Rocks And Hard Places

Police.  I've known a variety of them and for decades.  As I said, I almost became one myself.

I believe many people become cops to serve, to help.  Some get off on the power trip.  At any rate, there is increased disillusionment when faced with life on the street.

Cops, whatever the stripe, usually see the worst of humanity.  Quite a few become jaded.  Personal problems can ensue if they bring this home  or take it out on the job.

We are concerned with militarization of police as well we should.  Police work is not like that of the military.  Cops are supposed to be peace officers, there actions by and large are not martial.  Military mission is primarily to fight and win war.  Police are supposed to be peace officers, civilians who patrol to apprehend criminals.  Military can be preemptive while cops usually respond after the fact.

As usual, research all of this.  The internet is full of relevant sources.

Now that I've given you the pamphlet info, here is my point.

Police must be responsible for their actions.  They should serve the people and not the state.  Though police work is not covered in the Constitution, we are a Constitutional Republic.  Therefore, we must have checks and balances for all offices and their duties or disband them.

Police brutality must be stopped.  This responsibility lies with all of us.  They're subject to the same laws as the rest of us.  Military btw are responsible to the Uniform Code of Military Justice, though some affairs spill into civilian court.

I like David Codrea's term 'only ones' for cops at all levels.  It refers to the attitude that cops have a special dispensation the rest of us do not have.  Not so, though it's an uphill battle to make them accountable.

Worrisome is the fact that we cede more and more of our rights.   More problematic is the fact cops are serving the state as we surrender our rights.

Cops who try to do things 'the old way' are between a rock and a hard place.  Cops who legitimately defend themselves are trapped too, just as the rest of us can be.  It is an endemic right for us all   They are, after all, civilians with badges.  We all have the right to carry weaponry for self defense.  We must all be responsible.

Cops have become pawns, either as state enforcement or convenient excuses for subversion by collectivists.  The aim is to nationalize them while we are disarmed.  The iron fist, which destroys from within as evidenced in every collectivist dictatorship including monarchies from time in memorial, demands complete control and accountability only to the state.

I might be in between a rock and hard place myself for this post.  There is, however, a solution.  We return responsibility to the people. 

As I say, we must work bit by bit to accomplish this.

Otherwise, rocks and hard places will crumble and tumble, taking us all with them. 

We are all in this together for weal or woe.