Bigjon
17th May 2011, 01:32 PM
The Thin Blue Line
28
Apr
3 Votes
Image via Wikipedia
A Las Vegas man videotaped the arrest of some burglary suspects. A cop didn’t like it. That man was ultimately beaten, arrested and jailed Charges against him were subsequently dropped. An internal investigation of the cop ensues. The cop and the police department will presumably be sued.
Here’s a dramatic, 4-minute video of the initial event: http://www.lvrj.com/news/exclusive-police-beating-of-las-vegas-man-caught-on-tape-120509439.html?viewAllComments=y&c=y
This is the kind of incident that makes people fear and despise the police. The central cop in this story was probably amped-up on adrenalin and testosterone after apprehending several suspects. Or maybe he’s just always an overly-aggressive bully with a badge.
But there was a second cop at the scene and rather than restrain the overly-aggressive officer,the second cop just kicked the victim’s camera.
The cops don’t protect the public, they protect their governmental employer and they especially protect each other. They have an “us (cops) against them (public)” mentality. They may even have something of an “us (cops) against them (government employers)” mentality.
The cops are caught in a difficult position: they may be the “thin blue line” that separate the people from the criminals, but they are also the “thin blue line” that separates the people from the government.
It’s always dangerous to be “in the middle,” so we shouldn’t be surprised if the police feel “surrounded” and become paranoid. Nevertheless, insofar as police behave like a gang (complete with gang allegiance and gang loyalty) rather than as public servants, they alienate the people (who outnumber the police 300 to 1) and can expect to see larger and larger jury verdicts against the police guilty of misconduct. As the verdicts against police become larger, the cops will take more heat from their corporate employers and become more paranoid and even more susceptible to the “us against them” mentality.
Are we on a downward spiral wherein paranoid police become ever more paranoid, more defensive, more violent, more prone to lie in self-defense? If we are, can that spiral be endured? Can it be stopped?
True story: Back about A.D. 1983, the Dallas Texas police were involved in a series of about six, totally-unjustified shootings of unarmed African-Americans. Perhaps the most egregious example was the death of an 80-year old black woman who was standing inside her little shack holding a broom. A police officer standing outside saw her silhouette through the screen door, knew the occupant had to be a black, thought the broom she was holding was a rifle and therefore, in fear for his own life, shot her dead. A complaint was filed with a grand jury. The grand jury exonerated the police officer’s conduct as justifiable.
Over the course of a year, there were several other similar instances where unarmed blacks were simply gunned down by Dallas cops without legitimate cause. Police officers were invariably “no billed” by grand juries. The African-American community became increasingly enraged.
And then a sniper–or maybe it was two or three snipers–started shooting at police cars as they drove through black neighborhoods in south Dallas. As I recall, only three bullets were fired. Three cop cars were hit. All bullets passed harmlessly through the windshield on the empty passenger side of the police car. No police officers were injured. It was obvious that the sniper could have shot the drivers, but chose not to do so.
But the message was clear: You cops keep killin’ niggers and the niggers will start killin’ cops.
Within 30 days, the Dallas police announced a brand-new shooting policy. They would no longer shoot first and ask questions later. A life (especially a cop’s life) was a terrible thing to waste. So, the Dallas police pretty much stopped shooting unarmed blacks. The black community became calm. The sniper disappeared and was never identified.
It’s a shame that life works that way. The issue of unjustified shootings had raged for over a year without change or resolution. Then somebody fired 3 shots and a solution was put forward in 30 days. There’s a lesson in that story.
We are a species where bullies (and cowards) are far more prevalent than heroes. The bullies feed off the cowards. The cowards invite the bullies. The issue is almost always one of power rather than right and wrong. And, at bottom, more about courage than even power. Cowards invite abuse. The heroes (if any) who are motivated by right and wrong rather than power, are few and far between. If you won’t fight for yourself, you can expect to be exploited.
The unfortunate truth is that it’s human nature to keep shooting (beating, assaulting, robbing) others until the others start shooting (or fighting) back. We are inclined to bully our families, friends, strangers and neighbors and will continue to do so until that neighbor finds the balls to fight back.
This “bullying” is inherent in every social species. We see this bullying in lions, in dolphins, in people. Virtually every social species has a hierarchy or “pecking order”. The instinct to establish this pecking order is found in puppies, kittens and even children. The pecking order is determined and maintained by the stronger bullying the weaker. Bullying others is part of our nature. Submitting to bullying is also part of our nature.
Back in A.D. 1983, the cops were bullying the blacks. Then, somebody (maybe just one man) in the black community found the balls to fight back against gun-happy cops. He fired three bullets and injured no one. Nevertheless, within 30 days, he’d caused the cops to holster their firearms. The result was not a perfect world and the end of all injustice–but, for a while, the bullying (cops shooting unarmed blacks) was abated.
