Why is it that it appears many people have taken on the false dilemma informal fallacy when discussing the police shootings. Like former President George W. Bush, when he said, "You're either with us or you're against us (with the terrorists)," many people have basically been saying, "You're either with the police or you're against them (with the 'criminals')."
Some people have also said, "Well, many cops have died in the line of duty, so how can you blame them for shooting and killing these 'criminals'?"
It's like Jon Stewart said on The Daily Show the other day (paraphrasing), "You can be saddened by police deaths and also be against police brutality. They're not mutually exclusive."
He's absolutely right. Just because many of us don't agree with the actions some police officers have taken in killing unarmed citizens, which we felt was both an example of abusing their power and of brutality, doesn't mean we don't respect police officers as a whole and that we aren't saddened when we hear about officers dying in the line of duty. Like Stewart said, they're not mutually exclusive.
It's like with anything. I respect the presidency (Oval Office), however, I don't respect the president abusing his (or her) powers. I respect many authority figures' positions of power, but I don't respect them abusing that very power.
I wouldn't think that this concept would be too difficult to grasp, but for many people, it seems to be. I would have been saddened if Officer Darren Wilson had been killed, however, if he truly felt endangered by an unarmed man charging at him, why not shoot him in the leg, so he can't continue to charge? Why shoot to kill? This, in my and many others' opinion, was crossing the line, overstepping his boundaries, and abusing his power as a police officer. In Eric Garner's case, there were multiple officers there. Through everyone's contribution, cuff him and take him away. Placing him in a choke-hold, where he couldn't breathe, and killing him as a result, was once again crossing the line and an abuse of power. Not speaking to and warning young Tamir Rice through a speakerphone and shooting to kill him in two seconds time was once again an abuse of power.
Police officers hold one of the most dangerous jobs in the country, if not the most dangerous. They're authority figures we trust day in and day out to serve and protect us. With their cars, their uniforms, their badges, and their guns, we trust them with this great power. However, for as much as we may respect the profession and even empathize with the great amount of responsibility which resides on their shoulders, like with any and everyone else, we don't want them to abuse this awesome power, and for our trust of them to diminish in the process.
Some people have also said, "Well, many cops have died in the line of duty, so how can you blame them for shooting and killing these 'criminals'?"
It's like Jon Stewart said on The Daily Show the other day (paraphrasing), "You can be saddened by police deaths and also be against police brutality. They're not mutually exclusive."
He's absolutely right. Just because many of us don't agree with the actions some police officers have taken in killing unarmed citizens, which we felt was both an example of abusing their power and of brutality, doesn't mean we don't respect police officers as a whole and that we aren't saddened when we hear about officers dying in the line of duty. Like Stewart said, they're not mutually exclusive.
It's like with anything. I respect the presidency (Oval Office), however, I don't respect the president abusing his (or her) powers. I respect many authority figures' positions of power, but I don't respect them abusing that very power.
I wouldn't think that this concept would be too difficult to grasp, but for many people, it seems to be. I would have been saddened if Officer Darren Wilson had been killed, however, if he truly felt endangered by an unarmed man charging at him, why not shoot him in the leg, so he can't continue to charge? Why shoot to kill? This, in my and many others' opinion, was crossing the line, overstepping his boundaries, and abusing his power as a police officer. In Eric Garner's case, there were multiple officers there. Through everyone's contribution, cuff him and take him away. Placing him in a choke-hold, where he couldn't breathe, and killing him as a result, was once again crossing the line and an abuse of power. Not speaking to and warning young Tamir Rice through a speakerphone and shooting to kill him in two seconds time was once again an abuse of power.
Police officers hold one of the most dangerous jobs in the country, if not the most dangerous. They're authority figures we trust day in and day out to serve and protect us. With their cars, their uniforms, their badges, and their guns, we trust them with this great power. However, for as much as we may respect the profession and even empathize with the great amount of responsibility which resides on their shoulders, like with any and everyone else, we don't want them to abuse this awesome power, and for our trust of them to diminish in the process.
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