For years, people have called the United States the “land of equality,” but the reality looks different when you pay attention to who the system protects, and who it doesn’t. Especially when it comes to police. Police brutality isn’t just a few “bad officers.” It’s a pattern.
A pattern that shows up in who gets stopped more, who gets searched more, who gets arrested more, and who gets hurt more. And that pattern hits Black communities the hardest. Black people are more likely to be pulled over even when they haven’t broken a rule. More likely to be treated as a threat even when unarmed. More likely to have force used on them even when cooperating.
Meanwhile, officers who cross the line are rarely punished. Some are put on leave. Some are moved to another department. Many keep their jobs. When the system protects the people who hurt us more, than the people they hurt, that system is not “broken.” It’s working exactly the way it was built. From early laws that controlled Black freedom to modern policing practices that targets Black communities. These roots didn’t disappear; they evolved. And the distrust we see today didn’t come out of nowhere, it came from generations of unequal treatment.
But recognizing this truth isn’t about dividing people. It’s about being honest. Honest about the fact that safety doesn’t feel the same for everyone. Honest about the fact that justice isn’t guaranteed for everyone. Honest about the fact that our communities deserve better. And change doesn’t happen by staying quiet. It happens when we call out the unfairness.
When we demand accountability. When we challenge the idea that “this is just the way things are.” When we push for a world where being Black doesn’t mean being treated as suspicious from the moment you walk through the door. Police brutality is not an isolated issue, it’s a mirror reflecting the inequality woven into the system. And if the system can be built, it can be rebuilt.
We all have a role in that.
Police Brutality Zine
December 15, 2025
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About the Contributor
Naomi Porter, Reporter
Junior Naomi Porter joined The Paper Cut this year to learn how to hold a proper conversation and to strengthen her writing skills. She also wants to become more involved with her school because it is important, and good things come from it. She loves to talk about what happens at school, discuss related things, and enjoys meeting different people.
Naomi likes to travel; that’s a dream she has. She wants to visit different countries, not just states. However, there is one particular continent she will not be traveling to, Australia, simply because of the different animals and plants that she does not like that inhabit it. Her passion is to try to make the world a better place and create a positive environment for her children. She is excited to experience new things in her first year of The Paper Cut.
In Naomi’s free time, she loves to play volleyball, work out, bake, sleep, and spend time with her dad. She is always ready to explore new things with her closest friends: Ariely, Kaliyah, and Kardi. As much as she is outgoing, she doesn’t like to take pictures. She has 3 brothers, no sisters, and is a middle child. Having this many brothers builds her up into an extrovert, and this class makes her more outgoing and open to trying new things.