Iraq Or U.s.a.?

[ThePilgrim]

Photo question of the day.

 

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[John81]

Unfortunately this is becoming the norm in America and it's only getting worse. Many police departments across the country have received "left over" war vehicles (from armoured HuMVees to armoured personnel carriers and the like).

 

More and more police departments are being trained in military tactics along with increased federal "supervision and training".

 

Today we have police forces breaking into old couples houses dressed and armed as if they were Navy Seals sent to take out terrorists.

 

No longer does "innocent until proven guilty" mean much. No longer is Officer Friendly on the beat, making friendly connections with the neighborhood residents. Rather it's more likely to be Officer Militant on duty with and engrained mindset of being superior and citizens being viewed as prOBable criminals in need of swift "justice".

 

I'm all for law and order, but it must be properly established and carried out. The militarizing of the police and de facto federalizing of the police is a serious breech of right and power.

[Guest]

Ordinarily I would agree with some of these unconfirmed thoughts. This is a picture of what? What is the context of this picture?

 

However, I've been listening to what many of the police chiefs and sheriff's departments trained in urban terror combat are saying; they may be the first line of defense against a federal government run afoul of their positional authority in the constitution by the consent of the governed.

 

Maybe folks near the cities with 'social agenda' and 'progressive' politicians have need to fear but, not so much for those of us God has graced with a rural dwelling where conservative values hold sway.

[HappyChristian]

This was actually taken in MO, where all that rioting is going on.  Black people destroying white people's businesses.  It's sad that it comes to profiling, but that is what is happening (at least was...don't know if it's stopped yet) there.  And that is what they are trumpeting - destroying businesses owned by white people.  Interestingly, there are some businesses that haven't been destroyed...guess why?  

[Miss Daisy]

Maybe if you posted this picture two weeks earlier you'd get a different response, but not after what happened in Missouri. I'd like to post a lot more but I'm not going to be called a racist but if you look at real statistics of crime in America they tell the story for themselves.

[Rebecca]

From my understanding of the situation, there was an unarmed black teen shot and killed by police(the news on that story didn't go into details so I don't know much about why they shot and killed him). Apparently some people in his neighborhood attempted to do a peaceful march, but violent people took over and rioting began. Some people just want to use any wrong doing by the police as an excuse to start violence. The rioting called for more/intense police intervention, hence the riot gear and military look in most of the photos. I don't agree with militarizing local police forces, but seriously, do you expect them to go up against rioting mOBs in standard police uniforms? The gear they wear is for their protection, and they don't know who or when someone is going to attack them in a situation like that, so someone on the street during a riot might be told to stop and raise their hands while having a gun or rifle pointed at them. Any photo taken out of context of the riot will always make the police look like the bad guys. And maybe they were the bad guys initially, I don't know, but violent rioting calls for harsh measures. 

[John81]

When the police should be doing something they sit on their hands and let things get worse. On the first night of the riots and looting the police decided not to do anything because they didn't want to upset the blacks. One doesn't have to wonder very much if they would have even had such a thought if the rioters/looters were white.

 

In the meantime, innocent business owners have their stores vandalized, ransacked and pilfered. This will cost the business owners greatly.

 

Police have long had riot gear, which is different than full combat gear. I'm not against police protecting themselves. It's the police who go about conducting what used to be routine business in full blown combat gear, hidden faces, often using "no knock warrants" and aggressive commando tactics without cause.

 

I live in a very rural area. PrOBably as conservative or more than many areas in America. Many policemen I've known have had to retire early or leave the force because of the intrusion of federal power, State power grabs, and political pressure to conform.

 

If criminals were rightly dealt with, there would be no apparent need for police to be militarized. However, that wouldn't suit the powers that be which want full control, want the population to feel threatened and scared so they go along with the militarization of the police.

 

Unfortunately, if every sheriffs department in a state decided to take a stand, they wouldn't be able to hold off 101st Airborne, let alone the entire military. They would be labeled as traitors, domestic terrorists, and crushed as a warning to any others who might have such thoughts.

 

Look at history and see that every nation which has gone down the road America is going right now ended up in a police state.

[DaveW]

Was it here somewhere that a video was linked showing where some police came across a game of street basketball?
They blocked the street with their cars, and approached the kids - and asked for the ball - and proceeded to get their backsides handed back to them in a game of 3 on 3......

Some other kid caught it his phone and posted it - and the police didn't even get in trouble over it.

Now they roll up every now and then and repeat.

Now THAT is how to do street relations. ....

Some of them are alright.

