[quote]Mikeyali wrote:
JD430 wrote:
However, if any of you guys really believe our society can exist as peacefully(generally speaking, of course) as it does, then ask yourself…who is going to investigate a burglary to my home? If your wife was trapped in a bank during a robbery, would you want a posse of plumbers, doctors and shopkeepers stacking up to go inside or handling the negotiations?
I’ve heard a number of people shouting “I’ll never need the police” and in at least two instances I can think of, they were dialing 9-1-1 at a later date.
Historically, societies have always held a measure of disdain for their protectors, with a couple of exceptions. Im not sure why this is, but in sum, while I agree with a lot of what is said here in regards to excessive government in our lives, there is definitely a need for us to exist.
From your post I want to start of by saying that you sound like a pretty solid guy. Now I really dislike cops, but I’d probably buy you a beer. All this said, while I may like the occasional cop I can never TRUST a cop. That is where my issue lies. You say that you are generally libertarian. This is good.
But why should I trust a cop who is libertarian, but still gives out seat belt tickets or busts prostitutes? Many cops know these things are wrong, but do it anyways, because it is a part of the job. I’m not saying that cops are Nazis, but the Nazis were just doing their job when they were throwing jews into ovens.
Do we give them a pass? Certainly not. And I can’t give a cop a pass either. A cop KNOWS he is going to have to do these things in order to wear a badge. In my mind that means that I cannot be a cop.
I mean, a couple months back I had four cops escort me out of a grocery store because I was open carrying a pistol. This is 100% legal in Idaho, but the store had a non-posted policy against open carry in their stores.
Instead of informing the store to tell me that themselves, I had four cops, bladed off from me hands on their pistols ready to draw, make me put down my milk and beer and escort me out of the store.
Last month I had a TSA agent threaten to doctor a report to make my accidentally leaving a loaded magazine in my carry-on look intentional and charge me with a felony. We recently had some crazy take his M1A and an AK-47 start firing into the sheriff’s dispatch office then hole up in a church and kill a bunch of people, including a cop.
Once the firing started, a guy grabbed his .45 and ran into the fray to help the cop that had just been killed. He ended up shot but lived. The local cops here slammed him for getting involved, expecting everyone to leave it to them.
This has devolved into a rant so I’ll shut up. All I’m getting at is that cops aren’t all bad guys, but they are untrustworthy. It was cops that didn’t say no when ordered to put Japanese Americans into internment camps. It was cops (FBI and ATF)that murdered Randy Weaver’s family and put the Branch Dividians to the flame. And it’ll be cops that kill Ed Brown in New Hampshire.
mike[/quote]
I read your grocery store and airport stories when you posted them. I think both were handled improperly. If you were to acquaint yourself with my other posts, you would see I am an unforgiving believer in gun rights. Criticizing the guy who helped out in the shooting is pathetic. We need more sheepdogs among the citizenry to keep down the wolves.
The Randy Weaver and Waco stories also trouble me. I certainly wouldnt put either group (Weaver clan or Branch Davidians) on a pedestal, but to say those incidents should have been handled differently is an understatement. I know this may cause some grumbling, but look at who the attorney general/president was at that time.
I just told a buddy of mine this yesterday…I try to keep my work as consistent as I can with my personal beliefs. We dont have a prostitution problem, so I have never made a prostitution arrest. I also don’t write seatbelt tickets(except as a break for something more serious if I think your deserve the 2nd chance). Will I pop you for a lot of other reckless behavior on the road?
Absolutely, but I don’t do it myself so neither can you.
You have to realize that many cops, like everyone else who goes off to work, don’t overthink their profession or the political and philosophical issues around it. They just do there job, bring home a paycheck and take care of their family.
You are a bit of an extremist and I think you can recognize this. Blanket statements like “I hate cops” border on the absurd. I don’t understand hating any particular group simply because of what they do for a living (although lawyers and politicians come close for me…Im kidding…maybe). With that said, your beliefs in many areas are very close to mine and I certainly respect your staunch values.