Ricki Yasha TarrSep 17, 2024

I'm going to say something unpopular, and if you really don't like it, that's fine, you can block me. I understand.

Just because someone is a cop or served in the military doesn't make them a bad guy. It is illogical to assume that just because someone ends up working in a corrupt system that they are corrupt. There are a million reasons people can work a job. This is akin to telling someone who works in a retail store that they are a responsible for Unregulated Capitalism. Believe me, we want decent people in these places. Police and military aren't going to disappear just because we don't like it. Creating enemies of people, because of circumstances is not only a shit thing to do, it polarizes people against our goals. We remember the people are kind to us. Yes, the system is broken and corrupt, but so are most systems, treating people poorly isn't the answer.

Show threadThomas Franklin William ArnoldSep 17, 2024
@RickiTarr I don't automatically assume all cops are bad, but I do keep in mind that they absolutely *might* be, until I can gauge them. And this is coming from a straight white guy, so I completely understand why people who might be victimized by police are immediately suspicious. But I agree, there are good people who become cops, and we need that.
Show threadRicki Yasha TarrSep 17, 2024
@Tom Oh definitely, I try to judge on a person by person basis, but I certainly am wary.
Show threadThomas Franklin William ArnoldSep 17, 2024

@RickiTarr And you know who I blame for that? The police unions. They're the ones who won't let bad cops get fired.

And so they stay on the force, with no accountability, no consequences, and gravitate towards other people who have no business being cops.

And when they realize they can do whatever they want to whomever they want, they *do it*. If bad cops could simply be fired, things would be a million times better. Those people would still be asshole abusers, but they wouldn't have power.

Show threadKarin!Sep 17, 2024
@Tom @RickiTarr in my town the good cops are systematically being pushed out. Anyone that exposes any kind of bad behavior by cops is let go shortly after
Show threadRicki Yasha TarrSep 17, 2024
@nirak @Tom Yep, whistle-blowers get completely fucked over
Show threadHenry Braun
@RickiTarr @nirak @Tom and almost every veteran cop knows of something they should have blown the whistle over but didn’t. Ergo, no good cops.
Sep 17, 2024 at 6:01pmMastodon for iOS
Show threadProfessor_StevensSep 17, 2024

@hbraun @RickiTarr @nirak @Tom

That's where I come down. The cops who do the evil things are The Bad Cops. The cops who do nothing about the The Bad Cops are also bad cops. Who does that leave?