There is another kickstarter campaign for a documentary film to be shown at South by Southwest (SXSW) film festival that could use a little love. It’s called Peace Officer, and here’s the trailer, including the beloved smiling face of Radley Balko speaking to police militarization:
The film is by Scott Christopherson and Brad Barber, who offer this description:
Peace Officer is a feature documentary about the increasingly militarized state of American police as told through the story of William “Dub” Lawrence, a former sheriff who established and trained his rural state’s first SWAT team only to see that same unit kill his son-in-law in a controversial standoff 30 years later. Driven by an obsessed sense of mission, Dub uses his own investigative skills to uncover the truth in this and other recent officer-involved shootings in his community while tackling larger questions about the changing face of peace officers nationwide. Disturbing trends grown out of the war on drugs and the federal program that supplies military surplus to police in cities and small towns alike ultimately lead Peace Officer to ask the question: what force is necessary to protect the lives of both officers and citizens?
This looks to be a truly interesting film, and definitely worth your support. Go for it.
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The cop that ends the clip cracks me up. “Sometimes peace is purchased with violence”.
I wonder if the public relations guys at PBA’s across the land will allow that on t-shirts at the next respect and support the police protest rally?
Come on, it doesn’t get more Orwellian than that.
Someone should update this part of Wikipedia:
“The encouragement of “doublethink”, whereby the population must learn to embrace inconsistent concepts without dissent, e.g. giving up liberty for freedom.” to “e.g. requiring violence for peace”
Ubi solitudinem faciunt pacem appellant.
But first:
Auferre, trucidare, rapere, falsis nominibus imperium; atque,
To ravage, to slaughter, to usurp under false titles, they call empire;
ubi solitudinem faciunt, pacem appellant.
and where they make a desert, they call it peace.
Anyhow, it is nice to know that someone reads Tacitus. I SHOULD be required reading in grade school.
“The more corrupt the state, the more numerous the laws.” ~ Tcitus
Just when I thought I could get on with necessary work, egregious doublethink from the hegemonic patriarchy cries out for moral leadership by example, and file system consistency checking to make the language inoffensive to delicate ears.
“Kill for peace” has a certain affinity
For those whose believe masculinity
Can bring peace by killing.
But I’m not so willing.
I’d much rather fsck for virginity.
I love your addition of a comma to the title. Mr Barleycorn missed rolling the stones over that one.