Cops Are The Worst

[Bi_3]

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/12/upsho ... .html?_r=0

"In officer-involved shootings in these cities, officers were more likely to fire their weapons without having first been attacked when the suspects were white."

"And in the arena of “shoot” or “don’t shoot,” Mr. Fryer found that, in tense situations, officers in Houston were about 20 percent less likely to shoot a suspect if the suspect was black."


Really, this is not surprising to anyone who understands the difference between data and anecdotes.

[McParadigm]

There are a lot of good cops, but that still doesn't make them the type of people I'd want to be friends with. It takes a certain kind of power hungry basket case to be a cop. They are the worst. Mainly, this thread is for when they abuse their power or murder people, however.

There's some truth to this, but it's an extreme over generalization that I'm sure also varies by geography.

When my nephew wanted to be a cop, it was in the same way a young person might want to become a pediatrician or astronaut. It was healthy, youthful hope. But the journey to that goal was transformative, enculturing, and ultimately corruptive. The last time I saw him he and a group of fellow cops were drinking on his patio, laughing at a story about how one of them had fucked with some Latino kids to the point where one ran home crying. Standout line: "you shoulda yelled 'welcome to America' when he ran."

[jwfocker]

There are a lot of good cops, but that still doesn't make them the type of people I'd want to be friends with. It takes a certain kind of power hungry basket case to be a cop. They are the worst. Mainly, this thread is for when they abuse their power or murder people, however.

There's some truth to this, but it's an extreme over generalization that I'm sure also varies by geography.

When my nephew wanted to be a cop, it was in the same way a young person might want to become a pediatrician or astronaut. It was healthy, youthful hope. But the journey to that goal was transformative, enculturing, and ultimately curroptive. The last time I saw him he and a group of fellow cops were drinking on his patio, laughing at a story about how one of them had fucked with some Latino kids to the point where one ran home crying. Standout line: "you shoulda yelled 'welcome to America' when he ran."

[dprival78]

[Norah]

There are a lot of good cops, but that still doesn't make them the type of people I'd want to be friends with. It takes a certain kind of power hungry basket case to be a cop. They are the worst. Mainly, this thread is for when they abuse their power or murder people, however.

There's some truth to this, but it's an extreme over generalization that I'm sure also varies by geography.

Are you saying verb is over reacting? I don't believe it.

[Green Habit]

Warning: Pokemon GO is a Death Sentence if you are a Black Man.

[Kaius]

There are a lot of good cops, but that still doesn't make them the type of people I'd want to be friends with. It takes a certain kind of power hungry basket case to be a cop. They are the worst. Mainly, this thread is for when they abuse their power or murder people, however.

There's some truth to this, but it's an extreme over generalization that I'm sure also varies by geography.

When my nephew wanted to be a cop, it was in the same way a young person might want to become a pediatrician or astronaut. It was healthy, youthful hope. But the journey to that goal was transformative, enculturing, and ultimately corruptive. The last time I saw him he and a group of fellow cops were drinking on his patio, laughing at a story about how one of them had fucked with some Latino kids to the point where one ran home crying. Standout line: "you shoulda yelled 'welcome to America' when he ran."

I appreciate the moral of this little tearjerker, but what's the point? That bullying is bad? Assholes like that can be found in any industry. I understand most jobs don't allow the same level of power and influence over other people, and I am pro-accountability when someone with a badge make a mistake, but what is your suggestion for a more competent police force? A marketing system to attract nicer or more intelligent or less gullible persons to the criminal justice field? Police work, much like our military, has a force comprised of mostly lower income families; naturally being made up of guys and gals that are drawn to the fellowship and camaraderie that the career perpetuates (because it ain't the pay or the quality of life). I think we are all guilty of talking past each other or those that we don't agree with on both the BLM movement and the subject of policing/civil interaction, and when there's as many different perspectives on this topic as there are, no one person has it right.

Wouldn't taking guns out of the hands of citizens reduce cop-related civilian deaths? Would an increase in police dept. budgets lead to better tech, increased workforce, and thus better policing with fewer mistakes? Maybe we end the war on drugs to refocus policing efforts? I would like to see more rational ideas and less emotional politicking because a fraternizing police force and all of the special snowflakes it includes is not unique to the United States.

[WtOB?]

Several countries issue travel alerts for United States amid growing racial tensions

[@SkitchP]

Several countries issue travel alerts for United States amid growing racial tensions

Sudan
Congo
Detroit
Chad
Nigeria

[Peeps]

Warning: Pokemon GO is a Death Sentence if you are a Black Man.

well yea, no duh.

but you wont be killed by a policeman.

youll be killed by other blackmen for giving them a bad reputation

[McParadigm]

appreciate the moral of this little tearjerker, but what's the point?

That people don't become police officers because they are bullies, or power mad cartoon characters or whatever. Rather, that a profession-based culture exists here that is impactful. Archetypes are molds that we allow ourselves to be adjusted by every day. How we self-define ourselves relative to a situation changes our behavior far more than we are comfortable admitting.

Police culture has its own archetypes, and I think it's reductionist and oversimplifying to think that people who are power mad become cops, rather than that people can be changed over time by the roles they use to define themselves.

