Asians, Hispanics, and others: In your experience, is it the police that more often are violent, or a certain out-of control segment of the African-American community?

Yes, this is a question of justice that affects us, our lives, occupations, family, friends,  communities, and future.

I call on my brothers and sisters of color--particularly, Hispanic, Asian, African, Arab, and others--to speak up openly without fear, in whatever way you can.   Be fair.  Be honest.  Scrupulously honest.

Let them call you whatever they wish to (right-wing, racist, crazy, an unrepresentative minority...).

But answer these two questions:

* Who do you fear the most, (white) Seattle policemen, or black men (and women)?

* Have you experienced harassment or violence at the hands of Seattle police (whatever the race) or African-Americans?

I predict that within a couple of decades it will become clear when people are no longer afraid of "saying yes, I am afraid. I have witnessed or been attacked or threatened by African-Americans on multiple occasions.  They were neither identified nor punished."

I am not a fan of the police.

But the wrong people are being hunted down.  People, including the police make mistakes.  And as anywhere, there are those who are prejudiced.

By and large, though, they collectively put their lives down on the line every day to ensure a minimum of safety and order, doing work that most of us would not want to do.


* * * * *

There is a problem of violence and bullying behaviors within the African-American community, one that spills out into other communities.  You have just to have eyes and ears and a beating heart to know that this is true.

Not all African-Americans engage in destructive behaviors but a disproportionate number do.  The positive work done by African-Americans is, some ways, offset by these hurtful attitudes and behavior.

It was President Obama, an African-American, whose Attorney General, another African-American, has sent the National Guard into Ferguson to quell a riot.   The president has admonished the local community not to use the opportunity to commit acts of vandalism and other unlawful behavior.   People there are not exactly holding silent, candle-lit, peaceful demonstrations.

Does anyone recall the Rodney King riots in Los Angeles in the early 1990's, where in the aftermath of the rioting that took place 53 people were killed, 2,000 persons injured, and the cost in dollars was around $1 billion?