Sunday, June 14, 2015

We haven't been vigilant enough.

There is a movement within the conservative political movement that brings preference to bear rather than law accompanied by appropriate studies. It is a populous political status with absolutely no respect for research and/or scientists.

We know the Republicans are if not conservative are extreme conservatives. That extreme trend manifested in full bloom with the election of President Obama.

We also know politics bring about preference to political funders. The Castle Doctrine and Stand Your Ground is exactly the legislation that reveals monoculture of conservative values that provide profits to Wall Street.

It is time to roll back both laws and continue to unload the American landscape of the potential to violence based in guns. Sure, sure, there are other methods of causing homicide, but, guns are a major player.

"Use of Lethal Force" is a very important concept. When police use lethal force it is almost prescribed to when and how it is used on the population of the USA. There is not a blanket understanding police have complete freedom to use lethal force against any citizen. We are witnessing prescribed words in police reports following a death of a citizen. In many instances, those prescribed words are backed by a police union. When is a union going to be cited as a conspirator to fraud? 

I like unions. There is not doubt about that, but, I do not like unions that provide danger and dysfunction to our society. Unions are not angels or devils depending on the side one stands. Unions are vital to the USA Middle Class. Realizing their importance there should be a continuous quality assurance of the operations of unions. Unions are a service. That service needs to be reviewed by peers for it's excellence in practice.

But, to return to use of lethal force and the dynamics involved in it's evolution on the street. 

Do you think police read about new state laws in the newspaper or professional journals? I would think so. I would think they would want to be aware of laws that impact their practice of police work. When they read these articles or hear about those laws from peers or worried spouses, do you think they adjust their practice in policing? I would expect that. As a matter of fact if they didn't think about their practice as a professional practice I would worry. 

Police are considered to be blue collar workers. They do physical work, however, they are skilled blue collar workers. They have training and use specialized equipment, so they definitely are in the class of blue collar workers as professional nurses are too. 

The police are important to the functioning of our society. They should have support by the public and when that doesn't happen it has to be examined for reasons and needed reform.

The level of dysfunction of the police and the local government in Ferguson, Missouri was a surprise. The idea the government belonged to the people was completely absent. The Ferguson infrastructure was an island that preyed on the population for money. I would love to understand the evolution of what was discovered in Ferguson. Ferguson should be a study by a doctoral thesis at the very least to break it down and define where government went so very, very wrong. I would prefer a post doc to carry out the study actually. The benefits of performing such a study could be recognized by other local governments to make adjustments when needed to deflect this harsh and unmerciful reality of citizens. I would think a state's governor would be exceptionally interested in such results.

But, one more time returning to use of force and the practice of police. Let's assume police educate themselves through practice seminar and professional journals. What would be the reaction of police when they read or were educated about the Stand Your Ground and Castle Doctrine? It is agreed both these laws contribute to violence in society/street violence. If the violence is notched up 8 percent in any city or town, I would expect police to react to such a reality.

Among the best reasons to roll back laws such as the Castle Doctrine and Stand Your Ground is the level of danger added to police work and their personal adjustments to such realities.

When such laws are instituted they are done so across the entire USA. It changes dynamics across a very broad spectrum of cultures. The changes impact criminals as well as innocent people worried about home invasion. 

The NRA and other gun organizations like to provide the idea gun ownership is an advantage over criminals. That is not accurate. When gun laws become more liberal and/or the number of guns in the country increase that does not make police work more safe. More than that it doesn't provide an advantage to citizens facing the fear of home invasion. I would bet real money to realize a dog or two dogs (to keep each other company when home alone) serve more of a deterrent than a gun in the dresser draw. Don't people sleep? Dogs are better at being alert than a human being.

And one other thing? Don't home security systems work? 

My millionaire uncle has a home alarm he sets at night. I drive him crazy when I come to visit because I am an early riser. I don't have the pass code for the security system. I wouldn't even know where to find the alarm system. I am also autonomous in caring for myself when I visit and prefer not to wake anyone else. It was a curiosity to me when he was awake and in the hall balcony that overlooks the living room. I stated, "Good Morning, should I get your coffee?" He always stated, "No, not yet. You were about to set off the alarm system." Evidently he has a buzzer pre-alarm to the primary alarm to avoid such false problems as the waste of time of police. Police also are primed for use of their guns when alarms occur, false or not. Sticky situation. 

But, regardless, I inevitably apologize as if I did something wrong. He always states, "There isn't anything to be sorry about. I am going back to bed, now."

The point is the Second Amendment does not allow the degree of self-defense that occurs these days and certainly doesn't give permission for vigilantism. We know that from a decision authored by Justice Scalia.

So, when is society finally going to reflect the laws that are actually beneficial to the USA and not cause more problems than they solve? And when will racism be a culture of the past whereby statistics for African Americans are no worse than statistics for the Caucasian citizens in the USA?