4 ms·

> Sorry to say but who ever decided that the phrase "defund the police" is good or smart made a huge mistake. Yet we're here talking about it, repeating the ph

by dls2016 5y ago

> Sorry to say but who ever decided that the phrase "defund the police" is good or smart made a huge mistake. Yet we're here talking about it, repeating the phrase. So I disagree.

peterangular 5y ago
Exactly how I feel - any softer language would be forgotten and swept aside. I've heard the "police reform" drum being banged on my entire life with little to no effect - I don't blame them for trying a new slogan that cuts deeper.
- datavirtue 5y ago
  The middle class, the main power center in America, rarely interfaces with the police. When they do the police are very nice and polite to them and provide a sense of safety, help, and support. They are viewed as super heros. The lower classes are not treated like this in any way, shape, or form. My family spent many years being targeted and harassed by local small town police in various jurisdictions. Driving a car that is more than ten years old is a great way to attract police attention. Driving a new F-150, they just smile and at you and hollar "Nice truck!". It did cause me to get very aquianted with my civil rights though. At the end we were pretty good at thwarting the harassment using a variety of methods to assert our rights. When I was 18 I ran over two brothers on purpose and skipped town. They were on drugs and beating someone in my passenger seat to death. Their sister blocked the front of my car so I threw it in reverse and floored the gas. They were inside the passenger door that was open, sweeping them under the car (a Ford Thunderbird). Anyway, when the police caught up with me at work the officer saw that I was a clean cut white boy with a new car and decided on the spot that I had already been punished enough (after confirming I was there to buy/sell drugs). My car door was wasted. He just chuckled and left after mentioning the brothers were still in the hospital in really bad condition. I thought for sure I was going to prison. I have more stories like this.
  - alsetmusic 5y ago
    > The middle class, the main power center in America… I’ve got a bridge to sell you. The power in America is at the very top with wealth and favors. The middle class has no real say in anything. I’m pretty sure most people would agree that they have no pull with their congress people after voting. But ultra wealthy people sure do. Edit: I left out corporations and lobbyists.
- autoexec 5y ago
  > Exactly how I feel - any softer language would be forgotten and swept aside It's not as if they only had this one horrible slogan and everything else is "softer language" or exactly the same. Yes, a new slogan that has some bite was a good idea, the one they went with was a horrible mistake that only made it harder for them to accomplish their goals. Many many people want changes to the way police operate, no one wants a police force that doesn't have any funding.
moate 5y ago
It's almost like slogans aren't politics, but just a way of summing up something you don't want to think too hard about... "Make America Great Again" means literally nothing. At least defund the police states a concrete goal. Don't even get me started on how bastardized "Critical Race Theory" has become.
- autoexec 5y ago
  > At least defund the police states a concrete goal. A goal that no one wants. Every one wants police to exist. That means they want police to be funded. The minute that slogan reached the public conservatives started with "If they are successful you won't have police when you are in danger because they will have no funds to help you". The slogan has done more to hurt the changes of meaningful change than to help it.
  - relaxing 5y ago
    Good, because it’s gotten people to realize the police weren’t coming to help when you were in danger anyway.
    - autoexec 5y ago
      Not that audience. They already felt that depending only on police for protection was stupid. They buy guns so they can protect themselves and their families. They still depend on police though. Conservatives are fearful by nature. They always suspect that some group of "others" is out there just waiting to take everything they love from them. Many of them live in rural/remote areas where "others" aren't as prevalent and police response times are poor. They still love police though, in part because they want to feel safe and protected, but also because they like to see "others" being punished. They really love punishment. They're convinced that fear of punishment is the only thing standing between order and chaos. The harsher the punishment, the more peaceful the world. Police represent order, safety, and help keep the "others" in control. Defunding them is not an option for these people.
  - moate 5y ago
    Counterpoint: I do not want police. I do not want policing to exist. I do not want the police to have a single penny of public funds. The slogan is not the problem. People wanting police in its current form are the problem.
autoexec 5y ago
Just because we're here talking about how terrible it is doesn't mean that it isn't also hurting the actual cause. The cause isn't to get people to repeat or discuss a slogan, but to make dramatic reforms to police. The slogan hurts that effort by turning people who'd otherwise agree to reforms against supporting the movement. It's a horrible slogan that has made it harder to accomplish the actual aim of police reform.

