Topic: How many brain-dead American's look at this and think "ho hum"?

[Libertas]

http://www.economist.com/news/united-states/21599349-americas-police-have-become-too-militarised-cops-or-soldiers

SWAT raids up 15 fold from 1980.  Yeah, we are living in a free nation, sure.  Free for who?  Authorities?

[richb]

Until it happens to them,  they will remain brain dead.

For my dad,  it happened in the 1980's already.   However, unlike most victims of going too far police,  he got his pound of flesh.   I doubt he would get it today.  It still cost taxpayers of the village  over $2 million dollars (in the 1980's) to get those cops fired.  (two street cops and the chief)

Did that department learn anything?   Nope,  not a damn thing.   They were recently in the news again for going too far.  Laws were broken by police,  again......  They got busted again.    Who knows how many millions it will cost taxpayers this time. 

[AlanS]

No one wants to eliminate SWAT teams. Imminent threats to human life require a swift, forceful response. That, say critics, is what SWAT teams should be used for: not for serving warrants on people suspected of nonviolent crimes, breaking up poker games or seeing that the Pumpkin Festival doesn’t get out of hand.

Get everyone accustomed to seeing them, comrade.

[Glock32]

SWAT was something invented by the LAPD and it supposedly stands for Special Weapons And Tactics.  In the decades since, it seems the whole "Special" part of the acronym has been dropped. Now Mayberry has to have their own SWAT team, complete with a donated MRAP vehicle.

A big part of this evolution has been in the demeanor that they have deliberately cultivated among their enforcers. They attract and recruit those with an imperious, disdainful bearing. It's even come to light that they frequently have requirements for a maximum IQ. Recordings have emerged from training programs where they are literally instructed to treat the American citizen public as insurgents.

Well you know what? You insist on treating everyone like it's Fallujah, then don't be surprised when Fallujah is exactly what you end up with.

[Libertas]

Delta Farce - 4. "Accept the Pain"