yes, look at what yeets said! and look at the Los Angeles Police Department: they have plans to decrease their budget by $100-150 million. in New York the police dept proposed a $1 billion cut over 4 years (out of a $6 billion budget). Minneapolis schools cut their relationship with city police after about a week of protests. Portland schools are also discontinuing city police presence in about 3 large school districts in/near the city. other cities are making changes in their schools and police departments in response to the protests as well.
however, some legislators are hesitant about defunding police, many institutions are still very lackluster in their response.
I think the most important changes aren't going to happen overnight but these are a really really good start. it will take time to shift attitudes of the more reluctant officials and institutions. but once these initial responses demonstrate that we will be OK without a balls to the wall police presence and police relationships, other cities will follow suit. change IS happening rn. I think the only reason to say it isn't it if you're not paying enough attention.
I don't know. They've charged 4 of the cops involved in George Floyd's murder, and they just upgraded Derek Chauvin's charge to second degree murder. They wouldn't have done any of this if not for the protests. They charged the 6 officers in Atlanta involved in a brutal, zombie-like attack of two innocent college students in their own car. If this had happened under "normal" circumstances those 6 officers would still be on the job, video or not. These are changes, however small they may seem. And yes, it's likely all these officers will be acquitted. But that will just make people angrier. So I think if or when actual policy changes are made it won't be "after" protests, it will be during. And if or when those changes are made, it'll be a constant fight to keep them. Because that's apparently how much we hate civil rights in America.
Another small change that probably doesn't matter as much as I feel like it does: The president's behavior during this (which is not different from his behavior in general, but OK), the obvious callbacks to the Jim Crow era, the gassing peaceful protesters for a church photo-op... It's all actually horrified my father, who was a Trump Gold Card member. He said he "doesn't think" he can vote him again. Some of his people do have a limit? Maybe. I thought nothing short of witnessing t.rump murder an infant on live television and then drink the blood would convince my dad not to support him in this election. Maybe there are others who have limits. Which means, maybe, even if he is reelected, he can be ousted. And that will save lives.
I wouldn't hold my breath. It's been 28 years since the Rodney King riots and this shit hasn't changed. Cops are still getting acquitted for using unjustified lethal force (even in spite of video evidence). There's just ZERO accountability, internal affairs which is supposed to police the police acts on like 2% of complaints and that's not an exaggeration.
No, not enough people ultimately care, at least not so much that they actually make demands of their leaders and vote them out for not fulfilling them, it will be more lesser evil bullshit and maaaybe some half measures would be enacted that the next president from the other party will roll back anyway (see Obamacare at present)
No, like I was saying to slagathor, I think from the government's point of view the riots are simply something to be quashed, and they have too much pride to capitulate and give us police reform because of a bunch of rebels/"terrorists"/looters, etc. I honestly feel like they'd go so far as to fight and win a civil war before giving into rioter's wishes. But idk.
No. Racism and brutality are deeply connected to that culture. The original inhabitants of north America are still living as small communities of former tribes and some conquerers say that America has to remain clean of foreigners. You must have a nerve and gut to say that aloud.
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