[Marxism] Knock, knock - you're dead: the militarisation of the police in the Land of the Free
== Rule #1: YOU MUST clip all extraneous text when replying to a message. == http://rdln.wordpress.com/2014/09/03/knock-knock-youre-dead-the-militarisation-of-the-police-force-in-the-land-of-the-free/ Send list submissions to: Marxism@lists.csbs.utah.edu Set your options at: http://lists.csbs.utah.edu/options/marxism/archive%40mail-archive.com
Re: [Marxism] Knock, knock - you're dead: the militarisation of the police in the Land of the Free
== Rule #1: YOU MUST clip all extraneous text when replying to a message. == On Wed, Sep 3, 2014 at 5:14 AM, Philip Ferguson via Marxism marxism@lists.csbs.utah.edu wrote: http://rdln.wordpress.com/2014/09/03/knock-knock-youre-dead-the-militarisation-of-the-police-force-in-the-land-of-the-free/ I always wonder about this kind of thing, though. To be sure, the militarization of police is a Very Bad Thing, and one on which I frown. But has it actually made them more any racist, violent, or likely to injure and/or kill you than they were before? I haven't crunched the numbers. But I strongly, strongly doubt it. The Redline post writes of Pennsylvania in 1905 – where previously there would have been strong identification of officers drawn from local communities with the workers they live with. In that case, it might even be true. I don't know. But there's a strong undercurrent of Norman Rockwell-esque bullshit in a lot of left discourse around militarization, which implicitly, when not explicitly, hearkens back to some mythical golden age of caring neighborhood officers we all know perfectly well never existed for most. -- Hige sceal þe heardra, heorte þe cenre, mod sceal þe mare, þe ure mægen lytlað. Send list submissions to: Marxism@lists.csbs.utah.edu Set your options at: http://lists.csbs.utah.edu/options/marxism/archive%40mail-archive.com
Re: [Marxism] Knock, knock - you're dead: the militarisation of the police in the Land of the Free
== Rule #1: YOU MUST clip all extraneous text when replying to a message. == Joe's cautionary notes are crucial. When Ferguson broke a million activists we're saying a) cops are militarized like never before, and b) all their gear and training is from Israel, and c): a and b And I repeatedly ranted on facebook about how ahistorical and inaccurate that was. Yes, policing evolves. But noting carefully how, when, where and why -- and when NOT-- is crucial for knowing how to fight back. Otherwise all the hoo-ha about militarization will become for some an excuse not to fight. On Tue, Sep 2, 2014 at 10:35 PM, Joseph Catron via Marxism marxism@lists.csbs.utah.edu wrote: == Rule #1: YOU MUST clip all extraneous text when replying to a message. == On Wed, Sep 3, 2014 at 5:14 AM, Philip Ferguson via Marxism marxism@lists.csbs.utah.edu wrote: http://rdln.wordpress.com/2014/09/03/knock-knock-youre-dead-the-militarisation-of-the-police-force-in-the-land-of-the-free/ I always wonder about this kind of thing, though. To be sure, the militarization of police is a Very Bad Thing, and one on which I frown. But has it actually made them more any racist, violent, or likely to injure and/or kill you than they were before? I haven't crunched the numbers. But I strongly, strongly doubt it. The Redline post writes of Pennsylvania in 1905 – where previously there would have been strong identification of officers drawn from local communities with the workers they live with. In that case, it might even be true. I don't know. But there's a strong undercurrent of Norman Rockwell-esque bullshit in a lot of left discourse around militarization, which implicitly, when not explicitly, hearkens back to some mythical golden age of caring neighborhood officers we all know perfectly well never existed for most. -- Hige sceal þe heardra, heorte þe cenre, mod sceal þe mare, þe ure mægen lytlað. Send list submissions to: Marxism@lists.csbs.utah.edu Set your options at: http://lists.csbs.utah.edu/options/marxism/acpollack2%40gmail.com Send list submissions to: Marxism@lists.csbs.utah.edu Set your options at: http://lists.csbs.utah.edu/options/marxism/archive%40mail-archive.com
Re: [Marxism] Knock, knock - you're dead: the militarisation of the police in the Land of the Free
== Rule #1: YOU MUST clip all extraneous text when replying to a message. == I think the attitude of the police has definitely changed in that they are far less likely to be conciliatory or even civil. The equipment is that of an army of occupation and it does carry a distinct attitude about the people whose neighborhoods you are occupying. This effects some parts of the police forces more than others, of course, but I do think it's been a bit different. There was the striking clip of the cop in Ferguson talking about the citizens arrayed against him as animals.. The sentiment may be time-honored, but the open contempt saying it on camera is remarkable. Mark L Sent from my Windows Phone From: Andrew Pollack via Marxism Sent: 9/2/2014 10:59 PM To: Mark Lause Subject: Re: [Marxism] Knock, knock - you're dead: the militarisation of the police in the Land of the Free == Rule #1: YOU MUST clip all extraneous text when replying to a message. == Joe's cautionary notes are crucial. When Ferguson broke a million activists we're saying a) cops are militarized like never before, and b) all their gear and training is from Israel, and c): a and b And I repeatedly ranted on facebook about how ahistorical and inaccurate that was. Yes, policing evolves. But noting carefully how, when, where and why -- and when NOT-- is crucial for knowing how to fight back. Otherwise all the hoo-ha about militarization will become for some an excuse not to fight. On Tue, Sep 2, 2014 at 10:35 PM, Joseph Catron via Marxism marxism@lists.csbs.utah.edu wrote: == Rule #1: YOU MUST clip all extraneous text when replying to a message. == On Wed, Sep 3, 2014 at 5:14 AM, Philip Ferguson via Marxism marxism@lists.csbs.utah.edu wrote: http://rdln.wordpress.com/2014/09/03/knock-knock-youre-dead-the-militarisation-of-the-police-force-in-the-land-of-the-free/ I always wonder about this kind of thing, though. To be sure, the militarization of police is a Very Bad Thing, and one on which I frown. But has it actually made them more any racist, violent, or likely to injure and/or kill you than they were before? I haven't crunched the numbers. But I strongly, strongly doubt it. The Redline post writes of Pennsylvania in 1905 – where previously there would have been strong identification of officers drawn from local communities with the workers they live with. In that case, it might even be true. I don't know. But there's a strong undercurrent of Norman Rockwell-esque bullshit in a lot of left discourse around militarization, which implicitly, when not explicitly, hearkens back to some mythical golden age of caring neighborhood officers we all know perfectly well never existed for most. -- Hige sceal þe heardra, heorte þe cenre, mod sceal þe mare, þe ure mægen lytlað. Send list submissions to: Marxism@lists.csbs.utah.edu Set your options at: http://lists.csbs.utah.edu/options/marxism/acpollack2%40gmail.com Send list submissions to: Marxism@lists.csbs.utah.edu Set your options at: http://lists.csbs.utah.edu/options/marxism/markalause%40gmail.com Send list submissions to: Marxism@lists.csbs.utah.edu Set your options at: http://lists.csbs.utah.edu/options/marxism/archive%40mail-archive.com
