We Are the Others
By Trevor K. McNeil
Something Rotten
To paraphrase the immortal words of Shakespeare, “there is something rotten in the state”(s) of the union. A creeping specter striking down the innocence and protecting the guilty. Most will point to police prejudice, particularly racism, in the exercising of State power over the citizenry. The problem is greater than brutal policing. It is in fact a society wide issue. But, policing is a very visible factor in the lives of the oppressed that frequently leads to the incarceration or death of the oppressed. It does not help matters that policing is basically grunt work. Almost anyone can apply for the job of a cop. Many police applicants have less education than EMTs, or firefighters. People certainly die in the hand of these professionals, but it is always an accident. Police officers, on the other hand, frequently serve up death through inhumane tactics, brutal force and malfeasance.
Shadows Around the Fire
Fear of ‘the other’ is ingrained in the human DNA. It is the self-protective mechanism that predates man stabbing mammoths on the tundra. In fact, it is probably responsible for the wiping out of the Neanderthals to make Homo sapiens the only higher humanoid species on the planet. Generally speaking, the term ‘othering’ is understood as an undesirable objectification of another person or group. In effect this social process, labels those defined as ‘different’ in a negative manner, whether it be by skin color, sex, sexual orientation, economic status, ethnicity, religion, or even disabilities.
Arbitrary and Malleable
By ‘othering’ a group those in power decide who is normal and accepted, and who is not. The resultant bigotry triggers persecution, oppression and the killing of people who do not fit the prescribed definition of what is normal and acceptable. The main issue with the concepts of normal or status quo is that they are both arbitrary and malleable. Often changing from person to person, group to group, society to society. A fact which has led to the wide-spread State oppression of Blacks and immigrants in the United States, Christians in ancient Rome, and Muslims in modern day China.
I’m Going to Be the Minority
It is common to keep the ‘others’ separate from the rest of society. Minority neighborhoods are nothing new. All you need to do is look at the early twentieth century Jewish ghettos of Warsaw, or New York City’s Harlem. In addition to poverty, something most of these areas have in common is a history of over-policing. In effect, State oppression, presided over by police brutality. Poverty, drugs and petty street crime add to the difficulties of these “fringe” communities. Unspoken as it might be, racism, is a major problem when armed warriors, representing State interests, patrols and suppresses it’s minority citizens.
The Roots of the Problem
Race is a factor. African-Americans are targeted for persecution in all aspects of American life. Black Americans face a clear case of State oppression, police prejudice and brutality. In the American context, to suggest otherwise is to simply disagree with reality, going against well established facts. In Ireland it is a different story. For example, in Belfast’s predominantly Catholic West Side, there is a long history of over-policing. Police brutality here is unambiguous. Police officers and other state officials often participate in cold-blooded murder. A fruit-seller named O’Dare, was shot in the back because the police mistook Mr. O’Dare for Mr. O’Dowd. Apparently, O’Dowd was an I.R.A. militant. Sadly, the police officer who did the shooting claimed he misread the name on the dossier. Really? The only time or place this claim could get traction would be in a neighborhood that was targeted for oppression.
State Side
As with so many killings of African-Americans state-side, the officer in the O’Dare case faced no repercussions. Those responsible for the Irish atrocities are still justifying their actions to this day. Even now, in supposed peace time, there are parts of Belfast where the police patrol in military-grade armored cars. Police choose never to actually get out of their vehicles. The hate and disrespect of the police in Belfast is so intense that citizens routinely pelt police vehicles with rocks, bricks, glass bottles and Molotov cocktails.
Rotten To the Core
While race is a clear factor it is far from the only one. A much more pressing issue is the structure of society itself and the institutions established by society. Calls to ‘burn it all down’ are reductionist and infantile. The root issue is one of priorities. The onus put on perceived normalcy over complicated humanity and the upholding of the status quo over all else.
