The very real and urgent debate over unpunished police misconduct has been set back years. Now, and ironically thanks to the Black Lives Matter movement, the debate has become an ignorant flame war between idiot groups. One side says abolish police while committing egregious acts of violence against the innocent, the other side defends police no matter what and argues that they need even greater protection and power. It is true that US police kill far more people per capita than any other developed nation. They have vast power, union protection, qualified immunity, and much more. Much of this power and immunity should be stripped of police, but this doesn’t translate into “abolish the police”. Everyone should be exposed to accountability.
The debate should be about equal justice, the protection of the innocent, and swift punishment for those who commit violence against the innocent, regardless of the side of the badge the perp resides. Does this mean we should abolish police? Of course not. Clearly, as seen from the savage riots plaguing American cities, society needs protection against violent thugs. But there must be another institution providing protection, since police clearly are not up to the job when violence truly heats up. Ideally this protection should come from the private sector, since private individuals simultaneously are more easily held accountable, and more readily able to use defensive violence against an imminent threat.
Instead, we have police worshipers on one side, and police haters on the other. This shallow, schoolyard screaming match is what now passes for “debate” over police accountability. It’s pathetic, and we all suffer because of it.
