Too Many Extremes – More Honesty – No LE Resignations?

I have always had an appropriate and healtly respect for law enforcement people, firefighters and paramedics. Still do.

Extreme/Heroes

I have never been a person to refer to these groups as heroes. Ditto for members of the US Armed Forces or any other groups of people based on their employment.

Dressing up your baseball team in militarized camo to honor The Troops.

No thanks.

For sure, there are people in LE who have done things that look to be abusive Re: people who do not appear to be resisting.

Shot while hands were in the air.

Video of San Diego police dog biting man in handcuffs creates stir

Falsifying documents about drug payments to informants – botched raid at home on Harding Street that left two dead.

Even after George Floyd was killed:

Looks like a disoriented man who may have lost his way and requires the use of a cain in order to walk. Operation Macho Swagger clears him out.

Faced with split-second decisions:

Neutralizing the threat.

Back before George Floyd was killed:

Honesty/Willing to risk his career to take a stand

Update:

Extreme/Defund Police

The idea is to eliminate police abuse, not eliminate police.

Extreme/Ban SPD from using pepper spray.

Why no resignation from Seattle Police Chief Carmen Best when she is told to do her job without the tools needed to protect the safety of her officers, the general public, and protestors?

Why no resignation from Seattle Police Chief Carmen Best when she is told to pull her officers back from the CHAZ/CHOP police-free zone?

June 22, 2020 SeattlePI

How CHAZ became CHOP: Seattle’s police-free zone explained

“People can now freely walk in the area, which has been covered with signs, murals, memorials and different types of art. The day after police left, protesters put up a sign on the East Precinct, now boarded up, that reads: “This space is now property of the Seattle people.” In recent days, protesters have been advocating for turning the precinct into a community center, even as SPD’s police chief has said officers want to return to the building.”

Faced with split second-decisions:

Why no resignation from Washington State Patrol Chief John R. Batiste when his agency is told to pull back and place public safety at risk by yielding to protests on I-5?

Extreme/Public Safety Deal Breaker

Washington State Patrol yields the right of way to protests on I-5.

July 5, 2020 KIRO 7

Death of I-5 protester sparks end of nighttime freeway protests

“But the Washington State Patrol looked the other way, even setting up barriers during the nearly three weeks of nighttime protests on the freeway.”

After enabling criminal conduct, WSP will no longer enable criminal conduct:

“Blocking a freeway is a crime and no longer are we going to enable that criminal conduct to continue,” said State Patrol Capt. Ron Mead, who made the decision to no longer close the interstate. “We are not going to be allowing protesters to access the freeway unimpeded, and there are consequences for criminal conduct.”

“State Patrol had shut down the interstate 19 nights in a row in response to protests, said Capt. Mead, who oversees the agency’s district that includes King County. For weeks, troopers operated in response to protesters’ movements, shutting down a stretch of the interstate when it looked as if protesters would enter the roadway.”

Public Safety/Routine Stuff

WSP knows that more people are out drinking and driving during the holidays. WSP gets involved to promote public safety before lives are lost.

Why did protests on I-5 go on for 19 nights?

Where are the Washington State Patrol resignations?

Governor Inslee looks the other way when WSP allows protests on I-5. Or he directs them to back off?

The Governor makes a priority of telling the people of WA that they may not order a beer after 10 p.m.

I would prefer that state and local authorities maintain public safety.

When they fail, or don’t even seem to try, it is understandable that people would want the federal government to get involved.

You don’t have to look too far to find comments that refer to the troops as “heroes.”

Some are.

No one who has done time in an average military unit would be comfortable with everyone present being called a hero. Some units would be the exception, but for most people who have done time over the years, calling everyone a hero would have no connection to reality.

Reality, and an honest understanding of why we send The Troops to far away places isn’t what we’re about though.

Reaching for an honest understanding of US foreign policy makes more sense than “Thanks for your service.”

Hero?

A man on the moon in 1969. Church, Boy Scouts, patriotism, pledge of allegiance, the WWII generation in charge. Signing up for the Marines.

Families with married parents and maybe a stay at home Mom. It was common for your friends to have 3 or 4 brothers and sisters.

It started out with a positive sense of American culture.

Much has changed.

Over the past 40 years or so, both major parties have taken turns in power and have squandered credibility that would help in the current situation. A wide variety of political personalities have occupied the White House.

We were told we needed to send troops to Vietnam to stay safe.

Syria, Lebanon, Somalia, Iraq, Afghanistan, etc.

Growing Up In The Cold War Era

1967

Did the Joint Chiefs of Staff send The Troops to safeguard American freedoms?

Was it the Viet Cong that set up laws in 16 US states to prohibit interracial marriage?

Jet Noise Made Them Free?

Alcohol Sales Must End At 10 p.m.

Washington State Patrol – Complete Failure

I Can’t Vote For This

Random Thoughts – COVID-19 Concerns

Public Safety?