Thoughts on police and related matters

"'Hunter Gray' [email protected] [marxist]" <[email protected]> Mon, 05 Jan 2015 20:20:48 +0000
Newsgroups gmane.politics.marxism.analysis
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Briefthoughts on policeand related matters.
The massivepro-police demonstrations that have been so much to the fore in =
New York Cityand a number of other settings, and which have received a vast=
 amount of veryfriendly media coverage, are understandable by any measure =
=E2=80=93 but only to apoint.
What=E2=80=99sempathetically understandable is sympathy for the two recentl=
y murdered policeofficers and their families, i.e., =E2=80=9CAn injury to o=
ne . . . .=E2=80=9D =E2=80=93 and arealization that the lives of other offi=
cers are at somewhat greater risk thesedays.
But thenthere is this:I think a prime factor inthis vast outpouring =E2=80=
=93 and something I have heard no media mention =E2=80=93 is aconcerted att=
empt on the part of many lawmen and their allies to deflect andderail the r=
apidly growing national protest stemming from trigger-happy police,especial=
ly where minorities are involved; and other forms of abuse =E2=80=9Cunder c=
olorof law.=E2=80=9D
For the moment,at least, this appears successful.Theprotest movements need =
to regroup fast =E2=80=93 and keep going.If they don=E2=80=99t do so, there=
 are always,tragically, going to be many new victims.Given the racial and s=
ocial class bias in this country, some of this isinevitable.But effective p=
rotests cansave many lives.
Shiftingcontext a bit:
As ageneral rule, police resent =E2=80=9Cmeddling=E2=80=9D from outsiders.
Many policeindeed have, however buried, an inferiority complex.With local e=
xceptions, police are not seen ashigh-status by any stretch.
Afterseveral years in Chicago, I came to the conclusion that about one thir=
d of police are good people, onethird are not good, and the other one third=
 will go with whomever they=E2=80=99reclosely associated work-wise.
I know thatbreakdown issweeping generalization =E2=80=93but, in time, I hav=
e come to see that as the national reality.
Hunter Bear







HUNTER GRAY [HUNTER BEAR/JOHN R SALTER JR] Mi'kmaq / St. Francis Abenaki / =
St. Regis Mohawk=20
Protected by Na=C2=B4shdo=C2=B4i=C2=B4ba=C2=B4i=C2=B4=20
and Ohkwari' . Check out our massive social justice website:=20
www.hunterbear.org=20
Member, National Writers Union AFL-CIO=20

Core dimensions of my Community Organizing course:
http://www.labornet.org/news/0000/hbear.htm

My expanded/updated "Organizer's Book,"=20
JACKSON MISSISSIPPI -- with a new 10,000=20
word introduction by me. Covers much of my=20
confrontational social justice organizing life to=20
date. Contains much how-to grassroots organizing=20
methodology: http://hunterbear.org/jackson.htm

See this for mini-bio, efforts to prevent JM=E2=80=99s appearance in
Mississippi, a wide range of its many reviews, and some
photos: http://www.amazon.com/John-R.-Salter/e/B001KMEHWY/ref=3Dntt_dp_epwb=
k_0

The Stormy Adoption of an Indian Child [My Father]:=20
http://hunterbear.org/James%20and%20Salter%20and%20Dad.htm=20
(Photos)=20


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<div><font face=3D"Verdana" size=3D"2"></font></div>
<div><font face=3D"Verdana" size=3D"2">&nbsp;<font face=3D"Times New Roman"=
 size=3D"3">

</font><p style=3D"margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><b style=3D"mso-bidi-font-weight: =
normal;"><span style=3D"line-height: 107%; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-s=
ize: 11.0pt;"><font face=3D"Calibri">Brief
thoughts on police<span style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>and rela=
ted matters.</font></span></b></p><font face=3D"Times New Roman" size=3D"3"=
>

</font><p style=3D"margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><b style=3D"mso-bidi-font-weight: =
normal;"><span style=3D"line-height: 107%; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-s=
ize: 11.0pt;"><font face=3D"Calibri">The massive
pro-police demonstrations that have been so much to the fore in New York Ci=
ty
and a number of other settings, and which have received a vast amount of ve=
ry
friendly media coverage, are understandable by any measure =E2=80=93 but on=
ly to a
point.</font></span></b></p><font face=3D"Times New Roman" size=3D"3">

</font><p style=3D"margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><b style=3D"mso-bidi-font-weight: =
normal;"><span style=3D"line-height: 107%; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-s=
ize: 11.0pt;"><font face=3D"Calibri">What=E2=80=99s
empathetically understandable is sympathy for the two recently murdered pol=
ice
officers and their families, i.e., =E2=80=9CAn injury to one . . . .=E2=80=
=9D =E2=80=93 and a
realization that the lives of other officers are at somewhat greater risk t=
hese
days.</font></span></b></p><font face=3D"Times New Roman" size=3D"3">

</font><p style=3D"margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><b style=3D"mso-bidi-font-weight: =
normal;"><span style=3D"line-height: 107%; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-s=
ize: 11.0pt;"><font face=3D"Calibri">But then
there is this:<span style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>I think a pr=
ime factor in
this vast outpouring =E2=80=93 and something I have heard no media mention =
=E2=80=93 is a
concerted attempt on the part of many lawmen and their allies to deflect an=
d
derail the rapidly growing national protest stemming from trigger-happy pol=
ice,
especially where minorities are involved; and other forms of abuse =E2=80=
=9Cunder color
of law.=E2=80=9D</font></span></b></p><font face=3D"Times New Roman" size=
=3D"3">

