Police are people, too

[DVS]

Missouri cops have gotten a bad rap recently, and cops in general are seen as the bad guy, when they aren't. There might be a few bad apples here and there, but over all, they are just doing a job that none of the rest of us would even dare to do.

I think the Ferguson police department is similar to this, in that it might have some bad apples (maybe in high places), but over all they are just doing a difficult job they were trained to do and give everybody involved the benefit of the doubt, as much as they can. The public also has a responsibility to act like adults, when interacting with police and the laws.

Below is a little bit of the lighter side of police activity. This is the St. Patrick's day parade in Kansas City, MO, on Tuesday. I don't know of it was spontaneous or if somewhat planned, but it's nice to see, just the same. It helps to show that police are just people, too.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rC_jPWuHygQ

 

[Ahlam]

Is this why they keep handing out stickers?

 

[KoPilot]

Blood pressure... rising...

 

[Primalex]

Police are people, too

I think that's part of the problem.

I think the Ferguson police department is similar to this, in that it might have some bad apples (maybe in high places)

So, a few bad apples were able to change the numbers so that black drivers were twice as much searched as white drivers? What did the good apples do during their working hours? Sleep?

Sorry, dude, but when the truth jumps at you like a fucking alien facehugger, there really is no point in arguing about it.

 

[BiBunny]

I think that's part of the problem.

So, a few bad apples were able to change the numbers so that black drivers were twice as much searched as white drivers? What did the good apples do during their working hours? Sleep?

Sorry, dude, but when the truth jumps at you like a fucking alien facehugger, there really is no point in arguing about it.

Yeeeeep.

I don't deny that individual officers can be good people. I know a few. But I also don't deny that there are a lot of shitheads in the world, and they tend to gravitate toward positions where they can be a shithead to the largest number of people possible, preferably while also being shielded from the consequences of nearly all their actions. Rich shitheads become capitalists, and poorer ones become cops, for example.

Also, cops are hardly some amazing beings who are magically immune to herd mentality and its effects.

Everything that happened in Ferguson was (is) a result of systematic bullshit designed to keep those with power in power and those without power without it. It's a microcosm of society at large. Are many of the officers racist? Yes, of course. Is that a behavior that's rewarded within that structure? Yes, which is reason enough, in their minds, for them to continue it. Does that absolve individual officers of their responsibility for perpetuating that system? No.

I could keep going, but nobody wants to read my rant about fascism, corporatocracy, power, oppression, the media, police states, and so forth. Hell, I don't even want to read it, so I'll spare everybody else.

 

[desertslave]

I agree that there's an asshole factor in law enforcement, BUT I will always tend to lean in their favor in a generalized given situation.

A few weeks ago there was a pic (worth thousands of words) on Facebook documenting the deaths of four police officers in less than a week. And they were all black. Followed by the recently popular phrase "black lives matter." Yes, indeed they do.

 

[Primalex]

But I also don't deny that there are a lot of shitheads in the world, and they tend to gravitate toward positions where they can be a shithead to the largest number of people possible, preferably while also being shielded from the consequences of nearly all their actions.

It's more likely evolution than gravitation. The shitheads that are not shielded by other shitheads cease, so the shitheads that are shielded by other shitheads naturally remain.

 

[BiBunny]

It's more likely evolution than gravitation. The shitheads that are not shielded by other shitheads cease, so the shitheads that are shielded by other shitheads naturally remain.

You're right, that makes more sense.

 

[Primalex]

I agree that there's an asshole factor in law enforcement, BUT I will always tend to lean in their favor in a generalized given situation.

I prefer the snake approach.


(Only 25% of the snakes are actually poisonous. And even less are dangerous for humans. Yet, when you encounter a snake, would you treat it as if it isn't poisonous just because the chance is much higher?)

 

[Endless_Night]

I'm rather partial to this one, DVS.

Shake It Off

 

[La damnee elle la licorne]

 

[DVS]

I'm rather partial to this one, DVS.

Shake It Off

It was staged, but it's still cool. He's gone on to do other good things, too. His 15 minutes of fame has served him well.

 

[DVS]

So, do the bulk of people here assume that Michael Brown did have his hands up and was surrendering when Darren Wilson killed him? Do you think Wilson is a racist? Do you think every cop in Ferguson is a racist? How about the citizens of Ferguson? Are any of them racists? Are any of them responsible for the destruction of the buildings of Ferguson...or the looting? I'm curious to know.

 

[Primalex]

IMO the way to get a community law force representing and working for the people is to get it recruiting FROM the people and representing them.

Very romantic.

So, you have Ferguson now. 53 officers, 3 are black - it should be 35.

Now who has to do what with which legitimization?

 

[DVS]

Very romantic.

So, you have Ferguson now. 53 officers, 3 are black - it should be 35.

Now who has to do what with which legitimization?

You can't just hire somebody because of his color. There are other things that go into being a cop. And if nobody applies for the job, what are you to do?

Same thing with city officials. If nobody of color runs for office, you can't vote for them. To make a difference in your community, you have to be a part of the plan.

