Over the past 30 years governments have done an abysmal job dealing with society’s ills. Governments defunded mental health, putting thousands of mentally ill people on the street. They inadequately fund drug health programs, while failing to prosecute drug companies and salespeople, resulting in a surge of opioid and other drug abuse. Over the past 50 years, economic inequality in the U.S. has steadily increased, resulting in more poverty. We have thrown hundreds of millions of dollars at homelessness, with minimal effect. And a flood of firearms continues to flow into our communities, making them more dangerous for the average person as well as police officers.
The murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis clearly shows, however, that police departments need change, and they need it fast. Simply cutting police budgets is ludicrous. Clearly, a tiny minority of police officers guilty of unnecessary brutality ought to be forced to turn in their badges. Police chiefs, sheriffs and politicians who protect them ought to be fired, too. But hamstringing law enforcement generally would be a gift to criminals of all stripes, including some fond of using violence to get what they want. Try jerking the financial rug out from under a police department or two and see what happens quickly.
Most citizens are law abiding and have no contact with the police, except for the occasional speeding ticket or equipment violation. The police constantly deal with the chronic spouse abusers, drunks, addicts and career criminals. Most law enforcement officers will tell you they spend 85 percent of their time dealing with 15 percent of the population. Within the mayhem and chaos, some of it media manufactured, it is seldom the offender’s fault, you see. It must be someone else’s fault. The police and society are constantly blamed for individual shortcomings. What we have is analogous to a collective psyche of addicts and enablers blaming everyone else for their woes. These folks ignore the perpetual draining of their time, energy and funds by the miscreants they shelter from reality.
They've been loudly supported by left-wing Democrat politicians like Alexandria Ocasio Cortez and Ilhan Omar, and by many celebrities including Lizzo, John Legend, Common and Jane Fonda who all signed an open letter calling for a defunding of the police.
One of the signatories was actress Natalie Portman who posted a lengthy statement on Instagram to explain why: 'When I first heard #defundthepolice,' she wrote, 'I have to admit my first reaction was fear. My whole life, police have made me feel safe. But that's exactly the center of my white privilege: the police make me as a white woman feel safe, while my black friends, family and neighbors feel the opposite: police make them feel terror. And for good reason. Police are the 6th leading cause of death for black men in this country. These are not isolated incidents. They are patterns and part of the system of over-policing of black Americans. Reforms have not worked. Minneapolis, where George Floyd was murdered, is one of the most progressive police forces in the country, having undergone extensive anti-bias training. I am grateful to the leaders in the @mvmnt4blklives who have made us question the status quo. And who have made us imagine, what a world could be like in which we invested in nourishing people; (in their education, healthcare, environment, shelter)— rather than putting all of our money into punishment. I've gotten to the age in my life, where if my gut feels uncomfortable, I take the situation as wrong. But this concept initially made me uncomfortable because I was wrong. Because the system that makes me feel comfortable is wrong.'
Portman was swiftly backed by fellow actresses.
' Beautifully said!' gushed Ellen Pompeo.
' So well said,' agreed Olivia Wilder. 'Thank you, Natalie!'
Well.......I'm afraid my gut had a rather different reaction when I read Ms Portman's clarion cry to defund the police. This, surely, is celebrity virtue-signalling at its most laughably hypocritical?
All these stars live in secure protected homes.
Most of them employ expensive bodyguards or even full security details.
It's very easy for them to sit safely in their mansions and tell those who can't afford such luxuries that they'll be just fine without the police around. But the truth is they won't. But getting rid of the police altogether is frankly a batsh*t crazy idea. This may not be a popular view right now - but I believe the majority of police officers do a good job; they're brave, diligent, and care about protecting people, not killing them.
The police remain a vital corner stone of any democracy. At their best, they keep order, protect the public, and save lives.
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