Growing up and later while married to a cop, I often heard my father, ex husband and their #BlueBrethren talk about the extra beating they’d throw anyone who dared cross their authority. Holding onto ownership of violence is very important in #copculture. Thread:

In #copculture, killing a Black person makes you a hero. It’s considered a “community service” few are willing to make.

They trump up perceived threats to support their glorified warrior mode. Their sheep dog vs wolves doctrine is considered a noble sacrifice of public service.

#CopCulture glorifies warrior mode by making violence a virtuous act of service. It redefines public service to fulfill their sheep dog fantasies of fighting off a wolf pack.They teach this in almost every police academy and ingrain it constantly over the course of their careers.

#CopCulture begins and ends with that sheepdog vs wolves metaphor... which is a lot to unpack. First, it dehumanizes people. We aren’t sheep, dogs, or wolves; we are human beings. Keeping our laws in order shouldn’t look anything like a violent dog fight.

... especially when you’ve divided that dog fight into color lines from basic training.

https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🐑" title="Sheep" aria-label="Emoji: Sheep"> are white, clueless and easy prey.
https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🐺" title="Wolf face" aria-label="Emoji: Wolf face">are dark, predatory, and out to kill.
https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🐕" title="Dog" aria-label="Emoji: Dog"> are loyal guardians who earn a steak dinner when they snare a wolf.

See how #copculture works? https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="💡" title="Electric light bulb" aria-label="Emoji: Electric light bulb">

They have to own that violence so that they fulfill the role they’ve built their entire identity around.

#CopCulture is dangerous to everyone. It is worshipped by abusers... not shocking since 41 % of cops’ families experience #DomesticViolence.

It thrives on racism + misogyny.

Cops are almost never held accountable to violence. For 20 yrs I’ve heard the same thing: yOu dOnT uNdErStAnD hOw hArD HiS jOB iS.

#Copculture defers accountability onto anyone but the police. The families they torment at home and the Black people they terrorize everywhere else.