17 weeks since we've lost George Floyd at the hands of members of the Minneapolis Police Department. Today is the Autumnal Equinox and the first "official" day of Fall. All the cold days we've had in the last few weeks caused by meteorologic shifts and adjustments for cover created due to raging wildfires on the West Coast were a prelude to what the actual start of the slowdown towards Winter. In that regard, I'd like to remind that people across the United States have been continuously protesting the death of George Floyd and BIPOC people at the hands of police now for over 4 months.
4 months. I applaud and lift their will and spirit. When everything is falling they persist.
If you're wondering how defunding the police will help the recent surge in violent crime, maybe re-think what the role of law enforcement should be in addressing violent crime. Or, FIRST, remember that the role of law enforcement (as a reminder) is:
Deterrent: Being a patrolling body to be mindful of their surroundings and ("beat") and have their very presence act as a proactive crime repellent. (Parking on a dark street looking for speeders, shaking down possible suspicious individuals etc*)
Active immediate involvement: Responding to active crime scenes and situations with potential use of force. (Calls to scenes of activity, domestic response, identified and moving suspects, fights, etc) Reporting to crime scenes after the fact to tape off the area, interview witnesses, perform searches
Active investigation: This is the one where someone calls in something and the cops respond to...something. Someone calls 911 and they show up to look for that one guy in a coat. Or that one guy passing bad checks.
Look these are generic, but the idea that the cops showing up in full body armor are going to actively be stopping crime before it happens or able to address the increase in violent crime isn't going to happen without address the current stems of what is *causing* the increase in crime. Which is record job loss, unemployment, and the deep mistrust for law enforcement which prevents the crimes from being reported to begin with. So, where would you like to start in addressing this? Complain or blame people of color? That's racist!
Yeah, it's frustrating and scary and I don't have any better answers whheeeeeeennnnn the answer is opening the economy (which we can't, because plague death) and *not* a larger and better armed militia-type police force and *is* having resources to address the community issues. Also something that is perpetually blocked by your City Council and national legislative branch which also loves allocation a shit ton of money for cops to LOOK scarier but actually send people, sorry- BIPOC- people home after being shaken down, terrified, murdered, beaten, and mistreated...send them home to seethe and boil while white people (esp. in the burbs) can feel better about more cops being hired during Q4 and "well I NEVER go downtown any more."
Well, no one does. Parking is a fucking rip off anyway. Less activity or incentive to spend time in an urban center means a place that's a lot more fertile to do naughty things. And guess what? SHIT IS STILL CLOSED BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC.
So awesome. Winter is coming. And places getting by with patron restrictions and patios are likely to be proper fucked. Remember this when it's election time and Mitch McConnell sat on a stimulus bill. Not "Well democrats had a hand in it". You're a fucking runt minded shit when that asshole has made himself a self-styled villain who plans obstructionist legislation and admits to it. Anyway.
My kid's screaming. And I can't focus. Here's some food for thought-
One of these assholes is elected, and says terrible things, and signs off on terrible things. And is just a fucking all around terrible person. The other person? Does the terrible things with a cold and uncaring precision that is unphased by remorse, judgement, or hypocrisy. Just remember that. One is a sayer that's fucking useless as an asshole on my elbow. The other just fucking had a statement drafted and ready to hit "Send" before the news even broke of Ruth Bader Ginsberg's passing. That's pretty fucked up, y'all.
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