The Rise of the Warrior Cop just became real for Americans this Week

By: Joshua Cook
53

In the wake of 18-year-old Michael Brown’s death, the spotlight is on Ferguson, Missouri and local police as they become increasingly more military-like.

Benswann.com and other voices in the liberty movement warned Americans of the rise of the “warrior cop” and warned of the dangers of the militarization of local police forces. In fact, Ben was interviewed on Adam vs the Man four months ago and at the time called the militarization of police “the biggest story in the nation the media isn’t covering.”


See here, here, and here.

As previously reported by Barry Donegan, Kentucky Senator Rand Paul penned an editorial for Time magazine, stating the need for the demilitarization of police.

“The outrage in Ferguson is understandable—though there is never an excuse for rioting or looting. There is a legitimate role for the police to keep the peace, but there should be a difference between a police response and a military response.

“The images and scenes we continue to see in Ferguson resemble war more than traditional police action,” wrote Paul.

Paul wrote that the rise of the militarization of local police has a lot to do with big government.

“Washington has incentive the militarization of local police precincts by using federal dollars to help municipal governments build what are essentially small armies—where police departments compete to acquire military gear that goes far beyond what most of Americans think of as law enforcement,” he wrote.

The Department of Homeland Security provided grants for local police forces to expand SWAT and other military-style operations.

“When you couple this militarization of law enforcement with an erosion of civil liberties and due process that allows the police to become judge and jury—national security letters, no-knock searches, broad general warrants, pre-conviction forfeiture—we begin to have a very serious problem on our hands,” he wrote.

Paul received accolades from the black community and civil rights leaders.

In an interview with the Washington Post Dem Rep. John Conyers Jr. — the dean of the Congressional Black Caucus said, “I never thought of him in that light before,” Conyers said of Paul. “It certainly is heartening. I’m encouraged by that kind of observation.”

Many on the left and libertarians believe Paul can change the GOP and move it in a positive direction.

 

Watch Reason.com’s Nick Gillespie give his thoughts on Sen. Rand Paul:

 

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Joshua Cook

Joshua Cook is a writer and a political activist. His work has appeared on DrudgeReport, InfoWars, Reason.com, WND.com, Breitbart.com, DailyCaller and FreedomOutPost.com. If you have any tips please email him at [email protected]
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  • David A .Hereaux

    They need this gear, they just don’t need the attitudes that come with it. Cops are no longer to protect and to serve, they are now to uphold the law.

    • r3VOLution is NOT republican

      It’s a package deal. MONOPOLY OF VIOLENCE doesn’t come any other way.

    • usmcmailman

      And collect revenue !

    • akar4715

      They do not need this gear. The People need this gear to protect against those who are evil, in this situation those would be the looters and the government.

    • Ricky Ross

      B.S. The cops have made it for 100 years without tools of war and they do not need it now!

    • Ricky Ross

      Another thing, you are damn right the cops are not here to protect the people. The Supreme Court even ruled that way >>> Search: “Justices Rule Police Do Not Have a Constitutional Duty to Protect Someone”

      [Published: June 28, 2005]

      The Supreme Court ruled on Monday that the police do not have a Constitutional duty to protect a person from harm, even a woman who had obtained a court-issued protective order against a violent husband making an arrest mandatory for a violation.

      http://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/28/politics/28scotus.html?_r=1&

      • http://www.pixelgeddon.com/ Shane Stevens

        Thereby ruling with implication that they are useless and should be disbanded immediately..

        But of course that didn’t happen.

    • Truth

      Cops don’t uphold the law. It’s the state, not the law, that pays their checks. Law be damned to a cop. They do what their bosses in government tell them if it’s right or not.

  • r3VOLution is NOT republican!

    Wonderful bait-n-switch! EXPLOIT Ferguson, to promote SELLOUT REPUBLICAN PUPPET “Rand playin’ the game” Paul. POSTURE, RAND BABY! Hell… I hear even Huck is grandstanding against the police/surveillance-state THAT HE’S BEEN FINE WITH FOR YEARS!

