Police Brutality In Joan Didion's Slouching Towards Bethlehem

Police Brutality In recent years, police action, particularly police abuse, has come into view of a wide, public and critical eye. Evidence of police brutality is seen in Joan Didion’s “Slouching Towards Bethlehem” as well as many other sources, such as BBC, the New York Times, and Time Magazine. Is it fair that police can use brute force? Police are supposed to protect and serve the people of our country, however, in many cases, police abuse their power and use excessive force, leading to police brutality. Unnecessary action and police force can be seen as early as 1969 in Haight-Ashbury. In Joan Didion’s exposé, “Slouching Towards Bethlehem”, she mentions a fourteen year old girl who received a pelvic exam from police. “She was just walking
Rand Paul, Time Magazine). The police abuse there authority. They use force on those who are vulnerable. They use their authority to further suppress African American and Latino citizens. Anyone who doesn’t believe that can see the statistics and realize that police brutality against minorities is not something that is made up. Police brutality in America needs to come to an end. It is increasingly becoming more popular. It is detrimental to the reputation of police officers, who are supposed to serve and protect the people. Police brutality can be prevented by providing rookies, as well as older cops, with information on when and how to provide force. Negative effects of police brutality can be seen through articles in the New York Times, BBC, Time Magazine, “Slouching Towards Bethlehem”, as well as a variety other sources. Not only does excessive force harm police officers, but it harms the way minority civilians as well as other Americans view themselves in society. While citizens worry about protecting themselves from criminals, it has now been shown that they must also keep a watchful eye on those who are supposed to protect and