Imagine if Rayshard Brooks, George Floyd, and all other black men killed by police were viewed as hardworking individuals.
Police shootings of unarmed black individuals is a major problem in our nation. One potential solution could be the availability of post-secondary trade schools.
Netflix offers a collection of movies that shed light on the African American experience, including the documentary “13th.” It is highly recommended to watch this film as it exposes the reality of the prison industrial complex.
It’s important to understand that African Americans are unfairly criminalized in our society. This ties directly into the problem of police killings of black individuals.
Due to historical racism in policing and the outsourcing of labor jobs, African Americans have been deprived of the opportunities that once made them invaluable.
According to NPR, there is a significant shortage of qualified workers in many high-paying trade jobs. This is relevant because African Americans traditionally held skilled labor titles such as welders, plumbers, and contractors. In the past, only a small portion of the white working class possessed these trade skills due to the legacy of slavery.
The criminalization of African Americans and the focus on college education instead of skilled labor has hindered their economic progress. This trend was further exacerbated by the removal of trade programs from public schools.
This has brought us to the present situation, where unarmed African American men and women are subjected to police shootings over minor offenses.
If society perceived African Americans as hardworking individuals with valuable trade skills, the irrational fear that leads to their deaths would be mitigated.
In Philadelphia, there is a school called the Philadelphia Training Technician Institute that teaches trades like welding and masonry. Many of its students come from the inner city, have criminal records, or come from disadvantaged backgrounds. However, one thing is clear: these individuals are striving for a better future.
Regardless of the time they leave the school, whether it’s 10 am or 10 pm, these students, with their tools and backpacks, transform from the “thugs” portrayed by the media into hardworking individuals who garner respect from others.
Even if Rayshard Brooks and George Floyd had prestigious degrees from Harvard, they might still have met tragic ends. This is because race is the initial factor considered, followed by perception, which can be influenced by the smallest of changes. For example, when a football player takes a knee, he is seen as problematic. Yet, when a police officer takes a knee on a man’s neck and kills him, he is hailed as a hero. Do you see the disparity?
What are your thoughts on police shootings of unarmed black individuals? Can trade schools help change how law enforcement perceives people of color?
Please share your thoughts in the comments section.
