Minneapolis Social Injustice and Related

[72gmc]

One more note on the journalism front: police forces cannot target press, on multiple nights in multiple cities, as they have this week. Not in a country that claims to be free.

ACLU Sues Minneapolis Police Over Police Treatment of Journalists

[Corso]

"What would it be like to have a future without Police?"...

The future is not now.

11 dead and counting, hundreds injured, millions if not billions of dollars in damage, looting, arson, the a-holes who took over the peaceful protest are simply using the events as excuses to steal and hurt people, are demonstrating quite well why we NEED the police.

If we don't have police, the armed idiots on the Michigan State House stairs will become all of us - who will need to protect their business, homes and families.

The current protest will no doubt bring reform of some nature to Police in general. And that's good, long overdue.

But, man, it's painfully obvious our society has not risen to the level of NOT needing the Police.

And that sucks as well.

[bigbill]

We had protests here in Kingman, AZ (county seat of Mohave County) yesterday and they're scheduled for Friday as well. The state is on an 8pm to 5am curfew. The protesters aren't local, they came in from somewhere else. The local police and sheriff have officers standing off to the side quietly observing but not interacting or trying to control anything. There aren't many protesters and none seem bent on violence or looting. The interesting part is the local band of "patriots" that are open carrying (perfectly legal in AZ) that are keeping themselves between the protesters and the downtown area. The protesters were given full access to the local park a few blocks from I-40 next to Rt 66. Everything is cool so far. Just a big non-event.

[bcm119]

"What would it be like to have a future without Police?"...

The future is not now.

11 dead and counting, hundreds injured, millions if not billions of dollars in damage, looting, arson, the a-holes who took over the peaceful protest are simply using the events as excuses to steal and hurt people, are demonstrating quite well why we NEED the police.

If we don't have police, the armed idiots on the Michigan State House stairs will become all of us - who will need to protect their business, homes and families.

The current protest will no doubt bring reform of some nature to Police in general. And that's good, long overdue.

But, man, it's painfully obvious our society has not risen to the level of NOT needing the Police.

And that sucks as well.

Let the record show that I agree with Corso on something. The answer is not defunding the police.

But how do we make the career of law enforcement less attractive and/or attainable to insecure bullies? We can put band-aids on the problem with new policies, but the underlying problem is that too many people attracted to law enforcement are exactly the wrong types of people for the job.

[caleb]

But how do we make the career of law enforcement less attractive and/or attainable to insecure bullies? We can put band-aids on the problem with new policies, but the underlying problem is that too many people attracted to law enforcement are exactly the wrong types of people for the job.

Perhaps start with looking at a military background as a liability rather than an asset. Good policing isn't an extension of the military, it's an extension of social work. The more we teach these folks (and enforce with policy) that they're there to serve whatever public issue they encounter with empathy and compassion, the more we head off the bad officers.

My dad is a POST-certified peace officer. Any idea how many of the applicants failed the psych exam when he went through the academy? About 40% (which is part of the reason I'm terrified of private security - it's where they end up).

Do you suppose some of the whack jobs some slip through? I do. A sociopath officer just choked a man to death a couple miles from my house and looked like he'd just bagged a trophy deer when the death certificate was immenent.

[caleb]

One more note on the journalism front: police forces cannot target press, on multiple nights in multiple cities, as they have this week. Not in a country that claims to be free.

Regarding the targeting the press issue, I'll just say that the press was doing nothing to make themselves visible. I posted earlier that I have not seen a single visible reporter during all of this, and I've been at the major sites throughout. It's very possible that the police have no clue who is press and who isn't.

The press need to identify themselves with way more than badges in situations like this one. Bright reflective vests with "PRESS" access the front seem appropriate. I don't want to blame the victims here, but my observation in Mpls is that the press haven't been doing nearly enough to identify themselves.

[Mabouya]

A sociopath officer just choked a man to death a couple miles from my house

And it wasn't just Chauvin - one of the other officers (Thao) stood right next to them, looking on and taunting Floyd, saying "Why don't you get up? Why don't you get up?" as Chauvin held him down with his knee.

It's obviously not just one bad apple, but an institutional problem.

[e-RICHIE]

Chauvin charged with 2nd-degree murder; 3 others also charged - StarTribune.com

[caleb]

Minneapolis folks, the Longfellow Market and East Lake Liquors are both open again. East Lake still has plywood over the windows, but the doors are open until 7.

[COVRTDESIGN]

Regarding the targeting the press issue, I'll just say that the press was doing nothing to make themselves visible. I posted earlier that I have not seen a single visible reporter during all of this, and I've been at the major sites throughout. It's very possible that the police have no clue who is press and who isn't.

The press need to identify themselves with way more than badges in situations like this one. Bright reflective vests with "PRESS" access the front seem appropriate. I don't want to blame the victims here, but my observation in Mpls is that the press haven't been doing nearly enough to identify themselves.

You mean like what most of them have? Bright vellow, reflective vests, helmets that say press on it with white paint, badges, large camera gear with lighting, the list can go on and on. There are some small freelance journalists out there that do not have that because they cannot afford to buy their own, as most have been furloughed or out of work for the past few months, but most large press corps are very easy to spot.

