Cops are assholes because they deal with assholes 24/7.

You guys haven't dealt with cops in south america. American cops are actually pretty good. Mistakes are made in whatever profession you are in, but at least american cops won't be bribed out of protecting you and your family.

I don't believe that the conflict between authority and those affected by its cruelties is one limited to America - in fact, the US is really quite 'fair' [compared to many, many other countries], though I'll certainly not disagree that there is a very high degree of hypocrisy in the 'land of the free'. Am I saying that it's fair? No, of course not. There are a great deal of horrific acts that occur for a great deal of reasons in the US - some of them committed by those supposed to 'protect' us - but there is still at least some degree of regulation - for better or for worse - as opposed to parts of the world that are unregulated, where acts of violence can go utterly unpunished out of the people's fear for illegitimate reprise.

I think a very important question remains quite unanswered though: where, exactly, can you draw the line between someone with respect to their individual person and their supposed 'duty'?

Police and soldiers are people, too. They have families, feelings, personality - and they should be respected much as anyone else for this - but what when their job tells them to do something quite contrary to their will? What can we hold people accountable for in times of war, in times of panic and fear - of hatred and violence and events quite uncontrollable? When does the 'I'm just doing my job' excuse wear thin? If you can establish that, then to what extent can any governmental authority begin to act for itself rather than the people that it is supposed to protect, serve, and live by? It seems to me that man is fantastic at making monsters far larger than himself - God being the ultimate goal and byproduct of such endeavors.

I wish I could say that police were necessary - that they were needed. And I am not saying they aren't. I have just never actually had a cop help me out - in fact, living in fear of them is quite a deterrent to happiness quite often - so is it authority people should be afraid of, or is it always other people acting by the accords their occupation has established for them to abide by? If a law is fair, then I've truly no problem abiding by it - honestly, I mostly abide by the unfair ones, too - but if I am to obey and they are to obey, for what seems like utterly arbitrary reasons, who is deciding upon such subjectivities? What if I do not trust 'the people' with what is right? What if I have no heed or pity for that majority? Sit and wait? And what when patience fails? When that great machine tries to assign morality with a nightstick?

I suppose the crux is this: are people inherently good or evil? Are they both, are they neither? The simple yet empty answer is that people are people. And if we maintain our humanity despite our position - be it office worker, firefighter, retail monkey, police officer, BLACKWATER SECURITY OFFICER ASSIGNED IN A FOREIGN FUCKING COUNTRY THE WORLD DOESN'T WANT US IN, then there is a division; a separation between those who would use authority to enforce a very selfish sense of validation or those who would use authority to protect those unable to protect themselves.

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There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio,
Than are dreamt of in your philosophy.

quote:

Originally posted by Fibonacci You guys haven't dealt with cops in south america. American cops are actually pretty good. Mistakes are made in whatever profession you are in, but at least american cops won't be bribed out of protecting you and your family.

dude thats pretty ignorant. Police in America are just as corrupt as anywhere else in the world. They are just better at hiding and covering it up. If a cop doesnt like you, your screwed.

quote:

Originally posted by Dj Nacht Police in America are just as corrupt as anywhere else in the world.

Is that a fact?

Not only is it a fact; it's an opinion.

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There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio,
Than are dreamt of in your philosophy.

Police are just people.
Not super heroes.

quote:

Originally posted by Dj Nacht dude thats pretty ignorant. Police in America are just as corrupt as anywhere else in the world. They are just better at hiding and covering it up. If a cop doesnt like you, your screwed.

That's a pretty blatant generalization. And I would doubt it as well, when considering the number of 3rd world countries out there.

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quote:

Originally posted by heathen Police are just people.

If they are just people, like the rest of us, then why are they allowed to taze people who are disobedient? Allowed to use whatever force necessary in order to subdue people who sometimes pose no violent threat whatsoever. Allowed to make me pay money if they catch me operating my transportation machine at an unathorized rate all the while, somewhere, somebody is being beaten to near death over the contents of their wallet? Why do we allow mere "people" this sort of freedom? Because somebody has to do it? What if it is the constant fear of reprise, that constant fear of what viciousness lying just beneath the surface of every day order; that chaotic sort of punishment we inflict upon ourselves through the culture of fear and politics which leads to violent crime in the first place? I am not saying anarchy is 'the solution'. I just wish people questioned the authority keeping things 'in line' a bit more. Whose line are we walking along and why do we still never feel safe?

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There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio,
Than are dreamt of in your philosophy.

quote:

Originally posted by Dj Nacht If a cop doesnt like you, your screwed.

Nah, not really.

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i agree w/ halcyon the law is more problem than solution for some of the population and still in a gray area for most of the rest.

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