No offense to faggots, but y’all really shouldn’t try to look like cops, unless y’all get a charge out of that, of course.

If I were an homosexual now, I would take care not to wear a moustache like that, lest somebody mistake me for a God-damned pig of a dog-fucking cop.

When I write “dog”, I do not mean “bitch.”

…and some tear gas launchers. seems totally defensive.

Ask the Branch Davidians.

#12 | old | October 11th, 2008 at 3:13 am

Sydney Carton,

I think j.d. has a valid point. you might dismiss it off hand with your pithy sarcasm, but why the need for such armament in Marietta Georgia?

Appropriations are spent, lest the budgeting authority think you didn’t need the money and reduce your future budget. Hence the tank, or as it might have been, the 200 coffee makers and 20 donut machines.

One in three recent Atlanta Police Academy graduates have criminal records

http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/atlanta/stories/2008/10/12/atlanta_police_academy.html?cxntlid=homepage_tab_newstab&imw=Y

What could go wrong here? The mind reels……

If the government is going to station a standing army amongst the citizenry then the unorganized militia (that’s you and me by the way) should be able to have anti-tank missiles.

also, it seems to be geared more toward crowd control than typical SWAT missions.

that being said, I agree with #5.

The Bible says use the herbs of the earth.

Anyone enforcing or supporting the drug laws are themselves anti-Christ.

WTF! Why should you not be suprised to see an army tank rolling down your street!!! Here is an example of the media trying to be cute instead of asking serious questions about this shit. This is the Cobb County, not Berlin circa 1945, for Christ’s sake!

The phenomenon of law enforcement getting military leftovers is well documented in Radley’s “Overkill” study. It is a deeply disturbing trend which is pushing domestic policing in a new (and unwelcome) direction. If a police agency attempts to acquire such equipment, citizens and journalists need to ask hard questions, not smile and gawk at the big tank.

A little history of this place. Cobb County was where the Republican party started in Georgia. A lot of powerful Republicans in the state come from this county or have strong connections here. This seems like the home of neoconservative republicansim, but…

It’s also has the largest Libertarian affiliate in the state and is home to Bob Barr. This is where the majority of our candidates come from in the state as well. There are still some good people here who are trying to do what is right. We just have a fucking tank to contend with now.

Here’s what we’re using the SWAT tank for: Domestic Disturbance. He was the only dude in the house, apparently. Maybe they should have just bulldozed it over with the tank.
http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/cobb/stories/2008/10/10/cobb_swat_arrest.html

Also on the front page for Radley’s file: http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/cobb/stories/2008/10/08/cobb_jail_hooks.html

If Marietta Georgia wasn’t the ‘golden ghetto’ that it is, perhaps you’d have a point. But this is the OC of the East Coast. It’s a clash of old money and new money, but it’s money nonetheless. I still have family that lives in Marietta, all converts to fundamentalism (and away from east coast catholicism). It’s a place where sean hannity is treated with reverence, and fox news the hymnal. It’s where Abu Graib is a punchline, and terrorism is defined by the colour of one’s skin (which is funny I think because they’re not really racist, just suspect. The real prejudice comes from whether you’re a christian or not).

If there was any drug use in that city, and I garuantee you that there is (like Traffic), almost everyone is in denial about it, which isn’t difficult to understand when you consider what else they’re in denial about. I recall Penn & Teller did a show on the bible for thier tv show, “Bullshit!”. Here’s part one for your enjoyment: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5D9u0TijWR0

Most people (not all, the city does have a slow influx of NY Jews who want to retain proximity to a big city which cannot really be done in florida) believe that the Bible is the literal word, and same follows for the Left Behind series. 6,000 year old earth. Presidents of banks, firms, school teachers, ad nauseum. It’s as if all the kids from Jesus Camp grew up and moved to the ATL. And with this mindset of ‘us-vs-them’, comes the strong support for more ‘security’. The demand that the police force become stronger to protect them. Even if it is irrational. I would go so far as bet that, given the option of surrending a few constitutional rights in exchange for the absolute garuantee of security from terrorists, they would do it. Again the irony must be noted: how can one cheerlead for the god team and at the same time, think he wont provide the security and safety?

Perhaps the city has changed for the better; It’s been four years since I’ve been there. Perhaps the subtle extremism has died down. Perhaps I’m totally wrong on all of this.

But I still think that does not vitiate that there might be a connection between christian fundamentalism and militarization of police (rather, the acceptance thereof).

What’s funny is that the traffic in that area is so horrible, that I don’t honestly see how that tank could be effective in quick reaction to an event. They said the SWAT team has responded to 50 calls. But this brings into question of whether they responded, whether the tank was necessary or useful in such situations, and whether or not there were false alarms. I’d be interested in seeing what was going on when they had to respond.

‘Honestly. Stupidity and bigotry seem to go hand in hand.’ …with your thin skin, apparently.

White supremacists and fundamentalists have a history of using the law to punish those they don’t agree with. All in the name of their god. The crusades were about punishing people who didn’t agree with how gods were worshipped.

Relax, I’m not insulting anyone for their religion. I am being sarcastic and smacking drug warriors around who think they’re ‘fighting the good fight’.

I think j.d. has a valid point. you might dismiss it off hand with your pithy sarcasm, but why the need for such armament in Marietta Georgia? Police forces are being militarized either for or because of the drug war, but how much of the drug war takes place in Marietta? Could they be arming for something else? Sure. You might find it worthy of sarcasm, but hell, I could see those good old boys, who honestly and firmly believe in the coming apocalypse, and have some grants from the fed and taxpayer money to spend, arming themselves well.

Should the local cops be able to outgun the local citizenry? Where is the NRA when you need them?

Honestly. Stupidity and bigotry seem to go hand in hand.