The Dallas Police Attacks, Racial Hatred, and The Escalation of American Violence

A former African American soldier opened fire on Dallas police during a Black Lives Matter protest. Micah Xavier Johnson  a veteran who served in the Afghan War became disgruntled over police murdering unarmed African Americans and police brutality. This was the alleged motivation, but the media began to exaggerate this act of violence. Claims that he was bent on killing white people and especially white police officers were conveyed on the news. There were attempts to present this as a hate crime, which is a complete distortion. Johnson's main grievance was with the police and they were prime targets. If his targets were white people he could have easily targeted protesters marching during the attack. Although their numbers were few, some whites appear at Black Lives Matter protests. Johnson if he did have a pathological hatred of whites could have chosen them as victims.Police can be people of various ethnic, religious, or cultural background. This act of violence toward police would not by legal definition be a hate crime. Automatically, the majority of the American population sided with the police, even when it deserves no sympathy. Murder, corruption, and racism are common practices of the US police. The Dallas attacks reveal much about the malevolent nature of American society. The police are not here to serve or protect, but to control and oppress. Racial hatred will eventually tear the nation apart. Slowly it will happen and could be similar to parallel to Yugoslavia in the 1990s. These events follow a long tradition of American violence that not only threatens the internal structure of   the US, but the stability of the globe. 

         There were many disturbing aspects of the Dallas police attacks. The first was that they used a robot to detonate an explosive device to stop Johnson. Police forces have SWAT teams trained to fight snipers and active shooters. The use of explosives shows a level of depravity that the US police have. He could not be stopped or taken alive, so the only option would be to shoot to kill or disable. Using an explosive demonstrates the police have killing machines that are equivalent to army weapons. This is a major issue with police departments receiving armored vehicles and weapons from the US military. These are weapons that the US military no longer uses, but does not want to just dispose of it. It is clear that US police are being militarized. Doing this makes police more than a law enforcement department. It means it is evolving into a security service, that is present in many authoritarian states. Those armed forces are not there for security, but to stop insurrection or dissent from the population. Micah Johnson left no written manifesto of his ideas, but allegedly revealed to the police his demands when being negotiated with. This audio recording has yet to be released or written documents presented to the public. Although it was never said directly, mainstream media attempted to present this as "reverse racism." Repeated phrases were being spoken on news programs "he hated white people" and mentions of Black Nationalist  groups. Johnson had no ties to any group or organization, but many were attempting to make a connection. This case was not examined thoroughly and there remain many questions. After this act the President went to Dallas speaking at a memorial service to the dead officers. The media and the President began presenting them as "heroes ."  The disturbing part of this affair was that President Obama was taking a neutral approach. He acknowledged that there is bias, yet pandered to the police. Claims that they are doing an excellent job under stress or that they risk mortal danger were exaggerated. Statistically it is safer to be a police officer. Compared to the number of African Americans murdered by the police, its more dangerous to be black in the US. The argument by the administration is "all cops are not bad." The unfortunate reality is the majority are. These so called "good" cops are as mythical as Atlantis or Shamballa. Only after a few weeks President Obama made the statement " we have your backs" in regards to police. His legacy will be tainted by his passive and inactive stance on race relations. The hate has become to powerful to overcome. 

