Let’s face it, what happened in Dallas last week is rebellion against the government. Rebellion happens when the population loses trust in its government. Rebellion comes in many forms – from simple civil disobedience to an actual attack against governmental bodies. Hold your anger in check for a moment and read on. I realize that many of you don’t want to understand what is happening but it is happening nonetheless.
In its simplest terms, many citizens of the United States have lost trust in their government. Many do not trust the government to do the right thing. Like all rebellions, it doesn’t start overnight or with one action, but rather it grows slowly until it explodes into an armed rebellion. Is the United States on the way to an armed rebellion? Possibly, but it is not too late to avert it.
All governments, whether from the far left to the far right, have one thing in common, they have to subjugate a large population into control. There are the dictators that subjugate through force and then there the governments that control through trust. Like many countries, the United States has a government that encourages population obedience through a mixture of patriotism, adherence to civility and the enforcement of the laws. The government-people type partnership, like the United States, only works when the population believes they are being treated fairly and equally.
It is not always perfect, but the people must believe in their government to do the right thing. That trust has been eroding over the last few years.
I can’t point you to a specific turning point for the erosion of trust, but you can see the first vestiges of the loss of trust during the bailouts of the “too big to fail” conglomerates. While many citizens were losing their life’s savings and homes, the government was helping out the very entities that led to the economic downfall that hurt many homes. From there arose the Occupy Wall Street movements across the nation.
People were actively protesting what they perceived as unfair treatment by the government. From there it started to snowball into the Black Lives Matter movements as technology allowed the general population to see first-hand what many were complaining about, but were unable to prove. And it continues to snowball as demonstrated by last week’s killings of several police officers.
Just look at what El Paso Police Chief, Greg Allen told KFOX TV, when asked about the Black Lives Matter movement. Instead of taking the opportunity to build trust, Allen exasperated the notion that it is them versus us mentality. Look closer at the interview of the police chief and you can clearly see the anger, and yes, the hatred that the authority of the all police departments are being threatened. Instead of building trust, Greg Allen wants those that he is supposed to manage to be meek and compliant, not expressive with their wishes.
The type of mentality demonstrated by Greg Allen is exactly why trust in the government has eroded over time.
I realize we don’t know what motivated the killer. I realize that there is no justification for murder. But none of the negates the underlining problem. The fact is that in a large group of people, it was police officers that were targeted. Civilians were not targeted. This is important to note.
The police is the enforcement arm of the government. The police are the symbol of subjugation. They are the first line of the government and they represent the iron fist of government. But it is just not the murder of the police officers. Rebellion comes in small dozes and there are many examples that have been leading to last week’s killings.
Look through the news items of the last few years and you will note a rising theme of “us versus them” between civilians and law enforcement. You will note the rising instances of civil disobedience targeted at police in instances like challenges to their authority to conduct a traffic operation, like DUI check points. In addition, there have been instances where civilians demanded the reason for the stop, or the legal statue under which the police are acting.
There is a movement to challenge the authority of the Border Patrol to conduct checks on the highways. You see many YouTube videos documenting this activity. There are is also a rise in the videotaping of civilian-police interactions intended to be used for civil disobedience through social media.
This us-versus-them notion is growing exponentially as more citizens begin to feel disfranchised and feeling like they are being treated unequally.
The FBI’s uncharacteristic “transparency” statement about not charging Hillary Clinton with crimes for the email server issue may have been intended as a goodwill measure, but to the many that feel disfranchised, it just fed into the notion that there are two classes of people in the country. Loretta Lynch’s meeting with Bill Clinton only exacerbated this notion of inequality.
Look around you and listen to what your friends are saying about the upcoming presidential elections. Look to the commentary in the social media channels and you clearly see how disfranchised people feel.
When was the last time you heard a general statement from the community where many feel that neither presidential candidate – Hillary Clinton nor Donald Trump, are deserving of their votes come election night.
Every election carries with it the he-versus-she theme but for the most part it is one party versus the other. During the nomination process there is the normal in-party fighting, but generally when the nominee becomes apparent, the voters generally gravitate to their party’s mandate.
Not so today. There is a general “neither” candidate running through the voters today.
This clearly demonstrates a general dissatisfaction by many with the governance that they are under.
