Public policy in the United States can be improved through public participation and good will from the political class. Policing in the United States has been identified as one area that may require policy improvement. The recent murder of George Floyd by law enforcement agencies and massive protests that followed was a clear demonstration of a weakness in the current system of policing in the country. According to Stephens and Ottaway, the United States had been fighting jihadists in Afghanistan and other parts of the Middle East, especially those that have been targeting Americans (para. 4). However, the problem back at home may be worse because of some policies that a part of the community consider oppressive. It causes revolt that may lead to domestic terrorism as has been witnessed in the past. The political class should make an effort to involve the public and develop policies that would make the country a better place for all its residents.
Systemic changes in different sectors of the socio-economic and political system need to be made to bring about the desired improvements. As Tourse et al. explains, it is necessary to change the systemic racism in the law enforcement system, schools, religious institutions, and workplaces (51). Policies are needed that will foster behavioral change. Racists have to realize that their actions have consequences, especially when they deliberately hurt others in any way. Currently, what is preventing some the changes from taking place is the lack of political goodwill from a section of the political class. Some of these leaders have deliberately frustrated efforts to change oppressive policies by inciting members of the public and convincing their colleagues that these policies protect them as the majority in the country.
References
Stephens, Joe, and David Ottaway. “From U.S., the ABC’s of Jihad.” The Washington Post, 2002.
Tourse, Robbie, et al. Systemic Racism in the United States: Scaffolding as Social Construction. Springer, 2018.