The Economist - Cops or soldiers? America’s police have become too militarised

[Anti Federalist]

When you start getting the straight laced, "law and order" establishment Economist types realizing you have a problem, well, you have a problem.



Cops or soldiers?

America’s police have become too militarised

http://www.economist.com/news/united-states/21599349-americas-police-have-become-too-militarised-cops-or-soldiers

FROM the way police entered the house—helmeted and masked, guns drawn and shields in front, knocking down the door with a battering ram and rushing inside—you might think they were raiding a den of armed criminals. In fact they were looking for $1,000-worth of clothes and electronics allegedly bought with a stolen credit card. They found none of these things, but arrested two people in the house on unrelated charges.

They narrowly avoided tragedy. On hearing intruders break in, the homeowner’s son, a disabled ex-serviceman, reached for his (legal) gun. Luckily, he heard the police announce themselves and holstered it; otherwise, “they probably would have shot me,” he says. His mother, Sally Prince, says she is now traumatised.

...

[NorthCarolinaLiberty]

Hmm, the Economist elites are joining the party. Yeah, that is telling.

If real estate is about location, location, location, then po-lice are all about cash, cash, cash. From the article:

"Many police departments now depend on forfeiture for a fat chunk of their budgets. In 1986, its first year of operation, the federal Asset Forfeiture Fund held $93.7m. By 2012, that and the related Seized Asset Deposit Fund held nearly $6 billion."

[CCTelander]

Hmm, the Economist elites are joining the party. Yeah, that is telling.

If real estate is about location, location, location, then po-lice are all about cash, cash, cash. From the article:

"Many police departments now depend on forfeiture for a fat chunk of their budgetsx. In 1986, its first year of operation, the federal Asset Forfeiture Fund held $93.7m. By 2012, that and the related Seized Asset Deposit Fund held nearly $6 billion."


Those of us who were already a part of what passed for the "liberty movement" back in the late 80s to early 90s saw this shitt coming. But back then, when you tried to warn people about stuff like civil asset forfeiture and police brutality, they'd look at you like you had 3 heads and treat you like you were dome kind of nut case. I cam't even cout the number of times I heard shit like "This is America. That can't happen here." Even from those who should have known better,

God do I wish they'd been right and I wrong.

[libertyjam]

http://networkedblogs.com/UOeN9 Knowing the Difference between what's Allowed and Not Permitted:
What happens when the law makers become the law breakers? What happens when the protectors become the attackers? Who is to be held responsible? Who is to be trusted? These are questions plaguing the minds of millions of Americans, who are scared, disappointed, and angry at the rising brutality of American police. Too many incidents of uncalled for police aggression and unjustifiable police brutality have cropped up in different parts of America. This cop violence phenomenon simply cannot be ignored anymore. Let us take a quick look at some incidents of police brutality and the common trends emerging from those.


http://thefreethoughtproject.com/americans-step-cop-need-stand-idly-cops-ransack-innocent-people/
Could it be that a large portion of Americans have Stockholm Syndrome? After all, what are police other than representatives of the corporate-state elite, enforcing their arbitrary laws to boost revenue?

http://www.copblock.org/49413/police-work-its-not-even-close-to-honest-work/ Police Work: It’s Not Even Close to Honest Work

[Mini-Me]

Those of us who were already a part of what passed for the "liberty movement" back in the late 80s to early 90s saw this shitt coming. But back then, when you tried to warn people about stuff like civil asset forfeiture and police brutality, they'd look at you like you had 3 heads and treat you like you were dome kind of nut case. I cam't even cout the number of times I heard shit like "This is America. That can't happen here." Even from those who should have known better,

God do I wish they'd been right and I wrong.

I'd bet at least half of them today would either still say the same thing or change the goalposts from "That can't happen" to "Its not a big deal."

[Anti Federalist]

I'd bet at least half of them today would either still say the same thing or change the goalposts from "That can't happen" to "Its not a big deal."

Fait accompli.

That is exactly what they say.

More than half.

[CCTelander]

I'd bet at least half of them today would either still say the same thing or change the goalposts from "That can't happen" to "Its not a big deal."


You'd probably be right. I'm geting too old and way too weary for this shit.

[fisharmor]

Fait accompli.

That is exactly what they say.

More than half.

Look on the bright side.
There's at least one ex-serviceman and one old lady who won't say that anymore.

[phill4paul]

Sure it is getting too militarized, but hey, some politicians seem to be fine with cops having armed drones. Ya know, to only be used against someone holding up a liquor store. The bad guys.

[fisharmor]

First sentence of the last paragraph:

No one wants to eliminate SWAT teams.

Things aren't going to change soon, and it doesn't matter what big media outlet covers this stuff.
The simple reason is that every article reads like this. They set up the premise: the police are an out of control Gestapo, only way worse than the actual Gestapo ever got.
Then they crush the natural conclusion from all of their ranting in one fatal blow.
"Look, nobody is saying we actually want to do something about this. We just want to bitch about it for as long as we can without attracting their attention."

Once one in every four or five Americans has had someone they love shot or beaten up, things might start to look less bleak. Until then, the mouthpieces have it covered.

[Anti Federalist]

First sentence of the last paragraph:


Things aren't going to change soon, and it doesn't matter what big media outlet covers this stuff.
The simple reason is that every article reads like this. They set up the premise: the police are an out of control Gestapo, only way worse than the actual Gestapo ever got.
Then they crush the natural conclusion from all of their ranting in one fatal blow.
"Look, nobody is saying we actually want to do something about this. We just want to bitch about it for as long as we can without attracting their attention."

Once one in every four or five Americans has had someone they love shot or beaten up, things might start to look less bleak. Until then, the mouthpieces have it covered.[/FONT][/COLOR]

Exactly right...

[Philhelm]

I'd bet at least half of them today would either still say the same thing or change the goalposts from "That can't happen" to "Its not a big deal."

It's amazing the lengths people will go to just in order to not have to admit that they were wrong.