ROBBED OF HUMANITY IN FERGUSON

The disproportionate incidence of police use of excessive force on black and Hispanic men is often equated to prejudice, but, as David Dante asks, what if dehumanisation is really the bigger problem?

WHEN I tried to engage a friend in a conversation about the death of Michael Brown, an unarmed 18-year-old who was shot and killed by a police officer in Ferguson, Missouri, he wearily waved his hand for me to stop.

“Can’t do it,” he said politely. “It happens so often, I’m inured to the pain. If I think too long about it, I might just...” His voice trailed off.