4 ms·

I agree with you, and the reference _is_ politically loaded (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thin_blue_line https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thin_blue_line): >The t

by theden 2y ago

I agree with you, and the reference _is_ politically loaded (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thin_blue_line https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thin_blue_line): >The thin blue line U.S. flag has been banned by some police departments in the United States for its associations with ideologies described as "undemocratic, racist, and bigoted." >According to a 2018 law review article, "thin blue line" also refers to an unwritten code of silence used to cover up police misconduct, also known as the blue wall of silence, a term dating back to 1978

jdlshore 2y ago
Seems like ignorance of the implications, not any desire to a tie themselves to a political stance. I think the “assume positive intent” principle needs to apply here.
- lexandstuff 2y ago
  Also, if you're not from the USA, you're more likely to associate it with the beloved Rowan Atkinson sitcom.
  - OJFord 2y ago
    Or the non-politically-loaded phrase that the sitcom is named for.
    - o11c 2y ago
      There's a difference between "not politically-loaded decades ago" and "not politically-loaded now". We still let people use the Swastika if they had a harmless tradition of using it beforetime. But if anybody new uses it, we assume it's because of the murder.
      - OJFord 2y ago
        There's also a difference between 'the USA' and 'the rest of the world'. I don't know how Tso was using it and don't care nor have any reason to defend him, don't mistake me.
    - defrost 2y ago
      > the non-politically-loaded phrase You mean its popularisation and heavy use by William Henry Parker III, Chief of the Los Angeles Police Department (from 1950 to 1966)? He very much used it in a loaded manner to portray police as bastions of good and the last defence against "the criminal element". From his wikipedia page: Parker himself was known for his "unambiguous racism". https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_H._Parker_(police_officer) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_H._Parker_(police_offi...
  - o11c 2y ago
    Of the key members of this drama though, almost all of them live in the USA.
- posting3fasy 2y ago
  [flagged]
  - GlacierFox 2y ago
    It's surreal how some people can go from "thin blue line" to swastika in a micro-second. What the f is going on here? Where are you pulling this crap from? haha.
    - account42 2y ago
      It's the "everyone I don't agree with is a literal nazi" mindset.
milesrout 2y ago
Law review articles are largely written by students. They are not authoritative. Do you think that Rowan Atkinson was dogwhistling about undemocratic, racist, bigoted police violence when he named his police sitcom "The Thin Blue Line" or do you think perhaps your dislike of the police has led to you associating negative attributes with anyone that happens to use any phrase related to the police? Where I am from, the police is a respected, largely unarmed institution. Imperfect, as all institutions are. American left-political dislike of law enforcement isn't universal and most people don't have instant negative mental associations with everything police-related...
- defrost 2y ago
  > Do you think that Rowan Atkinson was ... No, but Ben Elton certainly was when he created and wrote it, even before hiring Atkinson to star in it . . . When I last spoke to him Elton didn't view the entire UK Police force with disdain but he absolutely felt it was riddled with clusters of bigoted and violent police. You can see that in his other works such as the The Young Ones and various novels.
  - milesrout 2y ago
    Sorry but have you actually seen the program? There isn't a hint of any of thise feelings.
    - defrost 2y ago
      > Sorry are you? what for? > but have you actually seen the program? Yes. > There isn't a hint of any of thise feelings. It comes some 15 years after his angriest socialist days .. and it's a well crafted comedy played for laughs. You'll recall, I trust, that it mocks the police pretty heavily. Detective Inspector Derek Grim isn't a lovable pussycat. Have you seen it? Did you read the credits? What made you think Rowan created the show?
- MyOutfitIsVague 2y ago
  I'm not a left winger, and I generally respect the police, but everybody I've met with a "thin blue line" American flag decal or sticker has been a total asshole. It's not just hatred of the police. Connotations change over time, and the general connotation of "the thin blue line" in the US at the moment is unabashed support of far-right authoritarianism.

by theden 2y ago

jdlshore 2y ago

Seems like ignorance of the implications, not any desire to a tie themselves to a political stance. I think the “assume positive intent” principle needs to apply here.

lexandstuff 2y ago
Also, if you're not from the USA, you're more likely to associate it with the beloved Rowan Atkinson sitcom.
- OJFord 2y ago
  Or the non-politically-loaded phrase that the sitcom is named for.
  - o11c 2y ago
    There's a difference between "not politically-loaded decades ago" and "not politically-loaded now". We still let people use the Swastika if they had a harmless tradition of using it beforetime. But if anybody new uses it, we assume it's because of the murder.
    - OJFord 2y ago
      There's also a difference between 'the USA' and 'the rest of the world'. I don't know how Tso was using it and don't care nor have any reason to defend him, don't mistake me.
  - defrost 2y ago
    > the non-politically-loaded phrase You mean its popularisation and heavy use by William Henry Parker III, Chief of the Los Angeles Police Department (from 1950 to 1966)? He very much used it in a loaded manner to portray police as bastions of good and the last defence against "the criminal element". From his wikipedia page: Parker himself was known for his "unambiguous racism". https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_H._Parker_(police_officer) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_H._Parker_(police_offi...
- o11c 2y ago
  Of the key members of this drama though, almost all of them live in the USA.
posting3fasy 2y ago
[flagged]
- GlacierFox 2y ago
  It's surreal how some people can go from "thin blue line" to swastika in a micro-second. What the f is going on here? Where are you pulling this crap from? haha.
  - account42 2y ago
    It's the "everyone I don't agree with is a literal nazi" mindset.

milesrout 2y ago

Law review articles are largely written by students. They are not authoritative. Do you think that Rowan Atkinson was dogwhistling about undemocratic, racist, bigoted police violence when he named his police sitcom "The Thin Blue Line" or do you think perhaps your dislike of the police has led to you associating negative attributes with anyone that happens to use any phrase related to the police? Where I am from, the police is a respected, largely unarmed institution. Imperfect, as all institutions are. American left-political dislike of law enforcement isn't universal and most people don't have instant negative mental associations with everything police-related...

defrost 2y ago
> Do you think that Rowan Atkinson was ... No, but Ben Elton certainly was when he created and wrote it, even before hiring Atkinson to star in it . . . When I last spoke to him Elton didn't view the entire UK Police force with disdain but he absolutely felt it was riddled with clusters of bigoted and violent police. You can see that in his other works such as the The Young Ones and various novels.
- milesrout 2y ago
  Sorry but have you actually seen the program? There isn't a hint of any of thise feelings.
  - defrost 2y ago
    > Sorry are you? what for? > but have you actually seen the program? Yes. > There isn't a hint of any of thise feelings. It comes some 15 years after his angriest socialist days .. and it's a well crafted comedy played for laughs. You'll recall, I trust, that it mocks the police pretty heavily. Detective Inspector Derek Grim isn't a lovable pussycat. Have you seen it? Did you read the credits? What made you think Rowan created the show?
MyOutfitIsVague 2y ago
I'm not a left winger, and I generally respect the police, but everybody I've met with a "thin blue line" American flag decal or sticker has been a total asshole. It's not just hatred of the police. Connotations change over time, and the general connotation of "the thin blue line" in the US at the moment is unabashed support of far-right authoritarianism.