each year. No matter how slimy many violent offenders might be.
Derek Chauvin is also a miserable excuse for a human being. But he's the one who was given authority and then abused that authority. He's the one who should be held accountable.
Rayshard Brooks is another matter entirely. Forcefully resisting arrest as he did may give the responding officers very few options but to put him down. In situational gray areas, one may occasionally see mistakes where the constant emotional wear-and-tear of the officer's job contributes to a negative outcome. But not in general.
I worked in mental health for many years. Without a doubt, I saw some of the worst of what people are capable of. A couple of times, the adrenaline rush of being in the moment, of being in the midst of a violent confrontation, caused me to emotionally desire to retaliate. But I never did. And I never took any emotional baggage home with me at night. One can maintain--and should be expected to maintain--one's professionalism, even in seriously trying situations.
No I didn't, I was already a Christian at the time I held that position. Moreover I don't see where I suggested David Wood "downplayed the depravity of criminals". I'm not sure how you concluded that from my comment.
DeleteCD--
ReplyDeleteDavid Wood evaluated CO's by personality type irrespective of the negative emotional environment they were surrounded by. You spoke almost exclusively about the effects of that environment on officers. Wood's point was that professionalism must take precedence over the sinful nature of guards. And that the clearly demonstrated sinful nature of prisoners was irrelevant. You appeared to want to make excuses. He was saying no such excuses are allowable.
He spoke of Christian CO's evidencing genuine compassion. He also spoke of guards evidencing delight in their own brutality. But it wasn't individual depravity or lack thereof that proved to be the principal problem. It was the lack of accountability. No one would dare act "disloyally" toward his fellow officers. No one would speak up. (I assume this included those whom he judged to be authentically Christian!)
For what it's worth, I assumed you thought Wood "downplayed criminal depravity" because he made it virtually irrelevant to the matter at hand whereas you put it front and center as a major focus. I'm sorry if I somehow misread you on that.
I remember hearing about a program in Ireland, which is very popular. I think it was something like there are a set number of cops assigned to each neighbourhood and they meet with the community on a regular basis and discuss concerning issues, etc. It's built around accountability and it apparently works really well. They tried it in the US and of course police unions buried it almost instantly.
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