SNIP ...cops... Should an entire group be discriminated against simply because of the misdeeds of a few? Seriously? Why do I even have to ask the question?
Discriminate? Exercising rights is discrimination?
A few? Well, I guess I can understand that from a fella who earlier said he can see just fine, and tried to invalidate the numerous reports of police abuses by tossing off a comment about needing to take false and skewed reports into account.
But, a few? Really? There was a French legislator who wrote a booklet in the 1830's-40's. Frederic Bastiat. Title:
Things That Are Seen And Things That Are Unseen.[SUP]1[/SUP] Now that booklet, still available and very good reading, is about economics; but, I think the title applies here a little bit. The only way one can claim "few" is if one "unsees" a few things.
Remember the college student in MD who was attacked by cops after a game? The video with the mounted cops? There were about 4-5 cops in that video. Now, what do you suppose are the odds that the
only 4-5 bad cops in that whole city just happened to be on that
exact street corner at that
exact moment? My, what an amazing coincidence! And, what an amazing coincidence that no cops in the crowd control group said anything about the beating until after the video--which disappeared initially--surfaced again?
Remember the homeless guy beaten to a pulp a few months ago? The one who witnesses said begged for his father as he was beaten? The purple face in the internet photo's barely recognizeable as human? There were what? Five cops? in on his beating. Now, what do you suppose are the odds that the
only five bad cops in that
whole city just happened to be at that public transit station?
And, what about all the so-called good cops who refuse to protect us from the bad cops by getting rid of them fast? Ever heard of the Blue Wall of Silence?--so called good cops staying silent to protect bad cops? Do you really expect us to believe that tough-guy cops who regulary go hands-on (their term) with dangerous men, suddenly come over all timid when it comes to other cops? If they were all that concerned about bad cops, the bad cops wouldn't last sixty seconds. Every violation of rights would be instantly reported. "Captain! Officer Basher just intimidated a detainee while questioning by threatening an arrest without probable cause, scaring the youth into answering questions!"
And, where are the police unions demanding department leaders clean up the bad cops in order to make a better, more satisfying workplace for the good cops?
And, where were all the police protesting citizens being arrested and harrassed over the last year for legally video-ing cops? Oh! Yes! I almost forgot! There was exactly
one cop who wrote an essay supporting citizens video-ing police! My fault. I'm so sorry.
You can only claim "a few bad cops" if you only focus on what you can see. You have to look beyond for the unseen. But, then again, maybe
you don't.
I say, from what I can tell, the genuinely good cops--excellent, deep respect for actual rights[SUP]2[/SUP] and the limits of their own authority--are the few.
Those cops deserve our deepest respect for trying to make a career in an industry reeking with abuse.
1. This is an excellent little primer on economics. Very simply written. Very easy to read and understand. I think it was aimed at the masses, and intended to undermine the lies some self-serving government and political types were promoting about economic policies. Much of its content is still applicable today. Still in print, believe it or not.
2. What do I call a good cop? Here's my litmus test/dividing line: a deep personal conviction that rights matter, who respects those rights, and respects from deep personal conviction the limits of his own authority. What would I consider a stellar cop? The one who said, "I don't care whether the Supreme Court said (insert a court authorized infringement here). I'm not going to do it!"