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By: Moussa Yarori
After 6 months of dealing with the plague known as "The year 2020”, on top of the literal "Plague” the year brought forth. I believe that anybody who was conscious at any point in 2020 would agree that the year is definitely going down in history. It was trivial, challenging, depressing, and more than anything, impactful. And, after crossing the finish line in 2021, many people found themselves reflecting on the previous year they had just survived. Among these people were minority communities, who have spent an ample amount of time confronting and analyzing the violence, corruption, and loss that negatively impacted BIPOC in America during 2020. We’ve witnessed family members and loved ones become infected with COVID-19 and eventually pass away, families slowly losing, finding financial instability, and dealing with general hardships, and feelings of being targeted and unsafe due to the race-related social issues.
But more than anything, I believe it was police brutality and negligence that left the largest toll on us during 2020, regardless of who the victim was.
* 1,100+ police brutality victims
* 96% killed in police shootings
* The officers charged only 1.2% of the cases.
* Most unarmed victims were people of color.
During mid-late 2020, it felt as if any interaction with the media led to finding an article or video informing us about a new case of police brutality. And personally, this cycle became depressing and left me feeling tired, possibly stuck in the same loop. Many people of color began to question their relationship with the police, reminiscing on past occurrences and analyzing the ways in which cops have interacted with people in their community. But with every victim, it came harder and harder to push for justice. Whether it be for police reform, for buried cases to be reopened, or even for our country to explicitly acknowledge police brutality and what it’s harming, Police brutality forced us to focus on response. And “ACAB”, a bold and controversial slogan, is the response I’ll be choosing to discuss.
“ACAB” is a political and social saying, as well as an acronym that spells out “All Cops are Bastardized”. And, although people chose and continue to choose to utilize this slogan as a response to an abundant amount of feelings towards the police and their actions, there’s generally one extended meaning. “All Cops are Bastardized” describes the idea that ALL police officers, in one way, shape, or form, are corrupt due to the system they willingly choose to work up under. Some may go as far as highlighting the fact that “good cops” could and would never continue to work for an unjust system, and by crooked colleagues.
From what we know, the term can be tracked back to England during the 20th century, and wasn’t turned into an acronym until workers on strike utilized the term in the 1940’s. Slowly, but surely, the term gained more and more popularity as it began to be associated with rebels, punk, and “alternative culture”. In fact, many people believe punk music was the biggest propeller for the term. Near its peits in the 1970s, the term began being featured in numerous songs and headlines, and had become known as a symbol of anti-authoritarianism. The acronym has even been seen in movements in New York City, Spain, and even Indonesia.
Fast-toward to 2021, the phrase is no longer just used by “rock-lovers” or punks. Rather, it has become a universal indicator for those who oppose cops and the activity that seems to constantly surround their existence. Many argue that the minority can’t possibly represent the majority. And, to an extent, they’re correct. But the truth is, cops operate under one system and one unit to many people, especially those who have had countless unpleasant experiences with the police. When “good cops” who speak out about injustice are fired and often have some sort of administrative action taken against them, it prompts us to believe that the police force is simply not an environment built to handle and act using the officer.
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