John DePetro reports that one of the families involved in the Sayles Street neighbor dispute a few weeks ago is nearing the $15,000 goal of its GoFundMe campaign.  Give some thought to the process by which they’re monetizing debate.

1. Without assigning blame for who started it, we can state as fact that this family was involved in, and responsible for perpetuating, a conflict with their neighbors and then with police.
2. They called a press conference with a carefully time-cropped video to make it seem like the interaction with police was abusive.
3. Progressive activists and journalists promoted their claims.
4. The police released extensive body camera footage from multiple angles putting the incident in context.
5. Progressive activists and journalists combed through the footage for any action or spoken word for which police officers could be blamed.
6. The news media, with the help of Mayor Jorge Elorza, made the language used by some officers (privately to other officers) the issue.
7. The family takes in a sizable amount of money from the affair.

It’s time for responsible people in government and the media, even among activists, to stop and think about the world we’re creating, here.  You get more of what you reward, and what we’re rewarding these days is going to tear our country apart, starting at the community level.

Featured image: t-shirt worn by one of the apparent instigators of the incent as seen in police body camera footage.