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I teach my children that you respect anyone with a gun. That's pretty simple. (And yes, that includes a criminal wielding the gun in an assault. Please don't misrepresent my use of the word “respect”. Perhaps I should rephrase that statement and say that I have taught my children to respect the gun. Or perhaps the badge.) My children will never be seen in a video such as this. Why? Because I have taught them that there are consequences to their actions. Those consequences are not always “fair”, but they are always consequences. I have also taught them respect, at a certain level, for authority - even when that authority is unjustly wielded. I have also taught them to work passionately for justice.

I have personally been threatened, almost assaulted, by a police officer. It was unprovoked and he was totally out of line. I am convinced that he only reason he didn't totally lose it was because MY conduct diffused the situation. It was an intense situation and he probably was having a bad day, but had I provoked him in the slightest way (like kicking a shoe at him), I would have accepted that I probably deserved what ever he decided to dish out.

The officer was attacked by a snotty nosed little brat and was subdued. She instigated it and suffered the results of her actions.

There was no excessive force in this video. The officer was assaulted and used reasonable force (given the adrenaline in the situation) to restrain the girl from further attacks. Little doubt in my mind that had she gotten away with her initial assault, she would have escalated it - perhaps not on this evening, but in the next time she is taken in, and then probably the next time she is apprehended.

We, as a society, in our quest for gentleness and understanding have become the most violent and most incarcerated society that our world has ever seen. Those who allow the kinds of behaviors this girl exhibited to go gently and understandingly unpunished are enablers.

Yes, the girl probably got a few bruises and maybe even a bloody nose. Unfortunately, it will probably not be a teaching moment. Probably passed is the opportunity for her to learn that it was HER instigating that caused him to respond.

Being a police officer or a soldier is packed full of emotion, adrenaline, and responsibility - to an extent that those of us who have never worn a badge or a dog tag can conceive. The officer deserves discipline (as a consequence of his actions), but criminal? Hardly. And to propose so only invites anarchy. (Just ask New York citizens if they care to return to the days when New York's finest had their hands tied. The ‘70’s there were about as close to anarchy as this country has seen - present day mexican border states obviously the exception. But wait, we've hamstrung our border officers there too. Hmmmmm...