Increase in violence

[StillLearning]

A few articles from the mainstream media discussing the uptick in violence. For once i see a little bit of reasonableness. They state factors including the minimization of LEO from defunding, understaffing and lack of confidence created by the media (the last 4 words are mine). Not sure these links will work. They are both CNN links from Apple News.

Violent crime rises during pandemic as confidence in police takes a hit. Why? It's complicated.

Violent crime rises during pandemic as confidence in police takes a hit. Why? It's complicated. — CNN

As the body counts rise, American cities remain ground zero for a deadly new reality.

apple.news

The US saw significant crime rise across major cities in 2020. And it's not letting up

The US saw significant crime rise across major cities in 2020. And it's not letting up — CNN

Major American cities saw a 33% increase in homicides last year as a pandemic swept across the country, millions of people joined protests against racial injustice and police brutality, and the economy collapsed under the weight of the pandemic — a crime surge that has continued into the first...

apple.news

i guess if nothing else, at least it’s not drawing the conclusion that we bought more guns and that created the violence. I have few liberal friends who try that one on for size.

I find it also interesting that Sandy Hook Promise leaders make the statement that “they never thought it could happen in their town, yet it did. It can happen anywhere.” They use this a statement for “stricter gun laws”
it simply makes my/our case stronger. I used to think it’s not worth carrying in our small town. After reading the above, I realized the one thing in common in almost every mass shooting interview is the statement “we never thought it could happen here”

 

[C. Sumpin]

A few articles from the mainstream media discussing the uptick in violence. For once i see a little bit of reasonableness. They state factors including the minimization of LEO from defunding, understaffing and lack of confidence created by the media (the last 4 words are mine). Not sure these links will work. They are both CNN links from Apple News.

Violent crime rises during pandemic as confidence in police takes a hit. Why? It's complicated.

Violent crime rises during pandemic as confidence in police takes a hit. Why? It's complicated. — CNN

As the body counts rise, American cities remain ground zero for a deadly new reality.

apple.news

The US saw significant crime rise across major cities in 2020. And it's not letting up

The US saw significant crime rise across major cities in 2020. And it's not letting up — CNN

Major American cities saw a 33% increase in homicides last year as a pandemic swept across the country, millions of people joined protests against racial injustice and police brutality, and the economy collapsed under the weight of the pandemic — a crime surge that has continued into the first...

apple.news

i guess if nothing else, at least it’s not drawing the conclusion that we bought more guns and that created the violence. I have few liberal friends who try that one on for size.

I find it also interesting that Sandy Hook Promise leaders make the statement that “they never thought it could happen in their town, yet it did. It can happen anywhere.” They use this a statement for “stricter gun laws”
it simply makes my/our case stronger. I used to think it’s not worth carrying in our small town. After reading the above, I realized the one thing in common in almost every mass shooting interview is the statement “we never thought it could happen here”

CNN is not the best source for accurate/impartial news, IMO.

Years back, who would have guessed that violence/wanton murder would be a regular occurrence in Churches, birthday parties, anywhere anytime? So yes, there is no safe place that a crazy can not find to do mayhem and it pays to be prepared anywhere anytime.

The article gave many sources/symptoms for spiking violence and you will grow weary of my reminders but the two biggest are digital overload/addiction/imbalance and lack of Spiritual health, which equates to lack of conscience/ emotional/mental health and the desire for revenge, hate, violence and indiscriminate killing.

The less of God that a society has the more the potential for all things Evil.

And it has to be said that not all "religions" or "faiths" have at their foundation the true God.

 

[StillLearning]

CNN is not the best source for accurate/impartial news, IMO.

Years back, who would have guessed that violence/wanton murder would be a regular occurrence in Churches, birthday parties, anywhere anytime? So yes, there is no safe place that a crazy can not find to do mayhem and it pays to be prepared anywhere anytime.

The article gave many sources/symptoms for spiking violence and you will grow weary of my reminders but the two biggest are digital overload/addiction/imbalance and lack of Spiritual health, which equates to lack of conscience/ emotional/mental health and the desire for revenge, hate, violence and indiscriminate killing.

