Originally Posted by
Philhelm
I agree with what Occam's Banana stated: the police point their weapons at us, while the military points their weapons at them. However, I believe the police are more brutal given the context of their function, which is policing their fellow citizens. Granted, brutal policing cannot compare to an outright carpet bombing, so perhaps it would be more accurate to compare the police to a post-combat, military occupation in which their roles, and the context of their roles, are more similar.
After President Bush declared "victory" in Iraq, the Rules of Engagement were that soldiers could not fire on anyone for being armed unless they were being threatened. The only exception to this rule was if the individual carried an RPG. Think about this, and compare it with this story or the majority of police stories. Police kill their own citizens for being armed with airsoft guns, while in war-torn Iraq, an Iraqi armed with an AK-47 would not warrant being fired upon.
When entering a post, everyone must clear their weapons of ammunition and dry-fire into a barrel filled with sand in order to ensure that there is no round chambered. Firing a round into this barrel would warrant the loss of rank and a month of pay. Now compare this to when a police officer shoots a United States citizen, intentionally or "accidentally": paid vacation.
During Basic Training, the weapons qualification test was on the first anniversary of 9/11. The Drill Sergeants put pictures of Osama bin Laden's face on some of the pop-up targets. Now compare this to the "No Hesitation" targets our law enforcement use (pictures of pregnant women with guns, children with guns, elderly people with guns - in case you haven't seen that thread).
Finally, there is more variance of personnel within the military, as well as a diverse range of occupations. A medic, cook, mechanic, truck driver, or Chaplain's assistant cannot really be compared to your average police officer. While the military is authoritarian in structure, its individuals do not project authoritarianism in the same way our law enforcement does. If the military were filled solely with veteran police officers, I guarantee you that the military would become far, far more murderous. The police are far worse than the military, and are traitors to their own people.
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