Well, generating and reaching the proper consensuses on the matter... is and will be an ongoing process. I'm certain of that.
Who's "we"? We (you and I) have no power over them. They, like the IRS, take liberties as they see fit.
Please, stop it!! I'm tired of that wimpy, nihilistic BS!! Just because you cannot change things in a large SWATH, OVERNIGHT... does not mean (and never has meant) that WE (the American people) are somehow 'powerless'. Truth is, we DO have to make up our minds (even independently of the politicians) and say/do what we need to do; change WILL take time. I'm glad that people like my parents and others seeking "Civil Rights" did not wrap themselves in the attitude you express above; nothing would have 'changed'.
Term limits are something WE the American people can do! How about we decide (even as a custom) to vote for someone DIFFERENT after no more than 2 terms; whatever office it may be? Can we say that people spending MORE time in office than that is really a 'good' thing?
My parents were born in the mid-20's; they are Black. Tell THEM about struggling, yet working a lifetime for 'change'. This (fairly modern) notion that worthwhile things happen overnight, is something we need to grow OUT of, sooner than later.
The situation is highly unfortunate. I don't like violence, though it is a part of my profession. I have to wonder what ISN'T on film also. Even so, I grew up as a Black kid in the South, in the 60's and 70's. We didn't ever entertain the concept that we could break any law and get away with it, much less ignore a policeman's orders, run or resist; we knew that would be our asses (no questions asked). I have to wonder if the cops had been nice to those kids before and only given verbal warnings; yet in subsequent hours/days they showed that they were NOT going to comply with the laws/ordinances. I'd love to have more information about the WHOLE incident and not just that video.
Police Kick Handcuffed Woman in the Head http://youtu.be/leYM3W_F614 Police beat a handcuffed nurse and fist bump after throwing her to the ground http://youtu.be/aw06ANLJNAQ Police officer murders unarmed motorist for rolling up her window http://youtu.be/BSPhC916GQM Police murder unarmed elderly veteran http://youtu.be/8iLY-P45aSQ Police officer murders unarmed man holding a baby http://youtu.be/XMDIK4bOpwk Police execute unarmed man by shooting him in the back http://youtu.be/B0rf2OIOxLw Police beat 17 year old girl to the point of miscarriage http://youtu.be/Wn8KNF4kX1M
I would not say that there have not been problems with some cops in certain situations; but it simply is not fair to broadly paint ALL policemen using select videos biased to make the point we wish to make. Not all policemen are bad or incompetent. And certainly, they have to deal with the worst of the worst in many cases.
There is not going to be a "consensus" on violating people's rights with big, authoritarian central government, at least, not one that involves libertarians and anarchists.
In any case, we know the system hasn't been perfect. We can only work to improve it. And I think you are being more negative about this than you need to be (which isn't going to lead to solutions anyway). These days, I see a LOT of people being negative but not showing they are active in changing society; I'm not impressed by people always pointing out what's wrong. What's your 'practical' approach to a solution?
I really don't think it makes any difference. Term limits just move the distribution of political favors over to un-elected bureaucrats, particularly within the entrenched major parties. Politicians become more like puppets, yet they still do well in the short time they have in office (and they know they will automatically move up if they kowtow to the party line.) As long as there are favors to be sold, there will be someone to sell them, whether it be the politicians or the organized groups and powerful individuals that put them into power. To cure the disease, it's the power that needs to be eliminated, not the symptoms.
It would help; I'm pretty certain of that. And no need throwing out good practices, just because they aren't perfect. We have to 'start' somewhere.
Dressing up in all black, with black helmets and heavy riot shields, bristling with weapons, and protected by laws which make even looking at them funny a potential felony. We aren't far away from the comparison being apt.
I'm willing to concede they are not as bad as the German Gestapo, but that is nothing to be proud of by a long shot! I suppose they can go around wearing pins that say, "Hey, at least we're not as bad as the Gestapo."
Sexual assault, arrest of the person making the complaint, the kidnapping of her daughter, and coverup by almost everyone involved. This is disturbing at so many levels. http://xrepublic.tv/node/3112 The people who's job it is to keep the peace are no longer just empowered to do that, but are empowered to enforce all the political dictates. This makes them corrupt and immoral, and anyone who now calls his or herself an "office of the law" is tainted. The only way to restore honor and dignity to the profession is to eliminate the laws that allow them to treat all people as potential criminals. In the case presented here, it was for a "drug search" meaning the woman was not even suspected of an offense against another person, but merely the "offense" of violating a political dictate.
Fascist swine remove baby from parents for seeking second opinion on medical treatment, how how they enter the innocent families home with hands on their guns ready to execute anyone who dare prevent this kidnapping. http://www.ksdk.com/news/article/377456/28/Baby-taken-from-parents-who-wanted-2nd-doctors-opinion http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nrtQaxzjv0Y http://rt.com/usa/bloomberg-never-know-where-cameras-477/
Police perform house-to-house raids in Watertown MA ripping innocent families (at gun point) from their homes without warrant or cause http://youtu.be/2LrbsUVSVl8
http://www.dailypaul.com/266666/lex...uspended-after-forced-entry-into-college-dorm [video=youtube;Dw1q9rBv7oU]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dw1q9rBv7oU&feature=player_detailpage[/video] [video=youtube;LbQUltNOqo8]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LbQUltNOqo8&feature=player_detailpage[/video] http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpag e&v=1ZkZqRM4934 [video=youtube;3_GFTdq7QEA]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_GFTdq7QEA&feature=player_detailpage[/video] [video=youtube;BpjM1VIqlUg]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BpjM1VIqlUg&feature=player_detailpage[/video] [video=youtube;0zQQCSwZwcA]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpag e&v=0zQQCSwZwcA[/video] there's thousands more.........what more do you need to believe...damn, sorry I forgot your not a Citizen of America
[video=youtube;lLKmlXlfHAg]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lLKmlXlfHAg&feature=player_detailpage[/video] [video=youtube;leYM3W_F614]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpag e&v=leYM3W_F614[/video] [video=youtube;hLNNXCz9-gQ]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLNNXCz9-gQ&feature=player_detailpage[/video] [video=youtube;rKcf20TBgqw]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rKcf20TBgqw&feature=player_detailpage[/video] [video=youtube;CUk4T3TVg3s]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpag e&v=CUk4T3TVg3s[/video] thousands of these. You might be a cop if you deny this and justify this type of action by a bunch of pigs
[video=youtube;aBA6YmV_QxU]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBA6YmV_QxU&feature=player_detailpage[/video] forgot about this one
