So, if you haven’t noticed, we’re yet again watching a portion of our population react violently to police brutality, or perceived police brutality.
This story is getting old. It’s like I’m discussing the same stories over and over and over again. If it’s not COVID, it’s police brutality, riots and protests, if it’s not that, it’s Biden and whatever new executive orders he’s mandated, and then it’s back to COVID and the whole circus wheel starts all over again (although, you may as well throw in there mass shootings now).
The circle continues and we’re back to police brutality. Many of the left rage that ALL police are racist and products of systemic racism, while those on the right deny that there is any police brutality at all and claim there’s no racism to be seen.
Does it not get old? Don’t you get tired of the same ‘ol social media posts of people on the left slamming the police and yelling bloody murder about racism while people on the right cover their eyes and post about how not all police are violent, how the people aren’t looking at the whole story, and how the police are always in danger?
Frankly, I’ve stopped following it all. The explosion of emotions from both sides, with no real or rational thought to be found is not healthy. Neither side listens to to the other so why on earth are they both still digitally yelling at each other? It’s a fruitless endeavor.
Police According to the Constitution
So, if you want the full Constitutional analysis of police, read my blog HERE for that. For today, the short story of police according to the Constitution is this: federal police (even federally funded police) shouldn’t exist.
The only federal crimes that Congress can make laws about are counterfeiting, piracy or crimes on the seas, and violations of copyright or patent law. Since those are the primary enumerated powers that Congress can make laws about — that the average citizen can directly violate — they are the primary federal crimes that can be committed. The federal government is not given the power or right to create a police force. The police force and handling of “crime” is supposed to be left to state and local governments. State and local government are much more well equipped to handle their own citizens and their own crimes.
So, police were never supposed to be militarized or nationalized. The police were always supposed to be localized.
Police Brutality
Ok, with the foundation set above, we can honestly and openly assess the accusations of police brutality. We should never ever immediately shut down cries of the citizenry saying that the government, the police, are abusing their power. If anything, we should listen more because our primary fear is an abusive, arbitrary government. Right? Are you not frustrated at videos of the police arresting people for not wearing masks? Are you not frustrated at videos of police trying to shut down private businesses for refusing to follow COVID protocols?
It’s the same thing friends, and yes, police brutality is real. We need to stop pretending like isn’t real. Of course it’s real. The police are the active extension of government and people in government always abuses power. Why is it so easy to call out our politicians for abusing power while turning a blind eye to law enforcement when they do the same thing?
Here’s the challenge. The problem is not police per se. The problem is a heavily militarized police force as a result of an unconstitutionally involved federal government. The Constitution solves the problems we’re seeing. The police should be subject to review, oversight and punishment if when they abuse their power; that’s not a tall order to ask since it is what we ask for all levels of government.
Does this mean there aren’t good police officers? Heavens, no. Some of our best citizens are police and we’re blessed that they are some of our best citizens. The problem is, they possess a whole lot of unchecked power as a result of the unconstitutional growth of the police force over the decades.
(Personal aside: I don’t want you to see this as a knock on police but rather as a knock on unconstitutional and unconfined government and our unwillingness to see that. The police are unfortunate victims of such growth. They are used by government to enforce things on citizens they should not enforce.
As I kid, I wanted to be a police officer. I have a box full of their autographs. They deserve respect for putting their lives on the line and for the mere fact that they stand for the law. That does not mean that they never abuse the power they possess, nor does it mean that there shouldn’t be checks on their power. They are, after all, an arm of government. We would have to be far less skeptical or watchful of their power if they were exclusively local, but because of unconstitutional federal meddling, we should all have cause for concern.)
The Constitution and Police Brutality
So, there has been an actual militarization of the police force over the past century. Police officers used to be called “peace officers.”
Historically, even states had a rather limited police force. States would have a local Sheriff or Mayor while police officers were more concerned with peace keeping than law enforcing.
The federal government has systematically worked to militarize federal, state and local law enforcement over the past 50 years. Perhaps the complaints about the power and abuse of the police today (though admittedly still a minority of officers) is based in the very real fact that the federal government has taken unconstitutional steps to create a powerful police force in all levels of government.
The issue is not the officers, the issue is the violation of the U.S. Constitution creating a massive federal (and now state and local) police force that now has the potential to be used for oppression.
Conclusion
I assure you, yelling at each other about this whole issue will accomplish nothing, but stopping and actually listening to one another and realizing that the Constitution actually solves all the problems both sides are yelling about, that will accomplish something.
On one hand, my heart goes out to all the officers in our country for putting up with what they have to put up with, and I hate to see the country turn on them as they are. They desire our respect and support, but the federal government financing and unconstitutionally enhancing the police force does not. People with power almost always abuse power. If we aren’t careful, an unconstitutionally equipped police force could become our worst enemy (as many countries throughout history have experienced).
We need to be vigilant and aware. We need to have our eyes WIDE open. Let’s change the conversation for once. Instead of raging emotionally, let’s instead introduce the Constitution.
The Liberty Belle
Shared your post because it is full of common sense, as usual. Please do not stop your information
Bless you.
“The Constitution solves the problems we’re seeing.”
The feds use contraconstitutional income taxes and unconstitutional, funny FEDbucks, and military weapons and equipment to bribe police to prosecute drug wars, speed limits, and drinking age laws, among countless others. As if by magic, people then believe that these laws are in accord with “the will of the people.”
This has given me a meme idea. Take the Dave Chappelle “Modern Problems” meme, place a US Constitution in his hand, and make it “Modern problems require centuries-old solutions” or something to that effect.