The Police

[liberlict]

How do you guys feel about the functional role of the police in your everyday lives?

I'm wondering because since I've been here I've learned a lot about how minorities might see these kind of powers.

Where I live, there is a lot of vandalism of public property, phone boxes smashed, any kind of glass wont last a week. All the bus stations are built around polycarbonate-safe glass because that's the only way to stop them being destroyed.

My old reaction to this was scornful ... but since I've been here I've come to understand how these 'symbols', bus stations or whatever, could be seen to be symbols of oppression by disempowered classes. So now when I see vandalism I look at it in a different context.

So I was wondering how the revolutionary-left see the police? Do you view them as oppressive, or do they have some valid role to play in the theater of history at the moment?

Basically I'm curious what you do when crime interferes with you life, if it does, and how you put it in context.

[Sea]

I feel strange. I begin to bleed out of the ears. My pupils dilate. I cannot digest lima beans or jell-o in the presence of police. The birds sing at a slightly lower pitch. I do support police theaters but only because it keeps them off the streets. I do not attend personally however, because often they are poor actors. Convicts often have just the right acting skill to portray police officers convincingly, but not the other way around.

[Loony Le Fist]

How do you guys feel about the functional role of the police in your everyday lives?

I'd say it's functional role is for me to interact with them as little as possible. Kidding aside, I think it's important to have some kind of police protection. But I would prefer them to be chosen by the community they are policing.

I'm wondering because since I've been here I've learned a lot about how minorities might see these kind of powers.

Yep. Sometimes it's hard to break out of the intellectual distortions about.

My old reaction to this was scornful ... but since I've been here I've come to understand how these 'symbols', bus stations or whatever, could be seen to be symbols of oppression by disempowered classes. So now when I see vandalism I look at it in a different context.

I agree. I think it can be a certain type of lashing out. But I think a lot of that can be alleviated if communities got to be a part of deciding who is going to be police. And if these communities had the opportunity to recall bad police officers that abuse their powers. Unchecked power is evil. Zimbardo proved that in the Stanford Prison Experiments. It seems that even among people considered psychologically normal, at least 60% become sadistic when granted authority with too much autonomy.

[Stanford Prison Experiment Video follows]

[youtube=sZwfNs1pqG0]Standford Prison Experiment[/youtube]

So I was wondering how the revolutionary-left see the police? Do you view them as oppressive, or do they have some valid role to play in the theater of history at the moment?

I think police have to be accountable. I think cops should have to wear personal video recording devices like they do in many cities. This has been very effective in reducing citizen complaints.

Basically I'm curious what you do when crime interferes with you life, if it does, and how you put it in context.

Well as it stands now with the case Warren v. DC, the police in the US have absolutely no duty to protect citizens. So I think police should have a duty to protect them as part of their jobs. I have nothing against police personally, I just want them to be held to the necessary standard of account.

[liberlict]

I feel strange. I begin to bleed out of the ears. My pupils dilate. I cannot digest lima beans or jell-o in the presence of police. The birds sing at a slightly lower pitch. I do support police theaters but only because it keeps them off the streets. I do not attend personally however, because often they are poor actors. Convicts often have just the right acting skill to portray police officers convincingly, but not the other way around.

It was a sincere question. If I'm being stupid in asking it i'd appreciate any education you have time for.

[BIXX]

Fuck them, that is my opinion.

If it weren't for them my life would be better. And most situations can be mediated in ways that do not require the police. In fact, often the only thing that prevents that is the police.

Here is an example.

There is a really bad man in my family. He is horridly abusive and he has ruined lives. He has a wife who has several children (one of them tried to kill him before they left home, no one has heard from him since, but he was abused to the point of trying to kill the abuser). Recently she made the decision to get herself and her kids out after finding out this man has also molested several members of our family. She is having an insanely hard time finding a place.

This man had guns and he has threatened/tried to kill family members before. So, for everyone's safety, he should not have guns. The law and police make it impossible to take them from him.

If it weren't for the police he would be dead, and the world would be better.

So fuck the police.

[Loony Le Fist]

I just want to make sure things like this never happen. Video cameras need to be required by law.

[youtube=Y6ptuQfV4q0]Oklahoma Police Beating Suspect[/youtube]

This is systemic and happens over and over again. The police have been suspended--with pay. Apparently they claimed they were following protocol.

[Prometeo liberado]

First off let's get our verbiage right, they are PIGS. Occupying bodyguards of the monied class. Any ideas of working with them to filter out the bad apples is to entertain the obsured and or insanity. I haven't the time for either.

[BIXX]

First off let's get our verbiage right, they are PIGS. Occupying bodyguards of the monied class. Any ideas of working with them to filter out the bad apples is to entertain the obsured and or insanity. I haven't the time for either.

http://theanarchistlibrary.org/libra...he-police-pigs

Never insult out beloved animal friends like that again!

[Rosa Partizan]

I feel uncomfortable about them. I got the imperession that at least here in Germany, a certain type of human being chooses this job...the kind that likes to exercize power about others. They tend to turn a blind eye to the fascists when it comes to demonstrations where anti-fascists collide with neo-nazis. But there's the same problem with the German state in general...radical leftists are equated with fascists from the right. Moreover, most of them behave like disgusting douchebags when it comes to dealing with harassed, molested and raped women. I know plenty of these cases. And don't you ever get controlled by the police in your car...that's when they especially love to show off their authoritarian side. So, to cut a long story short, fuck them.

[tuwix]

How do you guys feel about the functional role of the police in your everyday lives?

I'm wondering because since I've been here I've learned a lot about how minorities might see these kind of powers.

Where I live, there is a lot of vandalism of public property, phone boxes smashed, any kind of glass wont last a week. All the bus stations are built around polycarbonate-safe glass because that's the only way to stop them being destroyed.

