What is 'Antifa' and is it a Threat?

 

So, just who or what is "Antifa"? The answer depends really on who you ask. To the Far Left, it's a largely benign and loosely organized groups and individuals on the political Left spectrum, ranging from climate change activists, radical feminists, anarchists, members of LGBQT, so-called "socialists" and Communists, and groups like Black Lives Matter.

 Many define Antifa as a ideology and a movement rather than as an organization or political party (which incidentally was how Fascism and Nazism were originally defined. How ironic). 

To those on the Right, especially the Far Right, they are hardly benign or loosely organized. They tend to be decentralized (that is without a identifiable organizational structure) and yet operate with a specific purpose, leading some to speculate that there are coordinated cells within the larger mass of protesters charged with attacking specific targets.

They're those who call for the "defunding" or closure of police departments and the creation of "citizen policing", especially of minority communities by fellow minorities. Some groups went as far as to take up arms and attempt to menace the police by carrying weapons (or taking up roof top "sniper" positions) or pointing small handheld lasers at the police.

The mainstream media generally glosses over the mayhem and damage they cause (such as setting fires, looting, vandalizing), or attacking specific groups or individuals physically aside from minor irritants such as blocking traffic. Instead, the media calls these riots "peaceful protests". 

Case in point is Donald Trump's inauguration when they staged attacks on parts of Washington DC and surrounding areas by starting fires, flipping cars, breaking out store windows, and spray painting almost everything in sight. Their objective, of course, was to and divert attention from the inauguration to them. 

On several occasions, they've aggressively denied individuals the opportunity to speak, even when previously invited and especially on college campuses. It's as if these individuals live in a political bubble they're afraid will get popped if additional facts are let in. So much for higher education and critical thinking skills!

When George Floyd and Breonna Taylor were killed (some would say "murdered"), they staged massive demonstrations in cities and towns across America, especially in Minneapolis, Minnesota and Louisville, Kentucky, where the two incidents happened.  While chaos ensued, police officers were ordered to stand down and respond only when actually attacked, and then only in moderation in order to deescalate the situation, which the media again downplayed.

Meanwhile, whenever small pockets of Far-Right groups showed up "to observe", the media heralded them as "neo-Nazis" or "hate groups". It's worth noting that in no instances during the Floyd and Taylor "peaceful" riots, did the Far Right show up enmasse. In most instances, their appearances were limited to around a dozen or so individuals, albeit with many in military garb.

So, what's the truth? Just who is Antifa and what is their objective? Indeed, given the political diversity of Antifa, is there a single objective?  The name ("Antifa") is a abbreviation for "Anti-Fascism", which also kinda sums up their mission statement if you will. To be more specific, the overarching goal of Antifa is reputedly the creation of a more "open", "accepting" and "liberal" society and the total destruction of whatever they deem as being "fascist". If that sounds contradictory, it's because it is.

However, there's little or no consensus as to exactly what that would entail. Some favor creating a "Communist" style of government based on Stalinism or Maoism (neither of which had any actual basis in Marxism). This would call for a total elimination of capitalism from the ownership of private property to total government control and regulation of business (including Wall Street).

Others favor a form of anarchy, which calls for the annihilation of government itself.  Even currency would be abolished in favor of some sort of barter method. There are those who favor a form of socialism with greater government regulation of key industries, expanded social programs, overhauling the tax code, while some want legalization of all drugs, open borders, the complete confiscation of all guns, free education, debit forgiveness and medical care.

There are those who want a complete redistribution of wealth and the creation of a universal base income to fight poverty paid for by the elimination of the military (perhaps leaving a small volunteer national guard), and defunding or elimination of police departments and the creating of community policing. In a limited sense, this has already happened in some cities such as Portland Oregon.  

 In fact, approximately 20 cities have, in some form or fashion, have defunding their police departments with one report from 2021 saying that police department budgets across the country have been cut $870 million dollars.  

