In a recent interview with Democracy Now!, Morehouse professor and television host Marc Lamont Hill explained why most of the solutions to ending police brutality won’t work. According to Hill, this isn’t just an issue of policy, it is an issue of white supremacy.

In the video, Hill explains that being a “good guy” doesn’t make a difference nor does standing still or running away. After the murders of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile this week, it seems that there are no individual actions a person can take to avoid being killed by police.

Hill explains that the problem runs deeper than all that.

“Ultimately the problem isn’t the people being killed. It’s the people who are rendered invisible at first and when they get seen, they become legible, they are still nobody. That’s the problem.”

This process of being unseen is wrapper up in white supremacy according to Hill.

“We have to deal with the issue of white supremacy. This isn’t an issue of racism. This is an issue of white supremacy. We live in a world where we simply believe that white people’s lives are worth more and black people’s lives aren’t worth much.”

Given these facts, it seems that ending police violence will take a lot more than platitudes from politicians and sentiment for bystanders. We have a moral problem and, clearly, it is time to change it.

 

Photo: Democracy Now! screen shot