Posted on 08/22/2014 10:17:50 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
Over the past two weeks, Americans have been transfixed and horrified by the surreal images of police donning camouflage and gas masks and pointing sniper rifles at unarmed demonstrators in Ferguson, Mo. Why have police departments become so enamored with tools more associated with war than with walking the beat? One answer is receiving precious little attention: America’s gun culture.
America is a nation awash in firearms. It’s simply impossible to talk incisively about what’s happening in Ferguson without talking about guns and the ease with which ordinary citizens and criminals can get access to them.
Police today are much better armed because it’s the only way they can keep up with criminals. When powerful semi-automatic and military-style weapons started to appear on the streets, police departments began moving from six-shot revolvers to semi-automatic weapons. That trend accelerated after several high-profile incidents where officers were simply outgunned by criminals, the most infamous being a 1997 shoot-out at a North Hollywood bank in which the robbers were toting automatic weapons and wearing body armor.
According to David Kennedy, director at the Center for Crime Prevention and Control at John Jay College, though these types of events are as rare as a “meteor strike” for most communities, police departments increasingly have come to believe that “they should have the technology ready in case one occurs.”(continued)
(Excerpt) Read more at bostonglobe.com ...
BULLS EYE!
Police have nothing to fear unless they are on the wrong side
Misnomer with the “gun culture” bit. The huge majority of the “gun culture” are stand-up citizens who would gladly defend their families/neighborhoods and work with the cops if they were outnumbered by the bad guys. The cops are militarizing to the point where they could quell a very large segment of the People if it is ever deemed that we are an actual, imminent threat....
What Good Can a Handgun Do Against An Army?
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-backroom/2312894/posts
Liar. America's gun culture goes back to the early 1700's. This militarization is completely independent of that, and is a trend that only started in earnest in the late 2000's.
That's just about the time Obama was elected, if I remember correctly.
"They", of course, being liberal Propagandists.
Suddenly, it makes sense.
Assertion without proof, typical uranalist trick.
You are starting to look like the enemy and sadly I once wanted to be one of you.
I hear you there. When I got out of the Marines, I tested for Savannah PD and GA State Patrol, and actually interviewed with Statesboro PD. Kinda glad these days I didn't go in that direction.
Exactly.What ever happened to the “friendly” policeman on the corner that everybody knew by name and you could even have a friendly conversation with?Now we have a bunch of Rambos that are itching to throw that flash bang and break down a door.
Last week I saw the turning point in MO. Police with armored vehicles with an officer on top holding a SAW pointed at a peaceful demonstration. You bet in the near future I will be better armed than that.
Well armed citizens and law enforcers are typically allies. Both help keep the peace. Criminals who use guns are not deterred by gun control laws. However, criminals are most definitely deterred by law abiding gun owners, concealed carriers, and cops.
Where are all of these cops getting shot?
You’d think there would be a news story or two about it.
Just unbelievably stupid. I’ll bet this is more the rule than exception.
Education is frowned upon in the ‘hood.
INVITING MS-13 here in DROVES from El Salvador doesn’t help much when it comes to stemming gun violence as they seem to find guns in countries that have some of the strongest gun control laws in the country.
Bunkum.
One year back in krinton’s reign, I went to a range to check a shotgun prior to deer season. Met another guy there (just two of us that day) and he had the federal gun ban trifecta. He had just bought an AR, a high-capacity pistol and a shot gun with evil pistol grips and other horrifying features. He seemed like a capable guy and yet unfamiliar with his arms. We got to talking and he flatly stated that he realized if the government wanted to take his freedoms away, he better act. So, he geared up for no other reason than he wouldn’t let his freedoms slip away.
There must be thousands and thousands more like him.
Everyone commenting on militarized cops in this thread, needs to read the cops section in this one:
#Ferguson – when [a-holes] collide (epic screed with strong language)
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3195928/posts
This is perhaps the best commentary I’ve yet seen on Ferguson.
.
- Only four (4) of the alleged “protestors” that were arrested in Ferguson Missouri one night last week were residents of Ferguson - dozens of trouble makers suddenly came to Ferguson from New Orleans, Chicago, Detroit, Las Vegas, New York, Los Angeles, Gary Indiana, Miami, Phoenix, Seattle, and many more urban high barack population cities.
- Who is interested in giving the bum rush to the policeman that had to handle “Little Mikey” Brown?
- Here is a partial list:
- The New Black Panthers
- Drug Cartels
- ISSI
- US Attorney General Eric Holder
- The Taliban
- Jesse Jackson
- Freeman
- Al Sharpton
- Al Quada
- The Democrat Progressives
- Bill Ames
- Sheila Jackson Lee
- ex-NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg
- current NYC Mayor DeBlasio (an admitted proud Communist)
- and mucho more
- I am thinking that american law enforcement officer are the new target of the left - Al Sharpton will be doubling down and holding a rally in NYC they weekend
- I would venture that millions of LE will or have been going after some tasty free venison and ducks. Deer slugs, Remington bolt action rifles with scopes, Ruger rifles, etc. Great for saving on the grocery bill and some valuable experience in mid range and long range shooting - Carlos Hathcock style,
- Just a thought - they cannot be “on the job” with 9mm all the time; a little fresh air and time with your friends and families could not hurt.
- Be careful out there -
-
.
- Only four (4) of the alleged “protestors” that were arrested in Ferguson Missouri one night last week were residents of Ferguson - dozens of trouble makers suddenly came to Ferguson from New Orleans, Chicago, Detroit, Las Vegas, New York, Los Angeles, Gary Indiana, Miami, Phoenix, Seattle, and many more urban high barack population cities.
- Who is interested in giving the bum rush to the policeman that had to handle “Little Mikey” Brown?
- Here is a partial list:
- The New Black Panthers
- Drug Cartels
- ISSI
- US Attorney General Eric Holder
- The Taliban
- Jesse Jackson
- Freeman
- Al Sharpton
- Al Quada
- The Democrat Progressives
- Bill Ames
- Sheila Jackson Lee
- ex-NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg
- current NYC Mayor DeBlasio (an admitted proud Communist)
- and mucho more
- I am thinking that american law enforcement officer are the new target of the left - Al Sharpton will be doubling down and holding a rally in NYC they weekend
- I would venture that millions of LE will or have been going after some tasty free venison and ducks. Deer slugs, Remington bolt action rifles with scopes, Ruger rifles, etc. Great for saving on the grocery bill and some valuable experience in mid range and long range shooting - Carlos Hathcock style,
- Just a thought - they cannot be “on the job” with 9mm all the time; a little fresh air and time with your friends and families could not hurt.
- Be careful out there -
-
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