The news has been accumulating some thoughts, and most especially the 12 year old shot in Cleveland.
The news has been accumulating some thoughts, and most especially the 12 year old shot in Cleveland. You know, lots of kids had cap guns when I was little. They were practically ubiquitous. If it wasn't playing soldier, it was cowboys. Does this mean any kid playing with a gun shaped object now gets shot? We'd all have been injured or dead if that was the attitude then. What's different now?
If the argument is that police should be able to protect themselves, I would like to know validated facts for how often police are shot, broken down for circumstance, location, and any demographic info. Just shot, not knives, punches, lead pipes, etc. (although I'm sure it would be informative to have detailed information about violence and injury toward the police, in general, as well). Because unlike when I was growing up, I don't believe them any more.
I think a culture of fear has been fomented and is being used to justify itself. If someone convinced me that everyone was trying to shoot me, I'd shoot first, as well. But generally speaking, we're not living in war zones, no matter how much some people seem to try to convince us we are. Yes, there are areas like that, but I suspect fewer and more localized than, again, both the public and the police are being led to believe. I'm pretty sure that this perspective is not helping in those areas where it might be like that, either. This needs to stop.
If the argument is that police should be able to protect themselves, I would like to know validated facts for how often police are shot, broken down for circumstance, location, and any demographic info. Just shot, not knives, punches, lead pipes, etc. (although I'm sure it would be informative to have detailed information about violence and injury toward the police, in general, as well). Because unlike when I was growing up, I don't believe them any more.
I think a culture of fear has been fomented and is being used to justify itself. If someone convinced me that everyone was trying to shoot me, I'd shoot first, as well. But generally speaking, we're not living in war zones, no matter how much some people seem to try to convince us we are. Yes, there are areas like that, but I suspect fewer and more localized than, again, both the public and the police are being led to believe. I'm pretty sure that this perspective is not helping in those areas where it might be like that, either. This needs to stop.
Dangerous to whom? And specifically where? It's a big city. I don't mean to be flippant, but if you tell people to be afraid, rather than to take control (I don't mean start vigilante gangs and attacks), that's what they do.
ReplyDeleteExactly.
ReplyDeleteWell, even having looked for it this morning, it took a triple check to finally date this article (http://detroit.cbslocal.com/2012/10/06/enter-at-your-own-risk-police-union-says-war-like-detroit-is-unsafe-for-visitors/#.VHFSIeJiyNh.facebook) to 2+ yrs ago. But it was posted on FB today by someone who just married a DPD officer, but they live in the exurbs.
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