In most cases, they are doing what they do in the honest belief they are protecting lives and property and maintaining law and order. -- L.W.M.

That is the stupidest thing written on this thread, unless you are a cop and can not see how the American police are thugs and deserve to rot in hell for at least 10 eons.

I have know a lot of police people (a lot of policewomen in the lot) and almost all are not worth the air they consume. Rotten control freaks who think everyone who is not a cop is a criminal and deserves to be beaten or worse.

... the Minneapolis Joint Terrorist Task Force -- an inter-agency group of federal, state and local law enforcement led by the FBI -- was actively recruiting Minneapolis residents to serve as plants, to infiltrate "vegan groups" and other left-wing activist groups and report back to the Task Force about what they were doing. ...

In my state we have seen the highly dangerous Society of Friends (Quakers) invaded by the FBI after being under long term surveillance, and infiltrated. The Quakers are known to be highly dangerous; preaching non-violence and all that. Hell, the fuckers even claim that each of us has a part of God in us!

But Vegans! My God! People from another planet who like animals. We can not have that here in a free country --- oh, no!

But then again, it is possible that if Americans watch enough thug invasions of innocent people that they might just wake up. Possible, but not likely.

http://rawstory.com/news/2008
/Bush_seeks_to_institutionalize_war_powers_0830.html

or click on sig

As the nation focuses on Sen. John McCain's choice of running mate, President Bush has quietly moved to expand the reach of presidential power by ensuring that America remains in a state of permanent war.

Buried in a recent proposal by the Administration is a sentence that has received scant attention -- and was buried itself in the very newspaper that exposed it Saturday. It is an affirmation that the United States remains at war with al Qaeda, the Taliban and "associated organizations."

...

And so it goes here in the "land of the free".

You simply must check out interactive map that Mother Jones magazine has prepared on U.S. military presence worldwide. This is the most exhaustive piece of work on this subject ever.

Will Obama do anything to reduce the number of U.S. troops overseas?

http://www.motherjones.com/military-maps/

or click sig

That is not enough. I want much more; may they rot in the literal hell that they have created throughout eons of time. May demons (with all the compassion of a swat team member) torture them for millions of years.

I know that all will ultimately be redeemed; but these asshats can be last!

cabdriver on the police:

...

Also- if ever there were a phenomenon that would seem to dramatically demonstrate the action of the Heisenberg Principle- that the expectations of the observer influence the outcome and backwash of a given experiment/situation- it would be encounters with police. If you're bound and determined that all you see in front of you is a "pig", you're much more liable to have those expectations fulfilled.

That said, they do what they're told. That includes dressing up in expensive Ninja Turtle suits and faceless helmets paid for by Federal funds, and acting like paramilitaries. I'ts nearly impossible to have a personal interaction under those conditions, which is of course part of what the adoption of those tactics is about in the first place. ... (cabdriver)

You misread me. I have never had any trouble with cops as they acted in their official duties. I have known many, many police officers in a social setting. I have also worked closely with former cops and spouses of cops. My neighbor and friend is a high-ranking police official; or maybe he is just "middle-ranking".

I have listened to their stories in a social setting as they told tales from their point of view as they presented themselves in the most positive light. I have listened to their world-view as they pontificate on whose head should be cracked next.

Ask yourself cabdriver, where is the best place for a bully to be? Answer, the local police. And guess what; they join in huge numbers --- ok, so a few really do want to "protect and serve" when they join up. But their minds are set right by the majority soon enough.

But the point you made about them just "doing what their told" is the topper. The same could have been said in Germany in the 30s and 40s.

I'll let you in on a secrete. No modern leader has ever committed mass murder (or other crimes) all by himself. He always has legions of evil men ready to "just follow orders". For a man to cry out that he is "just following orders" is the very nature of evil; and denying responsibility for one's own actions.

Luckily, you are here to save the day with an alternate interim solution by voting for___________________(insert full name of candidate here). -- Northwestwoods

What if there is no candidate to save the day with? No savior? Not even a half-assed substitute?

What if this is as good as it gets? (yes, taken from the movie)