    CAN’T STAND RAND!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    • Endorsed police/surveillance-state Susan Collins.
    • Endorsed police/surveillance-state Mitt Romney.
    • Endorsed police/surveillance-state Mitch McConnell.
    • Supports amnesty (while using DECEPTIVE euphemisms like “normalizing”).
    • Hires LEFTIST Rick Santorum’s campaign manager.
    • “Book burning” – scrubbing “offensive” books from his senate website, including 3 of his father’s books.
    • Tasteless Quip to Obama: “instead of five Taliban, how about five Democrats?” after scolding Ted Nugent for his tasteless quips to Obama.
    • Helped reelect LEFTIST Mitch McConnell, DEFEATING the Tea Party in KY.
    • Voter ID “offending people”
    • Threw Cliven Bundy under the bus.
    • Sold out his own father and endorsed LEFTIST Romney BEFORE the 2012 national convention.
    • Endorsing “lesser evil” republicans… while advising people to NOT vote “lesser evil.”
    • A PURELY POLITICAL filibuster, leaving the impression that he’s against droning Americans, while later stating his SUPPORT for droning Americans.
    • Pushing preferential-treatment zones, while DECEPTIVELY calling them Freedom Zones.
    • Allows himself to be PUBLICLY ABUSED AND EXPLOITED by ANTI-Ron LEFTISTS, like Sean Hannity.
    • CO-OPTED the Tea Party.
    • CO-OPTED his father’s Liberty Movement.
    • Poaches his father’s network and databases.
    • Jesse Benton.
    • Mitch McConnell.
    • George P. Bush.
    • “Outreach” to ethnocentric (racist) gangs.
    • Interventionism (while leaving the impression of being noninterventionist).
    • CONSTANT, INSULTING “Obama did it” GIBBERISH, designed to funnel public anger toward the democrats ONLY.
    • Ignoring Luke Rudkowksi.
    • Bullied Abby Martin.
    • Campaigning against democrats for specific transgressions, while remaining ABSOLUTELY SILENT about republicans committing THE SAME EXACT transgressions.
    • Expressed support for an IDIOTIC, SUICIDAL Con-Con.

  • Reality Check

    The reality of the “warrior cop” has been evident to black men, black women and white men for many years now.

    The only people who don’t seem to get that are white females and their weak-minded lackeys, like the author of this article.

    Sane people know that the government has been out of control for decades now and it’s only going to get worse.

  • Arizona

    AS grandma would say,THE GOVERNMENTS been caught with their hand in the cookie jar,.AND ITS A BIG COOKIE JAR,WITH TRILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN IT……YOUR going to have to fight these guys,I don’t believe they;ll go as willing as they want you to go………REMEMBER their stone cold killers and child rapest,and USE TO KILLING ANYONE THEY WANT………………

  • Ricky Ross

    “If tyranny and oppression come to this land, it will be in the disguise of fighting a foreign enemy. Of all the enemies to public liberty, war is perhaps the most to be dreaded because it comprises and develops the germ of every other. War is the parent of armies; from these proceed debts and taxes; and armies, and debts, and taxes are the known instruments for bringing the many under the domination of the few. The loss of liberty at home is to be charged to the provisions against
    danger, real or imagined, from abroad.”

    — James Madison

    • Dr. Common Sense

      Good quote my friend. Indeed this seems to be the direction we are headed in and it’s a pity some refuse to open their eyes.

    • http://www.pixelgeddon.com/ Shane Stevens

      And yet,

      “Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.”

      -Benjamin Franklin

  • Ricky Ross

    Crime In The U.S. Is Down Almost 50% Over The Last 20 Years, Yet Our Police Are Militarized

    http://www.nationaljournal.com/congress/how-congress-helped-create-ferguson-s-militarized-police-20140814

    • glenn47

      All by design to fight the people. When taking the guns didn’t work, they had steroidal cops ready. When you listen to them on raids or interviews, we are not dealing with the normal higher quality police we are used to. Those that swore to protect is, now just want to dominate us. We are suppose to surrender to the mighty forces.

