June 6, 2020 Issue, Page 4 of 8

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Page 4 The Elk City News, Elk City, Oklahoma Saturday, June 6, 2020 Opinion Page Oklahoma City demonstrates its class, decency “ElkCituNews From The Oklahoman The decency wired into the nonprofit’s offices at 1215 N Western. wishing to help in the recov- ery can go online to https:// downtown. It was peaceful and constructive. When a Serving Western Oklahoma since 1901 the DNA of so many Okla- “Unfortunately, — every- oklahomacity.dressforsuc- Spray-painter marred a door Food insecurity homans was evident many thing we need to operate our cess.org. times during the weekend. day-to-day in serving the Another business owner, of the Capitol building, pro- The foremost example women in our community is Gannon Mendez, displayed testers quickly stopped him a problem may have been the reaction by officials with the non- not salvageable,” the organi- zation said on Twitter. The similar forbearance. Mendez co-owns The Saucee Sicilian and then worked to clean the door. At one point, sheriff's profit Dress For Success fire melted computers, used food truck, and plans to open deputies in front of the coun- By Julie Bisbee, TSET Oklahoma Oklahoma City after their for resumes and job search- a brick-and-mortar shop at Can you imagine running out of food before your next building was burned by loot- es, and destroyed clothing. NW 16 and Classen. How- ty jail took a knee in solidar- paycheck? Or pulling together a meal for your family from ity with protesters. items sold at a convenience store? ers. Yet amid this senseless ever, those plans took a hit For | out of 6 households in Oklahoma, this is an every- Dress For Success is part Joss, leaders for Dress For when the store’s windows Skirmishes that broke day reality. Even before the coronavirus pandemic, food of a global movement whose Success urged people not were broken out by looters. out after nightfall Sunday, insecurity was one of the most significant challenges fac- mission is “to empower to use the incident “to fuel Mendez said on social me- prompting Mayor David ing our state’s families and individuals. The COVID-19 women to achieve economic hateful narratives in Okla- dia his pain was indescrib- crisis has only magnified the need to make nutritious food Holt to institute a dark-to- independence by providing a homa City.” able. But, he added, “please available to Oklahoma’s most food-insecure residents. network of support, profes- Dress for Success “is not pray for the lost souls that dawn curfew for a small area The Oklahoma Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust sional attire and the devel- a building,” they said. “We shattered all of our windows downtown, were the work of has quickly responded to this urgent need. At a recent opment tools to help women are a group who love our and looted our building.” meeting, the TSET Board of Directors approved up to $1 another element. State Sen. million to be awarded for short-term projects to address thrive in work and in life.” city, and decided 5 years He wondered why people George Young, D-Oklaho- food insecurity. The coronavirus pandemic has shown that Specifically, the nonprofit ago to grow this community. would destroy property while prevention is more important than ever for public health. helps low-income women Our community is Dress For protesting. However, pro- ma City, had it right in say- Increasing access to healthy food is key to giving Oklaho- escape poverty. Dress For Success. Our mission will tests are one thing and van- ing the actions were solely mans the tools to make healthy choices. Success provides clothing not change. We are still go- dalism is another. The city about “eliciting a response Food insecurity is a health risk linked to costly and pre- and accessories, and offers ing to equip and empower saw an excellent example of from law enforcement.” ventable chronic diseases including high blood pressure, programs to build the confi- women.” the former on Sunday, when Police responded with pro- diabetes or heart disease, cancer and stroke. TSET is one dence needed to succeed in The nonprofit said it thousands gathered in north- of the state’s largest funders of prevention and works to the workforce. would rebuild and “come east Oklahoma City, then fessionalism and restraint. address long-term needs and encourage healthy choices. Ina few minutes overnight back stronger than ever.” walked to the Capitol and Victims of this thuggishness Health disparities such as lack of buying power or lack of Saturday, looters destroyed We don’t doubt it. Anyone eventually made their way did so with grace and class. access to healthy foods can limit the choices of some Okla- homans. The recent economic downturn has made it even more difficult for families to have enough food to eat. Almost 41% of mothers with children ages 12 and under reported Tear gas, then handcuffs: Newspaper journalist household insecurity since the COVID-19 pandemic