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.
PROTEST..A.K.A. breaking into businesses and stealing, no one knows what happened yet, why is it when a Black kills a white person they wait for out come…and people wonder why things are the way they are…..Lets be truthful…who does most of the crimes in the inner cities? ENUFF SAID…
Responding to a “protest”?…Get with the program, it was a full blown L.A. style Riot that has been going on for days, quit twisting the facts to make it look worse. You have armed Rioters Lootings, Burning, God knows what else, what do you expect them to show up in, dress blues? TRUTHANDACTION.ORG…more like TRUTH AND EXAGERRATION.ORG.
they want to cause rioting…we are in trouble..they say “give the johnny six packers thier sports on tv..and we take over the country..think this is a joke..make a sea anchor with the t v,sseller vision..another mind control device with subliminal messages,not to question…they treat us like sheeple…what about your childrens children ..hms,cia,fbi who reads all the post you are being had also what about your children children ?..i am a patriot american who served my country 4yrs usaf..i made it to 72..i worry about the childrens future..lets see if freedom of speach is still in effect..does some liberal want to adjust my thinking? so tired of looking at the pres.face..he is not a dr carson..who i respect..it is not about color the card they love to play.it is a two party dictatorship playing good cop bad cop..he blames bush for everything..they both belong in jail..wake up..8yrs of repubs then they give the people a messiah..hope and change,two mind control buz words…dah…
You can’t say those people were just exercising a right of protest! They were being worse than animals by destroying others personal property, and threatening life and health of others as an anger lawless mob. Kudos to the police for protecting property and livelihoods of honest WORKING Americans, and protecting themselves from the leaches.
Joe Turchiano, But it is ok that thugs have better weapons then Cops? And look at the VIDEO these thugs (not peaceful protesters BUT thieves looking to steal) They threw gas bombs at cops, that is use of deadly force I wish the cops would have SHOOT and killed the punk throwing the bomb…that is a TERRORIST ACT.
When they fear for their lives because the unruly crowds can turn into a mob in just a second, they have to come prepared.
Exercising what rights, the right to riot or be thugs? Why is it was is it that a certain segment of our population devolves into savages when something happens that they don’t like? I don’t remember any rioting by white Americans over the O.J. Simpson verdict, the fact that cop killer Mamia Abu Jamal is still breathing air or the election by minority of the most incompetent, under-qualified empty suit as president. I keep missing these great opportunities to wreck stores and rip off TVs, stereo equipment and drugs.
This is a true case of Truth an Action trying to twist this into something it’s not… If I was a police officer there you better believe I’d be wearing and carrying anything that would help me go home at the end if the day. If the cop was wrong then he should pay the price through the court system that you and I would but what does looting and destroying personal property have to do with justice ??
Better be ready before the fall of ’16….you will see this times a thousand!!!
When residents took to the streets to protest, we get a clear look at today’s society – not exactly persons you would feel comfortable hanging around with because the cops were made afraid to take them off the street for fear of lawsuits.