The less of God that a society has the more the potential for all things Evil.

And it has to be said that not all "religions" or "faiths" have at their foundation the true God.

I certainly wasn't claiming CNN as impartial. Hence my surprise at the theme of the article.

 

[benstt]

I think we're seeing an uptick for a lot of reasons that all hit at once. First a lot of people lost their jobs due to COVID. Then no one could go anywhere and isolation hit. Then George Floyd happened and a lot of angry people took their anger to the streets. Then we had an election during which certain persons made certain false allegations and got a different group whipped into a violent frenzy. Police departments got overtaxed as first responders went down from the pandemic or went on disability due to PTSD following the riots last year. Racial tensions are getting fanned. A lot of people who previously held white power beliefs close to the chest now feel empowered to let let fly with their dumbassery, including using violence. This is all in addition to the normal stuff. There are a lot of stressors hitting us all at once. Of course there's going to be an increase in violence. Think of all the outlaws and villains who became folk heros during the depression. Desperate times bring out the worst in a lot of people.

 

[Bassbob]

I think we're seeing an uptick for a lot of reasons that all hit at once. First a lot of people lost their jobs due to COVID. Then no one could go anywhere and isolation hit. Then George Floyd happened and a lot of angry people took their anger to the streets. Then we had an election during which certain persons made certain false allegations and got a different group whipped into a violent frenzy. Police departments got overtaxed as first responders went down from the pandemic or went on disability due to PTSD following the riots last year. Racial tensions are getting fanned. A lot of people who previously held white power beliefs close to the chest now feel empowered to let let fly with their dumbassery, including using violence. This is all in addition to the normal stuff. There are a lot of stressors hitting us all at once. Of course there's going to be an increase in violence. Think of all the outlaws and villains who became folk heros during the depression. Desperate times bring out the worst in a lot of people.

Dude, have you by any chance looked at the rates of violence by race? It’s not white people doing it.

Here in STL, the liberal politicians and the media know they can’t point the finger at angry white racists since angry white racists aren’t the ones shooting 15-20 people a week, so they are blaming lax gun control laws. As if gang members cared about gun laws.

 

[benstt]

Dude, have you by any chance looked at the rates of violence by race? It’s not white people doing it.

Here in STL, the liberal politicians and the media know they can’t point the finger at angry white racists since angry white racists aren’t the ones shooting 15-20 people a week, so they are blaming lax gun control laws. As if hood rats cared about gun laws.

I didn't say it was just whites doing it, though they are, too. I listed the riots last summer and the effects they had on cops and the increased racial division which isn't just due to white people. I didn't list anything that isn't true or a cause of increased stress on our country as a whole. Those are just the things that are new as of the last year. On top of all the other stuff, the roots of which are complicated. Breakdown of the family unit, fewer fathers in homes, increasing wealth disparities, willful and celebrated ignorance in many groups (yes, among the "keepin' it real" groups as well as conservatives who disdain education), a bunch more I havent mentioned...

 

[Bassbob]

Well you hit all the liberal talking points I'll give you that. Wealth disparity? Hardly a valid excuse for killing people.

And if we are speaking soley of the " Increased" violence, the only white people participating in that are all those young, white liberals who were rioting over the summer. Magically only rioting in places that have been controlled by other
( mostly white) liberals for a half century or more.

I can show a bunch of examples of groups like Antifa and BLM assaulting people, killing people, even cops. Can you show me some examples of allegedly white racist groups doing it ? Funny how the poor boys or whatever they're called are supposed to be racist, but their leader is a black/hispanic dude. Even still, have they killed anyone or assaulted anyone ? And the so-called " Insurrection" ? Some insurrection. Not a single person on the capitol grounds or in the building was armed. In fact there were only 2 minor gun charges that day and they were nowhere near the capitol. But we're supposed to believe 30 or 40 dumbasses strolling through the capitol building with no weapons were attempting to overthrow the government. What a joke.

 

[benstt]

Well you hit all the liberal talking points I'll give you that. Wealth disparity? Hardly a valid excuse for killing people.

