Systems of Thought and Defunding the Police

Many of us have friends that have revived a relationship to find that all the same patterns come quickly back - in spite of both parties honestly believing they have changed and deeply desiring a different outcome. I have done this myself, and I was not able to stop...no, we were not able to stop...the relationship from sliding into the same general place.

I think this is in some ways analogous to the ways systems perpetuate behaviors that we as a society don't want. It takes an incredible amount if insight and energy to avoid those old behaviors and responses, and if one of hundreds or thousands fails to switch to the new dynamic - even for a minute - it is astounding how quickly the effort can be derailed and the old dynamic can reassert itself.

This, I think, is deeply related to the ability of human minds to be so powerful while consuming so little energy - we actually offload significant parts of our "thinking" to the habits we have and the cultures we create. These things channel and constrain our behavior so our brains can do less actual work. They think for us.

I believe that in the US we should be striving to deepen the channel of thought that relates to others with peaceful compassion and replace the channel of thought that relates to others through projection of force. This is the reason that, while I have used rifles, shotguns, and pistols, I nonetheless have an immediate negative emotional reaction to a lot of the 2nd amendment rhetoric I see. It is also the reason I think it is wrong for activists today to suggest that violence is an acceptable part of protest.

Seeing these system and cultures play out in our society, I think those using the language of "defunding and disbanding" the police have a powerful point. Changes at the margin that leave even a perception that policing is about projection of force will be very hard to sustain. And if they do succeed, in the end they may be so indistinguishable from "defund and disband" that one would be hard pressed to see the difference.

The police I have known personally are peaceful people who have been called to serve in a stressful job. They are deeply committed to supporting youth and and the vulnerable people in their communities. And it seems inevitable that even having this conversation adds to their stress and heartache. Yet, in spite of my admiration for these individuals, I am not sure their virtue is enough to place the whole dynamic onto a different track.

This is a deep and nuanced conversation, with a lot of pain and passion. To have the conversation at all will require more compassion and sympathy that we are used to bringing to the public square. That is the challenge of our time.