Is it too late? Is the United States on the verge of civil war? Not even close, but the violence is worse and the feelings of anger towards the establishment only continues to grow.
People are angry.
President Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump need to understand that the violence is the result of anger and dissatisfaction. It is not correct but the undercurrent feeling exists and it needs to be fixed. Oscar Leeser and city council needs to publicly chastise Greg Allen for his comments. Allen’s comments were made officially and in uniform, as such they are not free speech, but rather, official government policy. I fully expect Oscar Leeser to minimize the Allen’s comments and take the tact that “it’s all good” and people are making too much of the comments.
That posture will only exacerbate the problem.
This politics of “Muslims are terrorists” or that “immigrants take jobs away” only feeds that anger. The laws limiting access to information also leads to that anger. Law enforcement blaming and impeding videotaping of civilian-police interactions also feeds that anger. “Too big to fail” only feeds that anger.
And, as if the situation weren’t volatile enough already, the threat of terrorism only exacerbates the situation even more.
The bottom line is that the citizens of the United States, like many others in other countries, are systematically losing trust in their governments.
It is easier to lose trust then to create it. Governments, at all levels, needs to realize this and begin to build up the trust within the society once again. Otherwise, it may be too late.
It is not “us vs them” unless you are discussing that people are tired of the lies, PC, apologies, malcontents, agitators, entitlements without responsibility.
The Chief has a right to express the opinion off the Police Department. He didn’t inflame anything. He is not a politician, he is a hired official and is not bound to follow any political agenda or line. We are in trouble when the police become politicized. Gestapo, soviet police, Cuban police, etc.
A lot of us feel the same way, the BLM has become radical and is the same as the Black Panthers. These are groups that are into anarchy and racism. Would we. give a white supremacist group a pass if they exhibited hostility and encouraged attacking the police ? There are always bad apples in every organization and they need to be weeded out. Get rid of the jerks and support the good Cops.
I’ve run in my share of cops with attitudes and I’ve run into a lot off good cops. Let’s work with the good ones.
We’ve been they this craziness in the sixties and got through it. This. Will pass. The pendulum swings to one extreme or another eventually it stops swinging and stays in the center. We have to stop the stupid notion that everyone wants the law and government to adapt to “I want it my way”.
Martin
You are wrong Chief Allen told the truth about BLM and some pandering progressive politicians couldn’t handle the truth. BLM is a racist hate group plain and simple just like the Skin Heads, Nazis, KKK. Black Panther and Brown Shirts. Their members do call for violence against Whites and White Police officers. BLM is not a ground swell populist movement that the pandering media and politicians are trying to portray. Even in the largest city in the America BLM in the last week has only been able to turn out just a few thousand protesters at best in a population of 330+ million people and with a population of 45 million Blacks. Martin the number of Blacks being wrongfully killed by Police is not a lot higher than the number of people struck by lightening. OH Martin Two Whites and one Hispanic were killed by Police in last week but we did not see Obama,Lynch,”The Hill,or others progress politicians run before the media and the cameras saying how terrible it was. What the last week has show is White lives do not matter to the media and progressive politicians and BLM
Martin most average American are tired of government that caters to the upper 5% in our nation and panders to special interest like BLM then the rest of us are ignored basically told to go to hell. Yes most average America are tired of the double tier justice system in America. Justice for the haves and justice for the have nots. No better examples of this is special treatment of the haves is what the “The Hill” and Paxton has received from law enforcement and the justice system which we the average citizen would never would be shown such special treatment.
As to the Police Martin there are around 880 thousand law enforcement in America that make million on million of contacts with the American people each year and the vast majority are with out any problems .The issue is being over blown by media who do not give a damn about the Black community in America it is used to make them money and pandering progressive politicians. The issue over all with the Police is very small and only a very small number of law enforcement are causing problems. Sure if the Police kill someone wrongfully they should be treated and given due process like the rest of us should receive, be held accountable and responsible for their actions.
To Chief Allen thank you sir for standing up and telling the truth about BLM and their supporters.