      • http://www.pixelgeddon.com/ Shane Stevens

        They aren’t done with the guns yet, just changing tactics. The new direction is toward buying so many calibers of bullets and rounds that there won’t be enough for the people to adequately protect themselves.

        • glenn47

          True, they have been buying all the ammo available for a couple of years now. All part of their plan. Jarrett has been caught bragging they aren’t done yet, they have much more to do. Not bad for a non elected person.

  • Ricky Ross

    “A society whose citizens refuse to see and investigate the facts, who refuse to believe that their government and their media will routinely lie to them and fabricate a reality contrary to verifiable facts, is a society that chooses and deserves the police state dictatorship it’s going to get”

    — Ian Williams Goddard

    • http://www.pixelgeddon.com/ Shane Stevens

      Yes. Excellent quote. I will follow with another:

      “Experience hath shewn, that even under the best forms of government those entrusted with power have, in time, and by slow operations, perverted it into tyranny.”

      -Thomas Jefferson

  • Ricky Ross

    Remember, they weren’t chosen to wear the badge due to their great virtue and courage; they APPLIED for the position! They were just normal people, and then they ASKED to be put in a position of “power” and “authority,” which should, by default, make you trust them a lot LESS
    than the average guy on the street. Yeah, in THEORY there is some screening process to keep the real nastiest one’s from being given badges. But that theory is now about as valid as the flat earth theory, given how many fascists have been caught terrorizing, assaulting and MURDERING
    harmless people … and getting away with it.

    So next time you see someone with a badge and uniform, don’t think, “Gee, an agent of law and order!” Because that’s B.S. … Instead, think, “Gee, someone who ASKED to be allowed to DOMINATE and CONTROL others!” Because that’s the REALITY of the situation.”

    • http://www.pixelgeddon.com/ Shane Stevens

      An excellent rule of thumb is that control freaks seek sources of power. Whenever someone seeks or achieves a position where they have authority over an aspect of your life you have every reason to assume they are control freaks until proven otherwise.

  • Ricky Ross

    “Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power”

    - Abraham Lincoln

    • Cameron

      Perfect quote of Lincoln. Give him power and over 600,000 people will end up dead. If the Fugitive Slave Act would have been repealed or not enforced, slavery would have fell apart at the seams. Every other nation got rid of slavery peacefully. Contrary to popular belief, Lincoln saw black inferior to whites.

      • http://www.pixelgeddon.com/ Shane Stevens

        The greater truth is that Lincoln didn’t CARE about freeing the slaves, it was purely a move to damage the south enough that they could be conquered and their assets seized. The South was, for all intents and purposes, the breadbasket and wealth of the United States at the time. Lincoln said himself he would have freed no slaves if it would have ended the civil war, or a few, or all. That’s all you need to know about his mindset, and it wasn’t focused on emancipation.

        • Cameron

          Agreed. We could go on for days about the lies people are taught about dishonest Abe.

  • glenn47

    Remember, in his own words, he warned us of a army bigger and badder than our own military. What he left off was, it was going to be his personal army. We, the people, are left on our own.

    • r3VOLution is NOT republican

      … and what has the REPUBLICAN PARTY DONE… to stop this?

      Nothing?

      THIRD PARTY COMPETITION 2014 & 2016!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
      NO MORE EXCUSES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

      • Whatever

        What did the Democrat do to stop this?

      • http://12160.info Lolly Gag

        both these party’s are evil and against We, The People…it’s US vs THEM…sooner you realize this, sooner we can unite against these criminal psychopath bastiches ;)

      • http://www.pixelgeddon.com/ Shane Stevens

        This is correct. It is sound logic to admit that both parties now and have for many years worked in collusion, both to push their mutual agendas and to prevent third parties from ever being a threat to that power, and this is the problem: unless we greatly dismantle the powers of both parties, including Diebold voting machines, we simply will not see a fair election in this country again.