 

[Primalex]

So, do the bulk of people here assume that Michael Brown did have his hands up and was surrendering when Darren Wilson killed him?

I think it doesn't matter at all.

Do you think Wilson is a racist? Do you think every cop in Ferguson is a racist? How about the citizens of Ferguson? Are any of them racists? Are any of them responsible for the destruction of the buildings of Ferguson...or the looting? I'm curious to know.

see above

 

[IrisAlthea]

You can't just hire somebody because of his color. There are other things that go into being a cop. And if nobody applies for the job, what are you to do?

Same thing with city officials. If nobody of color runs for office, you can't vote for them. To make a difference in your community, you have to be a part of the plan.

Well, if 3 out of 53 are white, I would guess that somehow colour is already part of what gets you hired.
In a culture where the minorities don't even apply for certain jobs, you don't even have to be blatant about it.

 

[DVS]

Well, if 3 out of 53 are white, I would guess that somehow colour is already part of what gets you hired.
In a culture where the minorities don't even apply for certain jobs, you don't even have to be blatant about it.

First, I think you meant to say "if 3 out of 53 are black, I would guess that somehow colour is already part of what gets you hired." Correct me, if I'm wrong.

And I disagree. First, where are the people who say they applied for the job and were rejected? After it has been noted that the majority of officers are white, why haven't any applicants of color who were rejected come forward to say so. I'd think at least some of them would have a case of discrimination because of race. If they were qualified in other ways and just their skin color lost them the job, that's discrimination and illegal.

And if you want to participate in how government is run, you have to get involved. You can complain all you want about how things are wrong, but you can help form the direction of government, if you are a member.

The jobs must be filled. Those jobs are filled from applications. If only whites apply, whites get the jobs. People of other colors are just as guilty as anybody else of any office or job that is overly white, if they don't apply or run for office. Again, I wonder why nobody has come forward to say they were rejected or discriminated against when they applied for police officer or when they tried to run for political office.

 

[KoPilot]

Being a cop makes you the defender of a racist system of justice, of law, and of property rights no matter what the fuck you personally ""believe"", which in turn, makes you racist. If you stop being a cop, then it's possible to stop being racist.

If A = B, and B = C, then yes A = C.

It's kinda like how if you run a sweatshop factory, you're an exploitative shitlord, no matter what your fee fees are about the people who work for you. Fact of the matter is that you are in a material position of power and authority over your overworked, underpaid, and terribly treated employees.

Cops are in exactly the same position. Except, at least sweatshop owners and managers are generally under no pretenses that they're actually trying to help the people they're exploiting and are doing "the right thing".

 

[KoPilot]

In other words...

"cops are people too"

Yeah and so was Fred Phelps.

 

[JustaSCOUNDREL]

Just my thoughts about the police and those who dislike them.

The next time someone tries to break into my home I am calling the police. The rest of you are certainly welcome to call the peaceful protesters from Ferguson to come and help you out. Might be interesting to see how many of them would be willing to go face to face with an armed criminal.

 

[Primalex]

Just my thoughts about the police and those who dislike them.

The next time someone tries to break into my home I am calling the police. The rest of you are certainly welcome to call the peaceful protesters from Ferguson to come and help you out. Might be interesting to see how many of them would be willing to go face to face with an armed criminal.

You really need to learn how to troll properly.

 

[KoPilot]

Might be interesting to see how many of them would be willing to go face to face with an armed criminal.

They did.

http://i.ytimg.com/vi/8SPJRVYHX-8/maxresdefault.jpg

http://countercurrentnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/ferguson.png

Besides, that whiny stunt that the NYPD pulled last year to "get back" at the mayor? With the not responding to non-vital crimes thing? Yeah, that actually made the crime rate go down.

So yeah, call the cops all you want, but that won't actually fix anything in the long run. Grats.

 

[Dyslexicea]

You can't just hire somebody because of his color. There are other things that go into being a cop. And if nobody applies for the job, what are you to do?

There are many communities in this country which prove both of your supposition wrong, first people of color aren't qualified or second people of color don't apply for job as police officers. Of course many of those communities were forced to hire to reflect their racial demographics by the Justice Department.

Same thing with city officials. If nobody of color runs for office, you can't vote for them. To make a difference in your community, you have to be a part of the plan.

So what you're really saying is as long as there is a majority of white politician, it's going to mean institutional racism and anyone of color isn't really part of the community and there's no need to treat them with the least bit of respect.

Is it your opinion, in cities like Ferguson, many in the Saint Louis area, which have a majority black population, it's alright to reverse the institutional racism as long as they elect a majority of black politicians. What a novel idea for a new community development program, fuck the whites.

What a sad nation we live in when it's impossible for whites to represent the whole of their community!

 

[KoPilot]

I should also like to take this opportunity to mention that there's pretty much no violent crime to speak of, as far as I can tell, in autonomous zones like Rojava and Zapatista-controlled areas, where everyone is basically a "cop". Destroy the state and the hired guns to protect it, and, like magic, crime goes down. Imagine that.