Thin Blue Fault Line - Policing America

Book excerpt: Authors Franklin and Hein have witnessed firsthand difficulties experienced in some black communities. They use their knowledge to analyze and discuss the interactions between American policing, a subculture of the black community and the BLM movement. The authors wrote this book not because of attacks on police officers but because of overzealous actions by officers to shoot black men. It describes how blue on black shootings along with police tactics sometimes cause intense citizen responses through public statements, outbursts, and demonstrations. It begins with an examination of the differences between the black and white communities; how the same incident can be viewed from two different perspectives and how a discussion can be perceived unbiased by one but biased and unjust by another. Because of civil rights efforts American policing is going through a transformation. A change in policing tactics must be met with a re-evaluation of some cultural norms by the black community. They also discuss the lack of support by blacks shown to other blacks when there is an impression of being “not black enough.” The authors believe in political correctness, but also believe that political correctness is harming the black community, because well-recognized negative issues in some communities are not being addressed to avoid criticism of black culture. In the final chapter the authors discuss the failure of black leadership to make any earnest effort to rescue a wanting black subculture from itself. Finally, the authors believe that American policing understands its 21st century obligations and is taking steps to meet them.