How Every Part of American Life Became a Police Matter

[Oldgamer]

In my opinion things have gotten much worse since Obama was elected. I am not seeing much oversight or accountability anymore, and it looks as if this will get far worse before it gets better.

Here is the link to read MotherJones.com It has links within it for references that you can read.

Quote: "If all you've got is a hammer, then everything starts to look like a nail. And if police and prosecutors are your only tool, sooner or later everything and everyone will be treated as criminal. This is increasingly the American way of life, a path that involves "solving" social problems (and even some non-problems) by throwing cops at them, with generally disastrous results. Wall-to-wall criminal law encroaches ever more on everyday life as police power is applied in ways that would have been unthinkable just a generation ago."

 

[cubby1223]

Funny how every part of my life is not a police matter.

Maybe in time, but you cannot claim it is today and expect people to believe the rest of the argument.

You are a typical one-cause news reader, and seek out the news that reinforces your views. There are 7 billion people in the world, 300+ million in the U.S., enough numbers that can fill one person's day every day if he wants it too.

 

[Londo_Jowo]

Guess you need to move elsewhere.

 

[shady28]

In my opinion things have gotten much worse since Obama was elected. I am not seeing much oversight or accountability anymore, and it looks as if this will get far worse before it gets better.

Here is the link to read MotherJones.com It has links within it for references that you can read.

Quote: "If all you've got is a hammer, then everything starts to look like a nail. And if police and prosecutors are your only tool, sooner or later everything and everyone will be treated as criminal. This is increasingly the American way of life, a path that involves "solving" social problems (and even some non-problems) by throwing cops at them, with generally disastrous results. Wall-to-wall criminal law encroaches ever more on everyday life as police power is applied in ways that would have been unthinkable just a generation ago."

Awesome article.

Some stuff linked to :

"... in our schools, where discipline is increasingly outsourced to police personnel. What not long ago would have been seen as normal childhood misbehavior—doodling on a desk, farting in class, a kindergartener's tantrum—can leave a kid in handcuffs, "

"NYPD Handcuffed 7-Year-Old & Interrogated Him For Hours Over Missing $5, Family Claims"

"George Norris, sentenced to 17 months in prison for selling orchids without the proper paperwork to an undercover federal agent."

"In Arkansas, for instance, Human Rights Watch reports that a new law funnels delinquent (or allegedly delinquent) rental tenants directly to the criminal courts"

"Swartz was federally prosecuted under the capacious Computer Fraud and Abuse Act for violating a "terms and services agreement"—a transgression that anyone who has ever disabled a cookie on his or her laptop has also, technically, committed. "

 

[cubby1223]

If anything, I think it's regular citizens who want other citizens oppressed, more than "the authority" wants citizens oppressed.

It's citizen activists who take up causes and other citizens joining in on the promise of safety. It's citizens who want to profit through the legal system for anything they can attempt.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

I read the article and it's pretty myopic. He speaks of the police as if they had their own agenda beyond getting their budgets approved. Granted, there are plenty of bad cops out there but, the issues the article brings up would more appropriately be laid at the feet of lawyers and risk management sorts who try to govern through policy. The police are merely their tool.

 

[yllus]

I think this all stems from the American non-belief in government today. The one exception to this rule is the police and military, whom Americans elevate to demigod status and then complain about when they start acting untouchable and consume a third of your federal budget.

Take a big chunk of the money you literally pour into armed forces of all stripes and reallocate it to civilian agencies. The decriminalization of everything will follow suit.

 

[bradly1101]

Wanna lose your laptop and phone for a while, look arabic and go travelling...

http://www.maximumpc.com/district_judge_rules_favor_warrantless_border_searchers2014

 

[Gonad the Barbarian]

I read the article and it's pretty myopic. He speaks of the police as if they had their own agenda beyond getting their budgets approved. Granted, there are plenty of bad cops out there but, the issues the article brings up would more appropriately be laid at the feet of lawyers and risk management sorts who try to govern through policy. The police are merely their tool.

Police do have an agenda beyond getting their budget approved; maximizing productivity from it. Which means more arrests, more convictions, more prisoners, etc.

This has far more immediate and wide-reaching effects than anything the NSA is doing and really ought to be #1 on people's lists of concern.

 

[BoberFett]

Funny how every part of my life is not a police matter.

Really? Tell me a part of your life that you believe could in no way involve the police, and I or someone else would happily share which criminal statute you could be breaking.

 

[Oldgamer]

Awesome article.

Some stuff linked to :

"... in our schools, where discipline is increasingly outsourced to police personnel. What not long ago would have been seen as normal childhood misbehavior—doodling on a desk, farting in class, a kindergartener's tantrum—can leave a kid in handcuffs, "

"NYPD Handcuffed 7-Year-Old & Interrogated Him For Hours Over Missing $5, Family Claims"

"George Norris, sentenced to 17 months in prison for selling orchids without the proper paperwork to an undercover federal agent."

"In Arkansas, for instance, Human Rights Watch reports that a new law funnels delinquent (or allegedly delinquent) rental tenants directly to the criminal courts"

"Swartz was federally prosecuted under the capacious Computer Fraud and Abuse Act for violating a "terms and services agreement"—a transgression that anyone who has ever disabled a cookie on his or her laptop has also, technically, committed. "

yea the links in the article were very interesting.

