[imardmd1]

This is why police are dangerous, and why we are seeing abuses of power and lack of accountability. It is the State that makes this so. Increasingly, the State believes itself to be at risk from its citizens, and its proliferation of laws and acquisition of arms is accompanied by attempts to restrict citizens' rights and abilities to defend themselves.

They are at risk from their cohabitants, because minors are not being trained to be responsible citizens as it was 50 or more years ago. It is also from this pool that police academies must draw. So ... any democracy bears within itself the seeds of its own destruction ---

[Cap74]

So ... any democracy bears within itself the seeds of its own destruction

Excellent point. Our troubles began when we decided to become a democracy. We were once "a Republic, if you can keep it." We could not.