        Believe it.

  • OICU81

    Here is a video you all need to watch before bumping your gums about the police on the wrong end of the gun.

    　

    http://www.ijreview.com/2014/08/168698-eyewitness-recalls-important-detail-background-video-mins-ferguson-shooting

    　

    Now that you have watched the video here is somthing for you to think about

    　

    “Stop judging that you may not be judged; for with what judgment you are judging, you will be judged; and with the measure that you are measuring out, they will measure out to you. Why, then, do you look at the straw in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the rafter in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Allow me to extract the straw from your eye’; when, look! a rafter is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First extract the rafter from your own eye, and then you will see clearly how to extract the straw from your brother’s eye.” (Matthew 7:1-5)

    • Cameron

      Maybe people wouldnt be “bumping your gums” if the police would have dashboard cams installed. Instead they have chosen to arm themselves with military weapons.
      How much immediate danger was the cop in when shooting someone at 35 ft away? Why didnt he get in his car until help arrived? Why wasnt Brown tazed? You would still defend the cops actions if he would have missed a shot and killed a kid playing.
      Since you want to inject the Bible in this, what part of “thou shall not steal do you not understand? Yes, apparently Brown stole some cigars but the officers rides around all day in a car paid for by stolen money. His paycheck is 100% stolen money. His bloated pension he may receive one day is all by robbing the victims you refer to as taxpayers.
      How can you possibly attempt to defend someone who believes man made laws supercede the teachings of Jesus. Thats right because you do the same. It is GODvernment that you worship not Christ. Its not possible to serve two masters!
      Go ahead and throw Romans 13 at me. Remember when you do, you are justifying every evil act governments have committed in history.

      • http://www.pixelgeddon.com/ Shane Stevens

        I wouldn’t have a thing to say if police were reduced to their pre-2000 arms and equipment and didn’t think they were above the law. Also, stop having them be tax collectors and make them peace officers again.

    • Don’tYouGetItYet?

      Yeah, your first sentence really promotes being “non-judgmental”- “bumping your gums”…….along with some made up garbage that no one said “about the police being on the wrong end of the gun”? Who said that? Or did you just judge that made up comment into existence?

      • http://12160.info Lolly Gag

        some people like to hear their selves talk ;)

      • shane jones

        agreed…typical Christians, they cast shame for others while shaming themselves. I dated a family of them for a while and I saw this same nonsensical behavior day in and day out. Not knocking Christians…just the ones using it for convenience ;)

        • http://www.pixelgeddon.com/ Shane Stevens

          Yeah, because perpetuating stereotypes is exactly what the government doesn’t want you to do, right? Division is a weakening agent, so congratulations for failing government politics 101.

          And a very special fail for knocking a demographic and then saying you’re not doing so. Fail Plus on that one.

    • shane jones

      You are spouting all your nonsensical bullshit while doing the same…typical “Christian” cast shame onto others but never onto yourself. Get a clue…how about here’s a video you should watch that’s from the medical examiner stating there was no struggle, which the cops that weren’t even there claim there was, it shows he was most likely shot from behind or with his arms up…more importantly shot into the top of his head. So maybe you should do some research before bumping your gums: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2014/08/18/lawyers-for-michael-brown-family-say-private-autopsy-backs-witness-accounts/

    • Truth

      Can everyone around here go easy on Christians for a change? Some of us are actually educated, and the Bible actually supports a much smaller government than we have.

      Here’s one for example: The Bible never says anyone should be imprisoned as a punishment, and only good guys in the Bible go to prison (always at the hands of bad guys). It leads one to believe that God doesn’t want governments running super prisons.

