If I Was a Big City Cop.....

If I was a big city cop I'd resign. I would be unsure of what my role is today, and hesitant to take action of any sort. Hell, I don't think I'd even write a traffic ticket unless the offender was white, middle to upper class, was driving a BMW or Mercedes, and I was sure there was no one in the area taking a video. And even then I'd be worried that I had somehow violated his civil rights and sparked a riot. 

One of the many police brutality videos playing constantly on TV is that of a 75 year old man being pushed to the ground. Look at it closely. The cops were in a single-rank moving formation. The man approached two cops, put his hands on them and tried to impede their progress. They pushed him and he fell. One of the cops stopped momentarily and appeared to be thinking about aiding the fallen man, but a second cop urged him to move on which he did. What should those cops have done when the guy approached? These days there is no right answer to that question.

I read an article this morning about cops at a regular morning role call who left the room when the mayor unexpectedly walked in. If I remember correctly this was in Louisville, Kentucky. One of the cops stated that they felt there was no support from the mayor. I would bet that most cops in the cities experiencing racial demonstrations feel that same lack of support. There are even cops who openly join the protesters. 

I can see a day in the near future when the Louisville mayor orders the police to disperse a crowd of protesters, and the 15% who are black and a number of whites refuse to follow the order. What then? Take that situation further. The governor of Kentucky calls out the National Guard, and they refuse to mobilize. 

Trump would attempt to send in the army, but high-level military figures are already voicing concern about using US troops to confront civilians. Trump is growing less popular each day, and I don't think it is beyond reason that the army would refuse to act, or at least became splintered. And unless someone quickly filled the leadership gap, (it won't be Mike Pence) we would have anarchy. Or a dictatorship if Trump were successful. I am not saying this is going to happen...it won't. But I don't think it is too much of a stretch to imagine it. 

And all because we got hit with a catastrophic virus and racial turmoil at the same time, and during a period when we have a leadership void. These things are cyclical. We will probably find a cure for the virus, and the racial tension will ease, until another virus and another racial incident surfaces in 20 - 50 years. Then we will see and hear slightly, but not too different versions of everything we're seeing and hearing now.