For decades, we have danced on the precipice between peaceful coexistence and riotous rebellion. Sparks have continuously been struck resulting in sporadic and limited response, but major issues of race, education, gun safety and inequality briefly surface and then subside. Public outrage is swiftly replaced by regulatory complacency resulting in inaction and deferral to future generations and governments. This condition of limbo is a tenuous purgatory that cannot be sustained. At some point, the delicate balance is disrupted with severe consequences. Challenges of COVID-19, resulting in economic collapse and psychological trauma combined with continued judicial inequalities, have pushed many residents past the edge of tolerance. What we do now will have long term consequences for many generations to come.
The Gathering Storm (published in 1948), by Winston Churchill, spoke of the prelude to World War II. He writes about the period following World War I and events prior to the outbreak of subsequent hostilities between Britain and Germany leading to World War II. There were plenty of signs of an impending crisis, but many chose to disregard them. Confronting a series of economic challenges and xenophobic attitudes was considered alarmist and uncomfortable to contemplate. Instead, retreat to past practices and attitudes reigned until the reality of events could no longer be ignored. History can be a great teacher only if we pay attention.
Writers and filmmakers have also noted the relationship between those in power, inaction and condoned inequality, leading to disastrous results. In 1975, the film, Rollerball, written by William Harrison, James Caan stars as Jonathan E., team captain and veteran star of the Houston Rollerball team. The Rollerball games were designed to divert the masses from introspection and investigation of corporate greed and control. Jonathan, overwhelmingly popular, represents a threat to the suppression of individual thought and action. Is his subsequent victory a blow to the corporate/government power complex or popular fixation on a new powerful dictator?
A similar theme can be found in the subsequent 1987 film, The Running Man, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. Based on a short story by Stephen King, the premise is that in 2017, following a worldwide economic collapse, a totalitarian United States retains control of the population using a reality show in which convicted criminals fight for their lives and a chance for a pardon (sound familiar?). Again, the protagonist, Ben Richards, fights against powerful elite who divert public attention from their misdeeds by providing macabre entertainment.
In today’s reality, the recent murder of George Floyd in Milwaukee in the midst of a pandemic is just one of a series of overreactions by a handful of law enforcement officers in an era of uncertainty, divisiveness and mixed signals from different levels of government. While not representative of many others in law enforcement, it is indicative of the deeply-rooted problem of racism in our country. Local officials and public safety officers find themselves in a difficult position when each level of government is operating independently and offering diverse – sometimes opposing – rules and guidelines. In such circumstances, the lure of retreat or stasis is compelling. The thought of turning away from cacophony toward strict control and perceived peace is an alluring but false promise. Security is not imposed by force of others, rather a contract between the governed and elected officials. If that bond is broken or frayed, the result is a chaotic attempt to regain control without consent. It doesn’t work!
Too often we have opted for the status quo when, in reality, it propels us backward toward continuation of an unsatisfactory. It’s time to move forward with a comprehensive and impartial strategy, using fair tactics that treat all with equal strength and compassion. Our local and regional officials know this and try to put it into practice. Will other levels of government follow their lead?