Poverty, power and race: The cases of Bill Cosby, Michael Brown and Trayvon Martin
When the Grand Jury handed down its decision to not indict Officer Darren Wilson in the shooting death of Michael Brown, protestors took to the streets to riot and burn the town to ashes to protest the inherent racism in the American justice system. However, the allegations against Bill Cosby and the fact that Cosby has never been charged with anything has resulted in little more than a few explanations about those allegations and how Cosby has not responded to them.
Because Wilson is white and Brown is black, people assume that the issue was driven through race rather than myriad other reasons. Given America’s history, it may seem to be a relevant assumption, but in the end, the assumption that says race is the reason behind every action between members of different races is ultimately flawed.
The issue comes down to power. Wilson, as a police officer, has perceived power over the general public. He expects people to follow his orders when he gives them, and in most cases, people should – assuming that the orders he is giving are to protect the public at large.
The acts Cosby allegedly committed came at a time when he was one of the most powerful people in Hollywood. Not only was he popular but he also had the power of his image to protect him. No one in the justice system would attempt to file a law suit against him because of the high likelihood that his testimony and the perception of who he was would trump that of any testimony from any women.
The perceived racial issues that ran under the Trayvon Martin case were again more symptomatic rather than driving forces. George Zimmerman was a man given a position of power. He was of a different race than Martin, and it could have been one of the contributing factors to his decision to use deadly force. However, it was most likely a side note to the cultural mores that Americans are facing every day.
As long as we are using racism to divide ourselves, we can never see the other more powerful forces at work. When those who are poor can unite, they will find that their situations will improve. The problem is that no one wants to believe that he or she is poor. Most people believe that they are in the middle class, which can be defined as anywhere from making $30,000 to $250,000 a year. Even knowing the raw numbers doesn’t make a difference. People want to be normal, and that is what middle class implies.
The fear of each other that is reinforced by the media every hour of every day creates a society where people are more willing to shoot and will more often feel threatened. Since many of the laws regarding self-defense are based on perception, it is exceedingly difficult to successfully prosecute someone who says that he or she feared for his or her life or the life of others. Give people who are afraid the ability to take lives, and chances are that they will do so in a moment of panic.
It is time for the classes to come together and see the only color that really matters in this world – green. Money and power allow people to experience a different justice system than the rest of society. As long as it is based on wealth and power but blamed on race, Americans stand very little chance of being able to advance beyond the current economic state of the union.
Because Wilson is white and Brown is black, people assume that the issue was driven through race rather than myriad other reasons. Given America’s history, it may seem to be a relevant assumption, but in the end, the assumption that says race is the reason behind every action between members of different races is ultimately flawed.
The issue comes down to power. Wilson, as a police officer, has perceived power over the general public. He expects people to follow his orders when he gives them, and in most cases, people should – assuming that the orders he is giving are to protect the public at large.
The acts Cosby allegedly committed came at a time when he was one of the most powerful people in Hollywood. Not only was he popular but he also had the power of his image to protect him. No one in the justice system would attempt to file a law suit against him because of the high likelihood that his testimony and the perception of who he was would trump that of any testimony from any women.
The perceived racial issues that ran under the Trayvon Martin case were again more symptomatic rather than driving forces. George Zimmerman was a man given a position of power. He was of a different race than Martin, and it could have been one of the contributing factors to his decision to use deadly force. However, it was most likely a side note to the cultural mores that Americans are facing every day.
As long as we are using racism to divide ourselves, we can never see the other more powerful forces at work. When those who are poor can unite, they will find that their situations will improve. The problem is that no one wants to believe that he or she is poor. Most people believe that they are in the middle class, which can be defined as anywhere from making $30,000 to $250,000 a year. Even knowing the raw numbers doesn’t make a difference. People want to be normal, and that is what middle class implies.
The fear of each other that is reinforced by the media every hour of every day creates a society where people are more willing to shoot and will more often feel threatened. Since many of the laws regarding self-defense are based on perception, it is exceedingly difficult to successfully prosecute someone who says that he or she feared for his or her life or the life of others. Give people who are afraid the ability to take lives, and chances are that they will do so in a moment of panic.
It is time for the classes to come together and see the only color that really matters in this world – green. Money and power allow people to experience a different justice system than the rest of society. As long as it is based on wealth and power but blamed on race, Americans stand very little chance of being able to advance beyond the current economic state of the union.