General Discussion

G_j

(40,370 posts) Mon Aug 18, 2014, 01:43 PM Aug 2014

Militarized Police and the Threat to Democracy, by Dennis Kucinich

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dennis-j-kucinich/police-militarization_b_5687598.html

Posted: 08/18/2014 11:18 am EDT Updated: 1 hour ago

As a former big city mayor of a racially diverse city, Cleveland, Ohio, I can understand the cross currents sweeping through Ferguson, Missouri.

We are at a moment of national crisis in the way our domestic law enforcement is being conducted. The killing of an unarmed civilian by a law enforcement officer is, sadly, not unique. But the police response to the protests has provided a powerful cautionary moment for America. The militarization of local police has led to the arrival today in Ferguson of the actual military, the National Guard.

This crisis comes from:

1) The erosion of a principle in federal law, Posse Comitatus, meant to restrict the use of the military in civilian law enforcement;
2) The Pentagon's dispersal of military equipment to domestic police units, which has increased since 9/11;
3) Military-style police training reliant upon weaponry, as opposed to peace keeping, including skills development for de-escalation of violent tensions.

<>

quick review of pertinent American history:

The Boston Massacre of March 5, 1770, was a catalyst toward the American Revolution. Five civilians were killed by the British soldiers. The Declaration of Independence, in condemning the offenses against liberty by George III, stated:

He has kept among us, in times of peace, standing armies without the consent of our legislature.
He has affected to render the military independent of and superior to civil power.
He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his assent to their acts of pretended legislation:
For quartering large bodies of armed troops among us
For protecting them, by mock trial, from punishment for any murders which they should commit on the inhabitants of these states

From our earliest beginnings, when John Adams spoke to "the dangers of standing armies," Americans have demanded accountability and rejected military presence in our daily lives.

...more...

16 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

Militarized Police and the Threat to Democracy, by Dennis Kucinich (Original Post) G_j Aug 2014 OP

Dennis Kucinich, you changed my mind agbdf Aug 2014 #1

I'm glad this helped. G_j Aug 2014 #2

Really needs to end damnedifIknow Aug 2014 #3

Kicked and recommended. Uncle Joe Aug 2014 #4

K&R. Great points. Dark n Stormy Knight Aug 2014 #5

Here's a snip more about what he is proposing: KoKo Aug 2014 #6

yes G_j Aug 2014 #8

Recommend...for What Dennis Recommends... KoKo Aug 2014 #15

I'll give this a kick Savannahmann Aug 2014 #7

k & r! n/t wildbilln864 Aug 2014 #9

K&R. Dennis was our most real and conscious federal legislator of the past 30 years. nt Zorra Aug 2014 #10

...yes..and look what it got him. Gerrymandered Out of his Own District... KoKo Aug 2014 #11

oh, I agree G_j Aug 2014 #13

Dennis Kucinich supported redlining when he was a Cleveland city councilman. Ikonoklast Aug 2014 #16

K & R malaise Aug 2014 #12

How I miss Dennis, and honest God liberal Boreal Aug 2014 #14

agbdf

(200 posts)

1. Dennis Kucinich, you changed my mind

Reply to G_j (Original post)

Mon Aug 18, 2014, 02:12 PM

Aug 2014

I didn't have a problem with this before - I gave it little thought. But, as has
happended more than once, Dennis Kucinich has caused me to rethink my position.

G_j

(40,370 posts)

2. I'm glad this helped.

Reply to agbdf (Reply #1)

Mon Aug 18, 2014, 03:20 PM

Aug 2014

damnedifIknow

(3,183 posts)

3. Really needs to end

Reply to G_j (Original post)

Mon Aug 18, 2014, 03:34 PM

Aug 2014

Uncle Joe

(58,410 posts)

4. Kicked and recommended.

Reply to G_j (Original post)

Mon Aug 18, 2014, 03:37 PM

Aug 2014

Thanks for the thread, G_j.

Dark n Stormy Knight

(9,771 posts)

5. K&R. Great points.

Reply to G_j (Original post)

Mon Aug 18, 2014, 04:19 PM

Aug 2014

KoKo

(84,711 posts)

6. Here's a snip more about what he is proposing:

Reply to G_j (Original post)

Mon Aug 18, 2014, 05:30 PM

Aug 2014

Last edited Tue Aug 19, 2014, 09:40 AM - Edit history (1)

(Some here don't like to go to HuffPo because of the clutter (I don't like to myself) but this is an important article from Dennis and worth a whole read. For those who won't go there or don't have the bandwidth...here's a bit more)
------------
What Dennis Proposes from His Article:

Here are some suggestions:

1. Congress must firmly re-establish the firewall between civilian law enforcement and the military by reinstating the intent of the Posse Comitatus law. As member of Congress I warned in 2007 the dangers of a bill which permitted the government to put troops on the ground in the US.