      Here’s another one: The Bible’s laws never appoint any power to execute laws to the government (and if you think Romans 13 does you need to look at it in Greek. The word “government” isn’t there). In Bible times the people (acting on the authority of God’s laws) executed justice vigilante style, after a trial of course. It leads one to believe that God doesn’t want us to have professional police officers, or any executive powers. Sure, there are guidelines for if people want to set executive powers over themselves (Deut. 17), but the Bible also says that’s a really, really bad idea (1 Sam 18).

      Besides, it seems to me like if we were going to use the Sermon on the Mount as a discourse on government (as OICU81 does), then we would have no government, because Jesus advocated a pacifist approach in that sermon. Government is monopolized force, the complete opposite of pacifism.

      • Truth

        *(1 Sam 8)

      • Don’tYouGetItYet?

        I like your interpretation of the Bible :)

    • cooperbry

      Militarizing community police is the issue and it is a problem. I have made a judgement on that.

  • Don’tYouGetItYet?

    The alarming thing about this is…….an unarmed teenager was shot six times, one round hitting him square in the eye socket, another entering the top of his skull.

    Stealing a box of cigars (which the officer supposedly had no idea of when he assassinated this teen) does not warrant being shot to death. If you are scared to the point of having to shoot someone, when you have a Tazer and backup- maybe you shouldn’t be a police officer? And, if he didn’t know about this “cigar theft”, and he (Michael Brown) was unarmed, is there any legit reason to shoot him?

    The looters always diminish the legitimacy of the protest. I totally understand the anger, but looting innocent store owners doesn’t do anything but justify more of a police state to some.

    A town of 20,000 or so people is now full blown police state with militarized police acting like they are in a war zone. This equipment was “at the ready”, meaning this small town was ready and prepared to use this stuff. They are spreading this equipment around the states, small town to big city, for what reason?!

    If that picture above, in the article, doesn’t creep you out…….than YOU may be the problem. We need to demand an end to militarized police in the U.S.A.

    • http://www.pixelgeddon.com/ Shane Stevens

      When you’re a member of a select group of individuals taught to believe they are above the law, given tools well beyond what a peace officer should possess, and then sent out to enforce increasingly unconstitutional laws… This is EXACTLY what will happen.

      When taking all of these elements together, it almost seems like this outcome was choreographed…doesn’t it?

      • Don’tYouGetItYet?

        I’ve been wondering about your the idea in your last sentence for a couple of days……. the way it is being covered by the MSM, breaking into regularly scheduled programs in the late night hours just to show a bunch of militarized police gathered at one end of the street- seems like they want us to get used to this picture.

  • http://12160.info Lolly Gag

    Time for a Revolution, time to change this record, it’s broken & no longer plays

    • Don’tYouGetItYet?

      As long as people continue believing that two planes hit two high rise skyscrapers, but three fell…………….and it was “normal”……….there will be no revolution. Plus, the aluminum, barium, and strontium is working just fine.

      • http://12160.info Lolly Gag

        I see u get it ..lol…yes, that 9/11 lie needs exposed and they started up the chem trails again around here, they had quit here for almost 2 months, but now back in full force..mmmm,..barium, yum
        12160.info

  • shane jones

    to hopefully avoid further ignorance from being spewed, here is the autopsy report stating there was no struggle, the gun shots were at a distance…not point blank and that Michael Brown was likely shot from behind or with his arms up and one bullet into the top of his head.
    http://www.foxnews.com/us/2014/08/18/lawyers-for-michael-brown-family-say-private-autopsy-backs-witness-accounts/

  • cooperbry
    • Don’tYouGetItYet?

      A very telling article. Thanks for the post. Everyone really should take a look at this.

  • Don’tYouGetItYet?

    This story, if read in it’s entirety, is where this is all heading in this military/prison industrial complex.: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/29/us/when-cell-door-opens-tough-tactics-and-risk.html?_r=0

    You make a few mistakes in life, get treated like an animal, and then killed by militarized goons in prison. Wat to go U.S.A.! Oh yeah…..but since it doesn’t affect your small piece of life, WHO CARES? Right?