Two Cop Shot. But Cop Bad? Me Feel Bad For Cop, Or Do Me?

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When me unfrozen from block of ice six months ago, me was excited to learn all new kind of things. For example, wheel is now used for many thing. Fire is used for many thing. Cat is now much smaller, tame, and able to pet, instead of enemy. Berries available at whole food. Don’t need to go to field for berry anymore. That’s great. Me was mostly excited about berries.

But me was also sad, because when me unfrozen, me learned that problems from my time, before I was trapped by big angry winter snow, still exist. Me hate racism as much as me hate thieving chimp that steal me shell collection. But even after 36000 year that me trapped in ice, racism still exist. Thieving chimp is dead, but racism still a problem. This make Thinkpiece Caveman sad.

When I first hear Mike Brown killed by police I ask, “what is police?”

They told me police is good people that make sure bad people don’t do bad thing. But I hear about Mike Brown shot by police and I think wait, me not stupid, me know it is police that is bad, and Mike Brown that good. Me knew that police are bad thing and me hate bad things. Police like tiger or large rock or chimp who learned spear.

Me support protest in Ferguson because me care about people life more than me care about police life. Me see police all as bad, like spear chimp, or thundercloud. Me not think at time that police are people.

So when police shot yesterday, me do nuance with me thought.

On hand one, police part of system of oppression, and any violence toward that system is good. On other hand, police have family who is sad. Me so confused, me smash too hands together, create physical metaphor for complex emotional issue. Me confused and angry, and confused about what to be angry at.

Me also mad that shooting make protestor look bad. Shooter make me look bad, because me say protestor good. This hurt me credibility. This hurt movement credibility. With shooting of police, everyone victim.

It remind me of trying to open walnut. Walnut is lot like privilege. Walnut a lot like system of power. Inside walnut is precious justice. Taste good but surrounded by privilege.

When me try to open walnut with teeth, me break teeth. This make me mad. This good analogy for using mouth against power. It do not work. Then, me try rock. Me try smash walnut with rock. And me do. Walnut shell broken, but so was tasty walnut inside. This make me angry. This make me realize inefficacy of violence against power.

What need instead is incisive, deliberate force. Not angry shooter. Not random violence against police. This make problem worse and destroy whole walnut. This make everyone sad.

If we find away to not smash privilege but instead crack it open, we can all enjoy walnut. We can enjoy berry and walnut together, and when that happen, police no longer bad, but people. People who eat walnut and berry, and we work together to ward off thieving chimp who learn spear.

thumbnail image – Neil Cooler