Ask Amy: Tough talk has to start somewhere
I cannot believe that you suggested this homeowner should call the police!
That advice could get those boys killed!
– Upset
Dear Upset: My suggestion that this small-town homeowner should call her “local police department or sheriff’s office” to report this petty theft inspired many readers to respond with reactions similar to yours.
This assumption — that police kill teenagers — reflects the horror and fear of police violence, and whether this is a strictly accurate description of our current reality, the shocking truth is that many Americans (at least those responding to this column) have lost their faith in the police.
I admit to underestimating the magnitude of how afraid many people are of the police, who are supposed to protect them.
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(You can email Amy Dickinson at askamy@amydickinson.com or send a letter to Ask Amy, P.O. Box 194, Freeville, NY 13068. You can also follow her on Twitter @askingamy or Facebook.)
©2021 Amy Dickinson. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
