What is a "police state"? What does that term mean to you? Is America a police state?
The dictionary defines a police state as:
a political unit characterized by repressive governmental control of political, economic, and social life usually by an arbitrary exercise of power by police and especially secret police in place of regular operation of administrative and judicial organs of the government according to publicly known legal procedures.
Well, OK...
The US government is a political unit.
"Repressive" is in the eye of the beholder. It feels repressive to me, but for someone who is free to listen to rap, watch sports, v*te, and eat Cheetos, and that's all they want to do, it probably doesn't feel repressive. Sure, it could be worse, but it could be a lot better.
When police can molest (or murder) you based upon "laws" which don't even exist except in their minds, and they get to "investigate" their own acts, you have "arbitrary exercise of power by police". And when they can drive in unmarked cars, entrap you by using a false identity online, and wear masks to hide their identity while ganging up and beating you, you have secret police.
And when the rest of government supports those police, and upholds the made-up "laws", you see the nail being hammered into the coffin.
To me, the simplest description of a police state is when the police have more power than the average person and are treated as though they have extra rights.
So, yeah, America has become a police state in my opinion.
If you disagree, what do you believe and why.
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Reminder: Unfortunately, I could still use some help.
I believe you hit the nail on the head.
ReplyDeleteAll governments are police states.
ReplyDeleteIf it forces edicts in regard to or criminalizing nonviolent behavior, it's a police state. If it uses force for anything other than defense of rights, it's a police state. If it monopolizes the initiation of force, it's a police state.
That is what separates police from a security force. It's about how that force is applied. A private security force is tasked with guarding and protecting a community, while a police force is tasked with forcing obedience to edicts of law.
If you have police in your community, it is a police state.