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Illegal To Insult Cops?

Revoltingest

Pragmatic Libertarian
Premium Member
quote-a-pessimist-is-just-an-optimist-with-experience-eyedea-94-36-29.jpg
Optimism tempered by experience is a healthy outlook that seldom disappointed.
 

Valjean

Veteran Member
Premium Member
uhh no they are not. That's like saying the president is your employee. Just because our tax dollars pay for their services and salaries does not mean you are their personal employer. Man, I would love to see you argue with a cop using that logic lol
But they are. They're public servants, and I'm the public.

The fact that you question this illustrates just how authoritarian and un-democratic the American ideology has become.

Argue with a cop? In Western Europe I could do that without fear. Not in America. Here in the US I've angered cops even with simple questions, once even with coöperative assistance.

Yeah and you think insulting them is going to help them do that?
What American cops interpret as insulting is anything other than submissiveness.
 
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tarasan

Well-Known Member
In the news....
Kentucky bill would make it a crime to insult a police officer
Excerpted....
A bill moving through Kentucky's Senate would make it a crime to insult or taunt a police officer during a riot. Supporters say the bill targets people who unlawfully "cross the line" but opponents call it a blatant attempt to crush protests and a violation of First Amendment rights.

Senate Bill 211 mandates up to three months' imprisonment for a person who "accosts, insults, taunts, or challenges a law enforcement officer with offensive or derisive words," or makes "gestures or other physical contact that would have a direct tendency to provoke a violent response from the perspective of a reasonable and prudent person."

A person convicted of this misdemeanor charge could also face a $250 fine and be disqualified from public assistance benefits for three months.
It should definitely be a crime to insult cops. They are there to do a job, which is keep the peace they should not have to deal with your ridicule
 

Revoltingest

Pragmatic Libertarian
Premium Member
It should definitely be a crime to insult cops. They are there to do a job, which is keep the peace they should not have to deal with your ridicule
How about insulting politicians?
Soldiers? Teachers?
Cops have a great deal of privilege over us.
I'm loathe to give them such power too.
 

tarasan

Well-Known Member
How about insulting politicians?
Soldiers? Teachers?
Cops have a great deal of privilege over us.
I'm loathe to give them such power too.
You shouldn't be able to insult soldiers for doing their jobs or teachers either. You can definitely criticise their work in a constructive way because that's necessary for positive changes to occur but mocking? Soldiers and police risk their lives and are put in positions that make them uncomfortable so that people can be safe. Do they really need our ridicule? Teachers as well have a huge responsibility with a severe lack of funding. Do they need to be mocked for something that potentially is largely outside their control?
 

Valjean

Veteran Member
Premium Member
It should definitely be a crime to insult cops. They are there to do a job, which is keep the peace they should not have to deal with your ridicule
"Keep the peace?" They see their jobs as imposing order, stifling dissent, opposing change (improvement).
"Keep the peace?" How are aggressive authoritarians supposed to keep the peace? Authoritarians don't want peace. They believe in force and strength.
 

tarasan

Well-Known Member
"Keep the peace?" They see their jobs as imposing order, stifling dissent, opposing change (improvement).
"Keep the peace?" How are aggressive authoritarians supposed to keep the peace? Authoritarians don't want peace. They believe in force and strength.
Alot of riots affect the common people too (especially in recent history) they are there to ensure things don't spill out and affect other people in that community. Sure do u remember the riots in America where people were burning down social housing and local businesses? I'm not saying the police are perfect far from it. However they put themselves at the forefront of the violence to keep people safe.
 

Revoltingest

Pragmatic Libertarian
Premium Member
You shouldn't be able to insult soldiers for doing their jobs or teachers either. You can definitely criticise their work in a constructive way because that's necessary for positive changes to occur but mocking? Soldiers and police risk their lives and are put in positions that make them uncomfortable so that people can be safe. Do they really need our ridicule? Teachers as well have a huge responsibility with a severe lack of funding. Do they need to be mocked for something that potentially is largely outside their control?
If it's to be illegal to insult certain classes of people,
what classes deserve less such protection?
 

Valjean

Veteran Member
Premium Member
You shouldn't be able to insult soldiers for doing their jobs or teachers either. You can definitely criticise their work in a constructive way because that's necessary for positive changes to occur but mocking? Soldiers and police risk their lives and are put in positions that make them uncomfortable so that people can be safe. Do they really need our ridicule? Teachers as well have a huge responsibility with a severe lack of funding. Do they need to be mocked for something that potentially is largely outside their control?
No problem with teachers. We lefties support them. You righties are the ones who disrespect them.

