WHITE PRIVILEGE AT ITS BEST

Statistics have long exposed a two-tier system of policing in the US. In 2021, for example, non-profit organisation Mapping Police Violence found Black people are twice as likely as White people to be shot and killed by officers.

But the stark difference isn’t just borne out by numbers. This comedy clip is a good example of ‘White privilege’ when it comes to policing.

Comedian, Mike Feeney, describes how he once got pulled over by an officer who ended up offering him cuddly kittens. A far cry from the experience of many Black people in America who are racially profiled and disproportionately targeted by law enforcement.

There have been many well-known cases, including: Rodney King, who was brutally beaten by LAPD officers, in 1991, which led to the Los Angeles riots. Oscar Grant, in 2009, was shot in the back while handcuffed by a BART police officer in Oakland. Philando Castile, in 2016, was fatally shot during a traffic stop in Minnesota. And then there’s the case of George Floyd who died during his arrest after a police officer knelt on his neck for over nine minutes, in Minneapolis, in 2020.

The hilarious story shows that policing doesn’t have to be aggressive or confrontational. You can just be respectful to the people you are their to protect and serve. Unfortunately that is simply not the case for everyone.

Video credits: @wilsylvince @comedycellarusa @iammikefeeney