We sure weren't feeling the love when viciously attacked for peacefully protesting the murder of George Floyd. We were singing songs, sharing water, praying. And then unprovoked (I have video to prove) met with rubber bullets and exploding gas canisters.
It is no longer possible for me to see the police as anything but a tool of authoritarianism, racism and fascism. And we've seen this before.
I have been beat by them with a nightstick, threatened with having drugs planted on me, and that's not even counting my run-ins with feds. Minneapolis police to be specific on those 2 run-ins.
This is absolutely true - and by no means only in the US. I'm in Montreal and it's hard not to see "our" police as an occupying force. Quebec has its own far-right problem and we're just about the only place in the province that wants nothing to do with that kind of politics. Needless to say the police overwhelmingly come from outside the city, and the man they saw fit to elect as premier openly encourages them to act the way they do.
This article has left me shaking. Yes, I knew this about the police but you defined it better than anything I have read in the past and we should be on our guard because who knows when they may show up at our door. I live in a small Western PA town - a town that actually put Trump over the top in 2016. We are a conservative, red, right wing Town. When there was a peaceful protest here during the pandemic regarding black lives matter - we didn't just have police with guns lining our Main Street. We had rednecks with guns just waiting for someone to look at them cross eyed and they would take them out. It is a sad commentary on small town life. We don't have the legions that metropolitan America does but along with our police we have vigilantes. I have made a conscious decision for this year to no longer watch the news and I no longer post on social media. I was a maniac during the last election and if Trump had won it could have ended by 50 year marriage! My husband and I are not on the same page. These newsletters are my "news." I read nothing else - so you better always tell the truth! (haha I know you do). Thank you for keeping me informed. I am trying to mentally prepare for 8 more years of "him" because of course once elected he will make it a priority to give himself 2 terms. I cannot even imagine what is going to happen to our country as he gives anyone in blue - or anyone with a gun - free reign to use them at will. I am no longer young but I expect to be here for many more years. We used to not lock our doors. My husband doesn't like it but I lock them now all the time. I have a feeling that if things do not change in our country that I will simply become a recluse! Again - thank you for these newsletters....
Good points. I am neither left nor right but fact of the matter is, cops are will enforce whatever laws the State tells them to enforce. So all these Back the Blue types could be in for a big surprise if they think cops are their “allies” or whatever.
And it’s worth mentioning that a lot of cops learned the trade, as it were, in Iraq or some other American foreign adventure. And guess who has made a lot of money training American cops? That’s right: Israel. So they are taught to see people as Palestinians. Nice, huh?
Once again, you get to the core of the issue concisely and eloquently.
When I wrote "The Working Class is (Still) in Danger!" I hadn't thought much about the concrete fascist danger police pose to the revolutionary working class. That has completely changed after reading this piece.
Those who work on police forces will be singing a different tune when their pensions and collective bargaining rights evaporate. Talk about voting against your own financial interests.
Riddle me this: if over 70 percent of Gazans support Hamas, why don't we describe the US protest as pro-Hamas? That is more accurate than pro-Palestinian?
We sure weren't feeling the love when viciously attacked for peacefully protesting the murder of George Floyd. We were singing songs, sharing water, praying. And then unprovoked (I have video to prove) met with rubber bullets and exploding gas canisters.
It is no longer possible for me to see the police as anything but a tool of authoritarianism, racism and fascism. And we've seen this before.
This fits so well with American foreign policy. Hand in glove. As within so without.
Police were Maga way before maga existed.
I have been beat by them with a nightstick, threatened with having drugs planted on me, and that's not even counting my run-ins with feds. Minneapolis police to be specific on those 2 run-ins.
This is absolutely true - and by no means only in the US. I'm in Montreal and it's hard not to see "our" police as an occupying force. Quebec has its own far-right problem and we're just about the only place in the province that wants nothing to do with that kind of politics. Needless to say the police overwhelmingly come from outside the city, and the man they saw fit to elect as premier openly encourages them to act the way they do.
This article has left me shaking. Yes, I knew this about the police but you defined it better than anything I have read in the past and we should be on our guard because who knows when they may show up at our door. I live in a small Western PA town - a town that actually put Trump over the top in 2016. We are a conservative, red, right wing Town. When there was a peaceful protest here during the pandemic regarding black lives matter - we didn't just have police with guns lining our Main Street. We had rednecks with guns just waiting for someone to look at them cross eyed and they would take them out. It is a sad commentary on small town life. We don't have the legions that metropolitan America does but along with our police we have vigilantes. I have made a conscious decision for this year to no longer watch the news and I no longer post on social media. I was a maniac during the last election and if Trump had won it could have ended by 50 year marriage! My husband and I are not on the same page. These newsletters are my "news." I read nothing else - so you better always tell the truth! (haha I know you do). Thank you for keeping me informed. I am trying to mentally prepare for 8 more years of "him" because of course once elected he will make it a priority to give himself 2 terms. I cannot even imagine what is going to happen to our country as he gives anyone in blue - or anyone with a gun - free reign to use them at will. I am no longer young but I expect to be here for many more years. We used to not lock our doors. My husband doesn't like it but I lock them now all the time. I have a feeling that if things do not change in our country that I will simply become a recluse! Again - thank you for these newsletters....
Good points. I am neither left nor right but fact of the matter is, cops are will enforce whatever laws the State tells them to enforce. So all these Back the Blue types could be in for a big surprise if they think cops are their “allies” or whatever.
And it’s worth mentioning that a lot of cops learned the trade, as it were, in Iraq or some other American foreign adventure. And guess who has made a lot of money training American cops? That’s right: Israel. So they are taught to see people as Palestinians. Nice, huh?
Once again, you get to the core of the issue concisely and eloquently.
When I wrote "The Working Class is (Still) in Danger!" I hadn't thought much about the concrete fascist danger police pose to the revolutionary working class. That has completely changed after reading this piece.
https://angryeducationworkers.substack.com/p/the-working-class-is-still-in-danger
Those who work on police forces will be singing a different tune when their pensions and collective bargaining rights evaporate. Talk about voting against your own financial interests.
Riddle me this: if over 70 percent of Gazans support Hamas, why don't we describe the US protest as pro-Hamas? That is more accurate than pro-Palestinian?
https://shorturl.at/vJQ45