And if we are speaking soley of the " Increased" violence, the only white people participating in that are all those young, white liberals who were rioting over the summer. Magically only rioting in places that have been controlled by other
( mostly white) liberals for a half century or more.

I can show a bunch of examples of groups like Antifa and BLM assaulting people, killing people, even cops. Can you show me some examples of allegedly white racist groups doing it ? Funny how the poor boys or whatever they're called are supposed to be racist, but their leader is a black/hispanic dude. Even still, have they killed anyone or assaulted anyone ? And the so-called " Insurrection" ? Some insurrection. Not a single person on the capitol grounds or in the building was armed. In fact there were only 2 minor gun charges that day and they were nowhere near the capitol. But we're supposed to believe 30 or 40 dumbasses strolling through the capitol building with no weapons were attempting to overthrow the government. What a joke.

Dude, it was largely black people and young white kids mixing it up all last summer. I didn't dispute that. I said after George Floyd they took their anger to the streets. I called them riots. I kind of owned it. I also said that put a lot of cops on disability with PTSD.

As to January 6, I don't think we're going to agree on the facts. It wasn't 20 or 30 people walking the halls. It was a lot more than that and they were plenty violent without guns. They busted out windows and doors, stole Gov't property, and beat the snot out of a number of cops. I can't say they killed the one, since it sounds like that was a stroke and I haven't seen any medical evidence to connect that to the insurrection. Downplaying invading the Capitol is just as messed up as excusing last year's riots.

 

[benstt]

We can each have our own interpretations.

 

[Bassbob]

Dude, it was largely black people and young white kids mixing it up all last summer. I didn't dispute that. I said after George Floyd they took their anger to the streets. I called them riots. I kind of owned it. I also said that put a lot of cops on disability with PTSD.

As to January 6, I don't think we're going to agree on the facts. It wasn't 20 or 30 people walking the halls. It was a lot more than that and they were plenty violent without guns. They busted out windows and doors, stole Gov't property, and beat the snot out of a number of cops. I can't say they killed the one, since it sounds like that was a stroke and I haven't seen any medical evidence to connect that to the insurrection. Downplaying invading the Capitol is just as messed up as excusing last year's riots.

You watch too much TV. And since when do the TV people care about dead cops ?

At any rate calling it an insurrection is F'ing ridiculous.

 

[C. Sumpin]

I think we're seeing an uptick for a lot of reasons that all hit at once. First a lot of people lost their jobs due to COVID. Then no one could go anywhere and isolation hit. Then George Floyd happened and a lot of angry people took their anger to the streets. Then we had an election during which certain persons made certain false allegations and got a different group whipped into a violent frenzy. Police departments got overtaxed as first responders went down from the pandemic or went on disability due to PTSD following the riots last year. Racial tensions are getting fanned. A lot of people who previously held white power beliefs close to the chest now feel empowered to let let fly with their dumbassery, including using violence. This is all in addition to the normal stuff. There are a lot of stressors hitting us all at once. Of course there's going to be an increase in violence. Think of all the outlaws and villains who became folk heros during the depression. Desperate times bring out the worst in a lot of people.

All of which has its root cause in lack of Spiritual integrity.

 

[the obsrver]

Well I think you are both kind of right. There are numerous reasons for the increased violence.
I would not call the capitol thing an insurrection.
I think all of this has created more racism then anything. I know several people that were not racist at all and now they are just tired of it all and having black this and that jammed down their throats. They point blank have told me, they never really gave color much thought before, but do now. I hate to say it,but you can not blame them. I mean look, whatever group you belong to, if that group was doing all the stuff that has been done over the last year, would you be proud? Do you think it looks good? Like hey man they seem really intelligent and cool, I think I will go hang out with them?
Not to mention, who do you think pays for all this 2 billion in damages? The tax payers. So they are not doing anything but helping keep the poor,..... poor. They are creating the exact thing they are arguing against. Same with that pipeline thing. They said "we do not attack poor people or medical places" Yet the price of gas went up and guess who ended up paying for it??

