Just played catch up in this thread. Spot on rambone. That is all.It is a rather unfortunate time for America. The laws are worse than ever, and we keep electing the same type of control freaks year after year. People are not pleased with any branch of government. The checks and balances in the system are collapsing. Public opinion of police officers is sinking as the absurdity of the laws increases, and the injustice of the system becomes more and more obvious. I'm not saying its right, its just what I see.
We have every reason to be worried about the future. Government is running off the rails. We need passionate activists to keep government under control. We also need good public servants to uphold their oaths and stand against the machine when necessary. We can't afford to be asleep right now. We need watchdogs to expose bad laws and bad public servants. Information is a powerful tool.
I post a lot of stories looking for government accountability. The reactions that it has brought me range from amusing to disturbing. I've been accused of wanting to see piles of dead cops. That disturbed me a little bit. If I post a story that involves police overstepping their bounds, it should not be taken to impugn anyone who was not involved in the story. Bad cops and bad laws need to be exposed, period. I don't think any reasonable person would disagree with that.
With that, I have 3 things to say.
1. We would all do well to stop generalizing large groups for the actions of a few. If you discuss a story about police brutality, remember that the only guilty parties are the people who participated, and often times the superiors who cover up their crimes. This extends to other discussions about races, religions, groups of protesters, things like "The Left" and "The Right", etc. Call out the individuals and stop generalizing.
2. We would all do well to stop thinking of ourselves as part of a collective. You are an individual. You are accountable for your own actions and your own decisions. You deserve individual praise and individual criticism. The orders you are given don't reflect you until you follow them. You aren't responsible for actions of your peers. You aren't compelled to defend people just because you share the same profession.
3. I think it is dangerous to allow yourself to let your profession become your identity. That thinking subsequently causes a person to take everything personally that people say about that profession and/or other members. I believe this is why some people irrationally defend bad members, and irrationally attack critics.