Time for a national conversation about what society is supposed to do when violent lawlessness becomes hard to ignore? Looks like the current trend is to run it through a race filter before we decide whether and how to
crack down:
The Obama administration announced Monday it will ban federal transfers of certain types of military-style gear from local police departments, as the president seeks to respond to a spate of incidents that has frayed trust in communities across the country.
The banned items include tracked armored vehicles, bayonets and grenade launchers, according to a task force report released by the White House. Other equipment, including tactical vehicles, explosives and riot equipment, will be transferred only if local police provide additional certification and assurances that the gear will be used responsibly, according to the report.
The announcement came as Obama prepared to travel to Camden, N.J., to highlight his administration’s strategy to help reform local police departments, including efforts to increase the numbers of officers on patrol and the use of body cameras.
It's true the announcement doesn't mention race, but when I read "reform local police departments" (not mention "communities") in a statement coming from the White House recently, that's where my head goes. Something tells me the President isn't losing sleep over the potential use of tactical vehicles in Waco. Speaking which, are those Special Forces guys still hanging out in Texas?
5 comments:
Not "still," but rather not yet. I mean, the advance party is probably there, but Jade Helm is from 15 July until September.
Also, I don't approve of the White House trying to "reform" local police departments. However, I very much do approve of limiting militarism in police forces. The Legion Riders and the Blue Knights often drink together, and many men who are eligible to ride with one club go on to be eligible to ride with both. But they aren't the same thing, and the training and equipment for the police should match their proper mission as peace officers. On the rare occasion that we really need an infantry unit in an American city, that's what the National Guard is for. Mostly, we need people with a very different mindset, skillset, and different tools as well.
The banned items include tracked armored vehicles, bayonets and grenade launchers, according to a task force report released by the White House. Other equipment, including tactical vehicles, explosives and riot equipment, will be transferred only if local police provide additional certification and assurances that the gear will be used responsibly, according to the report.
What is it with this President and bayonets? I mean, sure, I don't really see a lot of need for a police force to have them, but he focuses on them like a laser (back during the debates in 2012 he chided Romney for thinking people still fought with bayonets... which we do, but...). But I see about as much need for them to have explosives. Short of a few (and I do mean a few) breaching charges, what would a police force need with explosive? Hell, I'd grant a grenade launcher (also banned) before explosives, given that you can launch CS grenades from one.
I thought of the CS grenades, too.
Speaking of door breaching, have you seen this new Israeli concept?
What is it with this President and bayonets?
I think Freud would have quite a bit of clarity regarding Obama, the symbolism of bayonets, and his feelings of inadequacy....
Eric Hines
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