I'm from the government, and I'm here to help.

[Doom_Guy]

It's never a good sign that whenever the government comes to mind, you immediately think of a faceless and nameless machine gun-totting, ski-mask and body armor wearing, and exceedingly violent/aggressive thug who looks more like a masked criminal than anything else.

But unfortunately this has become the poster boy for much of the government and police here in America.

They can turn violent at the drop of a hat.

http://thumbnails105.imagebam.com/45544/2c0f1a455438553.jpg

 

[PoppingTom]

They're underpaid, that's all.

 

[Super-Surprise]

http://thafeedback.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/haveaseat-3b.gif

 

[Doom_Guy]

lol, I was referring to the militarization of government and law enforcement agencies, and how ordinary citizens are constantly seen as/treated like criminals/terrorists/enemy soldiers in a warzone on a daily basis.

 

[Sean Renaud]

Love em or Hate em

Neither of these two have or likely will ever touch a machine gun, both have faces and I'm pretty fucking certain that the citizens of New Jersey and other effected areas were thinking anything other than "Thank God."

http://static01.nyt.com/images/2012/11/20/nyregion/CHRISTIE/CHRISTIE-articleLarge.jpg​

Don't get me wrong, our cops are over militarized. We have a lot of problems that need dialing back but lets face it most of it is stuff we're symbolically worried about more so than genuinely effected by.

 

[Doom_Guy]

Neither of these two have or likely will ever touch a machine gun, both have faces and I'm pretty fucking certain that the citizens of New Jersey and other effected areas were thinking anything other than "Thank God."

http://static01.nyt.com/images/2012/11/20/nyregion/CHRISTIE/CHRISTIE-articleLarge.jpg​

Don't get me wrong, our cops are over militarized. We have a lot of problems that need dialing back but lets face it most of it is stuff we're symbolically worried about more so than genuinely effected by.

SWAT teams (paramilitary police units) that were at one time only used during extremely rare events like bank robberies, hostage takings, barricaded persons, school shootings, etc... are now routinely being used to serve arrest warrants for trivial and nonviolent misdemeanor crimes.

The government is becoming more aggressive and lawless, and treating innocent and ordinary citizens like they are all criminals who are guilty until proven innocent.

 

[Sean Renaud]

SWAT teams (paramilitary police units) that were at one time only used during extremely rare events like bank robberies, hostage takings, barricaded persons, school shootings, etc... are now routinely being used to serve arrest warrants for trivial and nonviolent misdemeanor crimes.

The government is becoming more aggressive and lawless, and treating innocent and ordinary citizens like they are all criminals who are guilty until proven innocent.

I'm not denying that. We need to get our police under control but that's not ALL the government does and I doubt a SWAT team has ever said we are here to help.