COVID19 Factors We Should Consider/Current Events

[David A. Rowe]

I think the hypothetical is silly, but would you wear one that says "Derek Chauvin was Innocent"? How about one with a picture of Daniel Shaver that says "When we say jump, you say how high."? Only if they were literally the only options you had for body armor, of course.

So, two points:

1) If that's what my department handed me, then I'd wear one with both of them on there. And then I would do what I've always done: spend my own money buying the equipment I need and using that, instead.

2) I apologize that I forgot about no-knock warrants. If you look at statistics, they're a non-issue. I also don't serve warrants... that's not something they give to rookies. I also don't support no-knock warrants. Either the situation allows for a normal execution of a warrant, or if it's dangerous enough to no-knock you should put the subject(s) under surveillance so that you can grab them outside of a home and away from as much of the public as you can to minimize risk to others.

We would probably agree, ultimately, after a long and nuanced discussion of the topic of SRT, SWAT and their employment. If you're ever in my neck of the woods look me up. I'll buy your first beer.

I definitely never want to see this kind of shit again whether it happened this way or not:

Jose Guerena shooting - Wikipedia

[David A. Rowe]

Right. Just because it's stupid doesn't mean that you can ignore it.



An obvious point. But consider that we taxpayers are not in a position to do anything about the assholes, whereas you guys are. And nothing gets done.



I don't give a shit what they are supposed to be used for, or how shitty they are. I just care about the fact that they are designed as offensive weapons, and that the guys using them have no business constructing the us-versus-them scenario these things are designed for.




I seem to have missed the rescue part, as well as their need to be ballistically protected.



"Militarized" means designed and purposed to attack the enemy. Police cannot be police if their purpose is to attack the enemy, because civilians cannot become the enemy. When civilians become the enemy, we're done.

The trucks are not a hill I'm willing to die on, really. They were a knee jerk to IED deaths, and they were only good for one environment. I'm sure that instead of the goodness of their hearts it was political baby-kissing to give them away rather than outright destroy what they had just spent billions of dollars on.

I'm not really in a position to do much about assholes either, Rip. I've got plenty of my own asshole cop stories. There's only two things in my wheelhouse: not be an asshole and not look the other way. Thankfully, I haven't needed to take action on the latter, yet. Maybe one day I'll be in a decision-making position.

Is it really so offensive to public sensibilities that I wear body armor that's better, though? That gives me benefits in the short and long term?

I'm not buying that you don't understand the value of ballistic protection, and I'm not asking for anything that I don't support the average citizen owning and using if they so choose. I'm asking for parity -- not dominance.

[anticausal]

This is a "natural news exclusive" relying on samples from a single mortician, so the veracity is questionable, but I think it's at least worth taking in as a data point:

EXCLUSIVE: Shocking microscopy photos of blood clots extracted from those who “suddenly died” – crystalline structures, nanowires, chalky particles and fibrous structures

If they illegally "back-doored" your phones without the public's consent, why wouldn't they do the same with a vaccine? The NSA knew, the corporations knew, but no one told you about it until Snowden spilled the beans.

You know, by now, that I'm not being snarky. Honest to God... I just don't see the problem. Give me some examples and solid justifications, and I'll be more than happy to listen, understand and honestly address whatever rocks we kick over.

How about we back out a bit and forget about the specific equipment for a minute. Prior to the 1980s, would anyone look at a police officer and think he looked like a combatant? Would anyone ever confuse the two? Can you see the problem with people consciously, or subconsciously, conflating cop and combatant? This definitely matters.

Americans have many great (yet complicated) historical figures to draw from. Just dive into their history, but realise the official "Great Figures" of American history, which are given to Americans, were the elites - and as such, they were self-serving. You can go and point out the Free Masonic aspects of these elites, etc. The important thing to notice is the average American is taught that these elites were just like them and they should identify with them and their ideas, but that is not their rich history or their rich heritage at all.

You make some great points, but you probably overestimate the American edumacation system. All I really remember learning in my (admittedly very liberal) 90s school district was that there was only one Great Figure in American history, his name was Martin Luther King, and Rosa Parks was his prophet. They might have thrown some other stuff at us, but that's all they really make sure to pound into your psyche. Everything before MLK's ascension is ancient pre-history that is best mostly forgotten, except maybe to illustrate how evil the before-times were.