[John81]

Did anyone see the story of the huge SWAT team that told a group of demonstrators (not rioters) that they were not being denied their constitutional right to assemble but were being ordered go home? There was an armoured vehicle and it looked more like a platoon of combat soldiers than police.

 

A guy I know who lives near there said the police are all over, carrying heavy weapons, and blocking off several areas. He said there was a request put out by the mayor or police chief that there be no nighttime demonstrations planned but the police were not allowing peaceful demonstrations in the daytime even while telling the people they weren't being denied demonstrating.

[John81]

Breaking News just 11 minutes old. Two reporters were arrested there without provocation. No reason given, they were apparently arrested to keep them from reporting on what's happening there.

[John81]

My friend just sent another note saying the two reporters have been released. Upon release they were told they didn't leave a business quick enough after police decided to shut the business down.

 

He says there is a lot of confusion on the streets with the police giving conflicting stories and orders.

 

What a mess.

[2bLikeJesus]

Thank you Lord for placing me in a small logging community in Southern Oregon.  No race issues here.  I think there may be 5 black people in this town, and I don't think I have ever heard any locals speak Spanish here.  When Dell had a call center here in Roseburg, I remember that we could not find a single bi-lingual sales representative out of 400 reps.  We had to forward those calls to the call center in Round Rock, TX.  

[John81]

I'm very thankful I live in the middle of nowhere. You couldn't pay me enough to live in a city.

[Guest]

When the police should be doing something they sit on their hands and let things get worse. On the first night of the riots and looting the police decided not to do anything because they didn't want to upset the blacks. One doesn't have to wonder very much if they would have even had such a thought if the rioters/looters were white.

 

In the meantime, innocent business owners have their stores vandalized, ransacked and pilfered. This will cost the business owners greatly.

 

Police have long had riot gear, which is different than full combat gear. I'm not against police protecting themselves. It's the police who go about conducting what used to be routine business in full blown combat gear, hidden faces, often using "no knock warrants" and aggressive commando tactics without cause.

 

I live in a very rural area. PrOBably as conservative or more than many areas in America. Many policemen I've known have had to retire early or leave the force because of the intrusion of federal power, State power grabs, and political pressure to conform.

 

If criminals were rightly dealt with, there would be no apparent need for police to be militarized. However, that wouldn't suit the powers that be which want full control, want the population to feel threatened and scared so they go along with the militarization of the police.

 

Unfortunately, if every sheriffs department in a state decided to take a stand, they wouldn't be able to hold off 101st Airborne, let alone the entire military. They would be labeled as traitors, domestic terrorists, and crushed as a warning to any others who might have such thoughts.

 

Look at history and see that every nation which has gone down the road America is going right now ended up in a police state.

This is pure conjecture and unfounded.

 

The local police in my rural area are very well known members of the community and support the community. I won't go into detail but they are here for the community; yours maybe not so much. Sheriffs departments across the nation are bucking the anti-second amendment attacks and they're vocal about not supporting the gun grabbers. So, the more 'military' hardware they have in their arsenal the better I like it. I don't know where you get your information but it isn't so. Rural police and sheriffs have not had to stand up and voice their support yet for their communities but having spoken to MANY I know they will; better than that...I know them personally. Police and sheriffs are members of your community and they care about you and not Washington D.C.

 

If I were in Washington I wouldn't count too much on the military either. Having questioned military members on Air Force, Navy, and Army bases about their stand on internal U.S. issues, I have a much better idea of how they feel about government intervention. Having an ID card that says "Indef" gives me inroads others don't have.

 

Sheriffs across the United States are refuse to enforce tougher gun control laws

 

Colorado    

 

Detroit, Michigan (Police Chief) advocates for gun ownership.

 

Milwaukee Sheriff

 

Connecticut

 

I have evidence of what I'm saying. Sheriffs and local police are the best friends we have as constitutional law abiding citizens. 2nd Amend. support is only the tip of the iceberg of issues at odds with your local police and sheriff.

 

I made it a point to meet and talk with my local sheriff. He is a good man who cares for our community.

[ThePilgrim]

First let me say this about the shooting of the young man in Missouri by an out of control cop.  A killing that was not necessary, a killing that if it was not murder it was negligent homocide.  The cop was totally unfit to be a police officer.  I like peace officers, but I don't like thugs.  I like peace officers not Law Enforcement Officers.  . . . there is a big difference between the two titles.  I like peace officers who mean what they said when they took their oath to uphold the Constitution of the United States. I like peace officers who belong to the following organization: http://oathkeepers.org/oath/

 

As far as rioters and looters I pretty much agree with this fella: http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=af2_1407944916