Raw

[spritechan]

I am experiencing some relief at the Chauvin verdict (I am legitimately surprised they convicted of all charges), but mostly just raw emotions of this last year.

I don't believe in the prison industrial complex — I think keeping humans in cages is fucking barbaric — but I also understand the limits of our current society. Police need to realize there are consequences for hurting and killing people — and prosecutors also need to actually HAND OUT those consequences by charging people when this shit happens. 

And we obviously need to reimagine community policing altogether* so it's not even a discussion. I am not hopeful that these changes will happen during my lifetime, but I am optimistic for us continuing to lay the groundwork. To move from a society focused on social control, to a society focused on social investment.

If you see the original police report, it was written as if Floyd had a drug-induced heart attack and died at the hospital after benevolent cops called for help. It only got this far because that brave teenager filmed the whole thing and the community did not stay quiet.

Now all these national guard and extra police need to get the fuck out.

*I know that abolition is not a new concept — I'm using "reimagine" here to refer to the general public and our current government and systems.