The bottom line is, when you hear someone say “The police want to ban these guns/magazines/transfers between law-abiding private citizens” … don’t believe it. Anyone who actually works with the cops on the street knows that the great majority of them want to enforce existing laws on genuine criminals, not criminalize the law-abiding citizens they’ve sworn an oath to protect and serve.
via The current ‘Gun control’ push: A cop’s eye view by Massad Ayoob.
Good read…. and pass it to your friends that still believe what the Other Side says.
“your friends that still believe what the Other Side says” Those folks aren’t my friends.
“…not criminalize the law-abiding citizens they’ve sworn an oath to protect and serve.”
*cough* TJIC *cough*
For every story I see about police wanting to protect private citizens, I see half a dozen where police abuse their power.
I believe that some police are not in favor of gun control. They are, however, representatives of the State, and the State has exhibited open hostility towards law-abiding citizens and gun owners.
You are basing your perception on what the Media decides to publish…think about that for a minute
Actually, I’m seeing them places like here, Adam(NOT Alec) Baldwin’s Twitter feed, and Redstate.com
Because nobody cares when somebody does their job. Welcome to life, when you fuck up the spotlight hits you, when you do what’s morally/ethically/professionally right nobody looks twice. As a LEO, the vast majority of us are not power hungry, abusive, cruel shit stains on society that youtube/major media/internet makes us out to be. I firmly believe in the rights of citizens, and feel that police that commit crimes “in the line of duty” should not be protected like they are. On point, you’re right we are representing the government, and while we make our opinions well known to lawmakers, we still have a duty to our government.
TJIC
Jared Marcum
Erik B. Scott
Jose Guerena
Elizabeth Daly
“Random” checkpoints for “sobriety” and “drugs”
THOUSANDS MORE
What “law” would you *not* enforce?
What order would you *not* obey?
“I firmly believe in the rights of citizens….”
I don’t believe you. PROVE IT.
This is pretty much a more eloquent version of my opinion.
“…you’re right we are representing the government, and while we make our opinions well known to lawmakers, we still have a duty to our government…”
‘Duty to government?’ Really? Who pays your wages? You owe your employer a duty, not the government. And since your wages come from our taxpaying pockets, you sure as hell need to learn who your employer is.
Of course, one needs to know their priorities. I guess we ‘civilians’ just don’t count.
Oh yeah? These Tennessee Highway Patrolmen seem awful power hungry to me. And Contempt of Cop is the worse crime this young man committed. The worse by TNHP: Multiple violations of the Bill of Rights.
http://www.wtsp.com/news/national/article/324065/81/Viral-DUI-checkpoint-video-begs-legal-questions
Here’s what I wrote to Mr. Ayoob’s editors:
Please ask Mr. Ayoob to tell law enforcement officers: Their leaders and some of their own have made me petrified of all LEOs.
I am a middle class, white, Southerner, who has been “granted permission” to carry a weapon. To get this permission, I’ve been twice fingerprinted, and vetted by the local sheriff. This is to say: I’m a proven Good Guy who, unlike some I know, should not fear the the police. I’m as far from those targeted by Stop and Frisk as can be.
I’m not afraid of cops: I’m petrified of them.
The only negative interaction with law enforcement I’ve had is from LEOs charged with collecting tax from motorists. Yes, Mr. Ayoob, the Highway Revenuers give all LEOs a bad name. I once timed a California Highway Patrolman from the time he called “back in service”—I could see the microphone as I drove by—to the time he stopped another motorist: 43 seconds. Highway 101 was a 75-mph parking lot: It was difficult to do any speed—faster or slower—than 75, yet the Chippy randomly picked one for Revenue Collection. I know that officer became a CHiP to rescue damsels in distress and be a modern-day Lone Ranger, but he’s little more than a Tax Man who is a skilled Good Samaritan at traffic accidents. I hope the prospect of that pension allows him to sleep well at night.)
Back to topic: I should have nothing to fear from LEOs. But I’m petrified. Petrified the definition of bad guy changes and I’ll be stopped and frisked.
I’m petrified at how Boston officials trampled on the First, Fourth, Fifth, and, it appears to me, Third and 14th Amendments. Is my home next?
