The Militarized Language Of Police

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rita's picture

You want to know another tragedy? The language of self-described "drug law reformers" who are outraged only by police violence against innocent people, in "botched" drug raids where no drugs are found. Every drug raid is a terrorist attack. And since evidence of illegal activity is found only after the shooting stops, ALL that violence is being perpetrated against innocent people.

jd-in-georgia's picture

Once upon a time, the motto plastered on the side of police cars was "To protect and to serve." I have not seen this motto on posters or website... let alone squad cars... for years.

Law-abiding citizens should be able to feel safe around the police and not in fear of them. These people are supposed to be fellow citizens with an often thankless job to do. However, we should not wonder whether or not we are actually protected by the police or if we are nothing more than potential "collateral damage" which is just another way of disassociating themselves from the citizens they are supposed to protect.

In a war zone, soldiers (or as in the case of this article, "operators") are doing a job in a place that is not their home. Those citizens of the countries where they are serving are typically going to look at them with skepticism and when the job is done, these operators are typically looking forward to going home. Unfortunately, the police are already home. This militarization sets a very dangerous precedent.

Suverans2's picture

G'day jd-in-georgia,

Yeah, their new MOTTO is a wee bit different.