> Sorry to say but who ever decided that the phrase "defund the police" is good or smart made a huge mistake. Yet we're here talking about it, repeating the phrase. So I disagree.

peterangular 5y ago

Exactly how I feel - any softer language would be forgotten and swept aside. I've heard the "police reform" drum being banged on my entire life with little to no effect - I don't blame them for trying a new slogan that cuts deeper.

datavirtue 5y ago
The middle class, the main power center in America, rarely interfaces with the police. When they do the police are very nice and polite to them and provide a sense of safety, help, and support. They are viewed as super heros. The lower classes are not treated like this in any way, shape, or form. My family spent many years being targeted and harassed by local small town police in various jurisdictions. Driving a car that is more than ten years old is a great way to attract police attention. Driving a new F-150, they just smile and at you and hollar "Nice truck!". It did cause me to get very aquianted with my civil rights though. At the end we were pretty good at thwarting the harassment using a variety of methods to assert our rights. When I was 18 I ran over two brothers on purpose and skipped town. They were on drugs and beating someone in my passenger seat to death. Their sister blocked the front of my car so I threw it in reverse and floored the gas. They were inside the passenger door that was open, sweeping them under the car (a Ford Thunderbird). Anyway, when the police caught up with me at work the officer saw that I was a clean cut white boy with a new car and decided on the spot that I had already been punished enough (after confirming I was there to buy/sell drugs). My car door was wasted. He just chuckled and left after mentioning the brothers were still in the hospital in really bad condition. I thought for sure I was going to prison. I have more stories like this.
- alsetmusic 5y ago
  > The middle class, the main power center in America… I’ve got a bridge to sell you. The power in America is at the very top with wealth and favors. The middle class has no real say in anything. I’m pretty sure most people would agree that they have no pull with their congress people after voting. But ultra wealthy people sure do. Edit: I left out corporations and lobbyists.
autoexec 5y ago
> Exactly how I feel - any softer language would be forgotten and swept aside It's not as if they only had this one horrible slogan and everything else is "softer language" or exactly the same. Yes, a new slogan that has some bite was a good idea, the one they went with was a horrible mistake that only made it harder for them to accomplish their goals. Many many people want changes to the way police operate, no one wants a police force that doesn't have any funding.

moate 5y ago

It's almost like slogans aren't politics, but just a way of summing up something you don't want to think too hard about... "Make America Great Again" means literally nothing. At least defund the police states a concrete goal. Don't even get me started on how bastardized "Critical Race Theory" has become.

autoexec 5y ago
> At least defund the police states a concrete goal. A goal that no one wants. Every one wants police to exist. That means they want police to be funded. The minute that slogan reached the public conservatives started with "If they are successful you won't have police when you are in danger because they will have no funds to help you". The slogan has done more to hurt the changes of meaningful change than to help it.
- relaxing 5y ago
  Good, because it’s gotten people to realize the police weren’t coming to help when you were in danger anyway.
  - autoexec 5y ago
    Not that audience. They already felt that depending only on police for protection was stupid. They buy guns so they can protect themselves and their families. They still depend on police though. Conservatives are fearful by nature. They always suspect that some group of "others" is out there just waiting to take everything they love from them. Many of them live in rural/remote areas where "others" aren't as prevalent and police response times are poor. They still love police though, in part because they want to feel safe and protected, but also because they like to see "others" being punished. They really love punishment. They're convinced that fear of punishment is the only thing standing between order and chaos. The harsher the punishment, the more peaceful the world. Police represent order, safety, and help keep the "others" in control. Defunding them is not an option for these people.
- moate 5y ago
  Counterpoint: I do not want police. I do not want policing to exist. I do not want the police to have a single penny of public funds. The slogan is not the problem. People wanting police in its current form are the problem.

autoexec 5y ago

Just because we're here talking about how terrible it is doesn't mean that it isn't also hurting the actual cause. The cause isn't to get people to repeat or discuss a slogan, but to make dramatic reforms to police. The slogan hurts that effort by turning people who'd otherwise agree to reforms against supporting the movement. It's a horrible slogan that has made it harder to accomplish the actual aim of police reform.