By Beth David, Editor
So, the Acushnet kids had fun last week (see page 12). The elementary school got quite the honor, receiving the “Distinguished School” designation. Only two schools in the state received that designation for 2022. Congratulations to them. They had lots of fun celebrating it, too.
Next Wednesday there’s a meeting on Coastal Hazards. Fairhaven, dare I say it out loud, is about as coastal as it gets. See page 5 for details on that.
Well, it’s late. I need to get this baby to bed. I should have some profound words of wisdom about the horrific murder of Tyre Nichols, the young man who was beaten to death by a gang of police officers. I don’t know how profound I can be, or if “wise” is in me right now, somewhere under all the anger.
The depth of their inhumanity is staggering.
I’ve watched a lot of talking heads in the last week as everyone discusses this top to bottom and sideways. The young man was Black, of course. The twist here, though, is that almost all the officers were Black, too.
One of those pundits said the culture of that police unit, and, indeed, many police departments at large, forces members to adhere to the culture and abandon their own life’s experiences. Kind of like street gangs: you do what you have to do to belong. Because belonging is all important, all consuming, the only thing that matters.
In my world, we put it a simpler way: Don’t forget where you came from, we tell the kids as they embark on their journeys through life.
Usually, though, it’s about money, right? As the kids take that first “big job” ready to conquer the universe, we don’t want them to let it go to their heads. We want them to still be who they are. This is about power, and lack of respect for another human being.
Clearly, those Black officers managed to suppress their own life experiences and pretend it simply could not happen to them because, hey, they’re part of the “elite unit,” right? They’re part of the brotherhood, where all their buddies have each other’s back.
They forgot where they came from.
Until next week then…see ya,
Glory to Ukraine!
Glory to the Heroes!
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Click here to download the 2/2/23 issue: 02-02-23 AcushnetSch
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