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Rand Paul: We Must Demilitarize the Police


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http://time.com/3111474/rand-paul-ferguson-police/

 

I am posting this article becuase I do think our police have become way too militarized, and are being trained that we the people are the enemy. I do not know what the facts are about the initial shooting, and am not endorsing or condeming the article's content. We simply do not know what happened, but I am glad Rand has spoken up about this serious problem growing within our country.

thx,

Thegente

Rand Paul: We Must Demilitarize the Police
 
ferguson-police-2.jpg?w=1680Police in riot gear watch protesters in Ferguson, Mo. on Aug. 13, 2014. Jeff Roberson—AP Anyone who thinks race does not skew the application of criminal justice in this country is just not paying close enough attention, Sen. Rand Paul writes for TIME, amid violence in Ferguson, Mo. over the police shooting death of Michael Brown

If I had been told to get out of the street as a teenager, there would have been a distinct possibility that I might have smarted off. But, I wouldn’t have expected to be shot.

The outrage in Ferguson is understandable—though there is never an excuse for rioting or looting. There is a legitimate role for the police to keep the peace, but there should be a difference between a police response and a military response.

The images and scenes we continue to see in Ferguson resemble war more than traditional police action.

Glenn Reynolds, in Popular Mechanics, recognized the increasing militarization of the police five years ago. In 2009 he wrote:

Soldiers and police are supposed to be different. … Police look inward. They’re supposed to protect their fellow citizens from criminals, and to maintain order with a minimum of force.

It’s the difference between Audie Murphy and Andy Griffith. But nowadays, police are looking, and acting, more like soldiers than cops, with bad consequences. And those who suffer the consequences are usually innocent civilians.

The Cato Institute’s Walter Olson observed this week how the rising militarization of law enforcement is currently playing out in Ferguson:

Why armored vehicles in a Midwestern inner suburb?
Why would cops wear camouflage gear against a terrain patterned by convenience stores and beauty parlors? Why are the authorities in Ferguson, Mo. so given to quasi-martial crowd control methods (such as bans on walking on the street) and, per the reporting of
Riverfront Times
, the firing of tear gas at people in their own yards? (“‘This my property!’ he shouted, prompting police to fire a tear gas canister directly at his face.”) Why would someone identifying himself as an 82nd Airborne Army veteran, observing the Ferguson police scene, comment that “We rolled lighter than that in an actual warzone”?

Olson added, “the dominant visual aspect of the story, however, has been the sight of overpowering police forces confronting unarmed protesters who are seen waving signs or just their hands.”

How did this happen?

Most police officers are good cops and good people. It is an unquestionably difficult job, especially in the current circumstances.

There is a systemic problem with today’s law enforcement.

Not surprisingly, big government has been at the heart of the problem. Washington has incentivized the militarization of local police precincts by using federal dollars to help municipal governments build what are essentially small armies—where police departments compete to acquire military gear that goes far beyond what most of Americans think of as law enforcement.

This is usually done in the name of fighting the war on drugs or terrorism. The Heritage Foundation’s Evan Bernick wrote in 2013 that, “the Department of Homeland Security has handed out anti-terrorism grants to cities and towns across the country, enabling them to buy armored vehicles, guns, armor, aircraft, and other equipment.”

Bernick continued, “federal agencies of all stripes, as well as local police departments in towns with populations less than 14,000, come equipped with SWAT teams and heavy artillery.”

Bernick noted the cartoonish imbalance between the equipment some police departments possess and the constituents they serve, “today, Bossier Parish, Louisiana, has a .50 caliber gun mounted on an armored vehicle. The Pentagon gives away millions of pieces of military equipment to police departments across the country—tanks included.”

When you couple this militarization of law enforcement with an erosion of civil liberties and due process that allows the police to become judge and jury—national security letters, no-knock searches, broad general warrants, pre-conviction forfeiture—we begin to have a very serious problem on our hands.

Given these developments, it is almost impossible for many Americans not to feel like their government is targeting them. Given the racial disparities in our criminal justice system, it is impossible for African-Americans not to feel like their government is particularly targeting them.

This is part of the anguish we are seeing in the tragic events outside of St. Louis, Missouri. It is what the citizens of Ferguson feel when there is an unfortunate and heartbreaking shooting like the incident with Michael Brown.

