The Dept. of Education apparently “misplaced” some
of the student-repaid money; and to cover this up
“confuses” tyranny with due process.
The Africanization of America proceeds apace.
Horse, meet Barn Door. After all, it was all fun and games when they were just sticking it to the druggies, eh?
This is a big issue.
SWAT teams are for violent situations.
And there should be no such thing as a no-knock warrant.
If you tolerate these things, the governement will use them more and more. The Jose Guerena murder was a wake-up call.
How many folks have been killed in their own homes, many times the result of a mistaken address? How many family pets are shot dead, in front of children, to “make a point”?
And for what, a war on drugs that is 40 years old with no sign of ending?
These hut-hut-hut shock and awe troops are out of control, against our own citizens, with no accountability.
Either the Fourth Amendment has meaning or it does not.
Imagine how much local taxes could be saved if SWAT teams were cut from the budget.
All officers take an oath to protect and defend the Constituion of the United States, and usually of their home state. We need to use the new media to hold them accountable for the observance of their oath.How are we going to do that when the Supreme Court seems to think that the constitution doesn't prohibit these murderous home invasions?
In recent months, because of reading more and more of these stories, I have completely reversed myself on the position of the Drug War.
I would now rather try to deal (as a society) with the consequences of increased drug use than have this backwoods 3rd-world animals-in-uniform running the Thugocracy known as America.
End the War on Drugs and you end 90% of the justification for these unspeakable savages. I know they'll come up with other reasons (like unpaid student loans), but taking away the War on Drugs will go a long way towards pulling the carpet out from under their feet.
American police are becoming nothing less then Jack Booted Thugs.
I saw stark examples of it before I left the USSA in 2004.
Cops on FR have expressed frustration that their “rules of engagement” are tighter than those in Afghanistan.
65 percent of towns with populations between 25,000 and 50,000 had a paramilitary unit,One of those is mine. Our pop is 32.000 (maybe 35K now ) and we have a SWAT Unit. The only *problem* is we don't have any violent crime.
The last murder was 3 years ago. Committed by one of the Amish guys from Chicago who was visiting his 'girlfriend' in one of the Section Eight apartment complexes on the south side of town (we have 3 around there iirc). He was captured by old fashioned police work - fingerprints' - in three days 'hiding out' in Chicago at his mother's house, Doh!.
Our biggest Crime Problem is some a-holes who are breaking car windows and stealing stuff in plain view on the car seat. Those crimes are centralized in two areas and a GD stakeout could prolly catch the mutts. NO SWAT TEAM NEEDED.
Yet we have one
(I bet their Pinochle and Gin Rummy skills have increased x 106).
Mike
“Unfortunately, to the unsuspecting homeowner—especially in cases involving mistaken identities or wrong addresses—a raid can appear to be nothing less than a violent home invasion, with armed intruders crashing through their door. The natural reaction would be to engage in self-defense. Yet such a defensive reaction on the part of a homeowner, particularly a gun owner, will spur officers to employ lethal force.”
Bingo. We have a winner. This is exactly what would happen to me. I am not a criminal. I always have a gun on me or near me while home. If they come crashing into my home I will start shooting, and I will surely be a dead man with the firepower they posess.
This SWAT issue has got to be dealt with. We are talking life or death. Their mistakes should not be easily dismissed. If I make a mistake at work it can be fixed. You cannot bring an innocent man back from the dead.
Unbelievable....
Sue the invading force (SWAT or not) AND the judge approving the excessive force!
Marshall Mcluhan, “The Medium is the Message: An Inventory of Effects (1967)” made the point that if you have it you will use it, just because you have it.
They have it and they are using it just because they have it.
Why? Because they can.
Welcome to boot on the face time (tip o the hat to Orwell).
SWAT is nothing more than a black hole to throw good taxpayers money down, but it does make a lot of small penJJJJ cops feel manly, that and them punching their wives around.
From appearances, most are bullies trapped in perpetual adolescence trying to hide their manly inadequacies by playing Rambo against unarmed enemies at taxpayer expense. Police work attracts a number of different types of people. One type becoming more prevalent are the control freaks who get their jollies telling people what to do and showing you their ‘power’. They are the ‘respect my authority’ types. These kinds of people are especially attracted to SWAT and other special units.
Self ping for later.
This article barely scratches the surface of the problem...