2. The Department of Defense must stop providing war-fighting equipment to local law enforcement.

3. All equipment provided to local law enforcement by the Department of Defense, must be inventoried and stored, not used except under an executive order from the top civilian authority in a state, the Governor, or under orders of the President of the United States.

4. The General Accounting Office and the Inspector General of the Department of Defense must be asked by Congress to determine the extent to which the training and equipping of local police by the DOD has created a culture in local law enforcement which is adverse to democratic values.

5. The Justice Department needs to fund programs which will train or retrain local law enforcement in racial sensitivity, constitutional protections of suspects, including the right to freedom of speech and right to assemble.

6. The Justice Department must also fund, support and mandate that all local law enforcement receiving any federal funds whatsoever create community programs for dialogue between local police and people in the neighborhood. Local police become an occupying army through emotional distancing, fear and lack of contact with the community. That can change by having police and the community meet regularly to discuss mutual concerns.

Those who serve in local law enforcement are given special trust, special dispensation to serve and protect. Their work is essential. Local police would like to be supported. But we must demand strict adherence to the Constitution and protection of the freedoms given to us by the Bill of Rights.

G_j

(40,370 posts)

8. yes

Reply to KoKo (Reply #6)

Mon Aug 18, 2014, 06:57 PM

Aug 2014

thank you

KoKo

(84,711 posts)

15. Recommend...for What Dennis Recommends...

Reply to KoKo (Reply #6)

Tue Aug 19, 2014, 09:41 AM

Aug 2014

Savannahmann

(3,891 posts)

7. I'll give this a kick

Reply to G_j (Original post)

Mon Aug 18, 2014, 05:55 PM

Aug 2014

Because I think it's important to know that there are a few elected officials besides Rand Paul pushing this idea.

wildbilln864

(13,382 posts)

9. k & r! n/t

Reply to G_j (Original post)

Mon Aug 18, 2014, 07:10 PM

Aug 2014

Zorra

(27,670 posts)

10. K&R. Dennis was our most real and conscious federal legislator of the past 30 years. nt

Reply to G_j (Original post)

Mon Aug 18, 2014, 08:18 PM

Aug 2014

KoKo

(84,711 posts)

11. ...yes..and look what it got him. Gerrymandered Out of his Own District...

Reply to Zorra (Reply #10)

Mon Aug 18, 2014, 09:16 PM

Aug 2014

And we lost others in states across America in 2012...Gerrymandered out..

We needed his voice (even though he was "Under the Bus" for Dems) his voice needed to be heard ....and even more as the dire times continue.

G_j

(40,370 posts)

13. oh, I agree

Reply to KoKo (Reply #11)

Tue Aug 19, 2014, 12:49 AM

Aug 2014

and the relentless attacks on him were/are no accident. They have spread many a meme about him being "bat shit crazy", but he remains as based in commen sense, compassion and intelligence as ever.

Ikonoklast

(23,973 posts)

16. Dennis Kucinich supported redlining when he was a Cleveland city councilman.

Reply to KoKo (Reply #11)

Tue Aug 19, 2014, 09:52 AM

Aug 2014

And was not above playing racial politics as mayor, playing Black voters off against any Democratic challengers.

Kucinich has a sordid past that many here know nothing about.

malaise

(269,157 posts)

12. K & R

Reply to G_j (Original post)

Mon Aug 18, 2014, 09:20 PM

Aug 2014

It's frightening

Boreal

(725 posts)

14. How I miss Dennis, and honest God liberal

Reply to G_j (Original post)

Tue Aug 19, 2014, 12:56 AM

Aug 2014

I posted this earlier, in the "Scariest picture" thread with the guy with the sniper rifle on the military vehicle:

Because the Posse Comitatus Act prevented military from being used against US citizens, the federal government simply went around it and militarized local LE. With the creation of Homeland Security it even got worse and additional work-arounds were created (for instance the Coast Guard was put under DHS). The federal government is pouring grant money, training and military equipment into local LE depts and they are brainwashing the likes of officer Dickbag. Who was once just some loser bully who became a cop is now a Marine (so he imagines himself) and all of us (black, white, hispanic, doesn't matter, left, right, apathetic, doesn't matter) are the enemy. In Dickbag's head, he's in some virtual reality where he's in Iraq and we're insurgents. In a few days "training", DHS has these assholes all pumped up and feeling badass but with a siege mentality of us against them.

Something else I've been noticing for quite a while now, and that MO State Police dude used the term last night, is cops calling us "civilians", indicating that they aren't. Well, domestic LE ARE civilians. We have (or are supposed to have) civilian LE in this country. Military are not civil LE. So this is more proof of how these knuckle dragger cops have been brainwashed by the feds and it's a serious problem. Keep your ears open for them calling us civilians and you'll be shocked how often they speak like that. Oh, btw, such language also conditions the uneducated public into buying that we are civilians and the cops are not.

Reply to this discussion