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The 2020 Epilogue: BLM Movement

The Sanders Administration has been notable in the past century for making massive leaps and bounds in the improving of the quality of life for the average American in manners not seen since possibly the time of "The Great Society" intiative or even comparing it to the New Deal by President FDR fromdecades prior. However, even with the improvements, various cultural problems arise that administrations need to address and handle, especially if these issues have been bubbling over several years if not decades. And none other here than the racially-motivated violence and systematic bigotry located within the various law enforcement agencies and stations within the United States.

Various movements like #BlackLivesMatter have been on the rise since the early 2010s, the result of the growing outrage and frustration at the violence toward African-Americans and other people of color. However, the focus was more on the passivity of the system to enable these crimes along with other problems such as the prefrential treatments. Examples such as how white men who would shoot at cops would be taken in alive compared to how unarmed black men would be shot first with little questions by the police. These persisted and grew over time during the McCain Administration, but were secondary compared to the larger issues going on at the time such as the foreign affairs in the Middle East along with the lackluster efforts in improving the economy during the Great Recession. However, now with those problems addressed including that of healthcare, drugs and so on, this meant that eventually the spotlight would come to shine on these societal issues that many would prefer not wanting to face.

With the War on Drugs over due to the decriminalization of drugs and the growing recreational legalization of drugs, this did leave some periods of peace. At the same time, this did not stop other issues and growing examples over what was seen as police brutality. Things such as mentally unwell folk being treated with violence and beaten or others shot. These began dominating the news more and more and before long, these issues would become a forefront at the political debates. The Sanders Administration was unsurprisingly empathetic to the these horrific acts and led to legislation to hold police more accountable. Additionally, the issues laid in the militarization of police units along with the lack of training for the purpose of deescalation of hostile situations. As such, Congress and the Sanders Administration have begun working to enact laws and reforms to deal with this. Plans included training for deescalation, some budget cuts on certain police departments in cooperation with state and city governments, stricter laws regarding cameras and even some changes over court cases and dealing with police favoritism.

Unsurprisingly, there was a large amount of resistance and pushback against this. From police departments, their supporters and certain Congressmen. All the while, the people began marching and protesting against the police officers and the mayors who let this get away. All the while, pundits, political speakers and other people followed upon the mass media take up the chants on Black Lives Matter along with exploring institutional rot within certain departments, with the big names being the LAPD and the NYPD. While there was a presidential administration willing to assist, it was also the matter of organizing within local, city and state levels as well, especially with the rumors of certain police departments and heads of police attempting to possibly intimidate the state heads or others. Meanwhile, the Republican Party saw this as a chance as an issue to organize around, mainly in attacking the Sanders administration and Republican party in the lack of sympathies toward police officers and maintain relative unity. At the same time, investigations have revealed the widespread infilitration within law enforcement by extremist groups and hate groups as well, which led to more moderate Democrats and Republicans going with the story of merely police departments filled with plenty of bad eggs and nothing wrong with the insitutions themselves. This did also lead to concerns of why it took so long to recognize such an issue was happening.

Regardless, legislation was being put in for harsher restrictions on police candidates, more accountability to the public they serve and other actions though it also mattered into the enforcement of such policies, especially as some would downplay or ignore the new regulations, which stipulated some need for punishment there. Additionally, the culture had to add a method of reporting unlawful conduct with the department when it came to light how the "good cops" would be intimidated into remaining quiet and or complict by negligent superiors or aggressive fellow cops. People with violent tendencies and domestic abuse were barred from serving within law enforcement and those with such a conduct could not find employment elsewhere. While balancing the narrative did require effort, much of the reforms did gain positive receptions though it was clear this would be a long road ahead in doing so. Some considered other solutions such as layoffs and bringing in new police officers that would be taught the new methology to deal with it. Questions did remain on what the "bad cops" should do though, especially if they had a history of violence. Some even considered bringing in immigrants as police forces as doing so would accelerate their acclimatization into the United States and afford them a front of protection from bigots.

One major takeaway was that being a cop did not make one automatically a good person. Many cited the phenomena of how certain people gravitate toward positions of power and authority to lord it overs, especially those that are helpless. One such thing would be how it'd more common for a bad cop to bully a homeless person than say someone who looks affulent, especially with racial attitudes were taken into consideration as the Black Lives Matter movement has portrayed. Discussions by various individuals and organizations were held across radio, podcasts, television and social media on these reforms, the phenomena of "everyday sadists", racial bias inherent in the system and various other problems. Even with whatever problems came, protests continued and the Sanders Administration forced the American public to see, to not hide from such an issue. For Americans, this would be the early issue within the first few months fo 2020 with the elections.