If you boil down the American identity, it's the Aryan Barbarian, but people have been convinced otherwise. It's not for nothing that Alex Jones, for example, is extremely popular on the right, despite having so many fans who also know all the problems with him - but they still like him. I still like him. He is the quintessential American nationalist in a way. He's hot-blooded, conspiratorial, has a touch of religious madness to him, ready to throw down and do violence at a moment's notice. The American is the Aryan Barbarian and if there's going to be an American nationalism, there needs to be a lot of self re-discovery and an effort made to unapologetically tap into this spirit. This is also the reason Trump, despite not doing anything Big N Nationalistic of note, was so popular going into this crisis period.

Trump was only a muted imitation of this archetype, and even that was a thousand times preferable to the slop they usually offer us. Now just imagine how much they will screech "fascist" and "nazi" when the real deal shows up.

[Mark E. Hurling]

We're trying to have a serious discussion here, and you're talking about "the willies" for your typical cuteness purposes. Please contribute or go away.

I suppose the preferred term of art is (or once was) butt-hurt.

This case of the ass about police and their equipment is nothing new. Except it used to be the province of the ACLU and community organizers. In the 70's, the ACLU and others were all over hollow point ammunition. Also, this was when LE agencies began to move from 6 shot revolvers to larger magazine capacity semi-autos. More horrors were expressed over weapons of war and police firepower. Body armor had just made it's entry on the scene and if you wanted it, and your department decided it was worthwhile, you were on your own hook to buy it. Armor was not considered part of the uniform. No doubt this changed at some point after I left the public sector.

Uniforms were pretty low key things. Ugly-ass powder blue shirts, navy blue pants, and easily cuffed corfam shoes were often the order of the day for many departments. The only fancy pockets, and these were only on high-end uniform pants was one for a flat sap along the outer seam. But saps were going out of use for the same reasons the ACLU didn't like the other LE equipment mentioned above. Which was probably not a bad thing, because saps got abused and misused back then even more than tasers are now.

For reference, history tells us that the original PD's back in the Eastern got some real hate, shit, and discontent when their watchmen were first put into semi-uniform garb, and given cudgels for whatever might be necessary.

Haters gonna hate.

[CommanderFun]

I think when it comes to "militarized police", the real issue is that some departments seem to be developing what I call a "Tackleberry problem," named after the Police Academy character.

[johnst_nhb]

I suppose the preferred term of art is (or once was) butt-hurt.

This case of the ass about police and their equipment is nothing new. Except it used to be the province of the ACLU and community organizers. In the 70's, the ACLU and others were all over hollow point ammunition. Also, this was when LE agencies began to move from 6 shot revolvers to larger magazine capacity semi-autos. More horrors were expressed over weapons of war and police firepower. Body armor had just made it's entry on the scene and if you wanted it, and your department decided it was worthwhile, you were on your own hook to buy it. Armor was not considered part of the uniform. No doubt this changed at some point after I left the public sector.

Uniforms were pretty low key things. Ugly-ass powder blue shirts, navy blue pants, and easily cuffed corfam shoes were often the order of the day for many departments. The only fancy pockets, and these were only on high-end uniform pants was one for a flat sap along the outer seam. But saps were going out of use for the same reasons the ACLU didn't like the other LE equipment mentioned above. Which was probably not a bad thing, because saps got abused and misused back then even more than tasers are now.

For reference, history tells us that the original PD's back in the Eastern got some real hate, shit, and discontent when their watchmen were first put into semi-uniform garb, and given cudgels for whatever might be necessary.

Haters gonna hate.

Spoken like a true Trias believer.

[cmdrfunk]

If you're flying a Ukraine flag, assholes, you are the identified enemy right here at home, thank you very much for wearing an enemy uniform openly in public and you deserve to be forced to pay every damned dime of the economic cost to this nation for that act of STUPIDITY. You ALL deserve the worst of what is to come AND IT IS COMING, like it or not. I and many others will do our level best to make sure YOU and your entire family eat that cost -- every damn cent of it. You are the most-stupid follower of the "next shiny object" and frankly, you are too fucking stupid to consume oxygen that could and should instead be used by something like a hog that actually produces a useful end product -- tasty bacon.

He's still pulling punches. Just admit we need to load up a great many boxcars.

[anticausal]

Tucker monologue on red flag laws

This one's pretty good.

[Mark Rippetoe]

Tucker monologue on red flag laws

This one's pretty good.

Yes, it's true. Cornyn is retiring.

[Jovan Dragisic]

Trump was only a muted imitation of this archetype, and even that was a thousand times preferable to the slop they usually offer us. Now just imagine how much they will screech "fascist" and "nazi" when the real deal shows up.

The fascist media screamed fascist at Trump because he is a true anti fascist.