But if that man had never fired those three rounds, the cops might still be routinely plugging unarmed blacks. From the cops’ perspective, there was nothing wrong with shooting niggers–unless the niggers shot back. Once the niggers shot back, they elevated themselves to the status of “men” and compelled the cops’ respect (or fear). As “men” (people who had shown signs of courage) they no longer invited bullying.
The principle seen in the 1983 sniper story applies to all governments in every country. No government will ever stop perpetrating violence (bullying) against its own people until its people find the balls to fight back.
And I’m not just talking about physical violence. I’m talking about the violence of excessive taxes, the violence of shipping our industries and jobs off to foreign countries, the violence of declaring the people to be animals in our drug laws, the violence of taking money from future generations to enrich those who are currently “too big (too rich) to fail,” etc.
We imprison millions of Americans for victimless crimes. That, in itself, is an act of violence perpetrated by a government bent on “bullying” the American people. Judging from our prison population, the “land of the free” has become the world’s #1 police state. So long as we’re willing to wait for government to “do the right thing,” that police state will only grow. So long as the people assent to governmental violence (bullying) against the people, that violence and exploitation will continue.
This isn’t news. This is exactly what motivated George Washington to observe that “Government, like fire, is a dangerous servant or a fearful master.” The absolute best you’ll ever get from any government is a dangerous servant. If you trust that servant, you’re a fool. If you’re willing to let the servant perpetrate violence and injustice against your neighbor, you can absolutely expect to soon be victimized yourself. If you won’t fight to control your “dangerous servant,” his natural impulse to bully others will soon transform him into your “fearful master” (bully).
As I explained in “Preamble to the Bill of Rights” (http://adask.wordpress.com/2011/04/17/preamble-to-the-bill-of-rights/#more-6164), the express purpose for the Bill of Rights (including the 2nd Amendment) was protect the people against the federal government. The Founders didn’t trust the federal government. The Founders knew that our relationship to government would always be adversarial. They knew that it was government’s nature to bully the people.
Today’s government knows that its relationship to the people is adversarial. But Whee duh Pee-pul have forgotten that truth. Whee like to think that every time government gives us a “weggie” (takes away a freedom) it’s a sign of affection rather than an assault. Whee try to laugh off the bullying as harmless or fun. Whee duh Pee-pul take comfort in hoping that government (our dangerous servant and/or fearful master) is actually “here to help us”.
The truth is that government is no more here to help the people than farmers are here to help the cows. Yes, the farmer may feed the cows, provide them with medical care and shelter and give ‘em a friendly pat on the rump every so often. But the farmer only “helps” the cow so long as the cow is generating a profit for the farmer. Once the cow stops giving more milk than it costs to feed and shelter the cow, the friendly farmer will grind that cow into hamburger.
Like the farmer, government is not “here to help us”. Government does not regard us as its friends; it regards us as “human resources” and chattel. Government is here to exploit us, extort our wealth, deprive us of our rights, reduce us to the status of animals and slaves–all the while increasing the power and wealth of government and special interests that government truly serves. This description isn’t hysterical or hyperbolic. That’s what government does. That’s what government has always done. Read a little history; look around; tell me what I just said isn’t true. It’s always been true.
The only time the world has ever seen a government that seemed conducive to freedom was when the people were prepared to kill the government and the government damn well knew it. So long as the people were willing to fight, the government was willing to serve. But whenever the people became too cowardly to fight for freedom, their government inevitably moved to take that freedom. Cowardice not only invites bullying–it invites tyranny.
And I’m not just talking about the US government; I’m talking about every government that’s ever been. It is the nature of government to “bully” and exploit its own people. In that regard, the government of the United States is no better than the governments of Libya, Syria, Egypt and the former Soviet Union.
So, apparently, the cops are right, it is an “us (the people) against them (the government)” relationship. If so, it’s high time the police decide which side of the line they’re going to stand on: the government’s side or the people’s side. Will the cops serve and protect the government that pays them? Or will they serve and protect the people who, outnumber the cops 300 to 1 and, properly motivated, just might decide to start shooting? Tough choice: Your money or your life, hmm?
Even more importantly, it’s high time the American people recognize government as an adversary rather than a benefactor, and start to fight for themselves rather than “trust in the kindness of governmental strangers”.
This is a war, folks. Your nation is being destroyed by your own government. If you think your relationship with government is anything other than adversarial, you be dumb. If you won’t fight for your “side,” your side will invite exploitation, and your side will be sure to lose.
In the end, you won’t lose for lack of power. You’ll lose for lack of courage. Cowardice invites bullies–and despotism.
