Forums

[taxwonk]

Originally Posted by sebastian_dangerfield

Okay, so if I understand police criticism of DeBlasio and Obama stemming from the murder of the two officers over the weekend correctly, it is:

1. The Mayor criticized the killing of a man for selling cigarettes, an act even many conservatives defined as murder;
2. The Mayor raised concerns regarding a stop and frisk racial profiling program which is likely unconstitutional;
3. A grand jury inexplicably, in what appears to be a racist nullification, refused to indict the cop who murdered the guy selling smokes (which officer is being investigated for other abuse allegations involving minorities);
4. Following the non-indictment, the Mayor came out and plead for calm;
5. A clinically diagnosed psychopath murdered two police officers, allegedly in retaliation for the non-indictment (and because he's fucking crazy); and so...

This is all the Mayor's and Obama's fault?

Sounds more to me like entitled sorts who've finally had their power checked exploiting a tragedy to deflect criticism.

I figured the ugliest thing about the NYPD was the video of Garner being murdered. But this effort to capitalize on the murder of their own trumps it. This is the cops in Groupthink mode, showing their true colors -- that in the end, what they really want is unbridled power, as close to zero scrutiny as can be achieved.

Maybe I'm misreading it, but probably not. These guys are effectively demanding that no politician in the future criticize them. The temerity of this sort of statement is only outdone by its absurdity. The last people on earth who should be put beyond scrutiny are people carrying guns, licensed to deprive others of liberty.

This country's getting scary.

I pretty much agree with everything you've said here. I would add the note of irony in the fact that the cops and conservatives everywhere are bemoaning the fact that two men were subjected to an act of hatred and violence by someone who knew nothing about other than that they bore a particular outward trait that set them apart from everyone else.