Open Thread Dec. 16: Trumpkins Update Carlin
Remember George Carlin’s 7 words you couldn’t say on TV? Scientists at the Centers for Disease Control have been told to avoid using seven words in their budget requests. The words include “fetus,” “transgender” and, my personal favorite for a scientific agency, “science-based.”
Michael Gerson, a guy who thinks of himself as a moderate Republican, has come to the obvious conclusion a mere 13 months too late — Republicans have to lose more elections like the one in Alabama if the party, at least as he understands it, is to survive.
Rehoboth Beach commissioners tabled the plan to extend voting rights to owners of limited liability corporations. The article also points out that Mayor Paul Kuhns is co-owner of Arena’s Deli, which I didn’t realize.
This is what life is like in a police state: The family of the 16-year-old shot and killed by a Delaware state trooper earlier this week is just as much in the dark as the rest of the public about what happened that led to the shooting, let alone who shot him. All police have said is that the youth “displayed” a gun. It’s not a police bill of rights, it’s a bill of special privileges.
Lot of shopping to do today, so add anything else noteworthy.
Delaware State Police are investigating an incident where they said a trooper was dragged by a vehicle, forcing him to fatally shoot the suspect.
“Forcing?”
I’d like to see the dashcam/bodycam video of this “dragging.” Cars aren’t built with hooks on them. Maybe Delaware police need a special training seminar on “Letting go of the car 101.”
Seems more like police are itching for the car to move an inch so they can shoot.
Your use of the word “police state” is no exaggeration. Such conduct in another country would be considered characteristic of a police state. But stupid patriotism keeps too many Americans from calling much of cops’ behavior for what it is.
When people here the term “police state” it invokes Orwell’s 1984, which is considered the definitive fictional treatment of a police state. While one can find some parallels between today and 1984, overall the term police state in reference to today is hyperbole.
I get that in general, policing needs a reset. However, when people quite clearly faced with hyperbole regarding a particular topic, they become dismissive of it as simply histrionics. If you want people to pay attention, my suggestion would be to find phrases and terms that more accurately describe the issue. If you have noticed, even with the latest round of incidents, you do not have widespread outrage since people see these incidents as isolated and localized rather than widespread and systemic.
I’m not trying to tell you there isn’t a problem. I’m simply trying to tell you that the language you employ should attempt to have some impact. My opinion is that it doesn’t. My opinion may not reflect greater society, but I can tell you it reflects the alt right’s opinion. So at least there is some common ground for you to explore.
While we’re talking “police state,” am I the only one who is offended by the cops who have replaced the American flag outside their homes with the blue-and-white knockoff to promote their sanctimonious “blue lives matter” crusade?
I know, the First Amendment permits such expressions, and I’m not suggesting we abandon the First Amendment, but if any other group changed the colors of ye olde Star Spangled Banner to promote their cause, they’d have hell to pay.
If 1984 is the standard for using the term “police state,” then no nation qualifies for the term. Since when did this novel dictate the meaning of the term? Claiming that it does sounds like an attempt minimize the severity of cop behavior in the US. This is all that a cop needs to justify murdering someone in the US: claim, merely claim, I thought they were reaching for a weapon. Unless someone happens to film the incident, the mere claim is sufficient to pump a citizen with several–not just one–bullets. Pray tell, if such a CLAIM alone suffices to murder citizens and that isn’t characteristic of a police state, then what is characteristic of one in the real world (not in the world of fiction)?
I said it was the “definitive fictional treatment” not the standard. And certainly North Korea would fit that description today as one in the real world.
I am not attempting to minimize the severity of the problem. Rather to elicit a more accurate description of the problem in an attempt to attain common recognition as a precursor to actually doing something about it rather than simply being outraged.
Tiered Rights State ? Cops have the right to kill people. The wealthy have a different set of rights than the non wealthy.
We have lots of tiers. It works because the are all kept busy stomping on the fingers of the people in the tier directly below ours.
“Tiered Rights State ”
That is pretty accurate! Them that has gets. Our democracy is indeed tiered. Some count more than others, usually but no always, using the dollar yardstick.
The police reflect society and society says the upper tier is treated one way and the other tiers another way. I will note that the military led the way in desegregation. I wonder if reforming law enforcement could be the same forcing function? Anyway, I do know that as long as it perceived to be a problem with a single segment (tier?) of society, it is not perceived as a societal problem.
The first place I would start is in the recruit arena. I believe there should be change and improvement in the psychological testing of recruits, including the propensity to act irrationally out of fear, anger, or other strong emotional condition. The second obvious improvement is the lethal means should be employed as a last resort. There several ways to incapacitate someone, including tranquilizers, tasers, et al. So there are two concrete ways or effecting change. I’m sure there are many, many, more.
Here is an article about a study conducted on “white resentment” (which more accurately describes the issue in my opinion). Particularly note the last part which suggests that recruits are entering academies with attitudes towards blacks and the failure of psychological testing to weed out those with those attitudes.
http://sfbayview.com/2017/12/the-height-of-racial-resentment-white-cops/
Poor whitey can’t get a break
“The police reflect society”
If what you mean is that they are power-worshipping and corrupt, then well put.
As for influencing people with language, you can’t influence them with video of police killing unarmed people in cold blood. What makes you think you’ll change them with language?
“Thirty years ago we were skinheads. You could identify us. We decided at that time to grow our hair out, trade in our boots for suits. And we encouraged people to get jobs in law enforcement.” –Ex white supremacist on 60 minutes.
It didn’t take any concerted effort. Lots of cops were racist before 30 years ago.