         It cannot be ignored that whites have a pathological hatred of the African American population. This projects itself in all aspects of life and the police are not immune. Stop and frisk policies, racial profiling, and murder are police policies. This is not a shock considering the modern US police evolved from slave patrols. These groups of men would capture run away slaves. When abolition of slavery came the patrollers now worked on the enforcement of Jim Crow. It common for many Southern police officers to be in the Ku Klux Klan. During the Civil Rights Movement it was not only white extremists mobs attacking protesters, but police officers as well . This has been a long tradition of repression and violence through out the nation. Lorne Ahrens one of the police officers killed could have been or had ties to neo-Nazi ties. This would mean a white supremacist was being lauded as a hero by an African American US president. That event represents the intense amount of contradiction of the United States. Freedom and democracy are preached as valued principles. These ideals seem to only apply to white males who are bent on retaining all the power in society. They realize that Americas demographics are rapidly changing and have responded in the most savage fashion. The far-right obsesses over the second amendment, not out of a genuine concern, but to arm and prepare themselves for war. Their intention is to target African Americans, Hispanics, Asians, and any other non-white group in the US. When non-white populations grow whites react with violence. Police brutality and their killing rampages are a slowly growing genocide. Black Lives Matter has tried to keep protests non-violent. However, police and the media have attempted to link them to Micah Johnson. He was not active or associated with Black Lives Matter. Critics claimed that Black Lives Matter lost credibility due to the Dallas incident. This illogical reasoning represents the immense level of white hate. Whatever the movement does it will always be viewed as either disturbing the peace, unruly, or extremist. They could  demonstrate non-violent resistance religiously , but still receive ire from the police. Police despise Black Lives Matter, because it has exposed them for what they really are. Racist bullies, thugs, and killers who terrorize majority African American communities. 

           The US police love to use excessive force and have an infatuation with violence. You cannot say you are a supporter of public order, when you are the root of disorder. Americans have desire to be violent and it  is escalating. The country's violence problem is rooted in its love of war. America has formed a war culture that glorifies murder and abuse. The nation evolved in violence directed at the Native American population, enslavement of Africans, and later numerous military interventions across the globe. The Cold War saw the US intervene in multiple countries in Latin America, Africa, and Asia. The Vietnam War was probably the worst atrocity of these interventions. The motivations were both geopolitical and economic, but racism was also a factor. The United States sees itself as the greatest nation in the world and wants to dominate non-white countries of the global south. The level of hubris even goes beyond harassing non-whites, but any country that disagrees with its foreign policy objectives. Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, and now Syria are being destroyed by US involvement. Johnson was a veteran and other veterans seem to be targeting police. Promoting violence against other people and nations will eventually have blowback. The violence that United States has inflicted upon various countries is now returning. African Americans feel more frustration serving a country that vituperates and reviles them. Soldiers are brainwashed with the propaganda that the United States is promoting democracy and human rights around the world, but come to the revelation this is a falsehood. They comeback to a country with limited opportunity and witnessed first hand America's brutality and oppression of other peoples. For an African American  veteran  this is an extra psychological blow. They still face the same harassment and discrimination with little sympathy from the US government. It was only a matter of time before attacks on police would happen.  One cannot expect a group of people to be persecuted and not retaliate. This violence will continue if the criminal justice system does not work to imprison police that commit murder. The prevalence of guns and the culture surrounding it is fueling violence in American society. Effective legislation must be passed to deal with assault rifles and hand guns. Too many guns and ethnic tension will be a recipe for disaster . The only way this will change is to end the culture of violence in the United States.
        Police are not heroes and gradually the American public a realizing this. Sheriff Clark's speech at the RNC was a declaration of war against Black Lives Matter. It is clear that the police are opposed to protest or reform of the system. President Obama continually discusses having protesters and police have a dialogue. There is no point of having one, because one of the parties involved already refuses to make any concessions. There are rumors of a police movement attempting to get Black Lives Matter classified as a terrorist organization. No amount of community policing can solve this problem. That concept and term is designed to make it appear as if action has been taken against misconduct. There are limited options left for activists seeking permanent and effective change. There are still some opportunities. The first is not to stop protesting. There needs to be demonstrations in front of police stations across the country. Citizens who have cell phones should start filming police whenever they get a chance. Exposure can change public opinion and reveal abuse as it happens. Demonstrations must take place at the Justice Department so that it gets the message cops that murder will be prosecuted and imprisoned. Protesting at presidential campaign  events or rallys is a waste of effort. Candidates from both the Democratic and Republican  Party are oblivious to domestic issues and a changing international landscape. They are only concerned with serving the financial elite and special interest groups. If Black Lives Matter does this only then can they counter police repression and backlash. If the police continue to murder, there will be violent retaliation. Soon various ethnic groups will arm each other and attack one another, because they no longer see this as one country. If reform is adopted the US and avoid possible balkanization in the future.