How clearly does the point need to be made that "police officer" is just a fucking job, one with minimal training and minimal monitoring. It is NOT some kind of promise of honesty, truth, or heroism. It is a bunch of assistant managers with extremely powerful weapons. IF you can understand "pedophiles choose to be priests and teachers so they can get to children", IF you understand "arsonists choose to be firefighters so they can be present at their own crimes" - then you can ALSO understand "people who are bigoted, violent, and power-hungry choose to be cops for the opportunities the job presents" and you can ALSO understand "any occupational culture that chooses fraternity over justice - and the allowance of violence in the name of a unified front - is therefore siding with their worst representatives"
by the way. the average time to train to be a police officer? 19 weeks. A little over 4 months. many states only require a high school diploma and no further education. there is often no requirement of any form of previous experience - no interning or observations. it took me 3 years of experience and a master's degree for me to get my job in writing. hell: in my state, it takes at least 6 months with a permit before people are allowed to drive a car.
being a police officer is an entry-level job, and we are handing them weapons. nothing about their occupation automatically makes them smarter, quicker, braver, or in any way elite. there is very little in their onboarding process that would allegedly "weed out" the worst of the applicants - and once they are part of the fraternity, they're not gonna leave.
we have been taught to respect, honor, and worship them by virtue of a job title they barely even had to try for. they sign no contract, swear no vow, and make no promise to the general public. it is a community that is extolled above others and given virtually no oversight. think about the kind of people who would be attracted to that opportunity. the adage: power corrupts. absolute power corrupts absolutely.
circling this back around to say FUCK ICE, and fuck you if you willingly support them just because they're "a federal agent" and therefore "deserve respect".
ICE officers are a fucking privatized militia they do not have authority over united states citizens and none of their so-called "purpose" requires live rounds and weapons. It is entirely made up of fascist racist dickbags with no fucking training. they are lower than scum. they're police-school dropouts with no fucking spine. there is no honor in their position. they accomplish nothing but terrorizing communities they don't even fucking live in.
Any!! occupation or government !! that chooses fraternity over justice - and the allowance of violence in the name of a unified front - is therefore siding with their worst representatives.
