There is a militarized force that kills people every day, literally every day I read about at least one new killing, and there are people who think that this force keeps us safe, which tells me a hell of a lot about what those people mean when they say “us.”

“They keep us safe” only makes sense if I don’t consider Ka’Mar part of “us,” because if he’s part of “us” then the police menace us and act as a very real constant threat to our lives. https://twitter.com/kafourymcdougal/status/1273697924803776512?s=21 https://twitter.com/KafouryMcDougal/status/1273697924803776512

“They keep us safe” only makes sense if I don’t consider Ejiz Ahmed Choudry part of “us,” because if he’s part of “us” then the police menace us and act as a very real constant threat to our lives.

https://twitter.com/sadiyaansari/status/1274714942579658752?s=21 https://twitter.com/sadiyaansari/status/1274714942579658752

“They keep us safe” only makes sense if I don’t consider Andrés Guardado part of “us,” because if he’s part of “us” then the police menace us and act as a very real constant threat to our lives.

https://twitter.com/wb/status/1274913742522773504?s=21 https://twitter.com/wb/status/1274913742522773504

Philando Castile isn't "us" if the police keep "us" safe, nor is Sandra Bland, nor Tamir Rice, nor Breonna Taylor, nor George Floyd, nor 1000s of others killed, millions menaced.

They aren't "us" if we say "the police keep us safe."

They aren't "us" BECAUSE we say that.

If there were another group that was killing American citizens every day, and brutalizing and terrorizing anybody who suggested there should be accountability when they did so, we wouldn't be arguing they "keep us safe." We sure as hell wouldn't pay them to do it.