 

[C. Sumpin]

Well I think you are both kind of right. There are numerous reasons for the increased violence.
I would not call the capitol thing an insurrection.
I think all of this has created more racism then anything. I know several people that were not racist at all and now they are just tired of it all and having black this and that jammed down their throats. They point blank have told me, they never really gave color much thought before, but do now. I hate to say it,but you can not blame them. I mean look, whatever group you belong to, if that group was doing all the stuff that has been done over the last year, would you be proud? Do you think it looks good? Like hey man they seem really intelligent and cool, I think I will go hang out with them?
Not to mention, who do you think pays for all this 2 billion in damages? The tax payers. So they are not doing anything but helping keep the poor,..... poor. They are creating the exact thing they are arguing against. Same with that pipeline thing. They said "we do not attack poor people or medical places" Yet the price of gas went up and guess who ended up paying for it??

Well Observed. You have spoken an unspeakable. That there is systemic racism in the black culture. Many of us now have a dislike for other races based solely on skin color. We have the weight of sixty years of affirmative action, overwhelming government employment and laws written specifically in our favor. A single word or error is now a hate crime. Witness the Space Force Commanders recent firing. It's all going our way yet we are not going to drop that big hammer named Racism cuz it's now a pry bar to reparations and even more leverage to rewrite history and cancel whom we will. There is a silent backlash in place in society now. For if you speak truthfully and reasonably, the guillotine on your career, business, education, reputation, account, whatever, will fall, whatever color your skin may be.

 

[the obsrver]

Well Observed. You have spoken an unspeakable. That there is systemic racism in the black culture. Many of us now have a dislike for other races based solely on skin color. We have the weight of sixty years of affirmative action, overwhelming government employment and laws written specifically in our favor. A single word or error is now a hate crime. Witness the Space Force Commanders recent firing. It's all going our way yet we are not going to drop that big hammer named Racism cuz it's now a pry bar to reparations and even more leverage to rewrite history and cancel whom we will. There is a silent backlash in place in society now. For if you speak truthfully and reasonably, the guillotine on your career, business, education, reputation, account, whatever, will fall, whatever color your skin may be.

Exact;y. There is a whole group of people and some in the government that if you do not agree with, will find some sort of ism to call you.
I do not bruise easily. I am comfortable with who I am and so none of this "you don't care" stuff they tried pulling on everything from the flu, to color, to immigration, to whatever, worked on me. I do not feel guilty because I know who I am. Worse yet is having a little kid hear that if you don't agree, you do not care. That is BS to shoulder the responsibility of caring about the whole world onto a child. That is pretty much sick to do to a child and borderline mental abuse.
It seems really funny to me that the extremely rich are pushing for the world to be more kind. If they really thought that, guess what, they would not be extremely rich. If kindness was so important to them and more important then money, they would have far far less money and that is all there is to it. So who exactly do they want to be more kind???
I had a thought the other day, and I wondered how many black athletes went into pro sports? How many billions of dollars they have been paid. How much of that was spent trying to build up the place they came from? But no, you read about them and even that blm leader buying a house in a white neighborhood with the first chance they get. Making sure their kids get the best education, no matter the cost. And so on and so on.

 

[Bassbob]

Exact;y. There is a whole group of people and some in the government that if you do not agree with, will find some sort of ism to call you.
I do not bruise easily. I am comfortable with who I am and so none of this "you don't care" stuff they tried pulling on everything from the flu, to color, to immigration, to whatever, worked on me. I do not feel guilty because I know who I am. Worse yet is having a little kid hear that if you don't agree, you do not care. That is BS to shoulder the responsibility of caring about the whole world onto a child. That is pretty much sick to do to a child and borderline mental abuse.
It seems really funny to me that the extremely rich are pushing for the world to be more kind. If they really thought that, guess what, they would not be extremely rich. If kindness was so important to them and more important then money, they would have far far less money and that is all there is to it. So who exactly do they want to be more kind???
I had a thought the other day, and I wondered how many black athletes went into pro sports? How many billions of dollars they have been paid. How much of that was spent trying to build up the place they came from? But no, you read about them and even that blm leader buying a house in a white neighborhood with the first chance they get. Making sure their kids get the best education, no matter the cost. And so on and so on.

