You're right, I do have a love of authority. Honest, constitutional, civilian authority that we the people vote into power. What I dislike is corruption and politicians who embed themselves in office through cronyism and then appoint incompetent and/or corrupt civil officials to act as their henchmen.
Your comment about the police in Baltimore and Detroit does not even make sense. The police do not enact legislation and do not make gun ownership illegal. Politicians do that. And I can't even follow the last sentence: "The homicide rate among ordinary citizens in both of those places is a lot higher than among the police in there." Are you upset that civilians murder each other at a higher rate compared to police officers murdering each other? Or, are you upset that police officers don't murder more civilians?
And if you truly believe that police officers go around "gunning down" innocent civilians for the fun of it, as you seem to be implying, then you have a problem. They are human and they make mistakes. And don't forget, the stories you hear in newspapers and on television are filtered through an anti-police bias in the media. Take a ride along with an officer sometime (many communities have such programs) and maybe you'll change your attitude.
The police do not enact legislation and do not make gun ownership illegal. Politicians do that.
This statement is completely false. The police have paid lobbyists who actively take part in and support gun control hearings and legislation. The one I knew who worked the GA legislature was named Meridith Melvin. Her salary was paid directly out of taxpayer funds allocated to the department of public safety. The arrogant little twit once told me that she would look over any pro gun legislation that our gun rights group got our legislative leads to sponsor and let me know if it was acceptable. So don't tell me the police don't influence legislation. They most assuredly do. and they do it at taxpayer expense. You may be unaware of it since it is not highly publicized, but it is real, and I guarantee they ain't on the side of individual rights.
And I can't even follow the last sentence: "The homicide rate among ordinary citizens in both of those places is a lot higher than among the police in there." Are you upset that civilians murder each other at a higher rate compared to police officers murdering each other? Or, are you upset that police officers don't murder more civilians?
I thought that this was straightforward, but apparently not, so I'll explain what I meant. What I meant that there was less risk of being killed by a criminal if you were a police officer than if you were an ordinary citizen. In spite of what the police propagandists say, their job is safer than just being an ordinary serf (at least in Baltimore which is the only city that I did the calculations for).
And if you truly believe that police officers go around "gunning down" innocent civilians for the fun of it, as you seem to be implying, then you have a problem. They are human and they make mistakes.
Are you trying to tell me that Chris Braga and Lon Hourouchi made honest mistakes? I don't buy it for one minute and I don't think too many other people do either.
Besides, suppose I shot someone or ran over some teenage girl in the beach, killing her in an "honest mistake." I haven't yet, but supposing I do. Do you think that I should get of scott free with the statement "It was a good shoot because I was following my departmental guidelines?" Do you think that I should not be punished, or at the very least brought to trial for manslaughter? How is my killing someone by accident any different that the police killing someone by accident. In reality there is a huge difference; they get a free pass. Makes for carelessness at the very least when you know that you will never face any serious consequences if you kill someone.
And don't forget, the stories you hear in newspapers and on television are filtered through an anti-police bias in the media.
Anti-police bias in the media!! You gotta be kidding right? The only time that there is any anti-police bias in the media around here is when the victim is black. Since the local media outlets - particularly the paper - are hell bent on catering to the black community you will see anti-police bias when a white officer does something to a black. Otherwise, nothing the government does is ever criticized in the media.