David Takes On: The Police

"I smell bacon, I smell pork, look out pig I've got my fork! DUR HUR HUR."

It's sad. Plenty of young adults and teens have a really really ridiculously negative view of law enforcement officers. They're more often than not seen as overbearing killjoys with itchy trigger fingers and a universal contempt for young people and minorities. These are the exception, and by no means the rule.

Get your heads out of the sand, people. Anyone who claims that they've "never had a good cop experience" is either a liar or is exaggerating. Sure, police brutality happens, people get shot for pulling out toy guns, or god forbid, no reason at all. It does exist. But if you've ever known a cop, then you know they're not all glory-seeking cowboys who pump anything that moves full of lead. These guys put their lives on the line every day they've ever been a law enforcement officer.

They really do deserve a little respect. They're humans, not supermen. And they're extraordinary humans for putting themselves out there like that every day. So don't back-talk them. Don't try to hit them (it doesn't end well for you). Shake their hand! Let them know they're doing a good job. Support them, lord knows they need it. They're not fascist lapdogs of the government. They do what they're told, sure, but most of the time, it's for a damn good reason.

"DON'T TAZE ME, BRO!"
Unless you've been hiding under a rock, you know all about that kid who got tasered at a John Kerry function. My take: he was asked to stop gently but firmly, he didn't, flouted the rules for question-asking, resisted campus police as they tried to remove him (NOT arrest him, contrary to popular belief), and was tasered. Frankly, there were five or so officers standing on his neck, and I don't really believe that was warranted. But if he had just gone quietly or had been less of a show-off rabblerouser, it wouldn't have happened. It's true that guy has a penchant for theatrics, after all. He fucked up, and the cops overreacted. Simple as that. It's basically everyone's fault there.
I won't say that police officers are perfect. A lot of them do let the authority go to their heads and make poor judgements in the heat of the moment. Do I think those cops should have been dismissed? Yes. They made poor decisions, caused undue harm to a fellow human being, and should have no business protecting anyone.

But can you really hate the whole orchard for providing you with a few bad apples? No, certainly not, and to believe that way is not only ignorant, but dangerous, and to be honest, bro, you deserve to get tased.

Keep it up, guys. You really do a good a job.
Consider yourself taken on, law enforcement.