I know many believe its a bunch of big ole bad ole militarist police state’ers.
But, many times, what I see is fear in cops eyes when they approach me; I’m there trying to talk them down from provoking themselfs’, while their hand rests on the gun. I can be afraid, which can get them more on alert. “What’s got you nervous” one asked. I thought to myself, ‘your hand on that gun seems shaky’;.
For my safety, I know how to get down on the ground, without using my hands, even though, I’ve been patted down already. How crazy is that?
Then there are the already started being disrespectable, who when you return the favor, their manhood confused with fear prevails; to: just think how long the fear last to spend 2-3minutes choke holding someone to death, and then afterwards, still be too fearful to check for vital signs.
We must admit, there’s an underlying fear more so than conspiracy law enforcement has against black men, that causes them to unwarrantedly go on the defense; and get this: black cops have it too.
Although I have (thank goodness) never personally experienced police misconduct, I can visualize what you are saying, Eric. My call for bringing police back to local accountability and considerably diminished local funding is usually misunderstood (as John just did). When police walked in our neighborhoods and behaved as partners of the neighborhoods, I would guess fear was not such a significant factor.
Marcy
??? What are you saying I misunderstood?
Did you mean to say you are calling for "...diminished local funding..."?
I ignored that as an artifact of mis-elocution.
You know my consistent theme is to diminish the expense and power of the state, at EVERY level to the very minimum, in the same way I would diminish the level of chemotherapy drugs to the very minimum necessary, to do the job...and not one bit more.
But instead the state is like an alcoholic: if one drink is good, then fifty drinks are better.
The base premise, for my theme as it relates to police/soldiers/mercenaries, is expressed by three different sources:
1) George Washington: "Government is not reason or eloquence...a fearful
master".
2) Ben Franklin: "Those who trade liberty for security will have neither"
3) 2nd Amendment: "...security of a free state..."
Washington and Franklin are self explanatory. But the second amendment makes an implied contrast in the condition of the state, between a "free state" and the un-free state the Founders expelled.
The security of a free state is derived from the armed citizen.
This is totally different than the security of a police-state, where the fundamental purpose of the police/soldiers/mercenaries is the security of the police/soldiers/mercenaries.
This is the same imperative of the battlefield and moving police/soldiers/mercenaries into civil society brings the inescapable conflict of interest between society and the police.
This conflict of interest is rampant today.