I haven't seen this make the rounds here, but it's been all over social media, so I thought I'd post something about it here. My apologies if it has been covered. This relates to the national conversation we should be having about our police. Specifically, it's the point of view of one of our law enforcement officers, followed by my response.
More below the fleur de Kos.
In October of this year, Lieutenant Dan Furseth of the DeForest, Wisconsin Police Department decided to post on American Police Beat his take on what's wrong with the relationship between the public and the police, in a sort of open letter that shares his private thoughts on the matter, along with how he feels the many grievances he lists affects him and his ability to do his job.
The full text can be read here.
He begins with an eye-opener:
Today, I stopped caring about my fellow man. I stopped caring about my community, my neighbors, and those I serve. I stopped caring today because a once noble profession has become despised, hated, distrusted, and mostly unwanted.
His point, you see, is that the public views all police as evildoers:
We represent a “Police State” where “jackbooted badge-wearing thugs” randomly attack innocent people...
-snip-
We are Waco, Ruby Ridge, and Rodney King all rolled into one...
How, according to Lt Furseth, did this come about? Well, the reasons are many, and they're all our fault, beginning with parents:
... parents refuse to teach their kids right from wrong and blame us when they are caught breaking the law.
Apparently, parents also teach children to fear cops "from day one". Moms - those fragile, emotional, irrational creatures - all hate cops in schools because:
...we frighten them and remind them of the evil that lurks in the world.
Copsplainin' + mansplainin'. Mmmmmm. Solid gold privilege.
And doesn't get any better. We, the awful, mean, horrible, no good, very bad people, are a just a bunch of sex-crazed drug fiends who hate cops for harshing our mellow, who "idolize" gangsters, who don't want no job or fancy book learnin'.
I'm not even exaggerating (emphasis mine):
I stopped caring today because the culture of today’s instantly connected youth is only there to take and never give back. To never accept responsibility for ones actions, but to blame everyone else instead of themselves. To ask “what is in it for me?” versus “what can I do for you?”
To idolize gangsters, thugs, sexually promiscuous behavior, and criminals over hard work, dedication, and achievement. To argue that getting stoned should be a right, yet getting a job or an education is a hassle. To steal verus earn. (sic) To hate versus help.
But, you know, it's bad to stereotype.
I don't want to quote the whole thing for obvious reasons, but it's well worth the read, if only to peer into the mindset of a "good cop" (it's pretty clear that's who Furseth thinks he is).
I posted a lengthy response, but the gist is pretty much what you think it is: Furseth's attitude is a far worse problem than what the public says and does. Get your act together, hippies, is the subtext to his "I stopped caring" threat. Or one day, I won't care. I'll let the bad guy get you. I'll let the drunk driver careen through your neighborhood. I'll let your kid die of an overdose. Or worse.
Which is to say nothing of the racial dogwhistles and code, and they are there in plenty.
Furseth's alarmingly hostile, Colonel-Nathan-Jessup-"You need me on that wall" rant seems to overlook the fact that Col Jessup was the bad guy in A Few Good Men. I find it particularly scary that he seems to have forgotten some Civics 101:
The public acts like the power rests with us because it does.
If we pass laws saying it's our right to get stoned, then it is.
If we think the police need to change, then they do.
That's the deal, not the other way around.
In other words, our perception of Lt Furseth is more important than his perception of us. Which, given his perception, is decidedly a good thing.
9:49 AM PT: I've been in Lurk Mode for over a year, and then you fine folks put my first diary in some time on the rec list. Thank you ever so much! Stay safe, stay warm, stay fed, and may your holidays be extra-wonderful.