Omakase

Wednesday, September 06, 2006

Wrong Door

This article comments on the proliferation of heavy-handed unnecessary police tactics - "No-kock" warrants. It's yet another example of abuse of power - both in legal terms and firepower terms.

If you've ever watched "Dallas SWAT" on A & E, you're probably like me and wonder why heavy-handed SWAT tactics are used to serve search warrants and the like. I fully understand the value of SWAT in obvious situations (like armed hostages), but I think we (and local governments) are giving the police a free pass by letting them use obscene amounts of force at high expense to perform marginally riskier police work.

This is driven by the seductive worst-case scenario argument of "what if the suspect is armed and dangerous?" but the logical conclusion to this is fully-armored street policing of jaywalkers.

Wrong Door

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With my new friends on the Great Wall of China

With my new friends on the Great Wall of China
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World sun clock

Uncommon Man's Creed

"I do not choose to be a common man. It is my right to be uncommon -- if I can. I seek opportunity -- not security. I do not wish to be a kept citizen, humbled and dulled by having the state look after me. I wish to take the calculated risk; to dream and to build, to fail and to succeed. I refuse to barter incentive for a dole, I prefer the challenges of life to the guaranteed existence; the thrill of fulfillment to the stale calm of utopia. I will not trade freedom for beneficence, nor my dignity for a handout. I will never cower before any master, nor bend to any threat. It is my heritage to stand erect, proud, and unafraid, to think and act for myself, to enjoy the benefit of my creations, and to face the world boldly and say, "this I have done." All this is what it means to be an American." -- Anonymous