yeah, I'd say 'excessive' sums it up.....

[callmeslick]

http://www.wsaw.com/news/headlines/Atto ... 78482.html

[Ferno]

armored vehicle? what?

did they think he was the leader of an armed resistance group?

"dude owes $86,000? Fire up the MRAP! he might be an enemy soldier!!"

[Will Robinson]

We know we've had our staff involved to mediate this over a number of months trying to calm the situation and it never got any better,” explain Marathon County Chief Deputy Chad Billeb.

Well if the staff was dressed in full SWAT body armor and carried SMG's and a water boarding rig maybe the agitated demeanor was justified!

I think it is time to ask the Pentagon to just keep their frickin toys.

[Sergeant Thorne]

Our county has something similar now, and it's actually kept by our city's police department (swat). Bad idea, IMO. They drove it around to the neighborhood watch meeting to introduce it to the neighborhood, and gave their reasons for having it. Sounded basically the same as that guy's explanation/justification in the video--it all sounds so reasonable. I bet I could put together a good case for driving one myself, if I were to use their logic. IMO if a city/county gets to the point where they need military hardware to police and keep the peace, something is very wrong.

[Z..]

This one's a head-scratcher.

Cops aren't soldiers. They don't receive the same training and they aren't held to the same standard. I'd like the good police out there to have what they need to enforce the laws justly, but this stuff ain't it. Did they think this 75 year old suddenly became Superman or something? Couldn't they have just sent four or five burly cops (they all seem to be these days) to make a point? Total overkill...wimps.

[flip]

That's exactly why I am against ex-military personnel becoming civilian police. Their training makes them unfit for it. They are too hardcore and overtly obedient at the same time. In my opinion that makes a very poor Constitutional officer and has resulted in this militarization of civil authorities.

[woodchip]

Joe Friday is turning in his grave

[vision]

Joe Friday is turning in his grave

That comment deserves a gold star. Actually, would anyone agree that stoicism was a common theme in media during the mid-20th Century? Newscasters were dry, even though the level of propaganda was just as insane with the Cold War and everything. Authority figures in TV and movies were presented differently, even if unrealistically. I'm not saying it was better. I don't have an opinion at this time.

[Tunnelcat]

Joe Friday is turning in his grave

That comment deserves a gold star. Actually, would anyone agree that stoicism was a common theme in media during the mid-20th Century? Newscasters were dry, even though the level of propaganda was just as insane with the Cold War and everything. Authority figures in TV and movies were presented differently, even if unrealistically. I'm not saying it was better. I don't have an opinion at this time.

I think he's right. Joe Friday, even though he was a fictional character, would have appalled at the militarization of our police forces. Jack Webb always tried to portray the police as a protector of the people, not an aggressor. It's one more step towards the U.S. becoming a militarized police state.

[youtube]7COcohB9n3w[/youtube]

[Will Robinson]

By today's Hollywood standard a real Joe Friday is portrayed as an uncaring fascist bully.
By the time they finish redefining morality we will be ripe for crumbling into anarchy.

[Tunnelcat]

Isn't that essentially what you want? Freedom? All I hear you spout is get that government out of our lives and let's have our total freedom. But, if you get rid of government, then what's left is anarchy. You can't have it both ways.

[callmeslick]

By today's Hollywood standard a real Joe Friday is portrayed as an uncaring fascist bully.
By the time they finish redefining morality we will be ripe for crumbling into anarchy.

THE SKY IS FALLING!!! WE'RE ALL DOOMED!!!

[woodchip]

By today's Hollywood standard a real Joe Friday is portrayed as an uncaring fascist bully.
By the time they finish redefining morality we will be ripe for crumbling into anarchy.

THE SKY IS FALLING!!! WE'RE ALL DOOMED!!!

Isn't that what you are hinting at in your OP?

[Will Robinson]

Isn't that essentially what you want? Freedom? All I hear you spout is get that government out of our lives and let's have our total freedom. But, if you get rid of government, then what's left is anarchy. You can't have it both ways.

Can you quote any instance I've suggested government needs to be removed and replaced with total freedom? Any example at all that you don't also share the same view?

Or was that just you being a troll?

[callmeslick]

By today's Hollywood standard a real Joe Friday is portrayed as an uncaring fascist bully.
By the time they finish redefining morality we will be ripe for crumbling into anarchy.

THE SKY IS FALLING!!! WE'RE ALL DOOMED!!!

Isn't that what you are hinting at in your OP?

hardly. I simply posted an article with an example of excessive response. Nowhere did I, or would I, suggest that this sort of thing is becoming the norm.