When the established powers of government act against the freedoms of our fellow citizens anywhere- people everywhere are called to arks to defend those freedoms. Even if it has nothing to do with them. And even if one doesn’t believe in supporting others- it’s simply because an attack in one place on the freedoms of one is an attack in all places to all. What happens to someone else today and is allowed, can happen to you tomorrow if you allow it to continue. It is in our self interest to defend each other’s rights, all we have is strength in numbers, when we don’t have the numbers- we are divided and taken out in smaller groups one at a time. That is the door tyrant steps into the room through.
You don’t think so famousone? Because when people marched on Washington in the 60’s they helped people in Alabama and Mississippi. When people marched in California and Denver and all over- they were able to reach across oceans to Vietnam and Afghanistan etc. if the LAPD buys equipment- most other police will buy the same thing. If longshoreman strike in New York- they’ll likely Strike in Jersey. Or- are you saying that the readiness of soldiers at the rear has no impact on soldiers at the front? Are you saying that if one unit is attacked by the enemy- that isn’t something a unit elsewhere would need to worry about? Do you know what the Tet offensive was? “Well... what happens at fire base Atkinson has nothing to do with us...” or perhaps... when you have stress on one front, you reinforce from a position that has less stress- if that move wouldn’t open up a vulnerability? Just something to mull over.
LA cops aren't operating in Weiser, Clark County officers have no bearing on or from Massachusetts State Police. Maybe the cops in Chicago are all racist pieces of shit, but I am not going to act or stand against Ridgefield police over a problem that they have nothing to do with.
My old man is an electrician in Oregon, he doesn't give two shits what an electrician in Brazil, or even Florida is doing. It ain't them.
The police force is NOT one force. You are correct. I grew up in a place where there were literally at least 7 different city police departments policing borders that were walking distance. Each was different. You’d know one was “laid back” and wouldn’t do much unless you made trouble. Another one was bored and would look for any reason to write tickets, another was cool- but had a real thing out for anyone they even suspected of hot ridding or hot riding. You didn’t want to drive through there with so much as a lug not that wasn’t factory.
And in a department all are different. A few bad cops doesn’t mean an entire department is rotten. The administration and the guys in the ground may also have different views on things. There’s official policy and unofficial policy- and then there’s custom and culture.
But- the BEST form of government is despotism. It is also the worst form. Do you agree there? If a single ruler has total power- and they do EVERYTHING by the people for the people- if the USA was ruled by an all powerful king- but that king ran the country EXACTLY the way you think is best and you were 100% happy- why would you care if it was a democracy or not? Things would be good for you right?
Police officers are human. They transfer, retire, die, quit etc. every year sees new police enter a force and old police leave. Is “Boston PD” bad? When? Who? It depends on who is behind the shield right?
So what changes can we make that last? What ways can we ensure that where there are police who aren’t performing the way we want we get improvement, and where police ARE doing well- they aren’t replaced by those who won’t have the same. “Common sense” and discretion?
Because it doesn’t matter if the force in Sometown USA RIGHT NOW in 2020 has the legal right to call in a specter gunship on jay walkers but they don’t use it- what matters is that next year or in 10,20 years- the police in Anytown May be almost totally different. And they may not be so judicious in their use of force.
An extreme example- hyperbole- but does it make sense in concept? The fact is that we cannot and should not rely on the better judgment of the average cop anymore than is necessary. The same principal applies in the military or in most jobs. You don’t give someone access to things and the ability to make decisions that 1. Have been shown to cause problems at their pay grade, and 2. They have no place making outside the most pocket of cases.
Even in SOF- with some of the most focused, driven, hand picked individuals on earth, trained and drilled, selected for a mind set and ability to make independent decisions at a mission level that are CORRECT and appropriate- there are rules and checks (outside totally illegal skunk work) there are checks, guard rails, SOP and oversight.
The police on one side of the country have nothing to do with police on the other beyond some relationships and the LAPD and certain other departments being the “leaders” in various aspects of the field- but the act of policing very much is a national matter.
As for your dad- I don’t know him. My father was an Air Force Pilot and a man of many trades including fur trapping, gunsmithing, carpentry and other trades. He would say that if any freedom of any person was being trampled, all our feeedom was in danger. If someone was being exploited, if there was corruption and we didn’t face it- it would spread and we would be complicit.
My father was a military man like his father, my mother’s father, their father before them and their fathers too. I’ve sat and ate with men who fought every American war of the 20th century at the family table. They were sent around the world to fight- because when Europe’s freedom was threatened, ours was. When Korea’s freedom was threatened- ours was. And so on.
We stand together or we all fall alone. This is true as a world- but it is especially true of your own damn country. But I don’t know your dad- our dads aren’t here to ask. So for you- if they started using soldiers from another far off place to test new weapons on- you’d be ok with that? You’d say “well- what happens to them is them. Nothing to do with me and mine.” If you don’t think that what happens one place effects another- of you don’t think we have a responsibility to our fellow countrymen and humans, those in the same uniform as us, and the constitution of the United States- why did you enlist? To play with guns and get to see Fort Benning up close? Or the amazing pay?
yes. I mean if you want to protest the cloaing of the economy at least come up with something more clever than "I need a haircut" especially when we all do and there are more important things in the worl.
How about "I need to eat." Or "My abusive wife is beating my family." Maybe "The livelihood I spent decades on that my entire family relies on and takes pride in is being destroyed."?
My old man is an electrician in Oregon, he doesn't give two shits what an electrician in Brazil, or even Florida is doing. It ain't them.