Uniformed Impunity: We’re Probably Closer to the Beginning than to the End

[marmar]

Published on Monday, October 31, 2011 by CommonDreams.org
Uniformed Impunity: We’re Probably Closer to the Beginning than to the End

by Thomas S. Harrington


A few days back, two New York City police officers were indicted for fixing tickets for their friends, family members and political acquaintances. Sad to say, the criminal allegations were nothing particularly noteworthy.

What was shocking, at least to me, was something else: the large and boisterous group of police officers that showed up to “support” their comrades at their arraignment.

The purposes of the assembled officers seem to have been rather clear.

They wanted to a) demonstrate their outrage at the fact that their brothers in blue were being asked to answer to the law and b) make the judge and prosecutors think twice about treating them in the same way they would, say, treat a sixteen year old black kid pulled in for suspicion of robbery. ...........(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.commondreams.org/view/2011/10/31-5

[WingDinger]

1. I was ticketed for a non existent law. Judge conspired.

I called the local paper, and they said I was just mad cuz they got me. I railed against them. Then, I appealed. They will NOT tell you the format, nor what exactly is permissible as refute. You can only appeal what was specifically said. The pro-tem judge told us that our level of respect would inform our penalties. So, I could not go after the crooked cop. I called what they hatched, Mordida. I railed against their corruption, and stated quite clearly, that the court allowing these corrupt practices, by cops standing in the same spot doing it, day after day, will see harm come to them. That in the days ahead, the cops will need our goodwill. That using these ways to pay their salaries, was devisive, and corroded rule of law.

The Attorney General took them apart. Using my logic from court. Did anything happen, other than ruining their scam? NO.

[Lorien]

2. I've seen some of this on DU too, from the article:

In short, the last thirty years have seen the creation of our very own Cult of the Uniformed Hero, a public discourse which puts social pressure on people to treat soldiers and the military uncritical admiration. “Though I have doubts about the mission, I support the troops. Don’t you?”

What had been largely limited to the military before September 11th, 2001, turned, after that date, into a generalized and wholly uncritical lionization of anyone wearing a government-issued uniform.

Firemen and cops were no longer regular people like you and me struggling to do their jobs, but “genuine heroes” on the “front line” in conditions that “neither you nor I could never imagine” (as if healing the sexually abused or working on a ward with violent and disturbed teenagers and a whole host of other very emotionally taxing jobs are also things we can and do easily imagine!).

Translation: cops and fireman inhabit a space that is “above and beyond” the rules governing the lives of normal citizens.

Imagine the effect of sending such messages to a group of people, that if the criminal lawyers I know and my friends of color are to believed, has always skirted the line between respectable social service and bullying criminality!

Well, we no longer need to use our imaginations.

We got our answer earlier this week in that courtroom in New York. After a decade of being treated with the bliss-ninny adulation we usually reserve for pro athletes and celebrities, as our saviors rather than our servants, the men and woman in blue aren’t about to be lowered to the category of “mere” citizens subject to the same laws as you and me.

And if and when the public demand to dismantle the empire reaches a crescendo, I don’t expect their brothers and sisters at the Pentagon to be any more amenable to the will of the people.

Either by intention or sloth, we have enabled the swaggering impunity of the uniformed class. Don’t expect them to give up this import “perk” lightly.

[dotymed]

4. A few years ago, I was ticketed for going 65 in a 45 mph zone.

I was going 40 mph. The cop said he had me on radar. I was polite and asked him if I could see the radar results. This was about 5 am and there was barely any traffic. The policeman said that he was not required to show me the results, so he did not. I was on my way to work (maybe 4:30 am), I think the cop thought that I was coming home after a long night. I went to court, the officer did not. The judge decided to re-schedule the hearing even after I asked for it to be dropped, since the officer did not appear for court. The judge refused. The ticket was about $70 and I lost about $200 from missing work.

I declined another court date, plead "no contest" to the bogus ticket and paid them off. I was lucky that I did not get a contempt charge. I made it clear what I thought about their "justice."

Over the years, I have attempted to fight two tickets. Both were false charges. Each time, I was refused when I asked to look at the radar reading. On the other one, I attended 2 trials, and one continuance. It became very apparent to me that these people were in "co-hoots" and I did not stand a chance. The fellow in front of me had his work time-card that showed that he could not have even been present at the place he was ticketed. Guilty...,no deliberation, no hesitation.

I later found out that if I got another ticket, to just call an influential friend (honorary deputy) and it would disappear. Too little, too late. I haven't been ticketed since then.

[JoeyT]

5. I've seen it for cops and military,

but I've yet to see worship for firefighters, and I hope I never do.

Authority worshipers don't worship uniforms because they look snazzy, they worship them because they're symbols of power. Power that FDs don't have.

[awoke_in_2003]

6. while I worship no one...

unlike cops and military, fire fighters save lives.

[The Wizard]

3. Any culture that worships uniforms

is destined to fail. A uniform is not a license to Nihilistic behavior.