Social Question

josie's avatar

Why aren't mayors and governors taking down the looters and burners (The details matter)

Asked by josie (30934points) June 1st, 2020

People have a legitimate complaint about misbehavior by bad cops. They are justified in their anger and frustration because bad cops seem too frequently to manifest their badness against black citizens.
That is a fair grievance.
Our system entitles them to march, chant slogans, make speeches and generally gripe about what bothers them. That is American, it is essential for stability, and it is virtuous.

But other people exploit their concerns as an excuse to burn and loot.

Burning and looting is not acceptable. Plus, it de-legitimizes the virtuous protesters.

Why don’t Mayor’s, Governors, and other legal authorities take down the burners and looters, so that the legitimate protesters can have the street and exercise their virtuous right?

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21 Answers

elbanditoroso's avatar

Because the mayors and governors aren’t going to play Trump’s fascist game.

Because mayors and governors are closer to the people who live in their states, and know that the political repercussions of killing citizens doesn’t end well for politicians. (Think: James Rhodes – governor of Ohio, who gave the order to kill students at Kent State Univ.)

And more than likely killing people doesn’t help them govern going forward.

josie's avatar

So they are content allowing burning and looters to be associated with citizens who exercise their legitimate rights.
They don’t see any responsibility to try to differentiate the two?

Whatever you think of the President, in that case you would not be any better.

Tropical_Willie's avatar

I’m watching TV and police are handcuffing looters and rioters.

ucme's avatar

Puts you in mind of the old emperors enjoying the decadent life “while Rome burns.
Any leading political figure worthy of the name should put at an end to the lawlessness as soon as, that takes balls though so don’t expect too much eh?

josie's avatar

@ucme
You are correct.
Our virtuous citizens are worthy of respect and protection.
The burners and looters are not entitled to anything but due process. And they are lucky they get that consideration.

tinyfaery's avatar

Because they are fucking fascists. But also because the nefarious activities are being carried out near and within legitimate protests, and it’s hard to separate the people.

I am currently watching a situation happening in Van Nuys where the LAPD is doing just that. It can happen, if they (police chiefs, mayors, etc.) want it to.

CelestialIncognito's avatar

In the evolution of press releases, not just now but as long as I have been aware, I surmise that such events go through several emotional stages of grief, which can be displayed emotionally, physically, intellectually and/or spiritually. Instant healing, although the goal and short of the supernatural, is not always so. For all the mayors, governors and people behind the scenes working on this challenging point in time, Thank you!

Patty_Melt's avatar

Our jail is holding.
WTF??!!??!!

stanleybmanly's avatar

The problem lies in culling the miscreants from the herd. When looters can blend into a mass of protesters, keeping the peace must trump property rights. Consider the cop who witnesses a looter running into a crowd of protesters. The protesters nine times out of ten will be unaware of WHY the cop is chasing whom they assume is one of THEM, and it is the man or woman with the baton & in uniform who ignites the mass injuries and possible deaths. The instant one officer commits to entering the crowd, the entire force is committed to securing his welfare. It becomes a matter of them or us with predictable results.

Call_Me_Jay's avatar

Guess what happens when the police don’t treat the publica as the enemy in a war.

Detroit Free Press – May 31, 2020 – ‘Let’s walk’: Genesee County Sheriff removes riot gear, joins protesters in march

A single fist bump started a movement in Flint Township on Saturday.

A video of Genesee County Sheriff Christopher Swanson removing his riot gear and walking with Flint protesters went viral Saturday.

“We want to be with y’all for real so I took the helmet off and laid the batons down,” Swanson can be heard saying in video. “I want to make this a parade, not a protest.”

Swanson said his office could see a mob of protesters moving gradually toward the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office when they began to suit up in riot gear, unsure of the temperament of the crowd they were about to face.

As a collection of law enforcement agencies from the Flint area went out near Flint Township, Swanson said he saw a Flint Township officer reach out and fist bump with someone in the march.

At that point, the sheriff said, he knew there was still room for communication between the public and law enforcement. Swanson removed his riot gear, going against almost all of his training, and approached one of the leaders of the movement.

“And I said, ‘What else do I need to do?’ and he said, ‘Walk with us.’ The best moment of my police career is when I said, ‘Let’s walk.’ And we walked over a mile back to where it started and I could feel an instantaneous peace on both sides,” Swanson said. “That would not have happened if they had not wanted to listen to what I had to say as well, so it is mutually agreed upon that I need to hear what they are saying.”

SQUEEKY2's avatar

Great link @Call_Me_Jay and that is how progress is done.

Soubresaut's avatar

@josie—are the mayors and the governor of your state not working to separate the looting and burning from the legitimate protests? They certainly are in my state and area. It’s just that they’re trying not to use measures or rhetoric that would further escalate tensions and make things worse.

kritiper's avatar

Do you want to pull the trigger?? They are no different.

zenvelo's avatar

Part of the problem is separating the good cops from the bad cops. The police are inciting much of the violence. But I have not heard of any police being summarily suspended for misbehavior during demonstrations.

Dutchess_III's avatar

I don’t understand why people keep wanting to assign loftier reasoning to the looters and the criminals. They have no political affiliation. They don’t have any complaints that they can verbalize. They just see the opportunity to profit from the unrest so the take it. They are thugs, plain and simple.

LuckyGuy's avatar

@josie I can say fora fact they are trying. The looters are more organized. Kids on bicycles are using their phones to identify police locations and unprotected areas.
The looting is well organized. While police are tied up protecting legitimate protesters the scouts call in attacks at stores with products they want, jewelry, running shoes, TVs, like Fleet Feet, Rent-a-Center, etc.
The police can’t target every kid on a bicycle talking on his phone – neither can the military BTW. Can you imagine the protests? There is always another kid with a phone ready to post a video.

zenvelo's avatar

@Dutchess_III When you care about property more than lives, you need to look at your priorities. 40 million out of work leads to rage.

And using the word thug is called racist dog whistling. The police are the thugs.

Dutchess_III's avatar

OK. Thugs on both sides of the law. Plenty of white people are thugs too. White supremacists are thugs (is that racist?) Trump is a thug.
Don’t make the word in to something it ain’t.

zenvelo's avatar

@Dutchess_III I am not making it something it ain’t, it already is. That os why people called Trayvon Martin a thug for wearing a hoodie.

That word is racially charged.

Dutchess_III's avatar

When I think of a “thug,” I don’t automatically think of black people. I do, however, think of males.

jca2's avatar

I’m watching NYC news, today, Tuesday at 5:30 pm and it’s unbelievable and astounding the crowds. I have family members who live in good areas of Manhattan and have the Citizen app, which they are telling me the protesters are moving uptown.

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