Viewing a single comment thread. View all comments

detective_bigfoot t1_j1dtdr5 wrote

Reply to comment by BlaineTog in Former State Police Captain indicted on CP charges by [deleted]

Cops exist to violently enforce class relations. Even the cops that don’t “look the other way.” Will still brutalize civil rights protesters if they’re ordered to, or incarcerate women seeking medical care. ACAB, absolutely no exceptions.

23

BlaineTog t1_j1dz22l wrote

Ultimately, any law will require state violence if it is to be enforceable. This means that some kind of police force will be required in any society that isn't pure anarchy. The system might have the cops brutalize civil rights protestors, but it also might employ them to protect protestors from terrorists or to arrest a CEO who has committed billions in wage theft. The specifics matter, even if our current specifics are so screwed up that it's hard to see how to untangle them.

−7

detective_bigfoot t1_j1dzxkz wrote

The concept of using violence to enforce laws is arguably inherently flawed in anarchist thought, but that’s beside the point, because the institution of policing was not made to enforce laws that actually help anyone, it was created to brutalize and persecute the underclasses. Don’t twist my words. It’s not the concept of law enforcement but rather the institution of the police which is inherently evil.

7

BlaineTog t1_j1e3p0o wrote

> Don’t twist my words. It’s not the concept of law enforcement but rather the institution of the police which is inherently evil.

Friend, you're twisting your own words if you're trying to draw a distinction that fine. But we can call the people who show up when a civilian starts committing violence something other than, "police," if you want. We'll need state agents to act in that capacity regardless of what their department is named.

1

warlocc_ t1_j1eh6mh wrote

The problem is twofold, I think. Besides the issues with police, another issue is our laws. Having police show up to enforce laws with violence is fine... Until the laws are stupid and not even preventing harm.

If you fly a toy plane in your own back yard without filling out the right paperwork, the same people that are expected to deal with violent criminals come to deal with you. Seems kind of broken.

1

BlaineTog t1_j1ej21r wrote

Absolutely. Right now, we throw the police at basically every problem facing society as our first line of defense, and that's simply ridiculous. Most police officers never fire their guns on duty, so why do sending armed individuals trained mostly in the use of force to places where guns clearly aren't needed? Surely some percentage of those situations would be better handed by agencies staffed with unarmed professionals trained in the particulars. If the threat of violence is enough to keep the peace, then isn't it enough to know that attacking one of those agents might then summon the police? That would at least prevent the state actors from making split-second mistakes.

1

rufknkidingme t1_j1gk1qc wrote

That is a valiant attempt to be the adult/voice of reason in the room. Fully expect this to get down voted. One can not fix stupid.

1