Sunday, June 13, 2021

BECOMING WOKE

I received an interesting phone call the other day.  A gal I know said she wanted to ask me a question.  She prefaced her enquiry by noting how we disagreed on a number of matters but she seemed to think the matter she was enquiring about was associated with views of mine, even though she repeated not agreeing with some of them.

Her query was, "What does woke mean?"   I explained I understood its use today referred to individuals becoming aware of realities they previously might have not believed to be true.  Probably one of the most significant areas of being "woke" was with regard to the prevalence of racism.  

She replied she had begun to think that was what the meaning was, then immediately related the topic to those today becoming "woke" to discriminatory actions, even racism in our law enforcement.  She noted those people who had that belief would be sorry if funding was altered which she seemed to assume would result in loss of the protection from our police -- as though any proposed change in our police department policies, functions, or re-allocation of funding would result in undermining the safety our police could provide.

I reminded her of a decade or so younger mutual acquaintance (deceased now) who had years earlier shared with us stories we all found quite appalling, even objectionable, of actions of some of her family members in law enforcement,  even one who had been a very high official in state law enforcement.  Yet, this person's overall beliefs were very much aligned with that of the gal with whom I was talking, that no change in law enforcement practices relative to discrimination was needed.

My caller acknowledged recalling our mutual acquaintance's examples she, too, found unacceptable behaviors, but there was no further progression of thought that just maybe something needed fixing.   Apparently, both of their beliefs are that those law enforcement individuals were just a couple of rare instances of bad attitudes but no recognition the system might need some overall adjustments to lessen the prevalence of such actions reported elsewhere, too.

How does that make sense?  If the problem is so prevalent not only with those two officials but most everywhere else, too, as is being revealed, perhaps there is more of an issue than just a few so-called "bad apple" law enforcement persons.  Something more may need reassessment and change -- hiring requirements, training, policies, to name a few areas that should be re-examined.

I mentioned to her that some years ago, here in California -- perhaps in some other states, too -- there had been significant decreases in our mental health care system services to decrease costs.  The unintended consequence placed more burden on law enforcement to criminalize some of these people's actions absent the health care they needed.  

Mentally ill patients were released from care settings back into ordinary life for which they were ill-prepared to function effectively.  They often did not have adequate access to, support for their mental issues, or receiving monitoring to try to ensure they take necessary medication.  Some individuals, unable to cope, initiated behaviors necessitating law enforcement being called to protect law-abiding citizens, and even these ill patients from themselves.

I think of family issues, neighbor quarrels, acquaintances squabbles, distorted thinking with poor judgement resulting in calls to the police to quell disputes -- social issues others might be better trained to resolve to avoid violence, the challenge of helping those with the inability to reason rationally.   

Perhaps some adjustments to our law enforcers responsibilities might not only be better for all by relieving officers from the responsibility of coping with such, though I don't profess to be an expert on such matters.    Officers might even welcome a focus back on more traditional criminal activity.   What do you think?

19 comments:

  1. This is the current argument that budgets should be adjusted to provide the necessary services where activity is not criminal or intended. COVID has certainly made mental health a bigger issue in the U.S.

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    1. I think its about time mental health received more attention.

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  2. I also find the term "woke" quite baffling. It seems to have so many different meanings. In the end I think it only means "trendy". It doesn't necessarily mean progressive or enlightened, as some people who describe themselves as "woke" have decidedly unenlightened views.

    As for the law enforcers, yes, there is systemic racism and they need to be told it's zero tolerance towards discriminatory behaviour. And yes also, the police shouldn't have to do the job of social workers and psychotherapists, they should be able to do their proper job, which is fighting crime.

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    1. I suppose reality can be different for various people which would affect woke’s meaning. It’s not a word of choice I easily adopt to describe the experience of becoming enlightened to truth as not perceived previously.

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  3. There does need to be change. Now if you witness someone having a mental crisis or family dispute and call 911 they automatically send the police. What if we had another branch of trained professionals separate from the police who can deal with mental and social problems who were also on call and sent for those instances? We have enough real crime matters for the police to handle.

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    1. I suppose whoever responds must be trained and prepared to cope with possible physical violence, too. I know even with some individuals even coming into rehabilitation therapies aides must accompany them in sessions due to their unpredictability and lack of control.