I could and would go on at length about this topic, but it would just get deleted by the mods. I’m not sure how deep we can go into it here really.

Born and raised in and near St.Louis, Missouri and spent the last decade working strictly in north St.Louis neighborhoods. I have some opinions on race relations in this country and just who it is that flames division along racial lines. Without diving too deep let me just point out that without exception, every place your TV and elected officials have told you was rife with systemic racism and every city where there have been riots over race related issues has been ran by democrats for 5 decades now. And many of them, including St. Louis are controlled by black democrats.

 

[the obsrver]

I could and would go on at length about this topic, but it would just get deleted by the mods. I’m not sure how deep we can go into it here really.

Born and raised in and near St.Louis, Missouri and spent the last decade working strictly in north St.Louis neighborhoods. I have some opinions on race relations in this country and just who it is that flames division along racial lines. Without diving too deep let me just point out that without exception, every place your TV and elected officials have told you was rife with systemic racism and every city where there have been riots over race related issues has been ran by democrats for 5 decades now. And many of them, including St. Louis are controlled by black democrats.

Well, in the end all the ism's and blame game come down to one thing, they want people to be more empathetic.
Again I ask who exactly needs to be more empathetic? Part of figuring out exactly who I am came with a realization that those who cast stones only do so because they have stones to cast. People like to project onto others.
As for being more empathetic, is that not the same faulty logic they have with gun control? The ones who need it, the lesson or law will be ignored anyway and the ones who do not need it, end up getting all the BS because of it. With most people, life itself makes you more empathetic. With others it does not. I was chatting with a old friend the other day and we both told stories of recent BS we had to put up with, we both said "in our younger years that never would have slid. One heck of fight would have broken out". But we are past that now.
So we have a bunch of young kids who life has not had the chance to wear the edges off of yet, telling everyone else they need to be more empathetic???? People who have not had to go without so their kids could have. People who have never had to take care of someone during their last years on this planet. These kids have no experience in life, love, war, or how many times life is going to knock you on your **** and how many times you are going to have to get back up. The story is as old as time. Famous people wrote about it, how the young think they know something the older ones don't. How the older ones just do not understand. Meanwhile the puppy is out there tearing at things, chasing the wind and the old dog is laying on the porch chill as can be, except if something or someone decides to come on that porch. That is what you have with young people.
That is what you have with the really rich also. They are chasing those dollars. Very few got as rich as they are from caring to much about much else then getting rich. So I do not think they are the best equipped to give advice on things they lack more of then most people. That is exactly what is going on, the least equipped in various subjects are giving advice and the results are not going well with those who know better and are not going well with those who don't. Because why would you want the least equipped to be telling or teaching anyone anything??

 

[C. Sumpin]

Well, in the end all the ism's and blame game come down to one thing, they want people to be more empathetic.
Again I ask who exactly needs to be more empathetic? Part of figuring out exactly who I am came with a realization that those who cast stones only do so because they have stones to cast. People like to project onto others.
As for being more empathetic, is that not the same faulty logic they have with gun control? The ones who need it, the lesson or law will be ignored anyway and the ones who do not need it, end up getting all the BS because of it. With most people, life itself makes you more empathetic. With others it does not. I was chatting with a old friend the other day and we both told stories of recent BS we had to put up with, we both said "in our younger years that never would have slid. One heck of fight would have broken out". But we are past that now.
So we have a bunch of young kids who life has not had the chance to wear the edges off of yet, telling everyone else they need to be more empathetic???? People who have not had to go without so their kids could have. People who have never had to take care of someone during their last years on this planet. These kids have no experience in life, love, war, or how many times life is going to knock you on your **** and how many times you are going to have to get back up. The story is as old as time. Famous people wrote about it, how the young think they know something the older ones don't. How the older ones just do not understand. Meanwhile the puppy is out there tearing at things, chasing the wind and the old dog is laying on the porch chill as can be, except if something or someone decides to come on that porch. That is what you have with young people.
That is what you have with the really rich also. They are chasing those dollars. Very few got as rich as they are from caring to much about much else then getting rich. So I do not think they are the best equipped to give advice on things they lack more of then most people. That is exactly what is going on, the least equipped in various subjects are giving advice and the results are not going well with those who know better and are not going well with those who don't. Because why would you want the least equipped to be telling or teaching anyone anything??

