"There’s a reason you separate military and the police. One fights the enemies of the state, the other serves and protects the people. When the military becomes both, then the enemies of the state tend to become the people." – Bill Adama

submitted by magnora7 from self.quotes

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[–]Tom_Bombadil 6 insightful - 4 fun6 insightful - 3 fun7 insightful - 4 fun -  (3 children)

This is a myth. The police were originally formed to protect the property and power of wealthy men.

The goon squads of the late 19th century were formalized, and evolved into the police force. They still operate in much the same way. That's why black people get pulled over in nice neighborhood. Unarmed African Americans are shot in cold blood with no accountability.

A classic example of this is that video Magnora7 posted today of the police attack in France..

Notice how the cops always show up when peaceful protesters are tear gassed and beaten for demanding a better share of the economic pie. Agentt provacatuers, under cover agents, kettling, etc.

Some police are good people, but they chose a career as a glorified goon. Everything else they do is PR to make them appear to provide a public service.

That doesn't change the fact that they are Goons.

Don't let the PR fool you. The cops and the military have everything in common. One group steals. The other defends the stolen property.

Personal disclosure edit:. I'm a 3rd generation US Army veteran. My goon family had fought in WW2, Vietnam, and Iraq 2. I was raised in a goon family. Went to goon elementary, on a goon base.

I think I know something about being a goon.

[–]JasonCarswell 4 insightful - 3 fun4 insightful - 2 fun5 insightful - 3 fun -  (0 children)

"Glorified Goon" = perfect. My new fave.

My dad is a retired well-intentioned pill-pusher for big pharma villains and they never taught him the Rockefeller history of the "Medical" establishment or to question the blind-faith "proprietary" scientism for profit.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Posse_Comitatus_Act

The Posse Comitatus Act is a United States federal law (18 U.S.C. § 1385, original at 20 Stat. 152) signed on June 18, 1878, by President Rutherford B. Hayes. The purpose of the act – in concert with the Insurrection Act of 1807 – is to limit the powers of the federal government in using federal military personnel to enforce domestic policies within the United States. It was passed as an amendment to an army appropriation bill following the end of Reconstruction and was updated in 1956 and 1981.

The act only specifically applies to the United States Army and, as amended in 1956, the United States Air Force. Although the act does not explicitly mention the United States Navy and the United States Marine Corps, the Department of the Navy has prescribed regulations that are generally construed to give the act force with respect to those services as well. The act does not apply to the Army National Guard or the Air National Guard under state authority from acting in a law enforcement capacity within its home state or in an adjacent state if invited by that state's governor. The United States Coast Guard, which operates under the Department of Homeland Security, is not covered by the Posse Comitatus Act either, primarily because although the Coast Guard is an armed service, it also has both a maritime law enforcement mission and a federal regulatory agency mission.

The title of the act comes from the legal concept of posse comitatus, the authority under which a county sheriff, or other law officer, conscripts any able-bodied man to assist him or her in keeping the peace.

[–]magnora7[S] 4 insightful - 1 fun4 insightful - 0 fun5 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

Great post, you bring up a lot of great points. And just think about the worker's rights protests of the late 1800s and early 1900s in the US, the police were basically killing people to help out companies and suppress riots and union action.

[–]JasonCarswell 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

I don't know why exactly this popped into my head...

The Detroit Riots

When I say that most people think of the classic 1967 Detroit Riot and people in Windsor Ontario could watch across the river as the tanks rolled in. But history is so quick to forget.

White American men were enlisted, dispatched, and traumatically thinned out in World War II while on the home front women and Black folks stepped into the factory vacuums. In 1943 was the first Detroit Riot of mostly Black folks against the factory corporations and their poor treatment and exploitation.

Good news! Since last I checked years ago, the Wikipedia corporate propaganda article has been expanded: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1943_Detroit_race_riot

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1967_Detroit_riot

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Detroit_riots Who knew there were so many?

[–][deleted] 2 insightful - 3 fun2 insightful - 2 fun3 insightful - 3 fun -  (8 children)

Hhahaa it's BSG https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cv9S93yTgGc

[–]magnora7[S] 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (7 children)

Lol yeah I learned that today when I looked up the quote... oh well

[–][deleted] 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (6 children)

I thought it was a great show, so to me it's some kind of validation of art or truth or something that you posted it and that it stirred up some good discussions. It's not like some political analyst or general has any more real authority than the writer of the show.

[–]Tom_Bombadil 3 insightful - 2 fun3 insightful - 1 fun4 insightful - 2 fun -  (3 children)

The show was good. However, I disagree about the legitimacy authority aspect of your argument.
Most people with real power, have earned that power by unrepentantly stepping on the backs of others.
Those who forego opportunities for greater power, because of their commitment to their principles are truly rare, and deserve unique recognition.

Smedley Butler is the only person that I can think of that meets this standard in full.
He was hand picked to lead a fascist coup to take the oval office.
He single handedly saved US democracy for about 40 years; the second coup succeeded.
Legit hero. His words carry more water.

[–]JasonCarswell 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (2 children)

That's the legend anyways.

I used to think that too.

I wish I could recall where but within the last few months I heard that Butler was legit foil to some but was actually playing another role for the public to restore their confidence in the system. I really wish I could back this up and cite my source of skepticism. I could list a half dozen or more but I still might miss. One thing though that might be helpful, is that around that time I was learning how F.D.Roosevelt was poisoned by a Russian painter (for a lot of reasons). It might have been Webster Tarpley, Tim Kelly, or The Antidote.

I tried looking back. (I download everything before I watch/listen. It's all in "U" folders unseen until I "V" view them.)

This may or may not be the show I'm thinking of, but I gave it an extremely rare A+++ so I highly recommend it regardless.

"Tim Kelly (thkelly67) Dr Morgan Reynolds on Lincoln, FDR, War Myths and 9_11" (2016-11-01) : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dH_ZUTtvRhc

[–]Tom_Bombadil 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

I'm unfamiliar with most of what you've mentioned.
Another promising rabbit hole to jump into.... I'll check it out.
👍

[–]JasonCarswell 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Let me know if it comes up and if you like the episode as much as I did.

[–]magnora7[S] 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

That's a good point. I never watched the show. It just would've been cooler if it was from some Army General or something, haha. But it is amazing how much life is reflected in good art.

[–]Tom_Bombadil 2 insightful - 2 fun2 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 2 fun -  (0 children)

The word for positive myths that are created for television shows is, 'propaganda'. ;-)
I have to admit I do like the message of the quote. Even if I know it to be untrue.

Maybe the head of the French police force read our exchange yesterday, and decided to prove me wrong, by joining the citizenry.

Maybe he had some interesting wisdom to share. Crazier things have happened (but extremely unlikely).