Anyone who thinks that race does not still, even if inadvertently, skew the application of criminal justice in this country is just not paying close enough attention. Our prisons are full of black and brown men and women who are serving inappropriately long and harsh sentences for non-violent mistakes in their youth.

The militarization of our law enforcement is due to an unprecedented expansion of government power in this realm. It is one thing for federal officials to work in conjunction with local authorities to reduce or solve crime. It is quite another for them to subsidize it.

Americans must never sacrifice their liberty for an illusive and dangerous, or false, security. This has been a cause I have championed for years, and one that is at a near-crisis point in our country.

Let us continue to pray for Michael Brown’s family, the people of Ferguson, police, and citizens alike.

Paul is the junior U.S. Senator for Kentucky.

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So you think by taking away weapons, equipment & training from our police departments - they will be better prepared to safeguard public safety?

 

Have you ever heard the saying: "Prepare for the worst but hope for the best."

 

With the increase in assault weapons, military groups & well armed/prepared criminals what do you expect?

 

You can not have it both ways; selling record numbers of assault rifles but cut down on police assets? That's Stupid!

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Yeah, dont care much for the guy (his father is a GREAT AMERICAN), but he is right. Also, the whole idea of looking at people as criminals to begin with is where the problem lies with these uniformed thugs. They need to be held accountable for their actions. But, as we all know, cops murder people all the time and are given a free-pass to go on killing. Knowing you will not be held accountable for your crimes only encourages these state-sponsored, bloated, tax-fed criminals to keep-up with their attitude towards real productive folks. I hope the murder's name and address is released to the public soon. Street-justice can be a real "biiiitacch". dunno, just saying........

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Yeah, dont care much for the guy (his father is a GREAT AMERICAN), but he is right. Also, the whole idea of looking at people as criminals to begin with is where the problem lies with these uniformed thugs. They need to be held accountable for their actions. But, as we all know, cops murder people all the time and are given a free-pass to go on killing. Knowing you will not be held accountable for your crimes only encourages these state-sponsored, bloated, tax-fed criminals to keep-up with their attitude towards real productive folks. I hope the murder's name and address is released to the public soon. Street-justice can be a real "biiiitacch". dunno, just saying........

Sounds ta me like ya'll better STAY IN THAILAND! LOL 

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So you think by taking away weapons, equipment & training from our police departments - they will be better prepared to safeguard public safety?

 

Have you ever heard the saying: "Prepare for the worst but hope for the best."

 

With the increase in assault weapons, military groups & well armed/prepared criminals what do you expect?

 

You can not have it both ways; selling record numbers of assault rifles but cut down on police assets? That's Stupid!

The selling of record numbers of "assault rifles"...Yep, bought by law abiding Americans who fear and are disgusted by their government and unchecked police brutality and murder. Any govt that needs to arm it self to the teeth in fear of the people, has already failed. And as for "safegurding public safety", you're joking right? I've never needed the police to safeguard me, I can take care of that on my own. Usually when the police show up, it only exacerbates the situation, becuase of the mentality they are being taught. And on top of that, when do the police usually arrive to "safegurd" everyone? AFTER THE CRIME HAS ALREADY BEEN COMMITTED. It's like putting a stop-sign in after a fatal collision, they simply don't do that much to safeguard us. A band-aid at best

 

Increasing Police Brutality: Americans Killed by Cops Now Outnumber Americans Killed in Iraq War

http://www.globalresearch.ca/increasing-police-brutality-americans-killed-by-cops-now-outnumber-americans-killed-in-iraq-war/5361554

 

http://thefreethoughtproject.com/americans-killed-cops-outnumber-americans-killed-iraq-war/

It's not Police per se that I am against, it's the "them or us" mentality being drilled into the police that we are their enemies (and yes, there are dirtbags out there who are) when the major percentage of Americans are not. It's just more state control by a corrupt govt who knows their days are numbered.

 

 

Google this phrase and you will see how out of hand this is:

"innocent americans killed in no-knock warrant mistakes"

I'll leave it at that...

 

Edited by thegente
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Everyone is a "law abiding American" until they are conviced of breaking the law! LOL

 

I concede the point - "no-knock warrant mistakes do happen!"

 

But to disarm the police or any serious firepower or to stop training for serious criminals to a mistake about to happen!