be- gan, according to early national survey data analyzed by describes being arrested for doing her job the Brookings Institute. By Kristen A. Graham, pass prominently displayed, or riding home when they would be free by the end of Proper nutrition is vital to good health. Access and avail- ability of nutritious food are key components in helping The Philadelphia Inquirer and I clipped my badge to were detained. Some shout- the night. I was shaky, but I Oklahomans reduce risk factors for chronic disease, obe- I kept thinking how jar- my T-shirt, making sure my ed “Black Lives Matter!” as knew that as a white wom- sity, as well as building a foundation of healthy habits for ringly, beautifully blue the name and photo were easily they boarded. an, I would probably be fine, future generations. sky was - an odd setting for visible. The bus ride to the 22nd and I knew that for many To help close the gaps, TSET is seeking to partner with a day where anguish, fear A few hundred yards from District Headquarters at others around the country, non-profit groups, sovereign political entities, and state and and rage spilled onto Phila- City Hall, I noticed that bus- 17th and Montgomery was that wasn’t always the case. local government organizations to address food insecurity. delphia’s streets over the es were lined up, presum- hot and uncomfortable. My Eventually, I managed to Over the next few weeks, we will be releasing details about death of George Floyd, a ably to haul away people hands and shoulders ached wriggle one hand into a po- funding opportunities that will seek to enhance the avail- Minneapolis man killed at who had been arrested. I behind my back, and I knewsition where I could use my ability of nutritious foods across regional or statewide ser- the hands of police. kept walking, intending to my family - including two smartwatch to text my hus- vice areas. As anger again erupted round the perimeter of the young sons - would worry band and my editor. I was More information will be available at tset.ok.gov. into chaos in the city Mon- building to continue heading that my steady stream of Julie Bisbee is the executive director of Tobacco Settle- arrested, I told them, but I day, I volunteered to cover east on Market. I snapped a text messages and tweets was OK. Eventually, a law- ment Endowment Trust. the protesters and the police, photo of the buses, and an had stopped abruptly. It was yer for The Inquirer made officer whirled around, told a profoundly strange mo- contact with city officials, Police need real and did so for hours, moving with thousands from Eighth me I couldn’t be there. ment for me, a rule follower, and soon after, an officer and Race to 22nd and Benja- Without signs, barricades, a person who never once reform, a fresh start min Franklin Parkway. The or prior directions, there was earned so much as a deten- walked onto our bus and led me out, along with the other crowd was vocal, angry, but no way for me to know I tion at school. By David C. Couper, Tribune News Service journalist. Over the weekend, what began as a peaceful protest in I saw no violence, though was in the wrong spot, but The sheriff's officers who And we weren’t the only Madison, Wis., where I served as chief of police for more city officials said some pro- I quickly turned around, in- transported us were friendly ones arrested. Across the than 20 years, erupted in violence. A police vehicle was testers threw rocks at of- tending to head around City at first. Then, as some of country, reporters and pho- torched, more than 70 businesses were damaged and in ficers and others rocked a Hall in the other direction. my fellow passengers be- tographers have gotten de- some cases looted, and police deployed tear gas and pep- state trooper’s vehicle. Less than a minute later, two gan confronting them with tained in recent days; here per spray. Growing larger, the throng other officers walked toward chants about racial justice, in Philadelphia, the count is neared the Vine Street Ex- me. They put my hands be- but also with curses and in- Similar unrest has occurred in dozens of cities across the three that I know of. country as citizens have come together to protest the mur- pressway, still chanting. At sults, the chatter stopped. hind my back, took the hel- Officials told us they had der of George Floyd by a police officer in Minneapolis. about 5 p.m., police fired met I was wearing off of The lack of functioning air- For me, it felt like being thrown back to an older time. tear gas into the crowd ad- my head, took my backpack conditioning began to get made a mistake detaining us journalists. We were never I was apolice officer in Minneapolis on the night of April jacent to where I was stand- away. to some people; one woman 4, 1968, after Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated. ing - one of several releases As calmly as I could man- began suffering an asthma read our rights or charged, in the general area. I was far age, I told them I was a