Police militarization and excesses

[PIE-GUY]

Every time this issue comes up I want to encourage people to watch Do The Right Thing.

[runawayjimbo]

Yes, of course it's ok to denounce BOTH police brutality and rioting. But doing so sets a false equivalance that toilet paper being stolen from a CVS is just as important as the life of a 25 yr old who was killed in police custody with still no explanation.

But does it? I'd argue the equivalency, if there is one, is being perceived by the receiver rather than actually being intended by the speaker. I can assure you I'm far more scandalized by police killings than I am by toilet paper theft. I also don't like it when people let their dogs shit on my lawn; that that's not as bad as any number of other things doesn't mean it's not worth denouncing. There are degrees of everything.

Agreed. I in no way meant to imply you were not offended by the police brutality/murder. And again, I am not condoning the violence and vandalsim perpetrated agains innocent bystanders either. But I do think there is a problem when the narrative shifts (as it appears to be) from rampant police abuse to "OMG what is wrong with these people who want to burn down their own communities?!?!11?" I think the far more important question is why are people resorting to this type of behavior to express their grievances against a de facto police state in their neighborhoods and how can we make it better.

And for the record, this in no way meant to disparage police officers either, the overwhelming majority of whom are due our great respect and apprciation. They put themselves in dangerous situations on a daily basis and have to make split second decisions of life and death usually with imperfect information. But if you (not you, VDB, "you") deny that there isn't a systemic problem in the way we police in this country (and the way police are protected when bad actors are discovered), you pretty much live in a bubble at this point.

Balko'd

The cities where we've recently seen civil unrest/rioting have also been shown to have widespread police abuse. This is not a coincidence.

St. Louis Co., Albuquerque, New York, Cleveland, Baltimore, Miami -- all recent subjects of DOJ or media reports showing mass police abuse.

[VDB]

Many people are glad to live in that bubble. Helps make it easier for them to exercise their prejudices.

[rowjimmy]

<vent target=nobody here>

Disgusting to see people (family members!) who haven't said shit about Police killing a man speak up on behalf of a fucking CVS.

So very close to deleting Facebook from my life.

</vent>

This is a worthwhile perspective:
http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2015/04/nonviolence-as-compliance/391640/

[DoW]

So very close to deleting Facebook from my life.

I try to stay away from reading anything serious on Facebook.

vibes to anyone in that area.  it's a horrible world we live in.  all this stuff makes me angry and depressed at the same time.

[rowjimmy]

Don't let the press cause you to lose sight of the reality of the situation:

http://mic.com/articles/116524/outrage-over-baltimore-riots-completely-misses-the-point



Also:

[sls.stormyrider]

<vent target=nobody here>

Disgusting to see people (family members!) who haven't said shit about Police killing a man speak up on behalf of a fucking CVS.

</vent>

This is a worthwhile perspective:
http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2015/04/nonviolence-as-compliance/391640/

good article, thanks for posting

[whatthecello42]

White People Rioting for No Reason

All the times white people rioted for reasons other than legitimate grievances with our legal system.

http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2014/11/white-people-rioting-for-no-reason.html

[rowjimmy]

The Baltimore 'riots' didn't start the way the media has portrayed them:

http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2015/04/how-baltimore-riots-began-mondawmin-purge

^^^^Good Read^^^^

[rowjimmy]

Shits going down in NYC & Baltimore.
NYCPD has already come out swinging.

Not a good start.

[sls.stormyrider]

Protests in Boston tonight
Peaceful, no incidents

[mehead]

Protests in Boston tonight
Peaceful, no incidents

Let's hope they're not lying down on 93 tomorrow morning.

[emay]

http://www.npr.org/2015/04/29/402971487/residents-disappointed-at-how-rioters-tore-up-baltimore?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=npr&utm_term=nprnews&utm_content=20150429

[emay]

Officers being charged with murder in the Freddie Gray incident


http://www.cnn.com/2015/05/01/us/freddie-gray-baltimore-death/index.html

[mbw]

Officers being charged with murder in the Freddie Gray incident


http://www.cnn.com/2015/05/01/us/freddie-gray-baltimore-death/index.html

Wha???  I thought he severed his own spine!?