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Like I said, I don't need the police to protect me, never have. And the "serious firepower" was already there, since the 1970's, it's called SWAT, they are the ones that are supposed to deal with extreme cases, but ALL police are being geared that way, and it is entirely not neccessay. Regular beat police and patrolmen do not need MRAPs and AR-15s to respond to a "disturbance". If they get there and the situation is more than they can handle, THEN call SWAT, that's why they are there. Again, it's about the "us vs. them" mentality being drilled into their heads by a corrupt and fearful govt.

Edited by thegente
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When it comes to police armament I think it comes down to which side of the blue line you happen to be on.

If you are a protester the last thing you want to see when you come around the corner with your three bricks and 1 empty beer bottle is a fully equipped MRAP and a squad of police in full assault gear.

 

The police officer who is standing there with 12 others facing an angry mob of 300 that have bricks, sticks and god only knows what else. I would bet he is wondering what would be so bad about having a mini gun or two laying around just in case.

 

Unfortunately unless we put an end to the militarizing of police we will end up with another Columbia university massacre.

 

Judges who issues no knock warrants and police need to be held criminally accountable.

There have been way too many innocent people wronged too many family pets killed and babies hurt or killed by flash grenades.

 

If you are going into someone’s house with that kind of firepower you had better be right

 

OOPS just don’t get it

 

                                 

                                     No Surrender No Retreat and No Compromise

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Yeah, dont care much for the guy (his father is a GREAT AMERICAN), but he is right. Also, the whole idea of looking at people as criminals to begin with is where the problem lies with these uniformed thugs. They need to be held accountable for their actions. But, as we all know, cops murder people all the time and are given a free-pass to go on killing. Knowing you will not be held accountable for your crimes only encourages these state-sponsored, bloated, tax-fed criminals to keep-up with their attitude towards real productive folks. I hope the murder's name and address is released to the public soon. Street-justice can be a real "biiiitacch". dunno, just saying........

 

Agreed Thaiexpat...

As soon as I said that about Rand Paul... I wished that I had qualified my statement along with with what I think of his father. Ron Paul is a "GREAT AMERICAN"... One of the only politicians in modern history that had the courage to take on the Fed Reserve. I liked so many of his other policies too. I hope his through his legacy... his policies will catch on like wild fire. I don't necessarily see that coming from Rand Paul... Perhaps it will come from the folks that saw all the good in Ron Paul and his policies...

 

 

Like I said, I don't need the police to protect me, never have. And the "serious firepower" was already there, since the 1970's, it's called SWAT, they are the ones that are supposed to deal with extreme cases, but ALL police are being geared that way, and it is entirely not neccessay. Regular beat police and patrolmen do not need MRAPs and AR-15s to respond to a "disturbance". If they get there and the situation is more than they can handle, THEN call SWAT, that's why they are there. Again, it's about the "us vs. them" mentality being drilled into their heads by a corrupt and fearful govt.

 

Agreed Gente...

 

It is NOT necessary for a town of 14,000 to have their police force be militarized... and what about ALL of our rights to protest peacefully? So if a couple of dill weeds throw a couple of coke bottles at the cops... bring in the tanks??? Protest Over!!!!

 

Common sense says when you give a bunch of police forces all these "toys'...

they are most assuredly going to find a way to use (play with) them.

 

 

Disclaimer: My statement ^^^ was talking in GENERAL... not in regard to this article nor in regard to this protest. Okay?

Edited by Maggie123
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I worry about the militarization of the police because I don't trust their ability to discern the difference between right and wrong.  If the intent is Authoritarian... to suppress our freedoms to protect ourselves or peacefully protest... then NO!  This is being done under the guise of combating domestic terrorism though they've begun using it as a show of force against anyone "they" deem a threat .  This administration has already made it clear they include me in that category because I openly disagree with policy and motive.  Can my local Police Force tell the difference between people who love this country and freedom and people who don't?  It would appear not.  

Peace Officers should "Serve and Protect"... As for the REAL threat... I'll take my chances behind my blade of grass, thank you!

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I'm just saying Rand Paul was not going to miss a face time opportunity like this one.   :peace: 

 

GO RV, and NO BV

Whew! Thought you and the Thugster were ganging-up on me with clever play-o-words. So, I guess I am not as stupid as I thought. Thanks for the boosts in my confidence. Off to hospital for surgery today! Let's see....leg bone is connected to the hip bone...the hip bones connected.....

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