The fragile authoritarianism of Sheriff David Clarke

David Clarke is finally going to trial for siccing a pack of deputies on a fellow airline traveler who shook his head disapprovingly at Clarke during the flight.  Apparently, Clarke’s fragile ego couldn’t take such a sleight, so he called in a group of cops to intercept the traveler at the airport, who attempted to intimidate the passenger for silently expressing his disapproval of the badged buffoon.  Clarke’s police department later wrote in a Facebook post that the next person to act as the airline passenger did would “get knocked out”.  Apparently Clarke can’t even stomach the slightest criticism, proving he’s the most fragile of snowflakes.

Clarke, incidentally, decorates his police uniform with what an Army vet dubbed “toy medals”, or, a collection of pins that give Clarke the appearance that he’s been decorated.  He hasn’t.

Authoritarians are notorious for having fragile egos, Clarke being just the latest in a long line of sensitive tyrants who can’t take criticism.  Clarke’s is so extreme it seems almost a parody.  His behavior in front of a crowd suggests he truly thinks he’s some military commander.  It’s military cosplay taken way too far.

The late Will Grigg wrote about the whole affair far better than I ever could in his article, “Take pity on Sheriff Snowflake, or he might have you killed.”

Author: S. Smith