[McParadigm]

In short, that Anthony Kiedis is the worst thing to ever happen to any band. Thank you for your time.

[BurtReynolds]

I'm sure the media is doing a bad job of reporting it, but is there a political strategy in mind here? Or is it another Occupy movement? Say what you will about the Tea Party, but at least they had the intelligence to get political and run its own candidates and campaigns. Blocking streets is not a good political strategy (which is probably why the establishment is content to let it run its course.)

[Norah]

I'm sure the media is doing a bad job of reporting it, but is there a political strategy in mind here? Or is it another Occupy movement? Say what you will about the Tea Party, but at least they had the intelligence to get political and run its own candidates and campaigns. Blocking streets is not a good political strategy (which is probably why the establishment is content to let it run its course.)

The Armalite in one hand, the ballot in the other.

[Bi_3]

I'm sure the media is doing a bad job of reporting it, but is there a political strategy in mind here? Or is it another Occupy movement? Say what you will about the Tea Party, but at least they had the intelligence to get political and run its own candidates and campaigns. Blocking streets is not a good political strategy (which is probably why the establishment is content to let it run its course.)

I'm not sure that is a fair comparison. The people that make up the majority of the Tea Party already had a political voice and aren't still escaping from the devastating effects of Jim Crow.

[BurtReynolds]

I'm sure the media is doing a bad job of reporting it, but is there a political strategy in mind here? Or is it another Occupy movement? Say what you will about the Tea Party, but at least they had the intelligence to get political and run its own candidates and campaigns. Blocking streets is not a good political strategy (which is probably why the establishment is content to let it run its course.)

I'm not sure that is a fair comparison. The people that make up the majority of the Tea Party already had a political voice and aren't still escaping from the devastating effects of Jim Crow.

I was mostly comparing the Tea Party's successes to the Occupy movement's failures. This group is at a larger disadvantage, but how much? They have controlled many city governments for years now without accomplishing much, though I'm not sure what city governments can do with their police forces. It seems that as long as blacks have no other option than democrats, their votes won't count for much as far as either party is concerned. A third party issues candidate might help.

I posted the Black Panther strategy in the secession thread earlier, but building up numbers in one area seems like the only strategy for gaining real power. The best way to overcome the problems of being a minority is to not be a minority. Works for the Mormons it seems. But then the Libertarians tried that a few years ago and it didn't do much (unless a lot of them moved to New Hampshire and I didn't hear about it).

[Bi_3]

I'm sure the media is doing a bad job of reporting it, but is there a political strategy in mind here? Or is it another Occupy movement? Say what you will about the Tea Party, but at least they had the intelligence to get political and run its own candidates and campaigns. Blocking streets is not a good political strategy (which is probably why the establishment is content to let it run its course.)

I'm not sure that is a fair comparison. The people that make up the majority of the Tea Party already had a political voice and aren't still escaping from the devastating effects of Jim Crow.

I was mostly comparing the Tea Party's successes to the Occupy movement's failures. This group is at a larger disadvantage, but how much? They have controlled many city governments for years now without accomplishing much, though I'm not sure what city governments can do with their police forces. It seems that as long as blacks have no other option than democrats, their votes won't count for much as far as either party is concerned. A third party issues candidate might help.

I posted the Black Panther strategy in the secession thread earlier, but building up numbers in one area seems like the only strategy for gaining real power. The best way to overcome the problems of being a minority is to not be a minority. Works for the Mormons it seems. But then the Libertarians tried that a few years ago and it didn't do much (unless a lot of them moved to New Hampshire and I didn't hear about it).

Larry Elder has a interesting rant about this, but trigger warning: he's a black conservative.

[Kaius]

appreciate the moral of this little tearjerker, but what's the point?

That people don't become police officers because they are bullies, or power mad cartoon characters or whatever. Rather, that a profession-based culture exists here that is impactful. Archetypes are molds that we allow ourselves to be adjusted by every day. How we self-define ourselves relative to a situation changes our behavior far more than we are comfortable admitting.

Police culture has its own archetypes, and I think it's reductionist and oversimplifying to think that people who are power mad become cops, rather than that people can be changed over time by the roles they use to define themselves.

Gotcha. I thought you were the one being reductionist about cop culture in response to my post, but I misread you. I think we were talking about different sides of the same die upon another look.

Also, I think American cop culture is reflective of American culture, and I think some of us are guilty of making cops the scapegoat any time one of them gains the spotlight; whether it's a good shoot, a good shoot that initially looks bad, or just a plain bad shoot. Most of the time, I think these situations could be avoided with a better system of laws governing citizenry and influencing policing, and sometimes people are just assholes. When's the last time lawmakers sat down and said, "how can we make police work easier and keep people safer?" Without the shadow of freedom and liberty hanging over our heads, cast by a fully-armed, 'roided out bald eagle.

[Kaius]

In short, that Anthony Kiedis is the worst thing to ever happen to any band. Thank you for your time.

You dirty, rotten old man.

[Electromatic]

Maybe "Black Lives Matter" should re brand itself as "Black Lives Matter Too" and then more people might understand where they were originally coming from in frustration.