By Juan Tellez 

There has been quite a lot of chaos happening all around the country lately, and I am not talking about COVID-19. The first thing that everyone needs to know is that there is a difference between police brutality and police defending themselves or arresting someone dangerous. Police brutality is when they purposely abuse someone when there was no threat to anybody or doing anything wrong and use their badge as an shield to cover for their actions. Police defending themselves would be like if they are pursuing a robber and has a gun and they have to shoot the robber before they get shot, because it is their duty to stop a crime in progress. 

As I am sure you all know, (unless you have been quarantined under a rock) the news of the murder of George Floyd spread across America quickly, with videos showing a white police officer with his knee on the neck of George Floyd, who was laying on the ground gasping for air and pleading for his life, dying. It was not just this case either, there have been multiple cases of innocent people getting assaulted by police officers because they wanted to use their badge as an excuse to hurt innocent people and racially profile them or suspect them of doing anything. 

Take notice of how I did not say African-Americans or Hispanics or any other ethnicity because it is not just us getting treated unfairly and abused. I know some people are not going to agree with me but I know this is true. I understand Black Lives Matter because I am Black too and also Hispanic, but it does not mean I go and riot against innocent businesses, to get a new flat screen tv out of it and say it is for George Floyd or to have my voice heard. I understand why many of the people around the United States are upset because we are all tired of seeing this happen to our brothers and sisters and bad cops getting away with it. We all demand justice for the innocent people who got assaulted by them and harassed because the cop “suspected” something was going on.

Speaking from my own perspective, as a young black male, I was raised in my house with these rules whenever a police officer approached me “state my name, age and say you are unarmed and will listen to everything you say.” I don’t know if other people are raised like that but I am because my mom has always told me the world is very cruel and people like me get treated differently and more harshly because of the color of my skin.  
One day I was on social media and I saw this post that said must watch and so I did. I saw a black man getting killed by a white police officer as he says “I can’t breathe.” The officer’s knee was on this man’s neck for at least five minutes. That was not in any police training. He just killed him in cold blood.

I just remember watching the video and thinking, “Oh my God. Is this really the world I live in? Why isn’t he getting off his neck?! Stop you’re killing him!” and I just got so angry watching the whole situation and the other three officers were just letting it happen and did not say anything after multiple witnesses told them to stop. I honestly just hope this eventually comes to an end and my own kids will not have to deal with this when they become my age. 

The second thing I want to talk about is the difference between a good cop and a bad cop. Listen guys not all cops are bad. Most actually understand us and try to make sure we are safe to ourselves and to each other. A bad cop would arrest you and still have his gun on you and threaten to shoot you and beat you up.  I know it is hard to believe right now, but there is such a thing as a good cop. Lately on the news we have been seeing a lot of bad cops, using pepper spray and shooting people with rubber bullets. I feel like these actions are just trying to prove people right because the damage to people from the police is not right.

I know the police are doing their job but at what point is it injustice and not fair?  I also witnessed some cops kneeling down before people to join them in the process of understanding their pain. These good cops let the people know that they are with them and are offering to help in any way they can. They want to re-adjust the justice system we have so it is fair for everybody and not certain people.  

I feel sorry to have to say this, but if a police officer approaches you and keeps you there for whatever reason. Even if you think they are wrong for stopping you, even if you have not done anything wrong, please do not argue with them. Do not start cursing at them, because it is not going to help anybody and it will get you in more trouble. I have seen this a lot on social media lately, and I understand people want to catch bad cops in action, but do not go insulting them and expect no reaction. To a cop either good or bad, they are just trying to do their job. They do not know you as much as you do not know them. 

Next, as for the protesting and rioting going on, please listen to what I have to tell you. If you are going to go protest please do not try to start a riot and get yourself something for free, because then you are losing the purpose of what the protests are trying to say in the first place.

If you are part of a riot you are making people look down on the ones who are trying to do the right thing. So please stop. If you are protesting, please be safe and know what you are doing is right and we are all trying to make a change in any way possible. Because change needs to happen and if you want to have change please go vote this upcoming fall and make sure we have the right people in power to make sure the justice system is being used in the right way and people are held accountable for the wrong they have been doing. 

To the rioters out there destroying buildings and getting free stuff I just want to know when did this become about you and not for getting equal justice under the law?  I do not know if you think it is cool to destroy somebody elses dream that they worked on for years, or going to Target to steal a flat screen TV or whatever you want from there because you think it is “for George Floyd.” 

Think about this. If you stop to see what you are doing, you would see that this is wrong and you are actually part of the reason why police are treating people badly. If you riot you are proving them right and that is not who we are. That is just people with low intelligence and immaturity act. So the next time you go to protest please do not start or participate in anything more than the protest. Do what is right so we can all work towards the common goal and make this happen.

Lastly, the role of the president in all this. I am not going to disrespect our president but he has used poor choice of words in regards to this situation and is not acknowledging all the protesting people have been doing, only focusing on the rioting. I also feel like if he experienced what we have to endure in our neighborhoods he will not be saying these types of things.

This is going to shock many of you but this is a fact. Donald Trump has hope for this nation, and he has helped this nation tremendously. He has raised our stock market and helped people of all races get jobs. However, people do not always just want money, they want justice and words of encouragement instead of bringing people down. I am sure I do not have to tell you that our president uses bold choices of words, but I guess that is his way of communicating with us. 

I want to wrap this up by saying there is a need for change in our country whether people like it or not. People need to understand that not every cop is out for them and that they are actually here to help. Respect from the police starts with us. We cannot act so badly and then think we are going to get away with it.

This is just my opinion on police brutality in America. Please, review this and think about how our daily lives are affected because of this. Think about who are we going to go too for help when we cannot call the police. Do not believe everything is as it seems. Consider your own actions so that you are part of the solution and not adding to the problem.