Americans find themselves in a state of flux in 2015. Many people are dealing with the hard reality that those who are sworn to protect and serve, often do the exact opposite.
The topic of police behavior is at the forefront of discussions, worldwide. Market reactions to this interest in responsible application of authority as well as interest in the abuse of authority, are popping up online.
Trying to rely on the system, to report on itself, has proven to be a futile task. In instances of police killings alone, the official method for tallying these deaths was shown to be incredibly skewed and inaccurate.
The unaccountable nature of the state, coupled with today’s network of technologically savvy activists has paved the way for third party accountability sites that are proving to be quite helpful in the struggle for justice.
Up next in the world of answerable innovation is the site CopScore, aptly named for its interface which allows users to submit, “officer performance reviews.”
Anyone can register in a matter of seconds upon going to the site. However, in order to submit a review on an officer, you must know his or her name, department, and title. The form also requires that the registrant specify whether or not the officer arrested them.
If you actually want to post a performance review on CopScore, you will need to sign in and provide the officer’s badge number as well.
The site’s creator, Arion Hardison, explains that he, “put the badge number there because I did not want people posting fake reviews.”
“I wanted only people that had an actual interaction with the Cop to be able to vote,” said Hardison.
Read more at http://thefreethoughtproject.com/it-website-rate-review-police-officers/#1quceSAc3VhCq6De.99
Source: thefreethoughtproject.com
Click through for VIDEO from the creator.
What's The Word? 
Sorry, that one got a little longer than I thought it was (and it’s the lite version), I’m thinking of making that one into a blog post. Anyways to speak to your last point, we are.
Those in power don’t offer a moments hesitation at flinging our sons and daughters into an unnecessary conflict halfway across the world to be irreparably damaged, sent home either broken or dead all in the interest of “national security”, by which they mean an elite few who stand to profit from it.
Those in control of our nation have no qualms about committing the very same human rights abuses used as a pretext for intervening in the affairs of other nations any time it suits their interests, and in fact they are the worst perpetrators of them; with the next closest being the repressive regime’s we put into power and prop up around the world by any means necessary.
They’re willing to wreck the world economy just to flip a quick profit as they line their pocket with the 401k and the pension of every hardworking Tom, Dick and Harry. Playing fast and loose without scruples they’re left with what amounts to monopoly money when it comes time to pay their debt and we’re left to pay the tab.
So yeah, I’d agree that they’re bullies… and then some.
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That divide-and-conquer tactic is a real problem.
Regarding the #BlackLivesMatter strategy, there’s more depth to it than people might realize. I’ll admit I didn’t like how they targeted Bernie Sanders. Then I saw Redacted Tonight interview a BLM leader. I was impressed, and relieved. I’m hopeful for solidarity between general progressives and BLM. I posted the interview:
Link-https://alaberniesanders.wordpress.com/2015/08/26/there-is-method-to-the/
If you have a chance, and watch it, I’d be interested in your thoughts.
BLM actually appreciates a lot of what Bernie Sanders is doing.
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I mean don’t get me wrong, I have absolutely nothing about any one or anything that has to do with that whole campaign to be honest.
In fact I really liked what I saw this time around because it was different from the other times like with Oscar Grant where it was more anger and frustration with little or no direction, which led to nothing happening other than vandalism and meaningless arrests.
This time it was more protest as theater like back in the day, where it was easy to connect the dots for most people because the protests made sense and took a stand in a way that wasn’t distructive; they channeled the anger and frustration to a large degree and I really believe if that attack hadn’t happened against those officers in New York, it would have kept building momentum and who knows where things would be right now.
I just ultimately believe that any organization or movement that is somehow exclusive in any way undercuts its own effectiveness and potential to be a catalyst for change. By no means was I trying to single them out or anything.
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I hear you.
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And that’s not me saying they have to forego their own self-interest as a movement either, because it goes against human nature to do so; I’m only saying that they can meet them quicker by using what seems like a counter-intuitive approach of not focusing on them.
Most definitely I will have to check that out and I’ll share my thoughts with you on it.
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So, I watched the video and I’m not sure there could have been a more serendipitous video to come across considering the context of our conversation.
Thanks so much for the recommendation! I have a lot of things I’d like to say, but I think I’d like to think them through a little further and iron out some of the more careless creases first rather than risk a serious case of foot in mouth or being misconstrued unnecessarily.
Apparently I had a lot more to say on it than I originally thought, in no small part because I had already been trying to work out some of what she touched on out in my own head and in my own way, and on my own time, recently and once I thought on it some more and sat down and started writing it all just came tumbling out, only instead of the gibberish my mind usually produces, this time that gumball machine I call my mind actually delivered the goods.
([phlegmatic]ehhhh yukkk it’s cinnamon mind you, but beggers can’t be choosers, at this point I’ll take whatever I can get).
I think I’m going to fashion my thoughts and my response to this into a blog post of some sort so stay tuned because I’d love to hear what you think about it afterwards as well; expect a notification that I Linked you to it as well.
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I’ll be watching for your article! I’m glad you appreciate that video. It opened my eyes.
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P.S.
It’s convo’s like this that are the reason I ever started blogging in the first place. or I should say, it’s the only reason I was ever able to build up the courage to not just commit my thoughts and my beliefs, or my experiences, my life essentially, and myself, at least as best as I know him, out there like this in very public fashion.
There doesn’t exist enough sheets in all the linen closets able to bundle you up enough to take away the feeling of being completely naked and exposed; just out there for all to see.
