Starvin Larry

Dear Cop,

A growing number of people distrust you, resent you, fear you, even hate you. Some even wish you harm, and would be glad if they heard you had been killed. Now, you can tell yourself that it’s only nasty criminal scum who would ever think that way. You can concoct in your head all sorts of excuses for why so many people now view you as the primary threat to peace, freedom and security. Or you can take the advice of Sun Tzu, and “know your enemy.”

If you want to know why those “anti-police” folk think what they think, I can tell you. Because I am one of them. I have little to no respect for those who wear uniforms and badges. I expect police to be power-happy, dangerous, irrational and immoral. This was not always the case. I once viewed police as brave and righteous protectors and defenders. I had F.O.P. and Sheriff’s Department stickers on my car. I was a proud and vocal advocate of “justice, law and order.” (Only later did I realize that “law” is usually the arch enemy of both justice and order.) If you want to know why I no longer trust or respect those who wear uniforms and badges, here are the five main reasons:

Reason #1: “Just Following Orders”

“Enforcing the law” is not automatically legitimate or moral. The most vicious tyrannies in history (under Mao, Stalin, Hitler, etc.) legalized their oppressions, which were then committed “law enforcers.” Historically speaking, far more injustice and murder has been committed in the name of “law” than has been committed in spite of the law. And those who directly perpetrated evil have often used the excuse that they were just doing as they were told, just following orders, just doing their job.

The majority of U.S. “law enforcers” are no different, enforcing whatever decrees the politicians may enact, no matter how arbitrary or ridiculous they might be, and then trying to excuse their behavior using the classic cop-out, “Hey, I don’t make the law, I just enforce it.” You may have even used that one yourself. Just be aware that when you say that, you are essentially admitting that whatever the politicians tell you to inflict upon your fellow man, you will, without question. And that makes you the primary threat to humanity.

Some argue that cops are noble and virtuous, except for the occasional “bad apple.” That is false. In a situation where the “law” is immoral and oppressive—as is the case in the U.S. today—any cop who refuses to enforce unjust “laws” will be fired, leaving only those who are willing to inflict injustice upon others whenever the politicians tell them to. The instances of cops refusing to enforce unjust “laws” are extremely rare. The vast majority continue to commit evil while accepting no responsibility for their actions, and even lashing out at any who condemn them for the evil they personally perpetrate. Whether or not you inflict oppression “by the book” or not is irrelevant. Carrying out legalized, officially-sanctioned violent aggression still makes you the bad guy.

Reason #2: Legalized Piracy

Despite the silly rhetoric about “protect and serve,” the primary job of most law enforcers is to look for excuses to take people’s money. Most police are nothing more than glorified tax collectors, always on the lookout—often as a result of “quotas”—for whatever trivial violation or infraction might justify a citation or an arrest, usually for victimless “crimes.” Make no mistake: whenever you rob (“fine”) or kidnap (“arrest”) someone who didn’t harm, endanger, or threaten anyone else, that makes you the aggressor, the thug, the bad guy. The fact that politicians gave their official blessing for you to be a bully and a crook doesn’t make it okay. In some cases, the legalized piracy is extremely blatant, such as under the “civil asset forfeiture” laws, where police commit armed robbery, stealing cash and other property based on the mere accusation—without proof or trial—that the property was somehow related to criminal activity.

Reason #3: Prone to Violence

The epidemic of police brutality is not merely bad luck. Teaching someone that he has “authority” over others and training him to try to gain control over every situation will naturally cause someone to become an arrogant, abusive bully. If you truly believe that wearing a badge and a uniform gives you special rights, gives you the right to detain and interrogate people, boss them around and control them, then you are automatically going to treat others as your inferiors, and you will lash out at any who don’t bow to your supposed “authority.” And if you don’t truly believe that the badge and uniform gives you special rights, you will either quit or be fired.

“Abuse of authority” is redundant. History shows one heinous example after another of what people become when they are given power over others. It should be clear to anyone who understands psychology and human nature why police have much higher rates of domestic abuse. Your job trained you to be a violent control freak. If and when your violence changes from “legal” violence to “illegal” violence, why should anyone be surprised? You are a professional thug.