This public response warms my heart. I wonder when large corporations and government organizations are going to learn that trying to advertise using hashtags is never a good idea.
I'll edit the post to be clear--I mean the response, not the brutality itself.
Naturally. But the response doesn't really do it for me either. In my opinion publicly mocking the police accomplishes about as much as the original police brutality does. Sure, they were asking for it with the hashtag. And sure, the NYPD is not exactly famous for its kindness and egalitarianism. But I'm entirely sure there are a lot of really brave people in that organization who put their lives on the line sometimes, and feebly mocking them on twitter is just sad. The whole thing is sad all around. I may as well for full disclosure admit that I think twitter is the dumbest trend of the 21st century, too.
Tweeting "fuck the police" or calling them pigs would be feebly mocking them. What they're doing here is posting photographic evidence of abuse.
I don't know. What do you think? Proof of mistreatment is grounds for valid legal action, although that's expensive -- but I'm sure there are also plenty of activist groups that take abuse-of-power cases pro bono. Contacting the DA's office might be a step. Writing to representatives, etc. Tenuously, contacting higher-ups within the PD in question. This can backfire, I am fully aware. Of this I'm positive: Twitter will do absolutely nothing except further the stupid, dangerous divide between citizens of this country and their police officers. It's a huge problem, caused by both sides, has got to be fixed. So if you get the opportunity, fix it in real ways instead of hiding behind a username.
With the current expansion of police/military power within the country, and the utter lack of respect for public opinion at the very highest levels of government, I think that this is a good thing. I don't disagree that it's happening. Many of these people won't get justice for police brutality. In fact I'm confident saying most won't. Police are protected, more so than citizens from the consequences of their actions. In-system solutions only work when the system works, which it clearly doesn't.Twitter will do absolutely nothing except further the stupid, dangerous divide between citizens of this country and their police officers.
So if you get the opportunity, fix it in real ways instead of hiding behind a username
You didn't actually answer anything I said. Do these people who you confidently say won't get justice go to the press? Do they call the DA's office, get out and advocate and protest, talk to their reps, etc? Or do they tweet about it? The stock answer is that a lot of them are poor minorities who won't get help no matter what. But that's what organizations like the ACLU et al. exist for. Get them evidence and let them fight. Police are protected from the consequences of their own actions to an extent, and for obvious practical reasons. The necessary evil of responsibility coming with power is something we humans haven't solved in ten thousand years of trying. What exactly do you think is a good thing? That no one in this country respects our police force? That the police are increasingly isolated from public opinion (like, as you say, our politicians)? That there's a huge disconnect between what people want from the police and what they get? How could that ever be a good thing?With the current expansion of police/military power within the country, and the utter lack of respect for public opinion at the very highest levels of government, I think that this is a good thing. I don't disagree that it's happening.
I think that it has to get worse before it gets better. I want to be sunny and optimistic and believe that thoughtful, peaceful, democratic reforms will happen and that people will get what they want from their defenders. But I don't see it happening. I see small-town police forces with armored personnel carriers, bored SWAT teams being called in because someone needs to use their existing budget to justify a bigger one next year/election cycle. I would bet SOME do, and I bet their DA will pander to get them off the phone, ignore complaints and drop all charges against police officers or leave it to Internal Affairs to deal with, so that a cop gets a few months of paid leave, and when no satisfactory (To the department) answer/punishment can be decided, said officer will be back on the streets, maybe in a different part of his jurisdiction, maybe not. Who watches the guardians? Who ensures the guardians commit no sins?Do these people who you confidently say won't get justice go to the press? Do they call the DA's office, get out and advocate and protest, talk to their reps, etc? Or do they tweet about it?
So we need to slip into a pseudo-police state (to call the US an actual police state mocks the situations of millions of people worldwide) in order to get a sort of wake up call? Or are you saying we're already at that point? I think your view is unduly pessimistic, influenced by a selection bias of what the media will show us and what they don't bother to. I think this about most people who hate the police or view all politicians/elected officials/cops/"guardians" as automatically evil. But it's not entirely false. Obviously the situation you describe above happens fairly often. And I don't know what to do about it. Asimov introduced a perfect slave populace and four unbreakable laws -- maybe we could try that.I think that it has to get worse before it gets better. I want to be sunny and optimistic and believe that thoughtful, peaceful, democratic reforms will happen and that people will get what they want from their defenders. But I don't see it happening. I see small-town police forces with armored personnel carriers, bored SWAT teams being called in because someone needs to use their existing budget to justify a bigger one next year/election cycle.
I would bet SOME do, and I bet their DA will pander to get them off the phone, ignore complaints and drop all charges against police officers or leave it to Internal Affairs to deal with, so that a cop gets a few months of paid leave, and when no satisfactory (To the department) answer/punishment can be decided, said officer will be back on the streets, maybe in a different part of his jurisdiction, maybe not.
I have you ignored, and muted. I would like to request that you stop replying to my comments, because evidently the 'ignore' and 'mute' functions, which should probably have some impact on your ability to do so, don't work. I've mentioned this a couple of times to people who can change it, and they haven't. So. Let's please just ignore each other (without the authoritarian intervention, you should like that).
I'll stay out of your disagreement, but I wanted to hop in to ask if you gave mk any details about the ignore/mute functionality? Cause it seems pretty major if they are not working as they should.... because evidently the 'ignore' and 'mute' functions, which should probably have some impact on your ability to do so, don't work.
I mean..having grown up here, in a poor urban area [even knowing some cops today], only time I've had positive NYPD experience is 1x after a concert.