There is a reason, and a good one, that in many cultures (until the spoiled, woke/cancelled rage replaced it) the elders were held in high esteem, respected, and their judgements/direction/discernment obeyed.

And the wealthy (may be exceptions but I haven't known one) care only about more wealth.

And the fashionable care only about higher fashion.

And the popular care only about being more popular.

And (most) young folks today don't care about a damn thing.

And everyone wants to tell everyone else what is right and what they should do.

And the wealthy are not known for their generosity.

 

[Keystone19250]

A lot of good valid points have been made in this thread but one is missing, there are so many people talking about what needs to be done and how to do it.
The problem is nobody is listening.

 

[HayesGreener]

I posted this on another forum a month ago. I did a few edits and am posting it here. I think it is relevant to this discussion.

I served many years in law enforcement. My duties ranged from military special agent to patrol officer, investigator, SWAT member and SWAT commander, and chief of police. I have worked with hundreds of LE officers over the years and met maybe two who I would describe as racist. Both of them were fired. The vast majority of officers entered the field because it is a helping profession and they want to make a positive difference. Most officers have what I call a servant's heart, even after many years of disillusionment on the streets. There is a conundrum for officers in a helping profession where they may be called upon to use deadly force.

There is some kind of inverse, or perverse logic in blaming the police for being racist. The fact is, when an officer makes a traffic stop or responds to a call in most instances has no idea the color, race, or sex of the people involved. What he does know is that his next encounter may be with someone who wants to kill him. If he works in a minority community, he perceives the risks are greater. But, every encounter develops differently.

Once the officer is there, he or she has a job to do, and the legal authority to carry it out. They are armed, and trained to use varying degrees of force to obtain compliance. It's why it's called a police "force". They are the only element of government who have the legal authority to use force, and restrict people's freedom. Things go haywire when that force is excessive or unnecessary. For that reason, it is incumbent on police leadership to control that behavior through discipline and training. Attitudes on the subject vary greatly among 17,000 law enforcement agencies. I know how to use force, taught defensive tactics and firearms, directed many SWAT operations, but would never tolerate unnecessary or excessive use of force. It occurs very rarely, but when it does it draws intense scrutiny, especially when a minority is involved and the media puts their spin on it.

American elected officials and the media are unwilling to face the reality of what is occurring in urban areas. The police are dealing with an unassimilated subculture of violence and disrespect for authority that has developed for various reasons over decades. The problems are complex and profound, often contributed to by political inaction or incompetence. No fathers in the home, feral children growing up with no values, education, or life skills; social welfare enabling alternate criminal lifestyles; violence being the primary means of resolving differences, and so on. Once you have encountered a 13 year old middle school predator from the hood, you begin to understand the depth of the problem. I have been frustrated to tears by the loss of so many promising young men to lives of crime, violence, and incarceration. I have interviewed a number of men serving life sentences for crimes of violence and have been struck by the intelligence and abilities of many of them, all lost due to the path of violent crime.

Many of these kids are programmed to run from, to resist, to not comply with authority figures. So you send the police into a no-win situation to try to keep a lid on things. Conflicts between police and the subculture are going to happen. The media and politicians are abstract in the TV studio while the officers sometimes feel they are at war. Sometimes mistakes occur in the heat of the moment. Add an arsonist media and you get a riot. None of what has occurred surprises me-I have been watching it fester for more that 50 years. The irony is that most victims of the violence are residents of the minority community who really need and want law enforcement.

Violent crime occurs by and against all races and ethnicities. But so much violent crime is committed by, and against the minority community, and you have to be blind to not see it. The media, and politicians do not have the courage to report it honestly and call it what it is, so they blame the police or the justice system. You can't fix a problem if you won't look at it. The solutions to the violence in the minority community lie within the minority community. They have to come to grips with the root of the problem. Many religious leaders, and responsible social leaders have tried, but it seems they are shoveling sand against the tide. Sometimes I think the subculture must hit bottom before it can begin to turn around.

