DL Open Thread Monday October 17 2022
Republicans are working hard to make this midterm election about street crime. They claim to be against it. Cops claim to be against it as well. Today’s open thread is a loose collection of some cop stuff.
Operation “Ruin Our Already Decrepit Reputation”
ACLU of Delaware publishes a thorough examination of Delaware’s 25-year old secret police force
In the bizarre world of U.S. law enforcement doublespeak, where childish euphemisms and the use of passive voice obscure menacing brutality, the moniker “Operation Safe Streets” may rank among the most despicable of all.
Operation Safe Streets — launched 25 years ago in June 1997 — is a special police force composed of actual law enforcement officers and officers from the Delaware Department of Correction. Its effect has been to surveil, harass and threaten individuals on criminal probation in Wilmington.
De-escalation has traditionally been part of police training, but the average recruit only receives eight hours of police de-escalation training, compared to 58 hours of firearms training and 49 hours of defensive tactical training.
Delaware
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No de-escalation training required
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Other Required training: 16 hours per year, plus firearms, CPR, defibrillator, Taser and first responder. Additionally, a sexual assault course once every four years and one hour every three years on child sexual abuse.
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Accountable body: Council on Police Training
Johnny Damm@dammjohnny
1) The police want us to be afraid. This justifies their existence and excuses their violence.
“Riots work.”
Alex stopped to help save a gunshot victim from bleeding out, he was then given Saint Paul Police Chiefs Award for Valor. He then gave this small speech.
(video from @/onsitepublicmedia ig) pic.twitter.com/1ZiyXxnA0f
— Griffin (@GriffinMalone6) October 15, 2022
Individuals on probation are required to sign away their right to search and seizure protection for themselves AND for any building they occupy. This is the basis for the daily campaign of fear and intimidation in the black and brown community. I lived under these circumstances for 19 months 13 years ago and to what should be no surprise this old white guy was unbothered. you won’t find P&P and the squads in 19803, 19807 etc.!
Democrats are blowing it again. Pass an economic plan that benefits practically everybody, then don’t run on it. Give Rethugs a free pass on inflation and gas prices.
Generic ballot now has R’s with a 49-45 edge. And don’t think the sheer volume of those toxic ads doesn’t work. Oh, and the Senate D’s aren’t spending any money.
O Canada…
Picked up the 34k talking point totally made up from the NY Post pretty quick didn’t ya? The Post is a Murdoch rag, Fox with ink!
Yeah, you’re right. Just like the big guy said. “The economy is strong as hell”.
What a drooling idiot.
Dems still in defensive crouch over crime. The crime statistic that is up the most is homicide. With guns. Guns sponsored by Republicans. Where are the Democratic attack ads blaming Republicans for street crime?
Don’t worry – I just saw a LBR ad on tv and she says she will work with anybody!
I feel better.
But fails to mention Democrats by name, unlike Republicans…mere oversight or more plotting to let Republicans win next month?
On a lighter note I got mailer from Mark Pugh, POS is far too kind. All the usual MAGA lies with a side of cop garbage. A reminder that yes, they always can get worse.
I cant remember who said it but a while ago someone commented that ads are changing minds, everyone is set how they will vote and I think thats true. I dont think there are anymore “undecideds” or “fence sitters”. The only thing driving a win for either party is who gets out more of their votes. each side is now just talking to their side directly. and it seems to play better for repugs than dems
Thanks for linking to the Call piece. Joe is correct that these are terms “agreed to” in order for people to be released from our dungeons… oh I mean the Delaware D.O.C.. So under duress basically.
But really… please take the time to read the ACLU sponsored piece by Lauren Gill. Fantastic reporting.
With any luck I’ll be interviewing both Lauren and one of the people who she chronicles who was victimized. Stay tuned on that.
for a person with limited means and unstable living arrangements Level 3 probation is a trap that almost guarantees violation and reincarceration. “Safe Streets” is an entirely repressive operation. REV I am available to share my experience and advocate in person. Feel free to share my contact info.
Ditto! Six months on pre-trial home confinement, two months down in Smyrna, and two years on probation! Good times. Actually, no!
Bernie, as usual, gets it right:
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/commentisfree/2022/oct/10/democrats-midterms-victory-economy-bernie-sanders
Let’s quote copiously:
“As someone who has a lifetime 100% pro-choice voting record, and is outraged by the supreme court’s horrific decision to overturn Roe v Wade, there is no question but that Democrats must continue to focus on the right of women to control their own bodies. This is a fight that most Americans want us to wage and, given the Republicans’ extremist position on the issue, makes them genuinely vulnerable.”
“But, as we enter the final weeks of the 2022 midterm elections, I am alarmed to hear the advice that many Democratic candidates are getting from establishment consultants and directors of well-funded Super Pacs that the closing argument of Democrats should focus only on abortion. Cut the 30-second abortion ads and coast to victory.”
“I disagree. In my view, while the abortion issue must remain on the front burner, it would be political malpractice for Democrats to ignore the state of the economy and allow Republican lies and distortions to go unanswered.”
“This country has, for decades, faced structural economic crises that have caused the decline of the American middle class. Now is the time for Democrats to take the fight to the reactionary Republican party and expose their anti-worker views on the most important issues facing ordinary Americans. That is both the right thing to do from a policy perspective and good politics.”
“We have more income and wealth inequality than at any time in the modern history of this country, with three people owning more wealth than the bottom half of our nation. Is there one Republican prepared to raise taxes on billionaires, or do they want to make a bad situation worse by extending Trump’s tax breaks for the rich and repealing the estate tax?”
I disagree. If Bernie had some long winning streak in elections I might feel differently, but lots of people have gone broke overestimating the intelligence of the American public.
The absence of a long winning streak-which is directly the result of establishment Dem collusion-does not invalidate his point. Left wing activists have been able to incite revolutions among poorer and less educated people around the world based on fundamental economics. There is an embarrassment of riches among the political class, they can’t bring themselves to advocate against their bank accounts.
Depends on what you see as his point. I see him saying that we have to educate voters about this issue.
My point is that voters are, in the mass, uneducable, and that appealing to their rational selves is a loser’s bet. Bernie has made that bet many times and lost each time.
Your point about mainstream Dem antagonism is apt, but I would point out that those mainstream Dems were able to beat him by appealing to fear instead of reason. IMO that’s because in electoral politics fear almost always outweighs reason.
When I talk to Democrats who consider themselves centrist and bemoan progressives asking for too much, it’s seldom the case that the centrists don’t want the progressive goal — they’re just afraid of the consequences if they fail.
Fear beats reason the way rock beats scissors.