BLM was created by Democratics to energize the Black vote. It has morphed into a more radical movement and Dems are trying to reposition it as simply a watchdog movement. But it is hard to erase the images of protesters chanting pigs in blankets, fry them like bacon. Chief Allen is correct. Our county politicians are simply toeing the Dem party line. BLM is exacerbating the situation by encouraging civil disobedience and violence against cops in the name of “justice.” The right answer is to disband it and let calmer voices in the Black community lead the discussion about how best to build trust and cooperation between police and the Black community. The Dems don’t want a solution, they just want to ensure that a large population of angry Blacks come out and vote Dem. This is more wedge issue politics. The GOP used to do something similar with social conservatism, but Trump isn’t into that type of game playing. The question the Black community ought to be asking is after eight years of a Black president who had a Dem majority in Congress during his first term, why has so little been done to help reduce unemployment levels inner cities and why are we so divided? And with eight years of Black Attorney Generals plus Black Police Chiefs in many cities, why is justice still a problem? The issue isn’t racism, it is fear and anger on both sides, combined with lack of communication. As long as anger in the Black community is being stoked by BLM, I don’t see things changing.
i have never been more concerned for our country. we aren’t Americans in the terms i grew up with. we’re about hyphens and special interest; about shades being more important than values; and we’re closing ranks with those who believe as only we do rather than respecting and accepting differences. Chief Allen is just one segment but increasingly the police overall have been targeted since the country was being formed, it’s nothing new. Bad people are a reality no matter what decade, so evil is evil. What has changed is that in part the media feeds the malcontents on ALL sides simply to make money. I saw and experienced the Watts riots live, and friends this is anarchy at its worst. Since i’m neither a cop or of African decent i don’t feel like my life matters, since if that’s what creates our value then we’ve lost our civility already and there’s not a chance of hope.
And if you think it’s bad here, check out Mexico.
Protests/demonstrations/rebellions bring attention to those issues that the government refuses to address and correct, some movements succeed/grow and do force the government to make necessary changes. Others are knocked down such as the Occupied where different governmental agencies colluded to break it down.
Women had to protest and fight for the right to vote, Mother Jones lead protest marches in the front of Teddy Roosevelt’s White House against child labour, and then we have the history of protests from labour and the Unions. All of these are well documented and so are the anti-protesters, there are always those that are against anything that may change the status quo. When the changes come about and they work well for the masses, these antis tend to forget how and why.
Unfortunately many who promote violence join and/or use peaceful protests to stage their violence. Government infiltrators also join to create chaos. Good cops die as do innocent folks.
Black Lives Matter begin after Trayvon Martin was gunned down and as more black folks were being shot by cops with impunity and caught on camera the movement grew. Time and time again the cops would get caught lying once the videos surfaced and as usual the line was ‘feared for his life’.
“We who believe in freedom cannot rest
We who believe in freedom cannot rest until it comes
Until the killing of Black men, Black mothers’ sons
Is as important as the killing of White men, White mothers’ sons”
From Ella’s Song by Bernice Johnson Reagon/ Sweet Honey in the Rock
Pati
More non-sense not founded in reality. It’s amazing how the violence against other racist by Blacks is totally brushed aside and if brought up it’s called racism. Then we are sure you believe no Blacks killed by Police did anything wrong to provoke a deadly response by Police. The numbers of Black wrongfully killed by Police in the last two year can be count on your fingers in toes. Then again let’s not let facts and truth get in the way. This is all being blown out of proportion. Then again let’s not have a real discussion of where the real killing fields of Blacks are in America those community being lead by progressive Democrats like those that wrote their letter of stupidity against Chief Allen. We are not afraid to say it “BLM IS A HATE GROUP”.
Sorry, Matey, but as usual your arguments are absolutes and assumptions, one either thinks A or one thinks B. One has to think like you or one is wrong. As per usual you have also thrown in that my response is not too savvy, somehow I don’t possess the ability to think logically? So.
Tell me when is ‘non-sense’ ever founded in reality?
“Then we are sure you believe no Blacks killed by Police did anything wrong to provoke a deadly response by Police. “. Who is this ‘we’? You are “sure” of what I believe, is that not rather presumptuous of you? No where did I state that all cop shootings where not justified. Within the last few years we have witnessed videos where cops do reach for their guns too readily and then lie.
