(A.C.A.G.) All Cops Are Grotesque: Writing the Southern Gothic Police Officer

(A.C.A.G.) All Cops Are Grotesque: Writing the Southern Gothic Police Officer

Following the murder of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, Black Lives Matter protests spread across the United States. Among multi-vocal chants of “No Justice, No Peace,” I first heard the rallying cry of A.C.A.B. (All Cops Are Bastards). I was surprised to learn the acronym actually originated in early twentieth century Britain, mostly because A.C.A.B. functioned as a very culturally specific piece of rhetor…