How Much is Too Much Force commentary

On April 7^th Areceli Gutierrez wrote a blog titled How Much is Too Much Force, critiquing the amount of power that the state grants law enforcement officials.  I agree with her argument. Many incidents that occur between civilians and law enforcement agents are absolutely heartrending. At times it seems like pure aggression on the part of the officer.  Law enforcement jobs are not easy and I feel they serve a good purpose for the community, but the force that they are allowed to use on civilians should definitely be strictly monitored.  Too many deaths occur around the country because an officer was acting in “self-defense”, but when the story fully surfaces we learn that the victim didn’t even have a weapon.  These scenarios are completely unacceptable.  It’s a person’s life and dignity that we are talking about. 

I think all law enforcement agents need to go through better training.  A training that focuses on different ways to handle civilians that are breaking the law or seem to be a threat.  A few months ago a 17 year old kid lost his life because he was running around naked outside.  Was it strange that the kid was running around naked?  Yes.  Did he deserve to die because of it?  No.  It’s truly heartbreaking.  If you have a job that grants you the power to legally take someone’s life away, you should be held responsible if you use the power irresponsibly.  In my opinion there is too much force and not enough monitoring.

Dear Texas: You're far from perfect, so stop pointing your finger.

Getting an abortion is not an easy choice.  No woman wakes up in the morning and thinks to herself “Hmmm, today would be a great day to get an abortion. I’ll call right now and schedule an appointment!” As if making the choice isn’t hard enough, women are often judged and shamed by society for making this decision.

While abortions are still legal in Texas, recent laws designed to make it more difficult for women to get them greatly concern me. Anti-abortion legislation can lead to unsafe and illegal abortion clinics, babies being raised in unsafe/unloving homes, and more children in the foster care system.  In class we talked about the overflow of children in the foster care system; if services such as abortions and/or birth control were more accepted in our society, then these types of issues might be more manageable.  Instead, a woman who makes the choice to get an abortion is shamed by society and made to feel like she is a bad person. I know more than one woman who has faced this difficult decision and I can say that they are not horrible monsters, but rather they are some of kindest and most compassionate people I know. 

The judgement and stigmas associated with abortions and the clinics that provide them, needs to come to an end.  If Texas laws would openly support organizations like Planned Parenthood it would help pave the road for a more open minded state further down the line.    

As a society, when we point the finger at a woman and shame her for making the decision to end a pregnancy, we are teaching our kids how to judge.  In a world full of judgement, we are in desperate need of more compassion. I’m not trying to glorify abortion and I know it’s not always the right choice for every woman.  The important thing is that women are able to explore all of their options freely. Early in life we learn that we are humans and humans are far from perfect.  Will there ever come a day when we will stop judging the people around us and instead look within ourselves and start making changes there first?