What Might Help Is Decriminalizing Minor Offences That Increase Encounters Between Cops and Blacks

We should not introduce guns into encounters of this kind. Charles Mudede

Because it is nearly impossible to reform gun laws in the US, and we can expect mass shootings such as the one that happened in Dallas yesterday to only increase gun sales , thereby making an already very bad condition worse, we have to look for alternatives that can reduce the encounters between blacks (and poor and working-class people in general) and law enforcement officers.

For example, we should decriminalize jaywalking, fare evasion on light rail, and also the helmet law for cyclists. Indeed, just last week, I saw a young black man stopped on Rainier Avenue by a white police officer (barking his commands on a booming, panic-inducing PA system that seemed amplified by the bulk of his SUV) because he was cycling without a helmet (in a sane society, anyone who uses a bike to get around town would receive tax credits and other benefits). I also saw not too long ago fare enforcers on Link calling the police to deal with a young black male who did not have proper identification for fine processing, and therefore guns were introduced into a very minor situation (again, the use of public transportation should be rewarded, not punished).

On top of all that, Streetsblog presents a strong case for ending “investigatory” traffic stops. Such a stop brought to an end the life of person who wasn't breaking one major law, Philando Castile. If we can't get rid of guns, then must get rid of these kinds of encounters. If cops can go from zero to lethal so easily, so quickly, then it is better they only deal with situations that demand lethal force.