Meanwhile, other participants of Antifa are more focused on climate warming and are demanding extreme changes in environmental laws with stronger enforcement. Many want changes in laws concerning the LGBTQ community including adopting the normalization of multi-genders (they claim there are  72 genders) and the adoption of asexual or non-binary  pronouns. Surprisingly, this segment of Antifa has been perhaps the most successful.

In a early victory of sorts, there are five U.S. cities which have banned the use of gender specific pronouns such as "he" and "she" on government documents and forms or used in laws and policies. These cities are San Diego, Oakland, Berkeley California as well as Boston Massachusetts. 11 states have approved the use of a "third gender" on forms and documents. The reputed goal, according to various local and state officials, to create a "open and welcoming" environment for the approximately 1% of the U.S. population which self-identifies as neither male or female.

As an aside, there are roughly six states which have adopted a LGBQT "inclusive" health education curriculum which numerous more  who quietly promote gay identity through the use of "gay pride" flags in the classroom or allowing individuals in full drag queen attire to read to young school children. In addition, there has been changes in various local law to allow individuals to use the restrooms of the gender they self-identify as. 

 Another group affiliated with Antifa is Black Lives Matter which seeks to promote everything from the creation of autonomous or semi-autonomous zones exclusive to blacks to additional funding of black or minority owned businesses, housing or other social programs. Despite instances of violence and looting, BLM's aim has been to reduce what they believe is police violence and harassment of blacks in general.

Statistics indicate that blacks, who make up 13.6% of the U.S. population, are three times more likely than whites to be killed police officers although blacks are shown to be 1.3 time less likely than whites to be armed. One third of the incidents have occurred when the suspect is attempting to flee on foot or vehicle. 43%  of deaths happened during the commission of a violent crime or in the possession of a weapon while 22% was during a non-violent offence. 

Other groups under the Antifa umbrella include those who want to confiscate all firearms, make changes in medical care of seniors, the handicapped, or mentally ill, eliminate student debt, raise minimum wage, reform the judicial system (including the prison system by closing all privately own prisons), make changes in election laws to permit more ballot access or eliminate mandatory voter ID laws.  Of course, there are plenty of those who simply enjoy causing mayhem and violence.

What makes Antifa so dangerous, however, is a lack of formal structure and thus a centralized hierarchy.  Interestingly, within Antifa demonstrations there are "legal observers" from the National Lawyers Guild (NLG). They monitor and video tape the actions of the police department and assist individuals who are arrested with bail money and legal representation (demonstrators often write NLG's  phone number somewhere on their body in anticipation of arrest).

The NGL allegedly uses the video (along with video and pictures obtained from assorted cell phones) to bully cities with threats of lawsuits for various supposed civil rights violations. The City of Denver Colorado had to pony up 1.6 million dollars while Austin Texas coughed up $17 million. Many cities find it cheaper just to pay off NLG than to contest the lawsuit (this tactic is known as "lawfare"). As a result, it's taxpayers who ultimately end up funding Antifa.

As an aside, the NLG also engages in passive resistance training and related tactics for protestors (many of the techniques were gleaned from lessons learned during the protest movements of the 50's, 60's, and 70's).  Instruction is often either online through private chats or in person just before a protest or other action begins. There is typically someone designated to ensure everyone follows their instructions.

Antifa reminds me less of the "Red Front", the paramilitary arm of the Communist Party of the Weimar Republic, and more like the Nazi "Brownshirts"  or Mussolini's "Blackshirts" of the same era (in fact, Antifa is known for dressing head to toe in all black clothing).

It's worth pointing out that while the Far Right are typically demonized by the media as being extremist, they have not been able to organize as effectively as Antifa has, and they are certainly aren't as well funded. Antifa has engaged in over 140 mass protests across the country (many of which have degenerated into riots) as of 2022, while aside from the January 6th protest, the Far Right hasn't had any major protests and or riots.  

