uh, I mean "police." Howie Klein has some background on the increasing militarization of our police forces -- and a run-down of who supported Alan Grayson's amendment to curtail this trend, by forbidding the DoD to make surplus and used military equipment available to local police forces. The amendment failed 62-355. Of that 62, 19 were Republicans. No, it's not a partisan issue. (My rep, Jan Schakowsky, was the only rep from not only Chicago but from Illinois to vote in favor of the amendment. I think people here need to be asking some hard questions. People all over the country need to ask some hard questions.)
And now the feds are maybe having second thoughts. Maybe. Somehow, it's all about the safety of officers and not about intimidating the populace. Sure.
Maybe it's worth noting that LAPD has one of the worst records in the country on police brutality and excessive force.
Klein goes back over the past few years noting that even the right has questioned this military build-up in our cities and towns. Worth reading. If you want a look at how ridiculous this has gotten, read this.
Here's Rachel Maddow taking a longer look at protests and police responses, all the way back to Madison in 1967.
Interestingly enough, she doesn't mention Chicago, 1968.
In spite of Maddow's positive ending -- Highway Patrol Commander Ron Johnson being called in to take over command of the situation in Ferguson and his complete shift of focus -- it doesn't look like it's going to be easy.
One thing that has gone largely unremarked in the commentary on Ferguson, although Maddow hinted at it and the story on Johnson points it up, is what I can only call "police culture." Somehow, it's become "us vs. them," the "them" being the people the police are supposed to be protecting. At least, that has become the public perception -- especially in black neighborhoods nationwide, but don't think that this particular white guy doesn't tense up a little when he sees a cop on the street. Downing's comment about "enemies" rings a little hollow. (It's not just the possibility of being beaten up, arrested, tased or shot because some cop's having a bad day. Well, actually, yes it is.)
And the police are a club, and I defy anyone to prove otherwise. They'll protect their own. Now, most officers are good guys -- they're honest, they're just trying to do a very difficult job -- but their culture is working against it. And then there are the assholes. (I've had both positive and negative encounters with police -- yes, some of them are assholes.) There are enough of the latter to poison things, given the club mentality of most police forces.
I consider Commander Johnson's approach to be a good sign, if he can overcome the territorialism of the local police.
And maybe the first step is to get rid of the fancy equipment -- what the hell do local police need with tanks? (If your Congressperson is one of the 355 who voted against Grayson's amendment, don't write them -- call their office and give them hell.)
And now the feds are maybe having second thoughts. Maybe. Somehow, it's all about the safety of officers and not about intimidating the populace. Sure.
The LAPD's deputy chief, Michael Downing, who heads the department's counterterrorism and special operations bureau, said officers are dealing with "an adversary who is more sophisticated, more tactically trained."
Downing emphasized that though police might train with soldiers, they're not warriors with a mission to kill but public servants with no "enemies."
"In police work there are times we have to become soldiers and control through force and fear," Downing said. "But we have to come back to being a public servant as quick as we can to establish that normality and that ethical stature with communities, because they're the ones who give us the authority to do our police work."
Maybe it's worth noting that LAPD has one of the worst records in the country on police brutality and excessive force.
Klein goes back over the past few years noting that even the right has questioned this military build-up in our cities and towns. Worth reading. If you want a look at how ridiculous this has gotten, read this.
Here's Rachel Maddow taking a longer look at protests and police responses, all the way back to Madison in 1967.
Interestingly enough, she doesn't mention Chicago, 1968.
In spite of Maddow's positive ending -- Highway Patrol Commander Ron Johnson being called in to take over command of the situation in Ferguson and his complete shift of focus -- it doesn't look like it's going to be easy.
One thing that has gone largely unremarked in the commentary on Ferguson, although Maddow hinted at it and the story on Johnson points it up, is what I can only call "police culture." Somehow, it's become "us vs. them," the "them" being the people the police are supposed to be protecting. At least, that has become the public perception -- especially in black neighborhoods nationwide, but don't think that this particular white guy doesn't tense up a little when he sees a cop on the street. Downing's comment about "enemies" rings a little hollow. (It's not just the possibility of being beaten up, arrested, tased or shot because some cop's having a bad day. Well, actually, yes it is.)
And the police are a club, and I defy anyone to prove otherwise. They'll protect their own. Now, most officers are good guys -- they're honest, they're just trying to do a very difficult job -- but their culture is working against it. And then there are the assholes. (I've had both positive and negative encounters with police -- yes, some of them are assholes.) There are enough of the latter to poison things, given the club mentality of most police forces.
I consider Commander Johnson's approach to be a good sign, if he can overcome the territorialism of the local police.
And maybe the first step is to get rid of the fancy equipment -- what the hell do local police need with tanks? (If your Congressperson is one of the 355 who voted against Grayson's amendment, don't write them -- call their office and give them hell.)
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