Soldiers? A soldier's job is to violate the 6th commandment, and act in ways entirely at odds with Jesus' sermon on the mount.
Soldiers do not "see that people are safe," They work for corporations. They are corporate muscle. Their actions harm the very citizens they claim to "defend."
 
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tarasan

Well-Known Member
If it's to be illegal to insult certain classes of people,
what classes deserve less such protection?
If it's to be illegal to insult certain classes of people,
what classes deserve less such protection?
Police officers arnt a class it's a role. I suppose some context is neccessary.

Working for the NHS u are subject to abuse whether it be physical or emotional. People will insult you degrade you and treat you like crap. But that's ok becuase your a "carer". It's assumed u should take it. Same with the police, people assume culturally that they can degrade them because it's there job to take it. Which it isn't. It's not saying they are better rather that they are in a particularly vulnerable position due to their job that needs extra protections.
 

Regiomontanus

Ματαιοδοξία ματαιοδοξιών! Όλα είναι ματαιοδοξία.
You shouldn't be able to insult soldiers for doing their jobs or teachers either. You can definitely criticise their work in a constructive way because that's necessary for positive changes to occur but mocking? Soldiers and police risk their lives and are put in positions that make them uncomfortable so that people can be safe. Do they really need our ridicule? Teachers as well have a huge responsibility with a severe lack of funding. Do they need to be mocked for something that potentially is largely outside their control?

If someone fights in an unjust, immoral war (Vietnam and the Invasion of
Iraq come to mind), why is it wrong to criticize their (say, voluntary) participation in it?
 

Valjean

Veteran Member
Premium Member
Alot of riots affect the common people too (especially in recent history) they are there to ensure things don't spill out and affect other people in that community. Sure do u remember the riots in America where people were burning down social housing and local businesses? I'm not saying the police are perfect far from it. However they put themselves at the forefront of the violence to keep people safe.
True, riots affect everyone. So why do police keep inciting them? It's police aggression that foments the riots.
Why not address the injustices that lead to the dissent that the police so violently oppose, rather than inciting violence among the idealistic reformers?

Police hate disorder and love the status quo. They are aggressive authoritarians. They see violent suppression of change as their prime directive.
 

tarasan

Well-Known Member
No problem with teachers. We lefties support them. You righties are the ones who disrespect them.

Soldiers? A soldier's job is to violate the 6th commandment, and act in ways entirely at odds with Jesus' sermon on the mount.
Soldiers do not "see that people are safe," They work for corporations. They are corporate muscle. Their actions harm the very citizens they claim to "defend."

I'm glad we are both on board with teachers they definatley get a bad wrap.

Soldiers do protect people. Although I understand they can be misused (can't anything) for evil purposes. I have however seen the army protect people and they do put their life on the line so that people can maintain freedoms that they have. It's not perfect and can be better. For the individual trooper thought, the structural issues are well above him. Should be degrade him for the poor management of the system? Even though he places his life on the line to maintain peace and order?
 

Regiomontanus

Ματαιοδοξία ματαιοδοξιών! Όλα είναι ματαιοδοξία.
True, riots affect everyone. So why do police keep inciting them? It's police aggression that foments the riots.
Why not address the injustices that lead to the dissent that the police so violently oppose, rather than inciting violence among the idealistic reformers?

Police hate disorder and love the status quo. They are aggressive authoritarians. They see violent suppression of change as their prime directive.

That is a bit of an unfair generalization, or do you mean the institutional aspect of it? I am good friends with a cop and he is nothing like you described. In fact he is one of the nicest, most caring people I know. :)
 

tarasan

Well-Known Member
True, riots affect everyone. So why do police keep inciting them? It's police aggression that foments the riots.
Why not address the injustices that lead to the dissent that the police so violently oppose, rather than inciting violence among the idealistic reformers?

Police hate disorder and love the status quo. They are aggressive authoritarians. They see violent suppression of change as their prime directive.

Rioting is in the responsibly of the people doing the rioting and saying "police" implies they are all doing it and that is not the case. I'm firstly certain I saw police marching with the peaceful protestors of BLM so it's not quite as clear cut as that.
 
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