A New Hundred Flowers Campaign

Reflecting on current anti-intellectual discourse in this country and the world, I am thrown back into lessons from the history of Modern Chinese intellectualism. The ever changing world calls us to meet continuing challenges with courage or fear.

In 1956 China, the first Hundred Flowers Campaign was launched. It was based upon a belief that critical exploration and debate could lead to advances in science and society. "Let one hundred flowers bloom, let the hundred schools of thought contend." That movement led to criticism of the governing regime, and was crushed in a backlash of anti-intellectual "cultural revolution."

Yet in 1986, resilience was shown as Zhu Houze called for a revived Hundred Flowers Campaign, stating: "Only through the comparison and contention of different viewpoints and ideas can people gradually arrive at truthful understanding...." By 1989, we witnessed Tiananmen Square and brutal response to the free and open debate the Hundred Flowers Movement called forth.

While the attacks on freedom of speech, intellectualism and open debate are somewhat less physically violent in the US (unless you happen to be a Black youth), the cudgel of the demagogue still seeks to beat down critical inquiry and debate. It is a hollow crusade by hollow men. As T.S. Eliot suggested, the world may end "not with a bang but a whimper." As Orwell predicted, the passing will occur without our even bothering to look up from our respective and isolated screens, telling us the "truth" we crave to believe.

Perhaps it is time to revive a Hundred Flowers Movement. Perhaps we need to roust ourselves from the comfort of our wired connections, in which we may speak our views, but often fail to truly listen to other points of view. If we are prepared to not only allow, but encourage the hundred schools of thought to be aired and debated, there may yet be hope for us all.

Continuing the cycle of repression, we have seen even if we refuse to accept, does not kill thought and sanity. It merely drives it underground. Wherefrom it awaits conditions of great need and sprouts forth. May we have the wisdom to let the flowers bloom!

"Be Careful Out there!"

I have just reviewed a number of video posts reflecting police attacks on Black folks who posed no viable threat and almost all of whom were unarmed. [Remember that many states have "concealed carry" laws that permit and protect possession of a registered firearm in public [unless, as a practical matter, you happen to be a person of color].

A gentle reminder to young Black folks from someone with a legal background and experience as a person of color. The SCOTUS and lower federal courts have affirmed that it is a Constitutional RIGHT to film police in public action, as long as one does not physically interfere with conduct of legally prescribed duties. Some police departments even have rules requiring the police to use dashcams or body cams to record police activity. Yet the number of times such devices "malfunction" or are not turned on is remarkable. While a person has the right to record evidence of police activity, including misconduct and apparent abuse of force and authority, that right will not physically protect you from harm. It MAY provide a basis for a claim of damages, if you survive.

If observing police action, it is understandable that one would want, as a civic duty, to record police actions. HOWEVER, a paper document of less than 30 pages [i.e., a copy of the Constitution] will not protect you against an unleashed and unrestrained police attack dog, or from a brutal and lawless police officer or a bullet fired by such an officer. Neither will an IPhone or a camera save your life. You have only to search YouTube for too many examples of videos of police harassment of Black folk, too many times resulting in death of the Black "suspect." Philando Castile's death is but one of a multitude. There are others in which white police officers are beating "suspects" who are on the ground, and not resisting. Often, the police will try to [illegally] confiscate the video device recording their actions, perhaps to destroy evidence of their misconduct.

The point here is not a general polemic against police. There ARE responsible and law abiding police officers. However, when an encounter with a person of color is involved, it may be foolhardy and possibly lethal to presume that an officer is law abiding. Even when not actively engaging in such misconduct, police culture almost demands that other officers act unlawfully to cover up misconduct of their colleagues. This helps explain why police officers, including those of color, can be seen cooperating or failing to intervene when a fellow police officer is engaging in misconduct. Only by exposing such conduct and culture might the police themselves make an effort to change. There is little incentive for renegades in police departments, and the culture that protects them, to change in an environment where the US Attorney General calls for review and suppression of consent orders and similar measures put in place to examine and reduce incidents of police misconduct, claiming that such inquiries and reforms hurt "police morale." The message is to be vigilant, but also be mindful and cautious.

The quoted phrase, "Be careful out there," comes from Phil, the desk sergeant from the TV series "Hill Street Blues." He gives the admonition to officers at the beginning of their shift to be mindful and cautious in performance of their duties. Today, that same admonition applies perhaps even more forcefully to members of the public of color if and when they may encounter any police officer.