Watching this press conference

[malaise]

You can't allow Tom, Dick, Harry and Harry's brothers to own automatic weapons and open carry and then expect cops not to be armed.

It's a mess.

[spanone]

1. That's a fact.

[11 Bravo]

2. Excellent point! (And one not often heard in this forum.)

[malaise]

4. Those who have facilitated the militarization of citizens

have militarized the entire country. What an effin' mess.

[Arazi]

3. Do you have a link to the presser?

[malaise]

5. Sorry - no - watched it on cable

[Arkansas Granny]

6. If you want to disarm the police, you first have to disarm the public. That's not going to happen.

[malaise]

7. The irony of course is that most of the automatic weapons are

owned by white males

[Arkansas Granny]

10. Yes, and many of them would die to keep those guns. It's almost like a religious experience.

[stillcool]

8. things are not looking good...

seeing the cops with their military equipment, how they attack at protests.. makes me want to go arm myself. Re-tool my garden for displaying my rocket-launcher, tank, and missiles. Just for safety.

[malaise]

9. It's really scary

and now the cops hire ex military folks. Add the military hardware and you can see where this is heading.

[Claire Oh Nette]

11. Cops think every traffic stop is a potential ambush

based on propaganda, not fact.

5-6 officer die in traffic stops a year.

~1100+ killed by cops in traffic stops.

Just like the home defender staving off hoards of invaders out to do his family harm is a Hollywood fantasy, too.

We are awash in guns, and we wonder why cops are quick on the draw (besides racism) in traffic stops, domestic disturbances, and contact with their "enemy." They view civilians as hostile suspects, not as people to serve. They serve the status quo.

[malaise]

12. Absolutely correct

but this has happened because traffic penalties are treated as income/a new tax and money matters more than lives. Just the truth.

[Claire Oh Nette]

13. I personally funded several small towns....

Why, what if there was away to tax the big corporations who benefit from community policing, access to schools, roads, bridges, airports, ports, light rails, els and subways, fire protection, and dog catching.... some financial mechanism, where they shared their profits indirectly for the commons and communities where tehir employees not only live, but work, too....

What if the uber affluent and multi national corporations paid their phucking share?

[malaise]

14. It would be your way if we lived in democracies

These days we live in oligarchies and we peons pay the piper and those he owns to enforce their wishes. This too will pass for people will not take it much longer.

[Claire Oh Nette]

16. Dag!

I always confuse democracy and kakistocracy...

[malaise]

17. Well Trump ran a kakistocracy and many governors are no different

It will take time and punishment to clean up this mess

[uponit7771]

15. +1,