re- attack. but we were free to go, and Plymouth Avenue was set on fire, businesses were looted enough away that I didn’t porter, nodding at my press Passengers began bang- given our belongings back and anger seethed in the city. more than two hours after It was a situation I was determined to prevent when I be- hear or see exactly what trig- pass. Journalists are consid- ing on the grill separating us gered the gas, but I did ab- ered essential employees, from the officers, demand- they were taken away. came Madison’s chief of police a few years later, working I was shell-shocked. I still together with anti-war and civil rights protesters to keep sorb some of the irritant. My permitted to be out past cur- ing an inhaler, a medic, help eyes stung badly, but I was few if they’re working, and I for our fellow detainee. The am. I am a born and bred events from becoming violent. It took a lot of work, a lot Philadelphian, an Inquirer able to keep reporting. reminded the officers of that. woman vomited. It took sev- of good cops and many changes in the police department _ journalist for the past two I stayed on the scene until They fitted plastic handcuffs eral minutes for officials to many fought aggressively by the department’s old guard. the crowd dispersed shortly that felt like oversized zip get her off of the bus and to decades. I’ ve covered shoot- Most police officers, in my experience, are not racists ings and protests, fires and after 6 p.m., when a city- ties to my wrists anyway. paramedics. Later, another and bullies. Most chose to be cops because they actually wide curfew went into ef- The officers led me by both passenger said she had to funerals, calamities of all want to “serve and protect.” But their reputation has been kinds, but I’ve never expe- fect, then began the long arms to a waiting bus. I was use the bathroom urgently; tarnished by the bad cops they have had to work with. walk back to my car, parked the first inside; more than 20 no one came to her aid, and rienced anything quite like Police are not solely responsible for the systemic in- near The Inquirer’s offices women joined me eventu- she urinated on the bus. Still, what I saw Monday. I’m still equalities within our society. But they must stop tolerating at 801 Market St. I passed ally; one crying as she was my fellow detainees agreed: not sure how to explain it to fellow cops who verbally and physically abuse others. dozens of police officers asI led in. Multiple people, in- they would be back protest- my children. Floyd’s killing by an officer who placed his knee on his walked; one stopped me and cluding a journalist from the ing Tuesday. Kristen A. Graham is an neck for nearly nine minutes is just one of many instances asked where I was going. He Wilmington News-Journal, Officers told us we would education reporter for The in which police have used excessive and often lethal force asked me to keep my press said they were also walking all be issued citations but Philadelphia Inquirer. in dealing with racial minorities, black men in particular. At the heart of the problem is that we cannot get agree- ment on the best way to police a diverse, free society. We use of force to solve problems, and excessive uses of deadly Camden, N.J., rebuilt its police department from scratch, can’t even agree on how police should be trained. force); corruption (false reporting, juking statistics and ac- with good results. It involved new training that discouraged Half of all police academies call themselves “stress- ceptance of “testi-lying”); and discourtesy (disrespecting the use of force and ways to de-escalate tense situations, as based” _ another word for a harassing, bullying, military- poor people and citizens of color, a failure to listen). well as the embrace of police body cameras. style boot camp. Having come out of such environments, The present subculture in policing works against improve- Something of this sort - a fresh start - needs to happen in many police leaders simply follow a coercive style of man- ment efforts, which involve closely working with the com- Minneapolis and other departments. It may, in fact, be the agement and have no idea of the important concept of “ser- munity to achieve a goal of safety and order. This contrib- only answer. vant leadership.” utes to a “them versus us” attitude. David C. Couper, chiefof police of Madison, Wis., from As I wrote in my book “Arrested Development,” there Because policing has for so many years been the realm of 1972 to 1993, is now a priest in the Episcopal Church. This are four obstacles to improving our nation’s police: anti- white males, there are still vestiges of white supremacy and column was produced for the Progressive Media Project, intellectualism (police distancing intellectuals and the racism within its ranks. which is run by The Progressive magazine, and distributed importance of data and research); violence (the frequent In 2015, following a series of deadly police shootings, by Tribune News Service.