Every time another black man is shot by a police officer, I cringe. I know instinctively that every officer in American will once again have to defend themselves from the vengeful and ignorant. The videos released usually only tell us the story the creators of those videos want us to believe.  The media delights in stoking the flames of a fictitious war declared against black men by LEOs. This irresponsible reporting does not shed light on the truths of the matter. It places both young black men and LEOS in danger. 

There are some legitimate grievances from the black community. There needs to be more transparency from law enforcement agencies. Cops on a power surge need to be weeded out. But none of the changes asked for from the black community will bring about the peace and security they need until they can admit and address their own culpability in these killings. 

You cannot allow a culture of a lack of respect for the rule of law and law enforcement to exist in your midst and not expect to be judged by it. A disproportionate number of crimes are committed by young black men. There is a culture within the black community that respects and glorifies violence, and considers theft to be a valid occupation. A black male is far more likely to be killed by one of his own than by a police officer. This is not mere perception, it is reality, and nothing can change as long as the black  community looks away and pretends that this has nothing to do with why there is a disconnect with law enforcement. 

I hear black parents teaching their children to speak politely and respectfully to police officers, and to comply with their orders. I was also taught this as a child. The difference is that black parents teach this because they want their children to fear the police. I was taught this because it is the right thing to do. There should not be one  standard of morality for black people and another for whites. There should not be one standard of morality for those in authority and another for the rest of us. Right is right and wrong is wrong regardless of your circumstances. We all need to remember and act on this if we want things to get better.