Law Enforcement Authorities

50 Years Since Kent State Massacre, And Now Open Carrying Of Firearms On Government Property In Michigan–Both Outrageous!

Yesterday, May 4, was the 50th anniversary of the horrific massacre at Kent State University in Ohio, where the National Guard fired live ammunition at anti Vietnam War demonstrators, killing 4 and wounding 10 students.

Many of the victims had not even been engaged in the rock throwing demonstration, but there has never been any justification for using live ammunition against students.

The Ohio Governor, James Rhodes, and the individual National Guardsmen were never held accountable legally.

Now, we have a situation in which gun toting Trumpites stormed the Michigan Legislature to protest the lockdown ordered by Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, in reaction to the CoronaVirus Pandemic, which is still surging in that state.

Apparently, it is legal for people in Michigan to come into government buildings with firearms, and that should be changed.

Are we going to allow hoodlums to invade government buildings and terrorize government officials doing their duty to protect citizens from a pandemic?

Rightfully, the law enforcement authorities should have prevented the invasion, and ordered everyone out, and if they did not comply , then use force against those who have firearms.

One can be certain that if the gun toting terrorists had been African American or Latino, they would likely have been shot dead.

This is another example of the ongoing racism going on in America, and the growth of Fascist Trumpite followers, who endanger public safety!

The Growing Militarization And Right Wing Nature Of The Nation’s Law Enforcement Network A Danger To Democracy In America!

There is growing evidence of the militarization and right wing nature of the nation’s law enforcement network, a true danger to democracy!

We see more police officers breaking the law in the handling of suspects and the general public, including easy willingness to shoot and kill, rather than less aggressive tactics, particularly with African American and Latino young men.

We see law enforcement being uncovered as secret members of the Ku Klux Klan and other domestic terrorist and right wing militia groups, and preaching racism and hatred in many forms.

We see hints, strong hints, that members of the Secret Service are, in some cases, unfit for duty, as they harbor deep resentment against our first African American President, Barack Obama, and his family, and being less than zealous in their handling of his security, in a way not seen to such an extent for earlier Presidents.

The feeling is growing, that the American public can no longer feel relaxed with their local police, as there are many signs of aggressiveness, abusive language, and the wielding of power by law enforcement who have too much military style hardware and weapons, as in Ferguson, Missouri, way more than is needed in almost all situations.

The concept that the law enforcement authorities are out to protect us has become one of rather of some of them lacking proper training in sociology and psychology, and getting a power and ego trip by their ability to threaten us or mistreat us with impunity.

This is a feeling that some would say reminds historians of the concept of storm troopers and secret police in Fascist, Nazi, and Communist dictatorships, far from the concept of equal justice and fairness that is the benchmark of the American legal and judicial system over the history of our nation, and a warning sign for the future, to be alert and aware of possible abuses!