Did Daniel Holtzclaw think he was more protected by blue or white? It’s troubling to me. I know that people are capable of doing evil. I know that some people don’t respect other people’s humanity. I know people do bad things and never feel guilt. However, I don’t know how Daniel Holtzclaw thought he could get away with being a serial rapist.

Did he think that his fellow police officers would protect him?

Is the “Blue Wall” that impenetrable? Maybe. The fact is that police officers who have shot and killed people are rarely charged. If they are charged, they are not usually found guilty.

Or did Daniel Holtzclaw think he was protected by his whiteness? He’s not white. He’s a model minority. He’s half-Asian, but in Oklahoma City, it may be white enough. If other white police officers can get away with shooting unarmed African American men, then surely Daniel with his “white realness” can get away with raping and assaulting defenseless African-American women?

Well today, it looks like Daniel Holtzclaw was not shielded by blue or white. He was found guilty on 18 counts. The story is not over. His sentence may be light. He may get an appeal. There’s no rush to celebrate.

Toni Morrison said that “racism is a distraction”. Imani Perry called racism extremely exhausting. It is both those things and more. It’s a systemic disregard and disrespect for a specific group of people. It is a negation of their humanity. I hope that the women who were raped and assaulted by Daniel Holtzclaw can feel their humanity again because of the verdict.