Found out my blathering for the @washingtonpost will actually be in print tomorrow for their Sunday edition. Now that would have made my old man giggle for sure. https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2021/04/21/police-officers-chauvin-verdict-personal/?itid=sf_outlook

I’ll be honest: this is the 3rd piece I’ve written for the Post on police issues & I am surprised by the reaction to this one. I liked the writing of the other two: had some lovey narrative threads & repetitions. This one was just raw: wrote it quickly. Felt kinda meh about it

So it’s a bit different in style I guess but not substance. It says nothing new or revelatory. It says what I and millions stress every day. “Treat your neighbors like they are your neighbors’. And it would be better if they were your literal neighbors but that’s a larger issue.

So anyway, Op-eds are to be narrowly focused. One part of one angle of one issue. So a massive issue like policing, with so many factors & consequences, is a challenge. Inevitably, readers point out I didn’t mention (insert endless points)..points covered in the first two pieces

It’s much like twitter. Every single tweet has to encompass every single thing cuz history starts and ends with whatever the reader is reading right then. It’s an outrage or disappointment assembly line. But it can also be a participation line. Best to be positive & charitable.

It’s an amazing learning experience seeing what thousands of people take away from points I tried to make. But it’s way more amazing to see people react to points I DIDN’T make. Sometimes it’s the elephant in the room. Other times it’s something I can’t seen any link with...

But for the reader there is a link. Something I never thought of, something I probably don’t understand. Doesn’t matter what I think. As long as you read in good faith, it’s a participation line & not an outrage assembly line. Trolls are so easy to spot & even easier to ignore.

In that way, it’s the same in writing as it is in real life. Ignore the obvious trolls. Slow down. Don’t be so sure. Never quickly assume bad intentions in uncertain situations. Don’t do that on the street as a cop & don’t do that writing about being a cop. And that’s it