After police in Ferguson, Missouri shot a young African-American man named Michael Brown to death despite being unarmed, officials refused to release the name of the officer involved in the shooting on the grounds of death threats. But it was the highly militarized police who threatened local people protesting the shooting.
Death Threat
Ted Rall
Ted Rall is a syndicated political cartoonist for Andrews McMeel Syndication and WhoWhatWhy.org and Counterpoint. He is a contributor to Centerclip and co-host of "The Final Countdown" talk show on Radio Sputnik. He is a graphic novelist and author of many books of art and prose, and an occasional war correspondent. He is, recently, the author of the graphic novel "2024: Revisited."
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That attitude is one of the scariest indicators of the onrushing police state. In most jurisdictions, cops can carry guns where normal citizens cannot – into bars, for instance. They are given powers beyond those of normal mortals – and this is arguably necessary – but they should be held accountable in the same manner as those normal mortals.
Punch a thirteen-year-old girl: go to jail. Shoot an unarmed man: stand trial for Murder One. Many judges won’t give jail time to cops on the theory that those sent up by those cops might want vengeance. Too damn bad, maybe the threat of jail time might make them watch their step.
The ‘thin blue line’ turns my stomach. A good cop who protects a bad cop is himself a bad cop. Bad cops are no better than the ‘scumbags’ they chase, in fact, they are far worse because of the protections inherent in our system. Rather than being protected by his peers, a bad cop should be taken out back and solidly whupped for tarnishing the reputation of the force.
GOOD cops, OTOH, should be rewarded with higher salaries and better bennies than they currently get. With the lousy remuneration of most police forces, the only people who apply are those who consider the possibility of a firefight to be a perq. Do we really want those people given the right to carry a gun where we cannot?
He has since been identified as Darren Wilson, a six-year veteran. 🙁
Ted, here’s your next assignment:
http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/08/15/us-usa-arizona-police-idUSKBN0GF1QR20140815
More on the subject here:
http://www.commondreams.org/views/2014/08/14/terrify-and-occupy
I suspect, mein verehrter Lehrer, that you’ve also read this :
http://www.newrepublic.com/article/119081/militarized-police-response-michael-brown-protests-911-legacy ….
Preparations for the war to defend the rich from the poor are proceeding apace….
Henri
No, I hadn’t; but now I have – and I posted the URL immediately to my Facebook page, as well as emailing my group in the U.S. Thanks for that.
🙂
The plutocrats have to deal with surplus population disposal.
Machines and computers have reduced the need for live people in factories and on battlefields.
After stripping the common people of their wealth they have now become only a burden. In earlier ages a nice big war would be used to cull the weak and discipline the strong, but nukes have put a cap on that–one hopes.
Tragedy of the commons is the next phase of cost cutting. All of the former anti-gunners will be earning their money carrying guns in clean-up mode to protect their wealthy benefactors. No gun, no eat.
The shame of being sucked into an economic draft will be eased by full stomachs and creature comforts for the select few.
The economic draft has been on for years, so hurry, don’t wait. Those last few positions won’t last when the rush is full on and mostly filled by your low-empathy, right-wing neighbors.
> … deal with surplus population disposal.
I’ve got a list. Just sayin’
CrazyH, room for en addendum ?… 😉
Henri
@ Glenn –
.
“Those last few positions won’t last when the rush is full on and mostly filled by your low-empathy, right-wing neighbors.”
.
Why did my thoughts go immediately to the “Oklahoma sooners”?
Belatedly following your link, derlehrer.
Yeppers. I remember back – oh, I dunno – Reagan era? Early in the War on Drugs, anyway. At the time cops had to knock and identify themselves when serving a warrant. But the courts decided that the risk of someone flushing evidence overrode petty little concerns about jack booted thugs kicking down doors.
Gosh, they kick down a door someone might get excited – so of course they have to go in with guns drawn, safeties off, and nervous fingers on triggers. What could possibly go wrong?
Funny thing, we keep hearing about these horrible threats – drugs, terrorists, untaxed cigarettes – and each problem has the exact, same, solution: Police State. One just has to wonder: Are they trying to solve the problems, or are they trying to enact one, particular, solution and searching for an excuse to do so?
I love John Oliver’s take on this; but he’s BRITISH, isn’t he? So WTH does HE know? 😀
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KUdHIatS36A