More Police Stuff

Via Technically, That’s Illegal (on of my favorite new blogs):

I seriously didn’t intend for this blog to be an anti-police haven.  However, I do see the police as playing a role in the bigger problem of over-regulation in my life.  The police have a job to do, but their job is getting more and more overbearing as new laws are passed.  This and other things have served to make some of the police bitter, obnoxious, and condescending.

You will find me making the argument that “one bad apple ruins the bunch.”  That’s really how I feel.  Some people leave feedback that I should abandon this view because all police are bad because even the “good ones” turn a blind eye to the actions of the bad ones.  Then, other people tell me that I shouldn’t let a few bad apples ruin the bunch because the police really are, by and large, decent, good folks who have society’s best interest in mind.  For now, I will maintain the middle of the road view that the bad ones are serving to ruin the reputation of the good ones.

One of the roles of this blog is to bring awareness of the problem to regular citizens.  I used to be in the boat that considered all police heroes.  I come from a very patriotic background and, somehow, supporting the police is seen as patriotic.  So, I believe that people need to be aware of the increasing police presence in their lives so they can stand up for themselves when new laws are enacted that restrict their liberties.

One of the terrible things that I think is happening in modern day America (U.S.A.) is the more frequent exposure to the idea of the police state at an early age.  This is reflected in having armed officers patrol the schools and giving kids criminal citations for school-related behavior.

You can search through the archives of this blog to find all kinds of articles regarding my view of the police.  I think I’ve made a good case in the past and I’m not going to rehash it all right now.  I think that the problem I have with the police can actually be summed up better by the Twin Rivers Police Association.  They recently stopped selling a shirt that depicts a young child behind bars with the phrase “You Raise ‘Em, We Cage ‘Em.”  Wow.  This police association evidently sees their main job as “caging” our children.

The insidious nature of this shirt disgusts me.  First of all, there are so many laws on the books now that the argument to “just follow the law and you won’t get in trouble” is impossible. The United States has more prisoners than any other country, and it’s not because our citizens are more devious, it’s because we have more laws on the books that are criminal offenses. Once we pair the fact that there are too many laws with the fact that the police have an “out to get you” attitude, we’re doomed.

If you wonder why I have taken the stance against the police that I have, look no further.  It’s increasingly becoming an us vs. them situation, and the police are the ones perpetuating it.