When residents took to the streets to protest the recent killing of unarmed 18-year-old Michael Brown by local police in the small town of Ferguson, Missouri, we get a clear look at today’s law enforcement – not exactly persons you would feel comfortable calling should you need to be protected or served.
Instead of showing up to help serve citizens exercising their rights to protest against an injustice, these law enforcement officers show up in full military gear, flaunting an ‘us vs them’ mentality.
This is the new USA.
“Why do these cops need MARPAT camo pants again,” I asked on Twitter this morning. One of the most interesting responses came from a follower who says he served in the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division: “We rolled lighter than that in an actual warzone,” writes Paul Szoldra from Business Insider, who wrote an penned an article questioning the recent change in our law enforcement.
There can be no doubt that American citizens are the new ‘insurgents’. The state is obviously preparing for a coming event. Are you aware of this? Are you prepared?
We looked intimidating, but all of our vehicles and equipment had a clear purpose for combat against enemy forces. So why is this same gear being used on our city streets?
On Saturday, a police officer in Ferguson, Missouri, shot and killed 18-year-old Michael Brown, an unarmed black man. In the days that have followed, the town with a population of about 21,000 has seen massive protests in response to the shooting, as some witnesses said Brown had his hands up when he was killed.
Putting aside what started the protests for a moment, it’s worth discussing the police response to the outrage. In photos taken Monday, we are shown a heavily armed SWAT team.
They have short-barreled 5.56-mm rifles based on the military M4 carbine, with scopes that can accurately hit a target out to 500 meters. On their side they carry pistols. On their front, over their body armor, they carry at least four to six extra magazines, loaded with 30 rounds each.
AP Photo/Jeff Roberson
Police officers try to disperse a crowd Monday in Ferguson, Missouri.
Their uniform would be mistaken for a soldier’s if it weren’t for their “Police” patches. They wear green tops, and pants fashioned after the U.S. Marine Corps MARPAT camouflage pattern. And they stand in front of a massive uparmored truck called a Bearcat, similar in look to a mine-resistant ambush protected vehicle, or as the troops who rode in them call it, the MRAP.
When did this become OK? When did “protect and serve” turn into “us versus them”?
“Why do these cops need MARPAT camo pants again,” I asked on Twitter this morning. One of the most interesting responses came from a follower who says he served in the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division: “We rolled lighter than that in an actual warzone.”
AP/Jeff Roberson
The police point their weapons at a car as it pulls away after tear gas was used by authorities Monday in Ferguson, Missouri.
Let’s be clear: This is not a war zone — even if the FAA banned flights under 3,000 feet. This is a city outside of St. Louis where people on both sides are angry. Protesters have looted and torched a gas station, and shots were fired at police, according to The Washington Post.
The scene is tense, but the presence of what looks like a military force doesn’t seem to be helping.
“Bring it. You fucking animals, bring it,” one police officer was caught on video telling protesters. In Ferguson and beyond, it seems that some police officers have shed the blue uniform and have put on the uniform and gear of the military, bringing the attitude along with it.
Matt Ford, the social-media editor at The Atlantic, summed it up well:
And here’s journalist Radley Balko, author of “Rise of the Warrior Cop“:
In Afghanistan, we patrolled in big, armored trucks. We wore uniforms that conveyed the message, “We are a military force, and we are in control right now.” Many Afghans saw us as occupiers.
And now we see some of our police officers in this same way. “The militarization of law enforcement is counter-productive to domestic policing and needs to stop,” tweeted Andrew Exum, a former Army infantry officer.
If there’s one thing I learned in Afghanistan, it’s this: You can’t win a person’s heart and mind when you are pointing a rifle at his or her chest.
Shoot and kill all the looters
Kathryn is right, I would also add that cops need to have sub machine guns, just like the criminals do!
Screw any and all of you that agree with martial law or a police state, shhhhheeeeeppppp baaaaahhhh
It has no longer became a case by case the cops are brutal and evil it is time to do what must be done to stop this $#%&!@* in it tracks and take them out fro this bull$#%&!@* they are committing against the people they did this to them self’s they can now swim in the atmosphere they created! The people are sick and tired of this and they are no longer going to take it.
So this is how the police wish to present themselves & show how they will protect the citizens of this country ???????
I do not agree with martial law , but I sure do not agree with rioting either! It solves Nothing , to riot and loot , to make a statement about injustice!!!!
Well a RIOT and a peaceful-PROTEST are two different situations that require two different responses!
police with military weapons who are they preparing for us ??they want to disarm us? what are fema camps for US ..who sells the fear is of the dark cabal who controls the usa ..god help us all..there may never be another election once marial laws is in place..new world order agenda..we must wake up..the wolf is in the hen house for to long….
this was more of a riot and looting and burning than a protest – I am not there so I don’t know exactly what is going on from the protesters or the police — there are two sides to every conflict
Because we live in dangerous times if you were a police officer and seen or new all the things they do you would probably be dressed the same way not sure if someone was going to shot you down come on people the city I live in has shootings and murders almost daily and so many crimes and stuff we dont even hear about you have to worry about just getting shot walking down the street so come on people look at the big picture I sure wouldn’t want to be a cop in this day and age because to much violence guns and disrespect and I can bet if your family member was a law enforcment person you would want him dressed like that to protect himself this is a crazy world we live in open your eyes because name calling and pointing fingers will never change anything people will I think the american people need to change because if not things are giong to get a hell of alot worse