 

[the obsrver]

I posted this on another forum a month ago. I did a few edits and am posting it here. I think it is relevant to this discussion.

I served many years in law enforcement. My duties ranged from military special agent to patrol officer, investigator, SWAT member and SWAT commander, and chief of police. I have worked with hundreds of LE officers over the years and met maybe two who I would describe as racist. Both of them were fired. The vast majority of officers entered the field because it is a helping profession and they want to make a positive difference. Most officers have what I call a servant's heart, even after many years of disillusionment on the streets. There is a conundrum for officers in a helping profession where they may be called upon to use deadly force.

There is some kind of inverse, or perverse logic in blaming the police for being racist. The fact is, when an officer makes a traffic stop or responds to a call in most instances has no idea the color, race, or sex of the people involved. What he does know is that his next encounter may be with someone who wants to kill him. If he works in a minority community, he perceives the risks are greater. But, every encounter develops differently.

Once the officer is there, he or she has a job to do, and the legal authority to carry it out. They are armed, and trained to use varying degrees of force to obtain compliance. It's why it's called a police "force". They are the only element of government who have the legal authority to use force, and restrict people's freedom. Things go haywire when that force is excessive or unnecessary. For that reason, it is incumbent on police leadership to control that behavior through discipline and training. Attitudes on the subject vary greatly among 17,000 law enforcement agencies. I know how to use force, taught defensive tactics and firearms, directed many SWAT operations, but would never tolerate unnecessary or excessive use of force. It occurs very rarely, but when it does it draws intense scrutiny, especially when a minority is involved and the media puts their spin on it.

American elected officials and the media are unwilling to face the reality of what is occurring in urban areas. The police are dealing with an unassimilated subculture of violence and disrespect for authority that has developed for various reasons over decades. The problems are complex and profound, often contributed to by political inaction or incompetence. No fathers in the home, feral children growing up with no values, education, or life skills; social welfare enabling alternate criminal lifestyles; violence being the primary means of resolving differences, and so on. Once you have encountered a 13 year old middle school predator from the hood, you begin to understand the depth of the problem. I have been frustrated to tears by the loss of so many promising young men to lives of crime, violence, and incarceration. I have interviewed a number of men serving life sentences for crimes of violence and have been struck by the intelligence and abilities of many of them, all lost due to the path of violent crime.

Many of these kids are programmed to run from, to resist, to not comply with authority figures. So you send the police into a no-win situation to try to keep a lid on things. Conflicts between police and the subculture are going to happen. The media and politicians are abstract in the TV studio while the officers sometimes feel they are at war. Sometimes mistakes occur in the heat of the moment. Add an arsonist media and you get a riot. None of what has occurred surprises me-I have been watching it fester for more that 50 years. The irony is that most victims of the violence are residents of the minority community who really need and want law enforcement.

Violent crime occurs by and against all races and ethnicities. But so much violent crime is committed by, and against the minority community, and you have to be blind to not see it. The media, and politicians do not have the courage to report it honestly and call it what it is, so they blame the police or the justice system. You can't fix a problem if you won't look at it. The solutions to the violence in the minority community lie within the minority community. They have to come to grips with the root of the problem. Many religious leaders, and responsible social leaders have tried, but it seems they are shoveling sand against the tide. Sometimes I think the subculture must hit bottom before it can begin to turn around.

Well said.
I just keep it simple. Handle yourself and your business. If you are focused on that, it will not leave you much time to do much else. Also and this is a big one, HANDLE YOURSELF AND YOUR BUSINESS OR SOMEONE ELSE WILL. Funny thing, the more out of line you get the more you have to deal with the police. The more out of line at work, the more you have to deal with your boss. The more out of line with your spouse and the more you have to deal with that. Also if you have children and are not finding the whole thing exhausting, you are not doing all you can do, because it is exhausting. Welcome to adulthood.