Cops: America’s Baddest Street Gang?

Warning sign for police brutality. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

This video below is infuriating.  It’s a collection of video-shorts on police violence.

But, these video-shorts have been “cherry-picked” to support the contention that the America’s police have become increasingly prone to committing violence against innocent Americans.  And there seems to be no doubt that the cops are dangerous to the people.  But how dangerous?  Is the growing volume of video evidence of police abuse simply the unfortunate result of a plethora of video cameras on the streets that record and post only the very rare instances of police abuse, or are the “pigs” really running wild?

•  Most Americans believe it’s tough being a cop.  Cops are portrayed as working in a dangerous world where they might be shot and killed at any moment by “bad guys”.   And they’re all heroes, of course.  So we need to give ‘em a little latitude whenever they go off the rails. After all, the stress of their highly dangerous profession could drive any of us off the edge from time to time, right?

 

The Marines ARE Coming

Image via Wikipedia

Two week ago, I posted an article entitled “The Marines are Coming–Maybe” which described the possibility that members of the armed forces might show up at the Occupy Wall Street demonstrations to defend unarmed civilians from police brutality.  I was somewhat skeptical that there’d be much “resistance” from members of the military, but here’s a video of one Marine who showed up and really is “fighting for our freedoms”.  He’s not “fighting for our freedoms” in Iraq, but he is damn sure fighting for them right here in The USA.

Marine Corps Sargent Shamar Thomas faced off against 30 police in an Occupy Times Square demonstration.  He demanded to know where is the honor in beating or threatening unarmed civilians.  He received no answer.  He told the police that if they wanted to fight, they should go to Iraq.  Again, no answer.

 

Police Brutality on MSNBC

Image via Wikipedia

Evidence of police brutality is published almost every day on the internet, YouTube, and various blogs.  The message has been undeniable:  police brutality is growing in America and, so far, with the absolute approval of our local, state and federal governments.

However, here we see evidence for what may be the first time, of a major mainstream media outlet addressing police brutality in no uncertain terms.

Lawrence O’Donnell with MSNBC’s “The Last Word” has charged police brutality on a national level.  I couldn’t have said it better.  I wanted to clap my hands at the end of O’Donnel’s presentation.