This past Monday, October 23rd, the St. Olaf Peace and Justice Resource Network recognized the National Day of Protest to Stop Police Brutality, Repression, and the Criminalization of a Generation which took place on the 22nd. The organization tabled outside the cafeteria in an effort to educate the campus of the reality of police brutality in the United States.

The National Day of Protest to stop Police Brutality, Repression, and the Criminalization of a Generation is an effort to protest unnecessary acts of brutality, discrimination, and lack of accountability. Participators wore black to come together in solidarity and in memory of the victims of police brutality. Since 1990, Stolen Lives: Killed by Law Enforcement has documented over 2,000 cases of people killed by law enforcement in the U.S.

Police brutality is one of the most serious and divisive human rights abuses in the U.S. today. Everyday there are unjustified shootings, severe beatings, fatal chokings, rough treatment and racial profiling. Human Rights Watch in a recent report identified fourteen of our nationšs largest cities as lacking accountability for frequent incidents of police brutality. These cities include Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Detroit, Indianapolis, Los Angeles, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, Portland, Providence, San Francisco, Washington D.C., and Minneapolis. Human Rights Watch and other civil rights advocates have push for reforms including better use of force training and policies, stronger reporting mechanisms, early warning systems and improved disciplinary measures.

Lack of accountability for civil rights violations by police forces in Minneapolis has not entirely gone unnoticed. In a feature article in the Star Tribune in July 23, 2000, the presence of racial profiling in Minneapolis was examined. The article cites Minneapolis police chief Robert Olson as denying that his officers use racial profiles, but admits that, "Experience can color your actions, no question about it. "The statistics prove otherwise, however, showing that for every 26 whites who were booked into jail for driving without a license, 1,104 blacks were jailed. Experts say that if they had stopped the same proportion of blacks to whites then the number of arrests of blacks to whites would even out.

The issue of racial profiling is not always involved in acts of police brutality. However, there are cases such as the beating of Rodney King and more recent shooting of Amadou Diallo in a hail of 41 bullets. Undoubtedly, statistics have shown that youth of color are more likely to be arrested and given longer sentences then their white counterparts.

These cases in the media are just a few of the incidents that are a part of the larger epidemic of police brutality that continues to intensify across the country. It is time that we recognize both the victims, whose stories are flashed across our television screens, as well as those who are given no voice. Take a moment to reflect on our law enforcement and justice system, is it really just? Is this what we really want? All brutal force, no prevention, no protection, no reliability and accountability? Think about it.