 

[OverVolt]

http://www.cnn.com/2011/10/04/opinion/bennett-men-in-trouble/

Here ya go ATOT

 

[Oldgamer]

http://www.cnn.com/2011/10/04/opinion/bennett-men-in-trouble/

Here ya go ATOT

Haha...naaawww, say it isn't so.

 

[jlee1]

I see many people labeling the op as a "misinformed reader.." This IS a police state. Remember Kent State? The US National Guard gunned down innocent students. What about the cop who pepper sprayed the students in california because they were protesting? That cop received a check for $50,000 because he stated that he was emotionally disturbed by his own practice.. What about the cops who beat Kelly Thomas(a homeless man) to death? That cop got off the hook. After the Boston marathon Bombing, the whole city was under Marshall Law....and when the cops caught the suspect's friend, he somehow mysteriously couldn't talk because of a throat injury?..they took his ability to verbally defend himself away. The suspect wasn;t even detained..the cops killed him. don't get me started about the authorities overseas in other countries. Yeah yeah..they have to do their jobs and if enough people piss them off, they're allowed to retaliate..We own the cops..the inception of the military and police was to protect and SERVE its citizens..not hurt them because they're in a bad mood. It's sad to see this country going downhill so fast... It's not all Obama's fault. Although he did rapidly accelerate this shithole..

 

[Oldgamer]

I see many people labeling the op as a "misinformed reader.." This IS a police state. Remember Kent State? The US National Guard gunned down innocent students. What about the cop who pepper sprayed the students in california because they were protesting? That cop received a check for $50,000 because he stated that he was emotionally disturbed by his own practice.. What about the cops who beat Kelly Thomas(a homeless man) to death? That cop got off the hook. After the Boston marathon Bombing, the whole city was under Marshall Law....and when the cops caught the suspect's friend, he somehow mysteriously couldn't talk because of a throat injury?..they took his ability to verbally defend himself away. The suspect wasn;t even detained..the cops killed him. don't get me started about the authorities overseas in other countries. Yeah yeah..they have to do their jobs and if enough people piss them off, they're allowed to retaliate..We own the cops..the inception of the military and police was to protect and SERVE its citizens..not hurt them because they're in a bad mood. It's sad to see this country going downhill so fast... It's not all Obama's fault. Although he did rapidly accelerate this shithole..

True, don't forget New Mexico and the numerous news reports on illegal, unconstitutional cavity searches on minor traffic offenses. I honsetly think a lot of Americans are in denial on this subject. They will remain so until they are directly affected.

It's unfortunate some didn't bother to really read the article or the links provided.

 

[Lithium381]

Whats the problem? Just obey and comply with big brother and we will live in harmony!

 

[Angry Irishman]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/09/12/police-militarization-9-11-september-11_n_955508.html

 

[Oldgamer]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/09/12/police-militarization-9-11-september-11_n_955508.html

Radley Balko has some great articles, this was one that really put chills up my spine after I read this. Thanks for linking.

 

[Jaskalas]

Police do have an agenda beyond getting their budget approved; maximizing productivity from it. Which means more arrests, more convictions, more prisoners, etc.

This has far more immediate and wide-reaching effects than anything the NSA is doing and really ought to be #1 on people's lists of concern.

The two issues are one in the same.

The North Korean American form of government is a police state.

 

[moonwalker]

it least they better than what happen in egypt.

 

[waggy]

The OP is right to post that. The article does bring up many good points. Only issue i have is it seems to leave out post regarding some of the stuff it brings up.

bottom line is with police be polite and get the fuck away ASAP.

Though some stories i read about parents calling to help with sick/hurt children and them gettign sued or the kid arrested (or worse killed) makes me wonder about calling them.

 

[Ventanni]

VOTE LOCALLY!

If you don't want a police state to occur, get involved in local politics. For crying out loud, everybody blames the president for everything that occurs, when it's actually local politics that have the most direct effect on your lives. Police departments are primarily funded at a local level, so if you have issues with your local PD, get involved in local politics since that's where they're directly controlled. You do have a vote and a say in their funding, after all. You can also vote for the sheriff. How many people actually know who their sheriff is?

Three questions everybody should be able to answer:

1. Who's your mayor or on the governing body for your city?
2. Who's your sheriff?
3. Where is your watershed located?

If you can't answer those questions, then you have no right to complain about being in a "police state" since you are indirectly part of the problem (you aren't voting). I do not say that to disrespect or insult anyone, but being involved in local politics has a much greater impact on your daily lives than federal level politics does. Mr. Obama does not directly control or fund your local police department.

 

[Doppel]

I think this all stems from the American non-belief in government today. The one exception to this rule is the police and military, whom Americans reach to demigod status and then complain about when they get start acting untouchable and consume a third of your federal budget.

This is a great point.

 

[Gonad the Barbarian]

The two issues are one in the same.

The North Korean American form of government is a police state.

It's really not. If there's a federal component to this it's the DEA far more so than the NSA, but this is largely state and local governments and law enforcement running apeshit out of control with far more directly dire consequences to the populous.

 

[hal2kilo]

This craps been going on for years. Started big time with St. Ronnies War On Drugs.


But you know who is in charge so it's automatically worse now, like everything else.