What Makes Someone A Threat?

A white man walks into a church and commits mass murder (Dylan Roof).  Another man goes to a grocery store and commits mass murder (Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa).  A third man walks into a school and commits mass murder (too many names).  A white man shows up to a rally with a gun across his chest and kills 2 people in plain sight (Kyle Rittenhouse).  In all these scenarios they walk out with police and are alive, unharmed.   

A black man is pulled over for an air freshener in his widow and a warrant for non-deliverable mail (Daunte Wright).  A black child is seen playing with a toy gun (Tamir Rice).  A black teen is reported by an individual as looking suspicious.  A black man, in an attempt to obey the law, informs police there is a gun in his glove box (Philando Castile).  A black man is reported in a mental crisis.  (Patrick Warren, Sr.)  In all these scenarios they are murdered.   

WHAT MADE THEM A THREAT?? 

In even more recent news, Luke Alvin Oeltjenbruns, got into a dispute with an employee at a Menards.  Police are called to report that Mr. Oeltjenbruns assaulted the employee.  When police arrive the video footage shows police confronted him in a parking lot.  Mr. Oeltjenbruns proceeds to roll the window up on the officer’s arm and take off driving with the officer trapped on the exterior of the driver’s side.  VIDEO It was reported that the officer freed himself by shattering the window with a hammer, and then was hit on the head by the perpetrator with the hammer.   In all of this altercation, and when he was ramming his car into the police cars and not showing concern for their lives, not one gun was discharged.  

Andrew Brown Jr. was being served an arrest warrant and is now dead.  In the video footage he is surrounded by police with guns drawn.  Mr. Brown tries to maneuver his car to get away and strikes an officer.  VIDEO Immediately and without hesitation shots are fired into his car.  

Coming from a white background I am very familiar with the reasoning that Mr. Brown had a felony drug (emphasis) warrant.  He almost ran the officer over.  However, Mr. Oeltjenbruns was actively aggressive toward the store employee and the police officer, even driving with the officer stuck in his window.  We cannot isolate our thinking.  Police officers would not have known if Mr Oeltjenbruns had a gun in his truck, but the officer felt “safe” to climb onto the running board to talk to the perpetrator.  

So what made one justified of multiple shots and death?  What makes you lean one way or another in these scenarios?  Put yourself in the offenders’ shoes… a white man frustrated with having to wear a mask attacks an employee and then a police officer.  How does he feel this is ok and he won’t be harmed?  How did he determine this would be an ok response/reaction?  Do you think he is justified?  Would you have felt safe if you were the police officer?  Why or why not?  

In the other scenario, a black man is confronted with a large number of armed police.  We watch one after another, black men stopped by police and end up dead.  If you were him, you have flashes in that moment of all the black men killed by police?  Would you feel scared?  Would you be able to think straight?  Is it possible he was not trying to use his car as a weapon but that he was fearing that he would get shot and killed?  How would you feel if you were approached like Mr. Brown?  Would you be fearful?  Would you try to get away? Why or why not?  Could you see why that is a plausible explanation for his actions?  

Civilian Threat 

Is this just an issue between cops and black/brown Americans?  There are many stories of white people who call the cops on black/brown people for minor, if even illegal, infractions (Amy Cooper, Teresa Klein).  It has happened so frequently that there are now nicknames (Permit Patty, Karen, BBQ Becky).  Do white people use their whiteness as a weapon?   A white person doesn’t hesitate to call police if they want to be righted, if they want something changed, or someone to leave them alone.  How do they feel confident this will be the outcome? What is the factor that lets them know it’s safe to them, they will not get in trouble or killed?  Is the person making the phone call considering this call could end a life?  Do they have regard for the other person’s life?  Do they believe that police will handle/resolve the situation by any means necessary, even to the extent of death? 

Let’s go deeper still, it is Asian, Pacific Islander Heritage month.  Do individuals in this category face similar threats?   We saw in 2020, with the COVID19 pandemic an uptick of violence against Asian Americans.  How is the country and individuals intervening?  How is this exposing racism toward Asian Americans?  How are you seeing police show up or respond to these situations?  Are Asian Americans being protected?  Are perpetrators being held accountable?  

There is a lot here, take some time and do a self inventory: where are you at?  Where do you want to be?  How will you get there?  When doing the work as a white person it will get uncomfortable and you are going to need to accept some of your thoughts are racist/discriminatory.  Change won’t happen in the deepest parts until you confront those realities and seek knowledge to change.  To our community members of color we need your honesty, your stories, and relationships.  It’s when we live in a community with transparency and honesty that we can confront these issues.