Once you make that reckless and irreversible decision; which one? oh you know, the one you just made, to hit the publish button. stupid. I shouldn’t have, or should I? Oh well, it’s too late to take back now anyways, so fuck it.
Now, as you stand there alone with nothing but your thoughts, even a well dressed Emporer’s new wardrobe wouldn’t make you any more comfortable at this point.
Subjecting yourself to the brutal torture that is staring into the endless void of the internet watching something that is a part of you disappear from your vision painfully slowly as if taunting your certain buyers remorse at having let it go at all in the first place.
Eventually it’s gone entirely and you’re left with nothing more than a memory and your own hazy thoughts and understanding about it’s true meaning as you wait anxiously for what the denizens of the void thought, if they thought anything at all.
[Tick]
Did it even make their radar; did it make anyone’s? Is anybody listening? Am I wasting my time? My breath? Who am I kidding? Why should anyone give two shits about anything I have to say on this or anything else?
[Tock]
These are the questions that dominate your mind immediately after, at least if you’re anything like myself
..tick…tock…tick…tock
Uh oh, jury’s still out, is that a good sign or a bad sign? I don’t know, so let me overanalyze…tick…tock…tick…tock…
I’m sure that you can relate to this internal struggle that I’m describing, at least to some degree. because its universal amongst those bold enough to put themselves out there. Surely it must be some cruel jest of sorts.
Those blessed with creativity also take ownership of its curse.
the curse of creativity…
the need to share it.
I just wanted to let you know that it’s exchanges like this that make all of that worth it, so yaaaay for you!!!! [virtual high-five].
Sorry, totally random rabbit-hole-esque post script that doesn’t serve any real purpose.
I promise that’s my nerd moment of the day, with a heavy dose of hippy…doesn’t make it any less true, though!
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I think I understand what you mean. But I’ve never seen anything on your site that should cause you any regret.
Just in case, remember you ARE allowed to delete a post – it’s your blog. 🙂
Another thought that might help – for all the work we invest in blogging, not too many people read us. We’re like drops in the blogging wave. Still, a good thing to be part of, I think.
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I agree 100% with everything you said & while I don’t regret anything I’ve posted especially not to the point of deleting it, there’s always that inner voice in your head that tells you “hmmmm…close but not quite”.
If anything, my biggest problem would have to be the finishing part. I have probably 3 times as many pieces waiting to be posted than ones that are published. They’re all sitting in one giant Scrivener project in one stage or another of my writing process (if you can even call it that).
Just waiting to be forgotten if you ask me, or at least that seems to be par for the course, my mind.
You’re definitely right, we are tiny drops of water making adding up to make on big ass wave, I like that analogy. For sure I feel it’s worth it, and at the very least, there’s far worse things someone could be a part of.
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This looks like a handy app. Sad it is necessary in today’s world.
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Now that practically every phone has a camera on it and youtube is so popular, I thought most of these police forces would have gotten their shit together, but that’s not the case.
Most of these guys don’t give a shit about the communities they’re “protecting and serving” in, its just a job to them, a reason to be in control, they go where the work is at; which according to our current “broken windows” approach to policing is poorer less affluent neighborhoods (that aren’t their own) with large minority populations (that also aren’t their own).
After roughing these people up, they get to head back to their suburban homes and their preferential treatment of being above the law wherever they are.
I guarantee most of these cops wouldn’t treat someone they knew the way they treat some of the people in these videos; it’s not just un-neighborly, it’s dehumanizing.
Yet most people haven’t paused to say, maybe it’s not just the window, it’s the whole systems that’s broken.
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Criminal justice reform is in the works. With time. With #BlackLivesMatter so the work does not get diverted. Both Sanders and Clinton have it on the table.
But you know what, Sammy, there is something much deeper that is very wrong. The way you describe police behavior here, austerity and inequality, Wall St doing whatever it wants without punishment, exploit the Earth to our own detriment. It’s like the world is governed by big stupid bullies.
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You’re right, it is in the works, but it’s painstakingly slow and often the gains are minimal and cosmetic at best. Sure they’ll create a community oversight committee to review police misconduct, but it won’t have any authority to make official recommendations or enforce penalties on the offending officers. Nothing but lip service, all gums and no teeth.
My next thought might be an unpopular one to most people, but at this point I don’t really care I’m going to say it anyways.
I actually feel like our focus on movements organized in the interest a single race such as the #blacklivesmatter campaign hinder any progress just as much as they may push the agenda forward.
It’s narrow focus is going to turn some people off of an issue that they could otherwise be very supportive of for one reason or another whether legitimate or not. I wish that weren’t the case, but it is.
In order to promote cooperation we need to emphasize our commonalities, instead of focusing on our differences or ways in which we may or may not have it worse than the next guy. We need to focus on those things which bind us together, not those which tear us asunder; it’s a distraction and it plays right into the hands of the self perpetuating power structure, necessitating more police with more guns to “keep the peace”. .
I feel like the hyper militarization of the police and rampant abuse of power and lack of any meaningful accountability on their part is a common concern among most people, unless of course you’re exclusively wealthy and white in which case it’s your interests they exist to protect and to serve.
The horrific video and images of police brutality and misconduct that spread across the internet like wildfire each time, which is all too often, transcends things like race, or religion or creed, or social status they’re dehumanizing nobody in their right mind could argue otherwise. How is it that we haven’t already put a stop to this?
It’s classic divide and conquer strategy we’re facing; we need to find a way to counter it and quickly.
Because eventually somethings gotta give.
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