I know you're not actually disagreeing, but ...

Post #407,835 by drook 1/30/16 9:21:33 AM 1/30/16 9:21:33 AM Reply	I know you're not actually disagreeing, but ... As bad as it is that they did it, my comment was more about their excuse: "We didn't know what he was planning to do." How the actual fuck does anyone think that's a reason for shooting someone? -- Drew
Post #407,836 by boxley 1/30/16 9:56:44 AM 1/30/16 9:56:44 AM Reply	the issue is "they feared for their lives" we have a fuckton of scared shitless cops. If you are that scared shitless find another line of work please. always look out for number one and don't step in number two
Post #407,837 by Another Scott 1/30/16 10:14:35 AM 1/30/16 10:14:35 AM Reply	This. They have been trained to fear the people they're supposed to "serve and protect". They've been trained that someone not instantly acting on a command is most likely a deadly threat. And too many police departments are filled with people who just want to play bang-bang. Actual intelligence and empathy is seemingly regarded as a bad characteristic for new recruits. There's lots of blame to go around (the individual cops, the culture in police departments, the steroids, the training, the lack of availability of disabling tools that don't risk death, the vast numbers of guns in America, the lack of drug and mental health treatment, the lack of jobs and housing, etc.). I hope that the events over the last few years will finally get departments to change their hiring, their training, and their whole mindset about what their purpose is. It's not to be domestic warrior. It's to serve and protect. But that will take money, and we know how difficult increasing funding is... Cheers, Scott.
Post #407,839 by mmoffitt 1/30/16 11:29:14 AM 1/30/16 11:29:14 AM Reply	Agree, but don't let the feds off the hook. They've been pushing an agenda of fear to retain their power on all of us. Bound to have affected cops, too.
Post #407,845 by hnick 1/31/16 7:07:29 AM 1/31/16 7:07:29 AM Reply	That covers some cases. Another aspect has to do with the fact that the Marine Corps is about the only federally funded job program still running. When they are discharged, a lot of them become cops. They still get to carry guns and give orders with the expectation of an obsequious response. It goes as part of the culture. Every third pickup truck around here has a Marine decal on it and the operators general appear to have a contempt for "those others". I suspect that training for operations in Vietnam, South America, and the mid east has dehumanized "those others" to the point where they can be shot out of hand for any disobedience. Now a lot of them are cops, and we are "those others". They do not regard us with fear, but contempt. "Religion, n. A daughter of Hope and Fear, explaining to Ignorance the nature of the Unknowable." ~ AMBROSE BIERCE (1842-1914)
Post #407,846 by Another Scott 1/31/16 11:28:07 AM 1/31/16 11:28:07 AM Reply	Indeed. That is a big problem, too.
Post #407,847 by boxley 1/31/16 12:10:36 PM 1/31/16 12:10:36 PM Reply	an aside, job corps is alive and well always look out for number one and don't step in number two

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