don't say they're ALL bad.
Originally Posted by: 4PackGirl
The kind of people who join the police force are the kind of people who find the idea appealing of carrying a club and a gun and being able to use them with virtual impunity. That makes them all suspect in my book. Sure, they are not all bad people; but that doesn't change the fact they have entirely too much power, and too much opportunity to abuse that power. And given the fact cops are indemnified by their departments against wrongdoing, they face almost nothing in the way of liability or consequence. It might be cliche to say that power corrupts, but it's unfortunately also true. Hell, I was the medic who best resisted the corrupting influence of working on the right side of the bars, and by the end of my tour, I was horrified to find even myself screaming at inmates sometimes, because, well, they were on the wrong end of the power differential. That was a huge eye-opener for me, and shook me to the core.
The average American thinks, "Well, I am doing nothing wrong, so that means I have nothing to worry about." The sad reality is, however, that is just not true. Under cover of "probable cause," cops (even the so-called good ones) can and regularly do lie and otherwise break the law, and no one holds them accountable because, after all, they're the good guys, right? In fact, their lawlessness is frequently encouraged at an institutional level.
No doubt most cops join with the best of intentions, and as long as things are going well, I'm sure they are the salt of the earth. But when the shit goes down, I don't trust their mentality one bit. They are virtually without exceptions all good little statists at heart. I've read plenty of personal accounts from cops who admit the big thing that attracts them to their job (besides the great benefits) is the adrenaline rush.
Also, never lose sight of the
fact that the Supreme Court has repeatedly ruled that cops have no constitutional obligation to protect you. They are entirely within their rights to respond to a situation at their own convenience -- if at all -- when your life is in danger.
If I have to choose between relying on cops, who are the strong arm of the state and face an IA hearing and at worst termination if they make a mistake, and my fellow armed citizens, who cherish liberty as I do and face possible
murder charges if they make a mistake, I will place my trust in the hands of the armed citizenry any time.
And the founders of our country would have said the same.