Black Lives Matter is not a hate group. Are there bigots and haters within that group? Probably. As I stated in my comment above, all sorts of people join these movements.
Be ballsy, Mate, and shout “I am not afraid to say that BLM is a hate group” and none of this “we” weakness.
I did not comment on Chief Allen, why do you bring it up? Oh by the way, I am neither a Republican nor a Democrat.
“It’s amazing how the violence against other racist by Blacks is totally brushed aside and if brought up it’s called racism. “ – I am truly baffled by this sentence. What exactly are you saying?
So let’s get facts and truth in the way. You can start by sourcing your claim
that “The numbers of Black wrongfully killed by Police in the last two year can be count on your fingers in toes”, when you quantify, cite.
You are too hasty with your replies. Do pause, take a deep breath, and think of what the other person has said. Then calmly reply so that you stay on topic and not make silly statements.
Breathe through your belly, Mate, as we say in tai chi. Go listen to the beautiful voices of Sweet Honey in the Rock. By the way we are having a conversion.
Cheers.
Pati
You can go look at the recent released FBI stats. You do not have to listen to us. Sorry you are the one making silly statement with zero basis in fact. No you need to step back and take a enima get the crap out of you BLM is hate group.Then we do support your right to be delusional and out right blind to the facts. BLM is a hate group just like the KKK, Skin heads ,Etc. no difference. Pati number of Blacks kill wrongly by police is extremely small statistically, minute.
Here is facts to think about from the FBI data.
A “white” homicide victim is over twice as likely to be killed by a black than a black homicide victim is to be killed by a “white.”
Sixteen percent of “white” victims in homicide incidents involving a single victim and single offender were killed by blacks, compared with only 7 percent of black victims who are killed by “whites.”
Blacks are less than 13 percent of the national population, their homicide rate against whites and Hispanics combined is vastly disproportionate to their share of the population.
There were 431 black killers of “whites,” compared to 193 “white” killers of blacks.
Blacks are also disproportionately represented among cop killers. In 2013, blacks made up 42 percent of all cop killers whose race was known.
Think hard Pati Blacks make up a little less than 13% of the population.
Since there is clearly by all data disproportionate criminality among the black population to their total population then the police are forced to put a disproportionate number of officers in these communities. The again Pati pointing these facts out is just down right racist by BLM and their supporters like you.
Pati Black communities where the Police have pull back killing and crime has sky rocket then again this is what the these Black communities ask for. Now it’s all out of control they want to blame the Police not the supporter of the thug life in their communities. Yep speaks volume on it’s on. The 200 or so reported killings of blacks by police officers — nearly all justified — pale in comparison to the 6,000 or so killings of blacks by other blacks.
We could go on and on citing the data but for people like you it carries no weight and even when you are proven to be wrong. Let’s leave others and you who claim BLM is not a hate group from their own words
“What do we want? Dead cops. When do we want it? Now.”
“Today, we live in a time when the white man will be picked off, and there’s nothing he can do about it. His day is up, his time is up. We will witness more executions and killing of white people and cops than we ever have before.”
“It’s about to go down. It’s open season on killing white people and crackas.”
We could add more from the hate group BLM and their supporters but it’s a waste of time on same people who refuse to hear the truth about BLM.
Whoa there, Mate. I suggested that you should cite your source/s not for you to write a bloody dissertation.
Anyway what did you think of Sweet Honey in the Rock? Beautiful music.
Pati, if the BLM group did nothing about their protestors shouting ” Pigs in a blanket, fry them” or “only good cop is a dead cop” and all the other crap we hear they were saying then they are a hate group, period. Can you imagine what the media would be saying had the Cop shooter lived and you had a a white group protesting and shouting “hang that N—–” and not doing anything about it ? That’s why I cant stand to listen to your station and i turn the dial on the radio.
What the hell are you talking about? This isn’t a radio station, this is a blog. It’s the El Paso News Organization blog belonging to Martin Paredes and I am posting my comments. Jeez!
Pati
What a minute Pati you implied we were not telling the truth about BLM and you were proven wrong.You are the one who asked us to back up what we were saying,we did and now your bitching. Really! All of this is really easy to find. Not rocket science! Pati we could have cited four or five times more than what we posted. Geeeez! Oh we are not your mate!