</font><p style=3D"margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><b style=3D"mso-bidi-font-weight: =
normal;"><span style=3D"line-height: 107%; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-s=
ize: 11.0pt;"><font face=3D"Calibri">For the moment,
at least, this appears successful.<span style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp;=
 </span>The
protest movements need to regroup fast =E2=80=93 and keep going.<span style=
=3D"mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>If they don=E2=80=99t do so, there ar=
e always,
tragically, going to be many&nbsp;new victims.<span style=3D"mso-spacerun: =
yes;">&nbsp;
</span>Given the racial and social class bias in this country, some of&nbsp=
;this is
inevitable.<span style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>But effective p=
rotests can
save many lives.</font></span></b></p><font face=3D"Times New Roman" size=
=3D"3">

</font><p style=3D"margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><b style=3D"mso-bidi-font-weight: =
normal;"><span style=3D"line-height: 107%; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-s=
ize: 11.0pt;"><font face=3D"Calibri">Shifting
context a bit:</font></span></b></p><font face=3D"Times New Roman" size=3D"=
3">

</font><p style=3D"margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><b style=3D"mso-bidi-font-weight: =
normal;"><span style=3D"line-height: 107%; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-s=
ize: 11.0pt;"><font face=3D"Calibri">As a
general rule, police resent =E2=80=9Cmeddling=E2=80=9D from outsiders.</fon=
t></span></b></p><font face=3D"Times New Roman" size=3D"3">

</font><p style=3D"margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><b style=3D"mso-bidi-font-weight: =
normal;"><span style=3D"line-height: 107%; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-s=
ize: 11.0pt;"><font face=3D"Calibri">Many police
indeed have, however buried, an inferiority complex.<span style=3D"mso-spac=
erun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>With local exceptions, police are not seen as
high-status by any stretch.</font></span></b></p><font face=3D"Times New Ro=
man" size=3D"3">

</font><p style=3D"margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><b style=3D"mso-bidi-font-weight: =
normal;"><span style=3D"line-height: 107%; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-s=
ize: 11.0pt;"><font face=3D"Calibri">After
several years in Chicago, I came to the conclusion that <span style=3D"mso-=
spacerun: yes;">&nbsp;</span>about one third of police are good people, one
third are not good, and the other one third will go with whomever they=E2=
=80=99re
closely associated work-wise.</font></span></b></p><font face=3D"Times New =
Roman" size=3D"3">

</font><p style=3D"margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><b style=3D"mso-bidi-font-weight: =
normal;"><span style=3D"line-height: 107%; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-s=
ize: 11.0pt;"><font face=3D"Calibri">I know that
breakdown is<span style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>sweeping gener=
alization =E2=80=93
but, in time, I have come to see that as the national reality.</font></span=
></b></p><font face=3D"Times New Roman" size=3D"3">

</font><p style=3D"margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><b style=3D"mso-bidi-font-weight: =
normal;"><span style=3D"line-height: 107%; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-s=
ize: 11.0pt;"><font face=3D"Calibri">Hunter Bear</font></span></b></p><font=
 face=3D"Times New Roman" size=3D"3">

</font><p style=3D"margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><b style=3D"mso-bidi-font-weight: =
normal;"><span style=3D"line-height: 107%; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-s=
ize: 11.0pt;"><font face=3D"Calibri">&nbsp;</font></span></b></p><font face=
=3D"Times New Roman" size=3D"3">

</font><p style=3D"margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><b style=3D"mso-bidi-font-weight: =
normal;"><span style=3D"line-height: 107%; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-s=
ize: 11.0pt;"><font face=3D"Calibri">&nbsp;</font></span></b></p><font face=
=3D"Times New Roman" size=3D"3">

</font></font></div><div><b><font size=3D"2"><br></font></b></div><div><b><=
font size=3D"2"><br></font></b></div>
HUNTER GRAY [HUNTER BEAR/JOHN R SALTER JR] Mi'kmaq / St. Francis Abenaki / =
St. Regis Mohawk=20
<br>
Protected by Na=C2=B4shdo=C2=B4i=C2=B4ba=C2=B4i=C2=B4=20
<br>
and Ohkwari' . Check out our massive social justice website:=20
<br>
www.hunterbear.org=20=20
<br>
Member, National Writers Union AFL-CIO=20
<br>

<br>
Core dimensions of my Community Organizing course:
<br>
http://www.labornet.org/news/0000/hbear.htm
<br>

<br>
My expanded/updated "Organizer's Book,"=20
<br>
JACKSON MISSISSIPPI -- with a new 10,000=20
<br>
word introduction by me. Covers much of my=20
<br>
confrontational social justice organizing life to=20
<br>
date. Contains much how-to grassroots organizing=20
<br>
methodology: http://hunterbear.org/jackson.htm
<br>

<br>
See this for mini-bio, efforts to prevent JM=E2=80=99s appearance in
<br>
Mississippi,  a wide range of its many reviews, and some
<br>
photos:   http://www.amazon.com/John-R.-Salter/e/B001KMEHWY/ref=3Dntt_dp_ep=
wbk_0
<br>

<br>
The Stormy Adoption of an Indian Child [My Father]:=20
<br>
http://hunterbear.org/James%20and%20Salter%20and%20Dad.htm=20=20
<br>
(Photos)=20
<br>




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