The roots of policing have determined its evolution, and our current state of affairs.
Origin stories are important; they provide the conceptual framework that informs not just the basis for existence, but the possibility, or lack thereof, for change.
And what is the origin story of American policing?
The word “patrolmen” comes from the earliest forms of policing in the United States: slave patrols. The sole purpose of these groups, this policing, was to control movements of the enslaved — through violence, terror, and general presence. Once slavery ended, the system of enslavement, and policing, adapted through the introduction of…
The lesson within the drama.
On March 2, 2021 — Dr. Seuss Day, Dr. Seuss’ birthday — Dr. Seuss Enterprises, in celebration of their work and legacy, announced that it would discontinue the following titles: And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street, If I Ran the Zoo, McElligot’s Pool, On Beyond Zebra!, Scrambled Eggs Super!, and The Cat’s Quizzer.
I heard about the works that were being discontinued, I saw the headline, and I thought nothing of it. I hadn’t read a Dr. Seuss book in years, and at this moment in time, I have no use or need to read any…
I wish we hadn’t been pitted against one another in the school reopening debate.
Full disclosure: I’m an educator. I’m roughly 5 years removed from classroom teaching. I have no children of my own. I’ve been in the education sector for about 15 years. I care about teachers and education, I care about kids and education, I recognize that being a caregiver and educator is not the same thing as being a parent. I acknowledge my experience and position to ground this article and my perspective — I’m not truly on the inside, nor am I truly on the outside.
As I scrolled through my feed, sat and watched news segment after news segment…
If we all simply couldn’t wear a mask, then we all were not in this together . . .
There’s a raw individualism in the United States. An unchecked, unbridled, unbothered individualism. A culture and history seeped in thinking of oneself first and foremost, even at the expense of others. A climate that would breed the political and formidable stance of America First — without seeing that the pretense invariably leaves us alone, or at the very least necessitates that we deem others expendable.
This hyper-individualism is not necessarily applicable to all Americans, nor is it insurmountable. …
When the defense is an indictment . . .
Recently, my car was broken into — no damage, no big loss, still a violation, still a crime. Essentially both my car and myself are physically okay; I do, however, have a myriad of emotions around the experience.
I had been visiting a friend, I had parked my car in the guest parking section, the unassigned uncovered kind, no more than 15 feet from her front door.
One morning we were occupied with trying to meet with mutual friends for a walk; the car seat was in my car, we needed…
On February 13, 2021 I donated blood. A few weeks prior, I had seen a news segment that commented on the dire shortage of blood donations; there’s always a need, but with COVID the need is greater — so many have been afraid to donate and so many are sick. After months of feeling quite helpless, this felt like a great opportunity “to do my part”.
I had donated blood as a teenager and college student. A few times, I had also been rejected for low iron, so the whole week prior I made sure to eat iron-rich foods. …
If history repeats itself, what’s in store for us?
History has a tendency to repeat itself. And as I have delved into it, I am becoming increasingly worried . . .
Here is a bit of historical grounding:
- 1915: Birth of a Nation
- 1915–1920s: the second incarnation/wave of the KKK
- 1916: the Great Migration
- 1918: the Spanish Flu —global pandemic
- 1918–1920: economic downturn, partially induced by a global pandemic
- Summer 1919: the Red Summer
This is a bare-bones timeline. Obviously, we had the end of WWI, the beginning of prohibition, the passage of the 19th amendment. …
The polls, the lines, and 2020 aren’t enough to convince me Trump will lose.
In the first debate Trump declined to take an opportunity, several actually, to denounce white supremacy. And if that wasn’t enough gaslighting for you, he decided to light a match and tell the Proud Boys to “stand back and stand by.”
The firestorm on Twitter, Facebook, and every news outlet was fierce. Immediate. It was seen for what it is: an acknowledgment and encouragement of white violence.
And to be clear: I have used the term “white violence” intentionally because it’s not a call to action…
How do we plan to meet the needs of all students?
There’s this cartoon — it’s a group of children waiting to get into school on a snowy winter day. They’re crowded outside, watching an adult shoveling snow; in the cartoon, the adult turns around, shovel in hand, and tells the one child in a wheelchair: once I’m done shoveling the steps, I’ll get to the ramp.
The child in the wheelchair responds: But if you shoveled the ramp, everyone could get inside.
Think about that. Think about the lesson, the message: are the solutions for one group, for one…
I’m scrolling through Facebook and I see a flurry of excitement over Band-Aid’s announcement: a new line of bandages available in a myriad of skin tones. Neat!
. . . Cue the anger, derision, and snarky comments in 3, 2, 1:
- It’s just a Band-Aid!
- I’m White, who cares? It’s a Band-Aid, it doesn’t even match my skin tone!
- White privilege means always having had a Band-Aid for my skin tone, what privilege 🙄
- What’s the big deal? It’s a Band-Aid, people are just looking to make anything racist!
Attach, form, collate other forms of dismissal and mockery — you…
Jessica Camacho
Educator, Gardener, Writer — IG @canonreclaimed
