How do we turn this into an explanation of Black Lives Matter without being condescending? It seems so obvious that the outrage against this out of control cop towards a white nurse embodies every single point Black Lives Matter has been trying to get across to us. Bad cops exist, as well as good cops who make bad decisions. These officers should be held accountable for their actions.

By all accounts, the head nurse at the University of Utah Hospital’s burn unit was professional and restrained when she told a Salt Lake City police detective he wasn’t allowed to draw blood from a badly injured patient. The detective didn’t have a warrant, first off. And the patient wasn’t conscious, so he couldn’t give consent. Without that, the detective was barred from collecting blood samples — not just by hospital policy, but by basic constitutional law. Still, Detective Jeff Payne insisted that he be let in to take the blood, saying the nurse would be arrested and charged if she refused. Nurse Alex Wubbels politely stood her ground. She got her supervisor on the phone so Payne could hear the decision loud and clear. “Sir,” said the supervisor, “you’re making a huge mistake because you’re threatening a nurse.” Payne snapped. He seized hold of the nurse, shoved her out of the building and cuffed her hands behind her back. A bewildered Wubbels screamed “help me” and “you’re assaulting me” as the detective forced her into an unmarked car and accused her of interfering with an investigation. (WaPo)

Standing up and speaking out against this type of treatment against ordinary citizens by police officers does not mean we are against all cops…We can still support good police officers while calling out the bad ones.

Someone stated black people are like the canaries in the coal mines. If cops brutalize and murder them, it will not be long before white people start being treated the same way. Are we now seeing that? If I did not stand up for my brothers and sisters, are they now coming for me?

“Perhaps if the the nurse had just listened to the officer and done what she was told, since the police are always right, she would not have ended up in this situation.” See how ridiculous that sounds? That is what black people are being told on a daily basis by tone deaf white people. Has anyone legitimately said that about this nurse? Of course not. She is being praised for standing up for what is right, for protecting her patient.

The police officer has already been placed on administrative leave, and a criminal investigation has been called for. The mayor and chief of police have personally apologized to the nurse. So what is the difference between this situation and that of so many others? I will leave that for you to decide.

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