• Welcome to OGBoards 10.0, keep in mind that we will be making LOTS of changes to smooth out the experience here and make it as close as possible functionally to the old software, but feel free to drop suggestions or requests in the Tech Support subforum!

F is for Fascism (Ferguson MO)

I think convicted criminals are in prison. I'm also certain I don't want to hang out with convicted criminals. There also must be something attractive about prison because certain people can't help but go back, especially those who can't control their bad impulses.
 
BiffTannen said:
I think convicted criminals are in prison. I'm also certain I don't want to hang out with convicted criminals. There also must be something attractive about prison because certain people can't help but go back, especially those who can't control their bad impulses.
Click to expand...

Have you ever broken the law?
 
So overall you think we do a good job of locking up bad people and keeping good people free?
 
You think we have the highest incarceration rate because we have the most bad people?
 
if we do indeed have the most bad people, then what about our society has created this?
 
I don't think there was anything one would recognize as "police" even 500 years ago, much less 1,000 or multiple thousands. Mostly you had (a) civilian militias, posses, and lynch/witch burning mobs; (b) armed judge/jury/executioner types appointed by the local nobility (in England they were called "shire reeves" which is where we get "sheriffs"); (c) the military enforcing the rules when the civilians got uppity; (d) some form of "town watch" which had the dual role of protecting the community against outside threats and keeping order, and were usually quasi-military or actually part of the local lord's military force. Obviously this varies a lot across thousands of years of history and thousands of human cultures. The concept of professional law enforcers separate from the civilian and military is pretty new.
 
There's a certain irony in Biff claiming that policing has been around 1000 years when it's only about 100-150 years old at the most as a way to claim social change is hard.
 
I’ve heard abolitionists talk about the example of cell phones. They haven’t been around that long but we have a hard time remembering what it was like without a cell phone or we have difficulty imagining how we could get around and function currently without them. That’s how it is with policing and prisons.
 
DL0FID5.png
 
BiffTannen said:
I think convicted criminals are in prison. I'm also certain I don't want to hang out with convicted criminals. There also must be something attractive about prison because certain people can't help but go back, especially those who can't control their bad impulses.
Click to expand...

This is a fucking bad take. Poverty and crime are part of a vicious cycle which is very difficult (not impossible) to break out from. Particularly when crimes of poverty are much more often jailed than crimes by the rich.

ETA: It is a real shitty thing to say in general too. I try not to get too worked up by anything on here, but this really crossed a line for me.
 
Last edited:
MHBDemon said:
I’ve heard abolitionists talk about the example of cell phones. They haven’t been around that long but we have a hard time remembering what it was like without a cell phone or we have difficulty imagining how we could get around and function currently without them. That’s how it is with policing and prisons.
Click to expand...

Yeah. That’s one of many examples of how quickly things can change. But in that case things changed for everyone.

I’d prefer to use bigger examples of social change like legalization of gay marriage. A lot of people made life miserable for a few people. Once things changed, life was no different for the people so resistant to change. Ogberfell was less than 6 years ago. In 2004, Republicans won the popular vote for the only time since 1988 by running hard against gay marriage. When VP Biden endorsed gay marriage less than 9 years ago, it was treated as a gaffe.

You could ask people today how long gay marriage has been legal in the US, and most would probably say 10+ years. It’s no big deal.

Hell even trans rights aren’t that big of a deal. That’s why Republicans found the one anti-trans issue that some could support with sports.

Abolition won’t materially change the personal lives of people who resist it the most. But it will improve a lot of people’s lives and make this country a better place to live.

Mass incarceration hasn’t always been the case either and we got used to it real quick.
 
Last edited:
Don't disagree ph. The problem is finding a way to overcome 1 - the inherent fear of the other and 2 - the people that love being in power and use religion to keep it (I do believe much of organized religion is based on money, power, and mis-tranlation of texts to aquire and keep the first two)
 
Some kids on the playground today were playing with black painted wood pistols and rifles. Was really jarring seeing a 10 year old or so walking around carrying what looked like a real handgun. Parents watching approvingly. WTF. Definition of privilege.
 
Made me think of this story from Raleigh.

Neighbor calls police on Black teenager practicing ROTC drills in neighborhood

http://www.wral.com/neighbor-calls-...cticing-rotc-drills-in-neighborhood/19627584/

The boy’s stepdad is white.

———
Shawn Krest, the teen's stepfather, called the situation unfortunate. He tweeted about his son’s experience.

"It's difficult, it's something I'm still learning, as well," Krest said. "It's tough for me to explain what to do because it's something I didn't have to worry about."
——-

I wish they’d do some investigating and identify the neighbor who called the cops in this situation. The family shouldn’t feel like he can’t practice on their property. They definitely shouldn’t have to make fliers about their kid. Ridiculous.

————-
Police suggested he practice his ROTC drills in his backyard instead. The family is thinking of making fliers to let neighbors know Walthour is in ROTC and not a threat.
 
DeacsPop said:
I read what he said. Ok, a social service position. With what type of authority?? What type of training?? Backup? Responding to what type of cases??
Enlighten me.
Click to expand...

These questions seem irrelevant. When trying to help someone through a panic attack or a mental health crisis what authority do you need? You need poise, compassion and probably the authority to administer emergency medications like a tranquilizer.

These changes would not have helped the situation with the 13 year old kid though. If indeed his 21 year old companion had fired shots before the police arrived, that’s not a call you send a social worker to, you send some of the remaining 10% of law enforcement. Legalizing drugs probably would have solved the problem way before it started though.
 
MHBDemon said:
I’ve heard abolitionists talk about the example of cell phones. They haven’t been around that long but we have a hard time remembering what it was like without a cell phone or we have difficulty imagining how we could get around and function currently without them. That’s how it is with policing and prisons.
Click to expand...

Some days I really wish we could go back to a time before cellphones.
 
That’s a lot. But, we are a large country. More informative would be spending per capita and also relative to countries’ police spending.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top