3 ms·

It's helpful in most contexts outside of white/middle class privilege. But I don't really understand your question?

by pmichaud 13y ago

mjolk 13y ago
In your opinion, why do you believe that reporting crimes is a "white/middle class privilege" decision?
- kbenson 13y ago
  There are portions of society that believe, sometimes with good cause, that bringing police into an interaction will result in a negative outcome for all involved, not just for the perpetrators. That said, please stop perpetuating a strawman argument. You've taken the most extreme interpretation of the original statement, propped it up and vilified it. Considering all the possible ways you could have interpreted the statement, I think you are doing the writer a disservice.
  - mjolk 13y ago
    I'm not perpetuating a strawman. The reason why there's a secondary justice system (normally in which the aggressors are the victors) is because people allow it to exist.
    - kbenson 13y ago
      Original statement: I learned that you should go straight to the person you're upset with rather than go to authorities. Your response: This is bullshit and dumb advice. If someone steals my bike and I find out who it is, I'm not going to go to his apartment and beat him to death in the middle of the day (smart money on confronting a scumbag not leading to a productive conversation). So it appears you are interpreting "go straight to" as "confront with violence"? There are any number of circumstances where going to the person you believe responsible may be beneficial over including the authorities. For example: 1) You are wrong in who you think perpetrated the crime. Involving the authorities may cause great harm to that individual, event if they are found innocent. Talking to them first may clear up misunderstandings. 2) It was a misunderstanding. Maybe there wasn't even a crime, what you thought you saw/experienced wasn't the case. Getting a fuller picture may result in your reassessment of the situation. 3) You don't think the punishment meted out will fit the crime committed, and you want to give them a chance to make amends. Maybe they are young, and you can speak to a parental figure to try to resolve the issue. 4) You have some relation to them or people close to them that you would rather not sour. That isn't to say don't go to the authorities. Of course there are cases where you go directly to the authorities. I doubt the author would dispute that. The real world is a place of nuance. I feel confident asserting that you know this to some degree. Acting like it isn't doesn't do anything useful, least of all lead to a conversation that has much benefit.
    - jessaustin 13y ago
      ...people allow it to exist. Are you suggesting that the victims of police indifference and misconduct are actually to blame for those? That doesn't really contradict the "privilege" diagnosis.
- venomsnake 13y ago
  Because the outcome can be different on the person filing a claim. I am sure that in the majority of the world a daughter of rich businessmen/politician/high ranking police officer will get a lot different treatment and have her taken seriously by the the police while reporting sexual assault than some poor girl from the ghettos or working poor background. (I really really hope that I am wrong in that assumption)
- pmichaud 13y ago
  Because when anyone else reports a crime, bad things tend to happen [at a statistically higher rate]. Everyone suffers, including you. Or maybe nothing happens at all because first responders don't get there fast enough, or they choose not to do anything once they arrive. Or maybe they do the right thing, and you (or your family) suffer when the guy you called the cops on comes back and kicks your ass, or breaks your sister's leg. Last on the list of possible outcomes is that the cops stop the "bad guy" and everyone is hunky dory. Contrast that to the white/middle class historical experience of police being generally helpful and protective. Middle class white people call the police (predominately other middle class white people), and good things happen. Then they wonder why everyone doesn't just call the police when they need some help. That's privilege.
- auctiontheory 13y ago
  Because if you're poor, or black, or poor and black, you probably already know that the police are likely to mistreat you for no reason at all.

It's helpful in most contexts outside of white/middle class privilege. But I don't really understand your question?

mjolk 13y ago

In your opinion, why do you believe that reporting crimes is a "white/middle class privilege" decision?

kbenson 13y ago
There are portions of society that believe, sometimes with good cause, that bringing police into an interaction will result in a negative outcome for all involved, not just for the perpetrators. That said, please stop perpetuating a strawman argument. You've taken the most extreme interpretation of the original statement, propped it up and vilified it. Considering all the possible ways you could have interpreted the statement, I think you are doing the writer a disservice.
- mjolk 13y ago
  I'm not perpetuating a strawman. The reason why there's a secondary justice system (normally in which the aggressors are the victors) is because people allow it to exist.
  - kbenson 13y ago
    Original statement: I learned that you should go straight to the person you're upset with rather than go to authorities. Your response: This is bullshit and dumb advice. If someone steals my bike and I find out who it is, I'm not going to go to his apartment and beat him to death in the middle of the day (smart money on confronting a scumbag not leading to a productive conversation). So it appears you are interpreting "go straight to" as "confront with violence"? There are any number of circumstances where going to the person you believe responsible may be beneficial over including the authorities. For example: 1) You are wrong in who you think perpetrated the crime. Involving the authorities may cause great harm to that individual, event if they are found innocent. Talking to them first may clear up misunderstandings. 2) It was a misunderstanding. Maybe there wasn't even a crime, what you thought you saw/experienced wasn't the case. Getting a fuller picture may result in your reassessment of the situation. 3) You don't think the punishment meted out will fit the crime committed, and you want to give them a chance to make amends. Maybe they are young, and you can speak to a parental figure to try to resolve the issue. 4) You have some relation to them or people close to them that you would rather not sour. That isn't to say don't go to the authorities. Of course there are cases where you go directly to the authorities. I doubt the author would dispute that. The real world is a place of nuance. I feel confident asserting that you know this to some degree. Acting like it isn't doesn't do anything useful, least of all lead to a conversation that has much benefit.
  - jessaustin 13y ago
    ...people allow it to exist. Are you suggesting that the victims of police indifference and misconduct are actually to blame for those? That doesn't really contradict the "privilege" diagnosis.
venomsnake 13y ago
Because the outcome can be different on the person filing a claim. I am sure that in the majority of the world a daughter of rich businessmen/politician/high ranking police officer will get a lot different treatment and have her taken seriously by the the police while reporting sexual assault than some poor girl from the ghettos or working poor background. (I really really hope that I am wrong in that assumption)
pmichaud 13y ago
Because when anyone else reports a crime, bad things tend to happen [at a statistically higher rate]. Everyone suffers, including you. Or maybe nothing happens at all because first responders don't get there fast enough, or they choose not to do anything once they arrive. Or maybe they do the right thing, and you (or your family) suffer when the guy you called the cops on comes back and kicks your ass, or breaks your sister's leg. Last on the list of possible outcomes is that the cops stop the "bad guy" and everyone is hunky dory. Contrast that to the white/middle class historical experience of police being generally helpful and protective. Middle class white people call the police (predominately other middle class white people), and good things happen. Then they wonder why everyone doesn't just call the police when they need some help. That's privilege.
auctiontheory 13y ago
Because if you're poor, or black, or poor and black, you probably already know that the police are likely to mistreat you for no reason at all.