Police Brutality Among Nigerian Males In Philadelphia Essay

Cultural parti pris is like a virus that is transmitted from human to human and like a parasite take in up a society and its reasoning. These preconceived opinions atomic number 18 reflected in our solar day to day life. How often we see a white women shying away from young African American male on the street reflecting the basic stereotyped assumptions that we suffer about others every day. These inevitable expressions of which most of us are dupes retain unresolved because of the unconscious state it has entered.Likewise, mint who turn over been victims of racism in the past develop an extreme judgmental attitude, often labeling a childlike act as a racist, failing them to ever see easy in others. Marilyn French, a feminist fiction writer, in her turn tail on Beyond Power On Women, Men and Morals (1986), interprets such bigot behavior as an outcome of a hoary world that is lured by mightiness and control over women, children, property, and other men and subsequently enticed with the idea of superiority using skin color, wealth, religion and ethnicity as its variable.She suggests that the masculine principle is governed by aggressiveness which prevails over the cultural values ascribed to the feminine principle. Quoting from her work, World astray patriarchal values and perspectives are so pervasive m whatever passel believe them to be inevitable. Such deliberateers believe feminine principle oriented cultures became instinct because of the superiority of Western patriarchy. She elevate emphasizes that since western people are oriented in a masculine thinking its cobblers last result is anything but cultural prejudice.Further, delving on this theory she suggests that we all are members of the in- classifys that offers us a feeling of belongingness and comfort. And all others become members of the out-groups. It is taken as a fact that members of one group will always be antagonist to the members of the other group. Marilyn calls it a e gotism justifying dialogue that keeps us from self analysis mixing beliefs with attitudes and values, and morality with ethics (French, 1985, p. 19).We obediently keep practicing what we have been taught in our lifetime, i. . what to think of those who are members of the opposite group instead of how to think and in turn delaying our judgment about others. Our faculty has stopped responding to a logical reasoning and it has simply turned into a mechanical thought process. Leading all of us to becoming racist, ageist, and ethnocentric in this patriarchal culture.An authoritarian personality clings on to the conventional values of their culture, and refuses at any time the need of self introspection (Breslin, 1974, p. 51). While delving on this type, Mumia Abu-Jamal stands as a case in spot. Mumia Abu Jamal, a famous radio journalist in Philadelphia was likewise known as the voice of the voiceless. He used to report on issues concerning guard barbarity, misconduct and racism on the minority communities and especially, the African American community.In 1981, he became a victim himself of things he always fought against. On December night, 1981, while driving a cab to supplement his income earned through journalism, Abu Jamal drove pass his comrade who was being beaten up by the constabulary officer, Daniel Faulkner for traffic violation. Shortly, a gun fire broke out leaving both the police officer and Abu- Jamal injured. Unfortunately, the officer succumbed to his injuries while Abu Jamal recovered through a surgery. He was trialed for the Officer Daniel Faulkners murder case and given a conclusion sentence.However, at the insistence of Philadelphia District Attorney Lynn Abraham, Abu Jamal is currently not face the expiration penalty. This is a typical case of a social contest between singles and collectivities. Interpreting Abu Jamals case through Lane Cormicks work, this situation can be termed as a crisis. The media and many literary discussio ns have depicted this case as that of prejudice and racial discrimination. racecourse and ethnicity are hence, seen as the controlling dynamics in this case.Dave Lindorff, an investigative newsperson in his book on Killing Time An Investigation Into the remainder Row Case of Mumia Abu Jamal, stated that at the time of Abu Jamals arrest, the Philadelphia law Department was indeed the most corrupt enforcement operations in the nation. Hence, the finale made by the United States discriminative system , awarding death sentence to Abu- Jamal, based on the evidences put forth by the Philadelphia police has been widely criticized and challenged.This decision has been labeled as an outcome of cultural prejudice in a society that stands as an epitome of liberty. The United States judicial system has been attributed for its racism and discrimination against defendants of color. Noam Chomsky while reflecting on this case called the U. S. prison house system a class and a race war. He further emphasized that Abu Jamal is just one illustration of whats called social neaten in US. Philadelphia police is known for its notoriety. The racist attitude that it thrives on is as well as not hidden from the public.The killing of a young black man, Bryan Jones on the morning of January 1, 2007 is just one in a million cases reflecting brutality dipped with prejudice and racism practiced by the Philadelphia police. According to the accept Center for new Pennsylvanians, seven percent of Philadelphias immigrants come from Africa in the first place comprising of Nigerians who form the largest African group in this region. Every now and then, thither are cases heard against the Police Department of Philadelphia for ill treating the Africans.Scholars suggest that off all prejudice, the most critical is the Attitudinal Prejudice reflected (in this case) in the Philadelphia police also explaining the reasons of brutality thats practiced on these minority races. W. T. Jones in his work on Perspectives on ethnicity. New direction for student services, explains that attitudinal prejudice refers to a negative attitude toward a person or group based upon a social comparison process in which the individuals own group is taken as the positive point of reference. (Jones, 1972, p. 6). Further, to combat the isms requires new value assumptions and new social learning.