31 ms·

judges and juries are perfectly happy to side with police no matter how egregious the shootings are Like many I watched Die Hard and Die Hard 2 over Christmas,

by gaius 9y ago

judges and juries are perfectly happy to side with police no matter how egregious the shootings are Like many I watched Die Hard and Die Hard 2 over Christmas, and it struck me how deeply the rogue, trigger-happy cop is embedded as a folk hero in American culture. The real life John McClain is George Zimmerman or Mohamed Noor. You guys have got to stop making these movies if you want to make any progress

detaro 9y ago
The average cop show also is a collection of civil rights violations, with some arguing that this makes people less likely to realize that when it happens in reality. (That's not just US series, but strong there too)
- johnchristopher 9y ago
  24h set the tone for torture acceptance according to http://www.e-ir.info/2014/01/06/torture-and-the-impact-of-24-on-america-after-911/ http://www.e-ir.info/2014/01/06/torture-and-the-impact-of-24...
  - mcguire 9y ago
    I remember an interview with a Vietnam veteran who said the most traumatic part for him was growing up with The Lone Ranger, where the good guys wouldn't do the things he was being told to do as a soldier. Then I remember seeing 24 and thinking the entertainment industry wouldn't make that mistake again.
1_2__4 9y ago
Those movies came out around 30 years ago. The first one came out while Reagan was president. We don’t really make mainstream movies like that anymore.
- gaius 9y ago
  We don’t really make mainstream movies like that anymor Come on, one of the main characters in the Fast & Furious franchise is a rule-breaking cop. The archetype is alive and well.
smsm42 9y ago
Don't blame it on movies. If movies disagreed with accepted culture, they wouldn't be popular. Qualified immunity and blue wall of silence exist not because of the movies. Also note that Hans Gruber is not exactly an example of average citizen and was shown committing several murders (not to mention a row of other felonies including hostage taking) before McClane has even a chance to encounter him. This is exactly the case where police officer is justified to use lethal force - unlike, say, woman in her pajamas calling the police because she heard a strange noise in her backyard. Constantly confusing these two is exactly the reason why no sensible discussion happens in US public debate about it - it's either "police can do no wrong" or "always blame the police, even if the other side is Hans Gruber".

by gaius 9y ago

detaro 9y ago

The average cop show also is a collection of civil rights violations, with some arguing that this makes people less likely to realize that when it happens in reality. (That's not just US series, but strong there too)

johnchristopher 9y ago
24h set the tone for torture acceptance according to http://www.e-ir.info/2014/01/06/torture-and-the-impact-of-24-on-america-after-911/ http://www.e-ir.info/2014/01/06/torture-and-the-impact-of-24...
- mcguire 9y ago
  I remember an interview with a Vietnam veteran who said the most traumatic part for him was growing up with The Lone Ranger, where the good guys wouldn't do the things he was being told to do as a soldier. Then I remember seeing 24 and thinking the entertainment industry wouldn't make that mistake again.

1_2__4 9y ago

Those movies came out around 30 years ago. The first one came out while Reagan was president. We don’t really make mainstream movies like that anymore.

gaius 9y ago
We don’t really make mainstream movies like that anymor Come on, one of the main characters in the Fast & Furious franchise is a rule-breaking cop. The archetype is alive and well.

smsm42 9y ago

Don't blame it on movies. If movies disagreed with accepted culture, they wouldn't be popular. Qualified immunity and blue wall of silence exist not because of the movies. Also note that Hans Gruber is not exactly an example of average citizen and was shown committing several murders (not to mention a row of other felonies including hostage taking) before McClane has even a chance to encounter him. This is exactly the case where police officer is justified to use lethal force - unlike, say, woman in her pajamas calling the police because she heard a strange noise in her backyard. Constantly confusing these two is exactly the reason why no sensible discussion happens in US public debate about it - it's either "police can do no wrong" or "always blame the police, even if the other side is Hans Gruber".