my partner might become a cop...

[Lobotomy]

First off, if you're just going to tell me I shouldn't be with him or call me a traitor or something, you can go fuck yourself, because I don't owe justifications for shit to anyone and that's not my point of this post.

he and his family are pretty working class through and through. He's more or less apolitical and he doesn't really have the same views on law enforcement as I do. he recognizes that there is corruption in law enforcement but he sees the police first and foremost as protectors of the community, and that's what he wants to be. he also wants job security and, of course, he would be making more money than he is now. Since he has always been poor he wants a more stress-free lifestyle.

I want him to do what makes him happy, but I'm concerned. here in the US the gap between the rich and the poor is growing at an alarming rate. We're pretty young and it seems inevitable that the shit will hit the fan here in our lifetimes. if that happens, what do I do? I want to stand with the working class in that kind of situation but I would be worried sick about him.

[Sasha]

I know several people who became cops, in my experience it can go 3 ways;
- they drop out fast disillusioned by all the asshole's they need to work with.
- they turn assholes themselves and you are forced to end the friendship.
- they land one of the few morally o.k. jobs in the force like in vice/special victims unit or internal affairs.

[Rusty Shackleford]

tell him about doing dispatch jobs or even the fire department.


i might apply to do dispatch at the FD. 3 days on 3 days off. 12 hr shifts though.

[Nox]

Tell him to live on the dole.

Dole = Good

[Ocean Seal]

First off, if you're just going to tell me I shouldn't be with him or call me a traitor or something, you can go fuck yourself, because I don't owe justifications for shit to anyone and that's not my point of this post.

he and his family are pretty working class through and through. He's more or less apolitical and he doesn't really have the same views on law enforcement as I do. he recognizes that there is corruption in law enforcement but he sees the police first and foremost as protectors of the community, and that's what he wants to be. he also wants job security and, of course, he would be making more money than he is now. Since he has always been poor he wants a more stress-free lifestyle.

I want him to do what makes him happy, but I'm concerned. here in the US the gap between the rich and the poor is growing at an alarming rate. We're pretty young and it seems inevitable that the shit will hit the fan here in our lifetimes. if that happens, what do I do? I want to stand with the working class in that kind of situation but I would be worried sick about him.

Tell him that you support his choice to join law enforcement. But continue to tell him your opinion on law enforcement, and perhaps since he does come from a working class background he might have some experience with law enforcement corruption. Tell him that you don't entirely believe that it is the individuals that do this, but that its a systemic problem within the police. Acknowledge that he could still be a good cop, but that in your opinion he would be helping out a bad system. Again being that he comes from a working class background, you should try to show him the economic end of what the police do (extortion, prison industrial complex and how this hurts the working class, deals with drug dealers, not giving enough attention to the poor, etc.). If he realizes that the ruling class controls this system and advances their power with the police, this might help him reach a more reasonable solution. Just be kind and supportive, remember that this is someone that you love, and that they don't share your opinion on something that you might feel very strongly about.

[Jazzratt]

Tell him to live on the dole.

Dole = Good If this is a serious post I can only assume you've never been on the dole.

[danyboy27]

Tell him to live on the dole.

Dole = Good

not if you are allergic to peanut butter.

[Thirsty Crow]

Since he has always been poor he wants a more stress-free lifestyle.

This sounds fairly contradictory to me.
As if your partner would trade one source of anxiety and stress (the financial aspect) for another source of the same phenomena (I don't think that it's accurate to say that cops' occupation does not induce high levels of stress).

[Lobotomy]

This sounds fairly contradictory to me.
As if your partner would trade one source of anxiety and stress (the financial aspect) for another source of the same phenomena (I don't think that it's accurate to say that cops' occupation does not induce high levels of stress).

You're right, and I meant to say that he just doesn't want financial stress. He already deals with a stressful job.