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0 pointssidibe1y ago0 comments

Can't forget being "for the rule of law".

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6 comments · 1 top-level

matwood1y ago· 5 in thread

Back the blue, unless of course it's the Capitol Police.

Or, in my city, the cops who blew the whistle on other cops for electrocuting people's testicles as a means of extracting forced confessions. The "back the blue" crowd absolutely hates those guys.

MathMonkeyMan1y ago

I tend to think of "rule of law" as describing the fairness of the courts. But then you need effective law enforcement for the courts to mean anything.

rayiner1y ago

Most of these examples are good ones, but this one actually isn’t. I don’t know what part of the country you’re from, but in the south violence against the government is treated as distinct from violence against fellow citizens. I don’t want to debate the substance of the view, I’m just pointing out that it’s not actually contradictory like you’re implying. I grew up in virginia when it was a red state, my first reaction would’ve been relief that it was still possible. But it also would’ve been my first reaction 25 years ago when I was a Gore supporter in a Bush county. Jefferson’s tree of liberty and all that.

I suspect this divergence comes from people who have internalized the 1960s civil rights movement view, and whose chief concern is the government protecting minorities from the majority. Meanwhile, the more traditional Anglo-american view is chiefly concerned with protecting the majority from the government.

soared1y ago

Is this saying the viewpoint is that violence against the government (capitol police) is supported, violence against local police is not supported (back the blue) and violence against citizens is supported (back the blue)?

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mmooss1y ago

> in the south violence against the government is treated as distinct from violence against fellow citizens

From what I see and know, among conservative supporters violence against police is strongly condemned and to be harshly punished, as is any form of protest that is arguably the slightest bit disruptive.

> chiefly concerned with protecting the majority from the government.

In fact, by their actions, they make the government - police and prosecutors - free to abuse people in almost any way with no reprocussions. One of the latest Trump executive orders even tells the DoJ to go after any legal authority prosecuting police.

And by their actions, they are chiefly concerned with using the government to persecute and suppress anyone they disagree with.

> 60s ... traditional

It's a nice tactic to try to attribute those who disagree to a passing fancy, and your beliefs to 'tradition'.

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