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Random thing I’ve been thinking about this morning, while watching the news from Portland from last night:
“The more you tighten your grip, Tarkin, the more star systems will slip through your fingers.”
“The more you tighten your grip, Tarkin, the more star systems will slip through your fingers.”
Because I’ve been thinking about the Peelian principles that the cops in the US either don’t know about or just ignore outright, because I can’t find any reference to state that they even follow them in any fashion.
For reference: the Peelian Principles are a set of rules for cops that mostly mean a police force operates only with the consent of the people. Basically: the cops can only do their job with the cooperation of the people. The basis of effective modern policing.
I mean, the Principles aren’t just a good idea. They’re the only functional way to even have civilian cops. Once you’ve decided that the people are the enemy, there is nowhere to go except to escalate with even more violence.
But more violence makes the people more desperate, makes the situation even more intolerable.
You can’t tell me that it was better for the cops to start beating protestors instead of marching with them FFS.
You can’t tell me that it was better for the cops to start beating protestors instead of marching with them FFS.
The ones that marched aren’t just being altruistic. They’re not stupid. Sticking to Peelian Principles is the only way they’ll get through this and avoid the worst violence, rioting, whatever.
You HAVE to be on the side of the people every step of the way.
You HAVE to be on the side of the people every step of the way.
Show the people that you are with them, not their enemy, and you can stop fearing for your life around them.
US cops (the stupid ones anyway) don’t get this, and now they’re reaping the rewards of treating the people like shit and losing their trust.
US cops (the stupid ones anyway) don’t get this, and now they’re reaping the rewards of treating the people like shit and losing their trust.
Because seriously, who TF believes anything out of the PR of any US police dept right now? Who trusts them?
(Side note: Don’t trust cops under any circumstances even when they’re being not-fascist and following Peelian Principles)
(Side note: Don’t trust cops under any circumstances even when they’re being not-fascist and following Peelian Principles)
Anyway, what this has to do with Star Wars is that Leia made the correct point that the Empire trying to beat star systems into line was never going to work. It just gave them a reason to rebel even harder.
And like... this made me think of Ireland. 600 years of oppression under the English, including one major genocide, and we could not be made to accept English rule.
In the end, it just made the fight for independence that much more fierce, and necessary.
In the end, it just made the fight for independence that much more fierce, and necessary.
Fact is we’d probably still be in the UK if we hadn’t been treated like complete dogshit for hundreds of years. I mean, look how happy we are to be a part of the EU. People whine sometimes but the fact that the EU helps and protects Ireland means a lot to us.
We’re happy to call ourselves European. There’s unity and commonality with other European countries, even with different cultures. That’s what you get for treating a people well and working with them, not trying to crush them.
Not sure how much of this applies to what’s going on in the US right now but there’s one other thing worth mentioning: in Ireland, there are no cops. The civilian force are called the Garda Síochána, literally “the Guardians of Peace”.
Least they forget their purpose...
Least they forget their purpose...
And I mean, yes they have issues, but it was baked into the Gardaí from the start. They were unarmed during the Irish Civil War. The first Garda Commissioner was Michael Steins, and he said:
“The Garda Síochána will succeed not by force of arms but on their moral authority as servants of the Irish people.”
Smart guy. He knew what was up.
Smart guy. He knew what was up.
So this has gotten long and rambly and I need more coffee, but I think there’s only one way out of this: disarm the cops.
Do NOT talk to me about guns. Americans keep banging on about how all the guns mean that the cops HAVE to be armed.
Do NOT talk to me about guns. Americans keep banging on about how all the guns mean that the cops HAVE to be armed.
If Ireland could start an entirely new unarmed civilian force during a fucking Civil War then I’m pretty sure the US cops, with modern tech, can figure it out. You don’t need a gun 90% of the time and at least the people will know, when they see a badge, that they won’t be shot.
I personally think that cops being unarmed makes them safer because it tells the people that they’re being trusted. That the cops don’t fear for their lives and the people don’t need to fear for theirs in turn.
Just my opinion.
Just my opinion.
I’m afraid for all my US friends, and for my sister in Minnesota. I don’t know how you’ll get through this but gods I hope it turns out okay.
More coffee. Also good morning.
More coffee. Also good morning.
