I didn’t see this topic. I just wanted to bring this up for discussion.
Obviously I think this is ridiculous.
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I truly believe that the reason for want to dismantle the police on a local level is to send in state or federal police. At that point taking away power from local governments and giving it too the state or federal government. Because state police don’t answer to mayors they answer to Governors. Thus giving power hungry politicians even more power. Because if we’re being honest how many police do the we were just following orders dance? I’m not bashing police at all. I believe most of them are great people trying to make this a better place. However I dont think most of them would risk how they provide for their families.
I try not to be a conspiracy guy but the mere thought of disbanding police departments, it’s easier to believe that there is a bigger agenda than it is to believe that this many people actually think this is a good idea.
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Here’s my response.
Sorry for those of you that live there. I mean that. But 
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They want to institute Sharia law. Look who represents them. It’s to obvious to be a conspiracy.
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Sharia Law came to mind when I read this as well. It’s already been utilized in different areas of the country.
Y’all, I’m a proud Texan. I love the other states and I love my country… but I’m glad Texas has the freedom to split 
.
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Roger the Sharia. I floated the idea this morning. You can almost feel these horrid things happening. I hope I am wrong.
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Better parenting through lawlessness.
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You know, I want to see this happen just so they can beg for some type of law-enforcement back.
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There’s a lot about this sort of a call for action that I don’t understand. I’ve worked a lot in government, public, and private companies. They all waste most of their money, so let’s not kid ourselves about that. It isn’t a money problem. They could all fix that if they really wanted to.
But…the police seem to spend most of their time/energy on one area, while another area (geographic or income level) mostly funds them. So…if we ditch the cops, some folks get a big refund (right?) and others get to beat each other up until there is one person left standing?
It all reminds me of single topic voters. Anyone can stand up and scream about one topic without looking at the others. This is not related to any reasonable solution. There are bad cops, wives, toasters, drivers, tall people, etc. It is built into the system and everyone has their limits. If we’re after perfection, we’re doomed (the industry I work in…improvement, not doom, although some days I’m not sure!).
It feels like we’re about to see a lot of cage matches, but without the cages. This will spill into other areas. That is my much larger worry.
I am curious why there isn’t an All Lives Matter movement. I’d love to see folks say that isn’t what they’re behind…and then explain why.
Crazy, times…
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This would turn violent I think. I hate all the “Black Lives Matter” no “All lives matter” argument because that appears to be people’s depth of understanding the issue.
That being said, multiple black people have died as a result of these riots (one being a retired cop protecting a local pawn shop. He tried to stop a kid from stealing a flat screen TV and was shot and killed while being filmed on the internet. So black lives matter, let’s ignore a black cop being killed Because that doesn’t count? Black businesses have been destroyed. Plus, these very large protests are going on during what is supposed to be a pandemic. And then you have everyone else who has been hurt by this movement. I’ve heard the argument “all of those businesses have insurance, they’re better off now than before 
. So I completely understand “All Lives matter”. But don’t bring that up!(I’m being facetious here). It makes a lot of people mad because “of course all lives matter””. Well, of course black lives matter. I do not like the BLM movement. I’m fine with the phrase “Black Lives Matter”. That’s just a fact to me. It’s no different then walking outside and saying the sky is blue. I don’t like the BLM movement because they create a violent mob like atmosphere. I do believe we will see an increase in violence even after this is done. After the Ferguson riots, a man motivated by BLM started gunning down cops in the city of Dallas. There was a cop recently in Dallas who was snuck up on and assaulted because he was a cop. The cop shot the assailant twice and now
That’s part of the “Don’t shoot to kill” thing going around 
.
Sorry for my rant… I just wish logical conversations- meaningful solutions were being brought up in our society. Not a constant script of circular arguments and trying to enact absurd solutions like dismantling law enforcement.
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@Scoutbob
I know what you posted isn’t a popular thing especially on social media. I was just telling close friends. I’ve hit my wall with all of this. I had a Chief in the navy teach me very early on he wasn’t concerned with problems only solutions. It wasn’t that he didn’t care, he was grooming us to be free thinkers and future leaders. I’ve heard the ranting over the circular arguments and it’s been long enough. I have gone back to watch some again and I have not found one single person attempting to describe or seek a solution. I don’t argue that there’s a problem I believe their is and I’d be willing to listen to any educated attempt of coming up with a solution. But those solutions have to come from those who feel wronged.