Ask me how I know, because I am one. I was also a combat photojournalist and the civilian press in Iraq and Afghanistan where easy to spot too.

When your "president" constantly gives free reign to attack press for the past 3 and a half years, cops and protesters will attack with no fear of reprisal.

[caleb]

Chauvin charged with 2nd-degree murder; 3 others also charged - StarTribune.com

The intent component of 2nd degree is going to be tough. Ellison is gambling here; if there's an acquittal it's not going to be good.

[72gmc]

I am nervous about juries acquitting police officers. I read that the initial third degree charge was a strategic decision to raise the odds of a conviction, and that made sense to me. But, what do I know.

[Sbti]

It should all work out just fine. This is the head of the police union. A Bunker Bitch Buddy named Bob Kroll. He's got quite a record.

Labor groups call for Bob Kroll to resign from Minneapolis police union - Bring Me The News

[monadnocky]

...Good policing isn't an extension of the military, it's an extension of social work...

Truth. If only.

[thollandpe]

Regarding the targeting the press issue, I'll just say that the press was doing nothing to make themselves visible. I posted earlier that I have not seen a single visible reporter during all of this, and I've been at the major sites throughout. It's very possible that the police have no clue who is press and who isn't.

The press need to identify themselves with way more than badges in situations like this one. Bright reflective vests with "PRESS" access the front seem appropriate. I don't want to blame the victims here, but my observation in Mpls is that the press haven't been doing nearly enough to identify themselves.

What about a gigantic shoulder-held video camera and external lights on a subject doesn’t say “press”?

I’ve seen footage of reporters on camera being deliberately and directly targeted by pepper ball air guns (if you’ve ever played paintball, these are not harmless).

LMPD officer fires pepper balls at WAVE 3 News reporter, photographer during Louisville protest

Are you really going to put it out there that Omar Jimenez and his CNN crew were not identifiable as press?

This is not a case of mistaken identity,


This is not a problem of identification, unless you mean that the press has been identified as a target.

Twitter

[theflashunc]

Regarding the targeting the press issue, I'll just say that the press was doing nothing to make themselves visible. I posted earlier that I have not seen a single visible reporter during all of this, and I've been at the major sites throughout. It's very possible that the police have no clue who is press and who isn't.

The press need to identify themselves with way more than badges in situations like this one. Bright reflective vests with "PRESS" access the front seem appropriate. I don't want to blame the victims here, but my observation in Mpls is that the press haven't been doing nearly enough to identify themselves.

A cop comes up to someone, they say "I'm press" and if they've got a camera and a pen and a pad and not committing any crimes, that should be the end of it.

Cops in Minneapolis are arresting reporters live on national TV.

The reporters did nothing wrong. To imply otherwise is victim blaming.

[choke]

But how do we make the career of law enforcement less attractive and/or attainable to insecure bullies? We can put band-aids on the problem with new policies, but the underlying problem is that too many people attracted to law enforcement are exactly the wrong types of people for the job.

To paraphrase Douglas Adams, it's similar to the President - anyone who actually wants the job should be excluded.

Are bullies attracted to being a LEO or do (mostly) normal people become bullies after being given so much power? LEOs have a near absolute power in the US and are seldom prosecuted if they do something wrong. I think that both of those are strong factors in shaping how many of them act. We're all familiar with the qoute about absolute power and corruption.

Add in politicians who have no will to take on the LEO community and a union which will fight tooth and nail against any real reforms. On top of that there is an omerta, 'the blue wall of silence', which means that most will look the other way and few speak out. It's really no wonder that things have gotten out of hand.

Changing all of that won't be easy. I think the only real way would be to totally disband the current system and start over.... but how do you do that in the real world?

[rwsaunders]

I was wondering when military leaders would stand up to the POS in the WH and General Mattis fired a salvo.

Former Defense Secretary Mattis Issues Stunning Rebuke Of Trump : NPR

Days of nationwide protest over the death of George Floyd in police custody and the use of National Guard troops in Washington to disperse peaceful demonstrators have led Mattis — "angry and appalled" — to speak up. He said the protesters were only demanding equal justice under the law.

"It is a wholesome and unifying demand — one that all of us should be able to get behind," he wrote. "We must not be distracted by a small number of lawbreakers," Mattis wrote, referring to the vandalism and looting that have sometimes occurred along with the largely peaceful protests. "The protests are defined by tens of thousands of people of conscience who are insisting that we live up to our values — our values as people and our values as a nation."

Mattis accused the president of pursuing a divisive strategy. "Donald Trump is the first president in my lifetime who does not try to unite the American people— does not even pretend to try. "Instead he tries to divide us. We are witnessing the consequences of three years of this deliberate effort. We are witnessing the consequences of three years without mature leadership," he said.

[guido]

BEST.BOOK.EVER

[Tom]

Mattis: "When I joined the military, some 50 years ago, I swore an oath to support and defend the Constitution. Never did I dream that troops taking that same oath would be ordered under any circumstance to violate the Constitutional rights of their fellow citizens — much less to provide a bizarre photo op for the elected commander-in-chief, with military leadership standing alongside.”

Apparently very senior active personnel are sending directives reminding their personnel that they are responsible to support and defend the Constitution. I wonder if Trump finally blundered just a little too much. When the generals start rebuking you...