Recently, a law enforcement officer reader of FreeKeene.com decided to participate in the discussion that ensued in the comment section about my blog detailing my opinion of better ways to engage in open container civil disobedience. The commentary between this officer (who I am grateful to for deciding to join in our discussion) and I shifted towards my pointing out the immorality of using violence against peaceful people. The officer’s response I think is something worthy of discussion.
The officer replied to my assertions that initiating violence against the peaceful is immoral by stating:
“I don’t use violence but the neccessary force to obtain my lawful objective.”
“I don’t use violence (…..)”
Yes you do.
“(L)awful objective (…..)”
“Lawfulness” doesn’t matter. It was at one time lawful to own another human being.
This response indicates a very, very, very important disconnect that many good-hearted police officers have. I consider myself to be good-hearted… and I had this same disconnect for about 10.5 years of police service.
The police academy doesn’t teach new recruits that they’re directing violence towards mostly (the vast majority) peaceful people. It teaches them that they’re using “necessary force.” “Necessary” as in there is absolutely no other alternative.
“The final solution” sounded a lot better than saying “systematically mass-murdering six million Jewish people.” This is violence…. and sugar-coating it with the term “necessary force” makes it sound like using the force (violence) is both necessary and moral.
Initiating violence is never necessary or moral to solve peaceful problems. Understanding this basic concept is to understand everything that we who write here at FreeKeene.com represent.