28
Apr
3 Votes
Image via Wikipedia
A Las Vegas man videotaped the arrest of some burglary suspects. A cop didn’t like it. That man was ultimately beaten, arrested and jailed Charges against him were subsequently dropped. An internal investigation of the cop ensues. The cop and the police department will presumably be sued.
Here’s a dramatic, 4-minute video of the initial event: http://www.lvrj.com/news/exclusive-police-beating-of-las-vegas-man-caught-on-tape-120509439.html?viewAllComments=y&c=y
This is the kind of incident that makes people fear and despise the police. The central cop in this story was probably amped-up on adrenalin and testosterone after apprehending several suspects. Or maybe he’s just always an overly-aggressive bully with a badge.
But there was a second cop at the scene and rather than restrain the overly-aggressive officer,the second cop just kicked the victim’s camera.
The cops don’t protect the public, they protect their governmental employer and they especially protect each other. They have an “us (cops) against them (public)” mentality. They may even have something of an “us (cops) against them (government employers)” mentality.
The cops are caught in a difficult position: they may be the “thin blue line” that separate the people from the criminals, but they are also the “thin blue line” that separates the people from the government.
It’s always dangerous to be “in the middle,” so we shouldn’t be surprised if the police feel “surrounded” and become paranoid. Nevertheless, insofar as police behave like a gang (complete with gang allegiance and gang loyalty) rather than as public servants, they alienate the people (who outnumber the police 300 to 1) and can expect to see larger and larger jury verdicts against the police guilty of misconduct. As the verdicts against police become larger, the cops will take more heat from their corporate employers and become more paranoid and even more susceptible to the “us against them” mentality.
Are we on a downward spiral wherein paranoid police become ever more paranoid, more defensive, more violent, more prone to lie in self-defense? If we are, can that spiral be endured? Can it be stopped?
True story: Back about A.D. 1983, the Dallas Texas police were involved in a series of about six, totally-unjustified shootings of unarmed African-Americans. Perhaps the most egregious example was the death of an 80-year old black woman who was standing inside her little shack holding a broom. A police officer standing outside saw her silhouette through the screen door, knew the occupant had to be a black, thought the broom she was holding was a rifle and therefore, in fear for his own life, shot her dead. A complaint was filed with a grand jury. The grand jury exonerated the police officer’s conduct as justifiable.
Over the course of a year, there were several other similar instances where unarmed blacks were simply gunned down by Dallas cops without legitimate cause. Police officers were invariably “no billed” by grand juries. The African-American community became increasingly enraged.
And then a sniper–or maybe it was two or three snipers–started shooting at police cars as they drove through black neighborhoods in south Dallas. As I recall, only three bullets were fired. Three cop cars were hit. All bullets passed harmlessly through the windshield on the empty passenger side of the police car. No police officers were injured. It was obvious that the sniper could have shot the drivers, but chose not to do so.
But the message was clear: You cops keep killin’ niggers and the niggers will start killin’ cops.
Within 30 days, the Dallas police announced a brand-new shooting policy. They would no longer shoot first and ask questions later. A life (especially a cop’s life) was a terrible thing to waste. So, the Dallas police pretty much stopped shooting unarmed blacks. The black community became calm. The sniper disappeared and was never identified.
It’s a shame that life works that way. The issue of unjustified shootings had raged for over a year without change or resolution. Then somebody fired 3 shots and a solution was put forward in 30 days. There’s a lesson in that story.
We are a species where bullies (and cowards) are far more prevalent than heroes. The bullies feed off the cowards. The cowards invite the bullies. The issue is almost always one of power rather than right and wrong. And, at bottom, more about courage than even power. Cowards invite abuse. The heroes (if any) who are motivated by right and wrong rather than power, are few and far between. If you won’t fight for yourself, you can expect to be exploited.
The unfortunate truth is that it’s human nature to keep shooting (beating, assaulting, robbing) others until the others start shooting (or fighting) back. We are inclined to bully our families, friends, strangers and neighbors and will continue to do so until that neighbor finds the balls to fight back.
This “bullying” is inherent in every social species. We see this bullying in lions, in dolphins, in people. Virtually every social species has a hierarchy or “pecking order”. The instinct to establish this pecking order is found in puppies, kittens and even children. The pecking order is determined and maintained by the stronger bullying the weaker. Bullying others is part of our nature. Submitting to bullying is also part of our nature.
Back in A.D. 1983, the cops were bullying the blacks. Then, somebody (maybe just one man) in the black community found the balls to fight back against gun-happy cops. He fired three bullets and injured no one. Nevertheless, within 30 days, he’d caused the cops to holster their firearms. The result was not a perfect world and the end of all injustice–but, for a while, the bullying (cops shooting unarmed blacks) was abated.