I’m petrified that the guys in black with letters on their chest won’t be real LEOs (who are disregarding good police procedure and the Fourth and Fifth Amendments) but home-invasion robbers. (Officers: PLEASE, for both our sakes, let me know you have a warrant. I must assume someone smashing in my door is a bad guy and I will defend myself. Also, officer, know that you ain’t comin’ in my house, nor are you looking in my car without a warrant. Don’t ask: It’s a disingenuous practice, and you are preying on the uniformed and frightened. It is far more than the principle of the thing: I see over zealous TN HP and I grew up in the South during the ’60s. I’m not committing Contempt of Cop…unless you are contemptible. My car was purchased used and driven by teens. I cannot be 100 percent there aren’t seeds and stems or traces of cocaine in the car. BTW, you ain’t fooling me with that drug dog: When he wants a treat and thinks you’ll give him one, he’ll indicate on the Popemobile. Name your dogs Bravo Sierra, and maybe we can both enjoy a laugh. “Good Sierra, good girl.”)
I am petrified that I’ll unintentionally violate an obscure firearms law and earn a roommate with tattoos. Is is okay for me to motor by that school (the one that I didn’t even know was there) with my otherwise legal weapon? The school recently built near my home is just over a quarter-mile away, depending on how and from where you measure it: Can I put my duck or deer gun in my car without fear of arrest? (Mr. Ayoob, I’ve read your books: I know you can’t tell me whether the cop or the local prosecutor will arrest or prosecute me. If I have a flat in front of a school, I’ll tear up the wheel and tire to limp that car to a “safer” spot.)
I’m petrified that when, as required in many states, I inform the Speed Tax Collection officer I have a concealed permit that he’ll shoot first and ask questions later.
I’m petrified that LEOs will mistake my vehicle that is kinda close (but not to a car guy) to one driven by a bad guy, and they will open fire. That rouge California cop was reported to be driving a brown, Nissan Titan, so the cops shot up a blue Toyota Tundra. Fortunately, the Tundra seems to resist ballistic penetration better than a WWII Lee or Stuart tank.
I’m petrified that LEOs shooting at bad guys will, instead hit me or mine.
Another way LEOs have earned my fear: Unconstitutional DUI and border checkpoints. Officer, if you don’t have a reasonable suspicion that I’m intoxicated or that I’m violating immigration law, don’t stop me. I know your boss is making you do that. My boss tried to make me do illegal and dangerous things. I found a new job. (I worked for a car magazine: The editor wanted a photo of the speedometer showing 155 mph…on a public road. Unknown to me, the road ran right in front of a legal house of prostitution in Nevada. After almost collecting one of the workers, I refused the order–I WAS ordered—get that photo and told the editor that if he wanted it, he needed to do it himself. (BTW: I used to drive race cars very successfully, so I ain’t a wimp. I’ve driven 200 mph in road-going car on a test track: I refused to do go 155 on a public road because I did not want to hurt an innocent, which included my children at home. I toyed with the idea that my wife might wind up owning the publishing company…)
Officer, I’m sorry, but you petrify me.
If you remain employed by, say, the NYPD, I must assume you’ve embraced the Dark Side. Do NOT give me Bravo Sierra about feeding your children or caring for your old mother or, ESPECIALLY, how many years it is until you are eligible for a pension: I found a new job without a pension, you can too. Many agencies in places that respect the Constitution need good officers.
“Officers: PLEASE, for both our sakes, let me know you have a warrant. I must assume someone smashing in my door is a bad guy and I will defend myself.”
No kidding. The bad guys are getting remarkably well-armed(look at the Aurora, CO shooter), and even without visiting a surplus store or costume shop, it’s not that hard to stencil “POLICE” on your gear in white spray-paint.
If you’re ACTING like a hoodlum, I will ASSUME you are a hoodlum, even if you are stepping out of an obvious police car and flash some (easily faked) badge.
A further part of the problem isn’t just these “few” cops who behave badly/illegally what have you, but the way they’re never called to account. Very rarely do we hear of them being fired. Or, for the times when they egregiously violate the law (witness the latest house seizure uproar from Nevada) are they arrested, charged, and sent to court. The most common penalty I’ve seen is paid administrative leave, which sounds a lot like vacation to me.
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My thoughts, http://pluckingtheyew.blogspot.com/2013/07/what-massad-ayoob-and-rest-of-law.html
Good article. Better video references. Absolutely right. If the police REALLY support the individual right to bear arms, they should be out advocating it, not trying to defend themselves.