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Politics : View from the Center and Left -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: epicure who wrote (266656)	12/22/2014 10:54:31 AM
From: Metacomet	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 541141

Amazing..

To: epicure who wrote (266656)	12/22/2014 11:00:54 AM
From: Wharf Rat	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 541141

"I hope Wilson is vindicated" Unless you can prove Brown actually grabbed the gun, with scientific evidence, Wilson remains a lying thug who is an unreliable witness only interested in getting off.

To: epicure who wrote (266656)	12/22/2014 12:06:43 PM
From: Cautious_Optimist	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 541141

Supporting police is not an either/or subject, as Rudy Giuliani and other (global) police hawks would have us believe. IMHO it is possible and patriotic to: 1) Better understand and support police especially on beats, the ones who show up quickly at scenes, sacrificing life and limb to do their service. Also the first ones are often the ones who have the most reporting responsibilities - a necessary disincentive for speeding to a hot crime scene. Most prefer the safer backup role, or writing traffic tickets. FOR A METAPHOR, I don't have to support the politics that lead to a war for example, to support soldiers. Sans a true draft, they usually belong to a class trying to better their lives and hopes in exchange for a vocation and/or an education after service. I don't have to support Mai Lai-- or the few violent raging police who should not have that job, generally not held accountable-- to support the mission and financial needs of police generally. I also think we need to pay attention to police (and firefighter) alcoholism and family abuse causes and rates, similar to the rage of a segment of NFL players. Policing (like mercenaries) attracts some violent, raging, troubled people who can alternatively charm the hell out of you. 2) Support the majority of police who do their jobs bravely and effectively for reasonably good financial rewards, beyond the cops who care mostly about maximizing early retirement, surprisingly colossal pensions, and abuses of power like the complicated and practices of "street justice" as with the Rider's in Oakland (planted evidence for example.) Or pure police theft as in the recent San Francisco case. Or brutal beatings purely to send a message to a community. As I have said, it is no surprise that most police are ineffective at self-regulating - unfortunately behind the badge "snitches get stiches." Lack of self-regulation is true and predictable for Surgeons, Dentists, Bankers, Firefighters, Stockbrokers, other human associations too. Its the human gang meme. 3) Its totally possible to optimize officer safety tactics, while practicing constitutional and ethical policing "to protect and serve" the community. THEY ARE NOT MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE. F-YOU RUDY GIULIANI and your black/white debate against higher values. 4) In my Oakland, gangs and sociopathic murderous crims are out there with more guns than the local National Guard armory. Public safety people on the streets need much support and help. In the meantime our schools and social services are broken, just like our prison system who prefers record solitary confinements to rehabilitation and help at release -- just promotes the cycle. How stupid and short-term we are with local treasury. While the fat cat ultra right wing uber lobbying big apartment owners grow richer in their suburban gated communities, as local urban cops die protecting their property, -- protected by the outrageous gifts they receive from Prop 13 in this age of record rents in my area. Most police shootings of suspects are justified, and most get little challenge. But there has to be some accountability and limits to deadly force in a civilized free society. Not ALL cases of deadly force are justified, and not all police should be in that work. This is common sense, not political. JMHO