Black Republican: Cops 'treat their dogs better than they treat us'
Black Republican political commentator Shermichael Singleton was part of a panel discussing the Phoenix police department that violently arrested the parents of a little girl who walked out of a dollar store with a doll.
The incident occurred months ago, but only now the footage is being released by police, revealing the way the family was treated.
Democratic strategist Joel Payne seemed appalled at the police in the video and the mark that likely left on the children who experienced it.
"I think about that young man talking about his child, and this is their first interaction with police," he said, noting Father's Day. "And that is the life, that's the life lesson that that child is being taught is that in that moment, that police officer was trying to hurt her and to hurt her parents. That's unacceptable."
Host Rev. Al Sharpton explained that this issue had become a one-sided political issue, with Democrats supporting Black Lives Matter while Republicans have tried to claim it was a terrorist group.
"Anyone could be victimized like this," Sharpton said.
"No, you're right," said Singleton. "And I have no expectation that the Republican Party is going to do anything about this. And as an African-American, I don't have a lot of hope that white people, in general, would do anything about this. Watching that video pissses me off. I've got to tell you there's this characterization that black men we aren't there for our kids, can our wives, girlfriends and there you have this young guy who is the same age as my brother. These people treat their dogs better than they treat us."
"You're a Republican saying this. If I said this, I'm a demagogue," a surprised Sharpton cut in."
"Why would you tell a mother to put a baby on the ground?" Singleton continued.
"And she's standing there pregnant holding the baby!" Sharpton agreed.
"It's the same story in Minnesota with Philando Castile, the same thing when they hunted Trayvon Martin down, Eric Garner. When is it going to stop? It's unacceptable," concluded Payne.
Watch the discussion below.