ù Quoting Glenn Vermette from a message to Ryan Bagueros  ù 
GV> You are an example of true ignornace in this area I'm afraid.  The 
GV> police, out of all profession, are probably THEE MOST scrutinized 
GV> when it comes to issues like this.  Most, if not all, areas have more 
GV> checks and balances in place, and more avenues of public complaint, 
No, Glenn, I think that your parroting of the official government line is 
pretty unconvincing. To begin with, let's give ourselves some context: we are 
talking about a justice system where:
a) money is most often the most important factor, i.e. whoever has the better 
lawyer wins the case, which means that a rich person will always have a much 
better chance of getting "justice" ... guilty or not.
b) there is a recent history of state-sponsored racism, which upheld 
blatantly 
racist laws and enforced in the streets by racist cops (this was probably 
even 
your generation). As with most anything, doing away with the most obvious 
symptoms rarely gets to the root of the problem. This is supported by the 
disparate numbers of poor people in prison (both white & black), the 
disparate 
numbers of black people in prison, as well as the frustrations of the black 
community in general. (in other words, unless you _are_ black and poor, how 
dare you say what is happening and what is not happening TO THEM?)
c) there is an even more recent history of organized and illegal framings, 
set-ups, spying, and harrassment by federal law enforcement in co-operation 
with state and local police. Anyone may request documentation of this through 
the Freedom of Information Act, although it is probably more convenient just 
to
look for it on the web. Even though the government claims that this "ended," 
common sense and the fact that people targeted by this program are still in 
prison (including death row) leads one to believe otherwise.
Now, there's our context. 
GV> Brutality is not a problem, at least not in the area I live in.  The 
GV> cops just don't go out and see some guy walking down the street and 
GV> say, "Hey George, let'sget out and beat the crap out of that guy".  
GV> It just doesn't happen my friend!  However, you likely see it that 
I think the key point there is "not in the area I live in." Because it does 
not
occur right outside your house does NOT mean it does not go on! How far do 
you 
think the system would go on if every police abuse was on public display for 
everyone to see? 
And, your naivete about violence is pretty amazing. It has been shown time 
and 
time again that power fuels violence. What makes so many people commit rape 
in 
times of war in a foreign country, when they would probably never rape 
someone 
living here and going to a normal job? Why are there so many documented 
instances of police abuse in all different countries throughout history? Why 
are there so many instances of police abuse just in this country? Why do you 
think that the police are as "scrutinized" as they are? 
To blindly accept that every time someone says they were abused by a cop, or 
harassed by a cop, or whatever, they are just lying or to always give 
presumption to the cop is the real ignorance here.
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