But if that man had never fired those three rounds, the cops might still be routinely plugging unarmed blacks. From the cops’ perspective, there was nothing wrong with shooting niggers–unless the niggers shot back. Once the niggers shot back, they elevated themselves to the status of “men” and compelled the cops’ respect (or fear). As “men” (people who had shown signs of courage) they no longer invited bullying.
The principle seen in the 1983 sniper story applies to all governments in every country. No government will ever stop perpetrating violence (bullying) against its own people until its people find the balls to fight back.
And I’m not just talking about physical violence. I’m talking about the violence of excessive taxes, the violence of shipping our industries and jobs off to foreign countries, the violence of declaring the people to be animals in our drug laws, the violence of taking money from future generations to enrich those who are currently “too big (too rich) to fail,” etc.
We imprison millions of Americans for victimless crimes. That, in itself, is an act of violence perpetrated by a government bent on “bullying” the American people. Judging from our prison population, the “land of the free” has become the world’s #1 police state. So long as we’re willing to wait for government to “do the right thing,” that police state will only grow. So long as the people assent to governmental violence (bullying) against the people, that violence and exploitation will continue.
This isn’t news. This is exactly what motivated George Washington to observe that “Government, like fire, is a dangerous servant or a fearful master.” The absolute best you’ll ever get from any government is a dangerous servant. If you trust that servant, you’re a fool. If you’re willing to let the servant perpetrate violence and injustice against your neighbor, you can absolutely expect to soon be victimized yourself. If you won’t fight to control your “dangerous servant,” his natural impulse to bully others will soon transform him into your “fearful master” (bully).
As I explained in “Preamble to the Bill of Rights” (http://adask.wordpress.com/2011/04/17/preamble-to-the-bill-of-rights/#more-6164), the express purpose for the Bill of Rights (including the 2nd Amendment) was protect the people against the federal government. The Founders didn’t trust the federal government. The Founders knew that our relationship to government would always be adversarial. They knew that it was government’s nature to bully the people.
Today’s government knows that its relationship to the people is adversarial. But Whee duh Pee-pul have forgotten that truth. Whee like to think that every time government gives us a “weggie” (takes away a freedom) it’s a sign of affection rather than an assault. Whee try to laugh off the bullying as harmless or fun. Whee duh Pee-pul take comfort in hoping that government (our dangerous servant and/or fearful master) is actually “here to help us”.
The truth is that government is no more here to help the people than farmers are here to help the cows. Yes, the farmer may feed the cows, provide them with medical care and shelter and give ‘em a friendly pat on the rump every so often. But the farmer only “helps” the cow so long as the cow is generating a profit for the farmer. Once the cow stops giving more milk than it costs to feed and shelter the cow, the friendly farmer will grind that cow into hamburger.
Like the farmer, government is not “here to help us”. Government does not regard us as its friends; it regards us as “human resources” and chattel. Government is here to exploit us, extort our wealth, deprive us of our rights, reduce us to the status of animals and slaves–all the while increasing the power and wealth of government and special interests that government truly serves. This description isn’t hysterical or hyperbolic. That’s what government does. That’s what government has always done. Read a little history; look around; tell me what I just said isn’t true. It’s always been true.
The only time the world has ever seen a government that seemed conducive to freedom was when the people were prepared to kill the government and the government damn well knew it. So long as the people were willing to fight, the government was willing to serve. But whenever the people became too cowardly to fight for freedom, their government inevitably moved to take that freedom. Cowardice not only invites bullying–it invites tyranny.
And I’m not just talking about the US government; I’m talking about every government that’s ever been. It is the nature of government to “bully” and exploit its own people. In that regard, the government of the United States is no better than the governments of Libya, Syria, Egypt and the former Soviet Union.
So, apparently, the cops are right, it is an “us (the people) against them (the government)” relationship. If so, it’s high time the police decide which side of the line they’re going to stand on: the government’s side or the people’s side. Will the cops serve and protect the government that pays them? Or will they serve and protect the people who, outnumber the cops 300 to 1 and, properly motivated, just might decide to start shooting? Tough choice: Your money or your life, hmm?
Even more importantly, it’s high time the American people recognize government as an adversary rather than a benefactor, and start to fight for themselves rather than “trust in the kindness of governmental strangers”.
This is a war, folks. Your nation is being destroyed by your own government. If you think your relationship with government is anything other than adversarial, you be dumb. If you won’t fight for your “side,” your side will invite exploitation, and your side will be sure to lose.
In the end, you won’t lose for lack of power. You’ll lose for lack of courage. Cowardice invites bullies–and despotism.