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This is exactly where my thoughts have been when all of these protests started. 
. Let’s discuss the source(s) of the problem, and see what we can change.
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The thought of this is the height of foolishness. Everyone is emotional right now, and sides are being chosen daily. The only thing that makes sense to me is that this push to “defund” the police is but a means to an end. Will the Democrat-led areas lower the tax burdens on their citizens? What will happen to that percentage of the budget that is removed from law enforcement? What exactly is the plan for overworked & underpaid teachers or the subpar condition of inner-city schools?
I think I heard Tucker Carlson ask something about the peculiar silence of the Republicans… In other word, where is the counterbalance to the common rhetoric? The most pertinent question though… Will dismantling the police end crime & violence??
I’m going to play the other side for a moment.
Camden NJ got rid of the city PD. HOWEVER, they replaced it with the county cops (at a lower pay). They tweaked many things along the way. I have not searched for an article that details what they did. But, what they did has been successful.
Honestly, the Binghamton City PD here are not the best. Drugs are up, cops aren’t anywhere visible. They write meaningless tickets.
In this case, I can see using our County Sheriffs as a replacement.
Now, how do you get people to comply? Be better? I don’t know. I would need to go find an in depth article from Camden.
With that said, I really don’t think they have thought this through. You can’t just come up with legislation in 3 days. It will fail (NY bail reform). We need REAL discussion as to the function of the PD’s.
I simply don’t have the faith in humanity that people will do the right thing (like stop using drugs).
The biggest hurdle is getting people to want to change. But you can’t just blame the PD for eveything. Go do their job for a year and see how you feel about it.
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@Sneezy. Love the angle you took. I actually enjoy hearing sides I don’t necessarily 100% agree with because it challenges me to have a more complete understanding.
I have noticed even in my smaller town seeing less cops. But to be honest in today’s environment I don’t blame them. If I were a cop it would have to be either a call or extreme traffic violation for me to even want to contact the public. I don’t think they trust the public, as sad as that is I don’t blame them one bit.
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Here’s the article. It has merit but really requires a discussion and TRUST in the public. and we have seen how that goes. I am all for making changes that help.
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When BLM started after Michael Brown robbed a liquor store and got shot for going for the arresting officers gun.
A young lady in Houston, student president, honor roll at her college, etc. Put up a vote for All Lives Matter. She got kicked out of school, lost her scholarship. Her reason for saying all lives matter? 4 Dallas police officers got ambushed and shot by a “sniper”. She lost everything.
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America is being divided for a reason. Once we stop yelling at each other and start shooting at each other it will be much easier to overthrow us completely.
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I understand the sensitivity of “Black Lives Matter,” but that sensitivity prevents open dialogue.* My hometown has a large population of Native Americans, for example. They can’t use “Red Lives Matter”?
I also don’t like the false choice, as we famously saw in DNC debates. It’s not an either / or conversation. They’re not mutually exclusive, they’re actually symbiotic statements. All lives matter to the extent that the least life matters. If Black (or any other) lives don’t matter, then no lives matter. If not all lives matter, then who’s to say whether or not Black (or white, or Asian, or immigrant, or gay, etc.) lives matter, either?
In light of recent events, I’m willing to overlook my petty objections. But if this is a long term movement and not a reactionary flash in the pan, BLM leaders need to imagine greater things.
*This presumes that anyone actually wants dialogue, as they all claim. Based on the bold acts of censorship and “cancel culture” we witness on a routine basis, I’m not sure we can believe people who make such claims.
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I just don’t see how this hatred and disdain of LEOs has evolved so explosively. Obviously it is not a matter of constant abusive behavior by police. It is not that George Floyd was a bastion of society (he might have been a role model in some circles). There is no way a clearly, free thinking individual can look at what is happening and be convinced this has been an organic response to an actual epidemic or abuse pretty much blanket throughout many Western Civilized countries.
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