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  4. I am unable to comment on your country's situation but, in India the problem is simply inadequate number of policemen / officers to handle the population. The ones on duty are grossly overworked and under-appreciated. Knowing some police officers, I can vouch for their ability to police effectively given adequate resources but, that sadly is inadequate.

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    1. Regrettable if not enough officers but hopefully discriminatory interactions toward some citizens does not occur.

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  5. I like your definition very much and find it to be accurate. Your assessment is one I share. A great many domestic disputes stem from mental health crises gone awry. Police are called because they have become the first line of defense. If the police lack training or sensitivity, the situation can escalate quickly and devolve into one of terrible consequences. Mental health resources are scarce; beds in inpatient facilities are lacking. Programs are expensive at private centers, and public facilities often have waiting lists. It's an ongoing problem.

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    1. Unfortunately, these concerns seem to be present to a greater or lesser degree in all of our 50 states.

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  6. I find here "woke" is a badge to show you're part of some trendy opinions, not necessarily moral, just or fair. And certainly not from critical thought of any kind.

    XO
    WWW

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    1. Interesting perspective that certainly has merit, I think.

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  7. Dear Joared, after watching a number of programs on policing that have appeared on PBS Frontline and other programs, I'm convinced that the police are being asked to do too many things--to respond to situations for which they are not trained. (The same has happened for teachers also.) Several activities they do need to be given over to the correct departments and then they can do what I used to know--in the '40s and '50s as policing.

    I have learned through study that the police departments in our country began in general during the 19th century and rose out of the groups sent by Southern cities to capture run-away slaves. They were, in a sense, bounty hunters. Given this, many of the rules and regulations written into a city's mandates for policing come from the object of capturing black men (and women). So it's now nearly 200 years later and still the city mandates reflect the view that black men are "up to no good." They are "escaping" something they have done. This, of course, is totally reflected in, and is the foundation for, the systemic racism of the police departments in our country. Peace.

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    1. I've viewed some of those TV programs which you describe. The history isn't very pretty though accepted by many at the time as were many other objectionable behaviors. Certainly does reinforce the idea a reassessment of what our police should do or not be responsible for doing is needed. I agree with you that teachers, too, have been expected to take on responsibilities they shouldn't have to assume. I'm reminded of the training program for my profession years ago. Our preparation included limited psychological studies yet we were told we could expect to have to address some more complicated issues because no one else was doing it and "somebody has to." Clearly our nation's people need to re-examine what services are needed in those two professions and how we can better provide them.

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  8. We're having a problem with the police here in Hawaii too. My brother who worked for the department lab even told me that there were some officers who just don't make the mark. I'm afraid that they're having a hard time recruiting officers so they might not be getting the cream of the crop.

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    1. I think this is a problem elsewhere, too, as staffing can be an issue.

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  9. My daughter’s classmate was killed by the police a few years ago. They went to High School together and graduated the same year, but she did not know him. After graduation he was diagnosed, I believe, with bi-polar disorder, and his parents were unable to make him take his medication. His parents, being black and knowing what that all too often means, tried to forge a good relationship with the police. They communicated clearly with the police about their son, the police knew him and his situation. They did everything they knew how to do to keep him safe. But one day he was having a bad episode, and was running down the street with a crowbar or something similar. He had broken a window in his home and his family called the police. He was running back towards his house when the police arrived. They shot him almost immediately, and he died there. If there had been a trusted social worker dispatched, perhaps things could have been different. It’s heartbreaking. His family has been working hard to provide better support for those with mental illness, so that the police are not the ones dispatched in these situations. I hope the new 988 emergency number will be part of a solution to this issue.

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    1. That’s a tragic situation and I’m so sorry for that family. Unfortunately, their son’s experience does demonstrate the kind of situation that likely needed to be handled differently and may happen in far too many instances.

      Glad you mentioned the 988 emergency number described by google this way:
      “Last year, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) responded to the growing suicide epidemic across the U.S. by requiring all phone service providers to route calls made to 988 to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline crisis center by July 16, 2022.”

      Another essential community service number, 211, also is important for many to know:
      “Dialing 211 helps direct callers to services for, among others, the elderly, the disabled, those who do not speak English, those with a personal crisis, those with limited reading skills, and those who are new to their communities. ...”

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