"Bad decisions" [View all]

[sendero]

Of course we are all glad that there is a chance justice will be served in the murder of Walter Scott by a police officer. But something has been bothering me since I read the statement from the police chief.

The chief spoke of a "bad decision" made by the officer. We've probably all made some bad split-second decisions, but can we just acknowledge that even our split-second decisions are informed by our attitudes, beliefs and prejudices?

What I'm saying is that this split-second decision had to have been made in the context of someone who is thinking:

1) this man's life is worth nothing

2) I can get away with this

This was not just a bad split-second decision, this was a decision borne of bias, entitlement and a sense of impunity. These attitudes are what we are faced with eliminating or changing.