ATLANTA
- Singing songs, stomping feet, shouting insults, and waving flags will not
stop police brutality in Atlanta. Firing the chief of police will not stop
police brutality. Electing a black man as mayor or as alderman will not stop
brutality anymore than electing a white man as mayor or as alderman. Having an
all-black police force will not end police brutality! Why? Atlanta is afflicted
with the same malady that other parts of this country are characterized by: the
noticeable lack of enough men and women who demonstrate in their own persons a
sense of genuine goodwill toward their fellowman.
People
are basically the same when it comes to how to react meaningfully toward others.
They do what will benefit them the most! The fact at they swear to uphold the
law makes absolutely no difference if the law challenges their prejudices.
Long
and costly training, a personal oath, a uniform, a badge, and a gun will not
make a man a good and just policeman. The man himself must have some high
degree of personal worth and dignity. He must have in his own person an
identity with humanity, not black humanity or white humanity, but with all
humanity. Without this he can't possibly he fair in his dealings. This is true
for all men!
It
is my fond hope that the people of Atlanta will not listen to those who would
politic on this problem. There isnŐt a single candidate currently running for
any office who can put a stop to police brutality! The fact that so-called
white officials have not been able to stop it is no indication I that so-called
blacks can do it. The malady of human estrangeness afflicts all colors of men.
Black
people aren't anymore meaningfully committed to black than are persons of type
A blood identified personally with one another. What whites will do to blacks
and other whites, blacks will do to whites and other blacks! A candidate who
comes seeking your vote and mine
will
do well to remember that many of us will not care about his skin color, or his
ability to appeal to the baser emotions or his station in life. We will be
looking to see what substance he brings to great issues and why [he] deserves
our consideration as one who can and will address himself in a humanizing manner
to those issues.
ROY
HUNTER JR.,
-
Professor, Atlanta University.