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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsScary conversation by some 16 year olds a couple of weeks ago...
A couple of boys discussing a cop video one had seen. (I don't know if this was an acutal event or a movie.)
"He pulled out his gun and emptied they clip into him, then he put another clip and emptied that." Admiring tone.
"Man, I would do the same. I'm gonna make sure that sucker is dead!"
Me, unable to be quiet at this point: "Then don't be a cop."
Boy: "I'm gonna be a cop! My father is a cop; my grandfather was a cop; and I'm gonna be a cop!"
Their conversation went on for a while. Both boys are members of a sort of sheriff's apprentice group and told me how many cops were killed each year (according to them, one every 53 hours. At that time the March figure for cop kills of 100 or three every 24 hours hadn't come out yet) and told me I should do a ride around with a deputy to see a cops job.
I dropped out of the conversation. These kids' are already totally indoctrinated in the "us against them" mind set.
Years ago, I was talking to a young woman in the ROTC (high school level) and I asked her, if ordered by a superior officer to fire into an unarmed crowd of peaceful protesters from her own country, would she, knowing it was an illegal order would she do it. She answered, "Yes, ma'am, I would."
These are the kids who will someday be the leaders in the Law Enforcement Agencies and the military.
I think I am officially very uneasy, just one step under rather scared for our future.
Liberal_in_LA
(44,397 posts)GoneFishin
(5,217 posts)1monster
(11,012 posts)they have developed the critical skills and empathy to judge for themselves.
Like family religions, they are being indoctrinated into a belief system that many will never have the courage to think their way out of.
jwirr
(39,215 posts)of those classes where they get to ride alone. I would be proud of him except I am afraid of the brainwashing that they give recruits.
treestar
(82,383 posts)they can be very picky now, demand a college degree.
OTOH, his being 16 is a big factor here, so I wouldn't know about taking it so seriously.
1monster
(11,012 posts)it was a program to help at risk kids stay out of trouble by giving them mentors who were LEOs. Apparently, that is not the case any more.
(Plus, this kids is a legacy shoo in...)
treestar
(82,383 posts)all legacy type job obtaining is anathema to me.
freshwest
(53,661 posts)1monster
(11,012 posts)They plan to be LEOs.
The attitude was to make sure the other person is dead so they were no possible threat of any kind to the LEO.
Take another look at some of the very recent police shootings. They are not out to stop a threat. They are out to kill a maybe threat dead.