My old reaction to this was scornful ... but since I've been here I've come to understand how these 'symbols', bus stations or whatever, could be seen to be symbols of oppression by disempowered classes. So now when I see vandalism I look at it in a different context.

So I was wondering how the revolutionary-left see the police? Do you view them as oppressive, or do they have some valid role to play in the theater of history at the moment?

Basically I'm curious what you do when crime interferes with you life, if it does, and how you put it in context.

Police should be deprived of its main function that is protecting a private and state property and thus transformed into militia.

[Loony Le Fist]

I feel uncomfortable about them. I got the imperession that at least here in Germany, a certain type of human being chooses this job...the kind that likes to exercize power about others.

While this is true, there is evidence that shows that the nature of the job itself also causes people to become this way. See my post above on Zimbardo's research (which you may already be familiar with).

They tend to turn a blind eye to the fascists when it comes to demonstrations where anti-fascists collide with neo-nazis. But there's the same problem with the German state in general...radical leftists are equated with fascists from the right. Moreover, most of them behave like disgusting douchebags when it comes to dealing with harassed, molested and raped women.

Yep. There are hundreds of thousands of backlogged rape kits that haven't been checked out. Yet they have the time to harass and chase down protestors?

I know plenty of these cases. And don't you ever get controlled by the police in your car...that's when they especially love to show off their authoritarian side. So, to cut a long story short, fuck them.

I've never heard of "[getting] controlled by police in your car". Do you mean they hack the cars electronic systems and take control of it remotely now?

[BIXX]

While this is true, there is evidence that shows that the nature of the job itself also causes people to become this way. See my post above on Zimbardo's research (which you may already be familiar with).

Well, I need to take a look at your link, but these people were randomly handed their roles, whereas the police choose that (same with politicians, etc...).

I've never heard of "[getting] controlled by police in your car". Do you mean they hack the cars electronic systems and take control of it remotely now?

I think she meant being pulled over.

[Rosa Partizan]

yeah, I meant being pulled over, in German we have the word "kontrollieren" and it means getting checked out, supervised, examined and so on. Sorry for my shitty English, I kinda wonder myself how I got to the point of being about to finish an M.A. in American Studies.

[liberlict]

I just want to make sure things like this never happen. Video cameras need to be required by law.

[youtube=Y6ptuQfV4q0]Oklahoma Police Beating Suspect[/youtube]

This is systemic and happens over and over again. The police have been suspended--with pay. Apparently they claimed they were following protocol.

Yeah, I can certainly understand that police are legitimized by the state and often abuse their powers. But do you ever have a use for them to protect you, or do you have any respect for their ostensible job to mitigate civil disorder?

[Rosa Partizan]

I guess there may be "good guys" among them, but as loonyleftist mentioned before, many of those good ones get corrupted over the years in this job. As for myself, I can't remember any situation calling them and I hope the need to do so will never occur.

[BIXX]

I guess there may be "good guys" among them, but as loonyleftist mentioned before, many of those good ones get corrupted over the years in this job. As for myself, I can't remember any situation calling them and I hope the need to do so will never occur.

I'm right here. However I agree with your earlier point- anyone who decides they get to prescribe morality and utilize power over others is not my friend.

[Loony Le Fist]

yeah, I meant being pulled over, in German we have the word "kontrollieren" and it means getting checked out, supervised, examined and so on. Sorry for my shitty English, I kinda wonder myself how I got to the point of being about to finish an M.A. in American Studies.

I would say "controlled" is definitely the right word for it.

I hate being pulled over.

[#FF0000]

Yeah, I can certainly understand that police are legitimized by the state and often abuse their powers. But do you ever have a use for them to protect you, or do you have any respect for their ostensible job to mitigate civil disorder?

Well, clubbing our faces in (as communists) would fall under the purview of "mitigating civil disorder". The police might perform some useful tasks for people, but they exist to maintain the status quo. so as many cats they might save from trees (fire departments have been facing serious cuts recently) they still exist to maintain a system of violence organized and directed at folks like me.

Ordinarily for me, calling the police is an absolute last resort. I avoid cops or talking to cops unless it is absolutely necessary.

[Loony Le Fist]

Yeah, I can certainly understand that police are legitimized by the state and often abuse their powers. But do you ever have a use for them to protect you, or do you have any respect for their ostensible job to mitigate civil disorder?

Asked and answered. Only if strong accountability measures are taken.

[liberlict]

Fuck them, that is my opinion.

If it weren't for them my life would be better. And most situations can be mediated in ways that do not require the police. In fact, often the only thing that prevents that is the police.

Here is an example.

There is a really bad man in my family. He is horridly abusive and he has ruined lives. He has a wife who has several children (one of them tried to kill him before they left home, no one has heard from him since, but he was abused to the point of trying to kill the abuser). Recently she made the decision to get herself and her kids out after finding out this man has also molested several members of our family. She is having an insanely hard time finding a place.

This man had guns and he has threatened/tried to kill family members before. So, for everyone's safety, he should not have guns. The law and police make it impossible to take them from him.

If it weren't for the police he would be dead, and the world would be better.

So fuck the police.

Thanks for your input, but can I ask where you live?

I only want to know because I think it's really hard to discuss this without some kind of context.

For example, I live (currently) in Sydney Australia. But I have traveled to places like Thailand and Bali, where the police behave a lot differently.

For example, for drink driving over here, you will be fined and filtered through a court system. In Bali, you can just bribe the police. And you don't really have another option. You can try to negotiate, but it's not really in your best interests to do so.----they make that quite clear to you.

My impression from experience is that in some countries the police are a KGB type outfit and have no accountability at all, which is a lot different to how the police operate in the countries I'm comfortable living in.