****No one ever wants to read the longer “argument” part but here I go yet again anyway.****

This is not meant to “bash” any individuals or the profession/career as a whole. Wish it didn’t have to come off this way and I’d like a bit more open-mindedness and patience about these issues. Clearly I’m not a one-and-done blogger. I don’t try to post biased or 1-sided issues and run away or ignore the logical followups or questions people have. I post about complicated, multi-sided situations. They are also always controversial. This is one of them. Do you know me to be someone  who gives people a chance? To often give them the benefit of the doubt? I’m also someone who treats people the way I like to be treated but I truly RESPECT people I’ve met and seen the actions of personally just as we all do right?

Frankly, I’m scared of the police, I don’t like talking to them, I don’t like them following me, I don’t like them coming to my house to arrest me when I’m a good citizen. They’ve stepped on my rights more times than I can say. I have witnessed violence perpetrated by police on more occasions than I have fingers, I have been interrogated and often demanded to answer personal questions they have no right to know about, I have had my things searched countless times without my consent and without legitimate probable cause. I see profiling all of the time. (I also see attacks on police officers which I condemn, I hear horrible language used for personal attacks against innocent and admirable hard working cops, however support for them and backing is extremely popular and commonplace so I don’t feel the need to defend or pursue it often. You probably already know about it.) I’m always polite to cops on the street and I express my worry about their pension cuts and tough decisions.

I believe, as many do, (and that’s okay because everyone demands I respect their beliefs all the time regardless of how factually inaccurate or irresponsible they are, to which believe it or not, I attempt to do) that police and powers that be have way way too much power. We feel they use excessive force and extreme “preventative measures” for situations that don’t warrant it in the slightest. We believe there is a privatized and for-profit massive prison and punitive system in place that demands and requires more “customers” to keep them functioning. More things are made illegal, more small offences are being pursued, debtors prisons are a very very real thing now. Unpaid parking tickets and marijuana possession does not call for removal of your liberties in my opinion, duh. This is overkill people and we’re not happy with it and we’re not silent about it anymore.

The bottom line is there is a huge number of laws and violations happening every day in every state all over the country. Except more than you’d like to believe are being committed by law enforcement officers and departments. I’m sorry this news seems biased, unreal, hateful, or vindictive for I don’t think it’s honestly any of those things. This is a portrayal of the often unheard story; or worse off, the more frequently heard story. How can I share something about a young man who is stop and frisked so regularly he expects it, and you… support it? Why is this particular article offensive? I know you don’t like the police bashing but does anything from this seen inappropriate?

I’m very glad your personal experience with police officers is largely positive. That is encouraging and provides another valuable perspective. However, this does not make it the only one or the undisputed truth. I’ve had many good experiences with officers in my day, yet most of them were before I turned 18 and nearly all negative experiences have been since then. This is from a number of reasons both personal and systemic but for whatever it’s worth, I used to look up to police officers and now I am reserved and dissatisfied/disappointed.

I think police or some form of safety and security team/department/group is necessary in society so I am not anti-police per say. However, much like the government, the police force has become simply too large, too violent and lethal, too haphazard, too wasteful/corrupt, too disorganized, too severe, too strong, TOO UNPOPULAR. It is a service COMPLETELY in existence to protect and serve. We do not feel protected and served. We don’t. That’s not our fault, it’s the police departments fault. It’s the captains fault. It’s the chief’s fault. It’s the Mayor’s fault. It’s the mayor’s “boss” fault… the “1%” we’re railing about. Look at Mayor Bloomberg his misuse of the NYPD as his personal assault squad. Would you disagree honestly with that sentiment?

There are significant amounts of evidence, statistics, testimonials, and official reports by precincts, agencies, and independent study to back these claims. This is simply one more perspective in the ongoing fight to end oppression. MANY PEOPLE who are not you or I feel that much is going on to persecute, profile, and otherwise misuse these police resources.

Am I rude or mean to people in person? Do I ask questions and try to always get to the root or core of a problem/situation? I try to do that with all people and all stories. Facts, reason, argument, stats, evidence convince me of my believes. If others only use personal experience and anecdotes from family or friends, is that really the whole fair picture or is that, in effect, the biased one? I am speaking up for the underdogs so that is always who my focus is for. When the police are outnumbered and being oppressed, when they stop benefiting tremendously from avoiding fees and getting personal comps everywhere, I’ll speak for them.

1. together12up liked this
2. repositoryyu8 liked this
3. biger934 liked this
4. ppettipiece posted this