As many observers of Antifa have pointed out, despite their name, action is louder than words and their actions are more fascist than not. Some have called Antifa a new type of political guerilla warfare in the footsteps of Mao. And while there is strength in numbers, there is also guilt by association, and this doesn't apply any more strongly than in the political arena.

As Antifa is expected to be labeled a "domestic terrorist organization" by the U.S. Justice Department, it could have a negative impact on those groups seeking to affect changes in the law or society as a whole.  Affiliated groups have managed to achieve some success based on individual issues and data than through their relationship with Antifa. So, is Antifa an actual threat?

 In some aspects, yes. It has caused chaos as well as a great deal of property damage. It has injured police officers, journalists, and innocent bystanders. It has expressed itself as an opponent of capitalism and the Constitution. It's no friend of critical thought, the open exchange of ideas, or open debate, preferring instead to remain isolated in its political and social bubble. 

At the same time, it has attracted more publicity than perhaps it deserves.  Besides, Antifa hasn't truly faced any real opposition either from the conservative or independent intelligencia or on the streets by law enforcement or the Far Right, so their actual strength or clout has yet to be measured. Thus, they've yet to reach the critical mass of Mao's youthful "Red Guards" they imagine themselves to be or the Nazi "Brownshirts" which they emulate by their actions. 

I suspect Antifa will gradually fade much like the Weathermen and similar groups of the 1960's and 70's as new avenues are found to affect change through non-violent means much like Cesar Chavez and Rev. Martin Luther King. Ultimately, social change requires the support of the populace and that's not likely to be achieved with indiscriminate violence.

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Fox News Video: Antifa: The Truth Behind The Mask (10:24)

VICE News Video: So, What is Antifa?  (5:47)

These US cities defunded the police: 'We're transferring money to the community'

Mapping Police Violence

Who funds Antifa protests? We all do

Examining Extremism: Antifa

The Thinning Blue Line: The Growing Exodus of Police Officers

The Louisville Metro Police Department (LMPD) is down by 300 officers. With an authorized force of 1,328, it now has just 1,038. At the end of July this year, another 95 officers---sergeants, lieutenants, and administrative staff have the option to hang it up.  Why are so many experienced  police officers leaving?

The Louisville Metro Police Department has faced decades of mistrust from officers and the community going back to the city/county merger 2002 when dozens of county officers decided to leave rather than to be part of the newly created metro police department (which was, in fact, merely an expanded city police department). In many ways, the seeds of public distrust were planted in 1975/76 when officers were required to maintain order during the deeply opposed court ordered forced school busing.

However, it was the deaths of Breonna Taylor and David McAtee which ignited the exodus. Breonna Taylor was shot in May 2020 and killed in a botched police drug raid while Mr. McAtte, the owner of a popular BBQ restaurant in Louisville's predominately black West End, was killed in June by the Kentucky National Guard amid protests following Taylor's death (then police chief Robert White was fired shortly thereafter over the shootings, allegations of a cover-up, and concerns relating to unapproved overtime).        

To offset the shortages of officers, the city's Democrat mayor, Greg Fischer, and the Democrat dominated Metro Council authorized $218 million for the 2023 LMPD budget; $25 million more than it currently receives. This represents nearly 1/3 of the city's general fund. Nevertheless, shortages continue amid a complete distrust of top management, including the newly appointed Police Chief Erika Shields (she was the police chief, albeit an unpopular one, from Atlanta Georgia).

As an aside, the distrust and distain also extends to the current mayor, Greg Fischer as well. Fischer has been mayor since 2010 and has continued to earn poor marks in the city's low and middle class areas such as Okolona, Fern Creek, Valley Station, and Pleasure Ridge Park. His popularity among minorities as well as the police department and Metro Council (which has its own popularity problems) remain low.

LMPD has been looking for minority candidates to fill its depleted roll. It has dropped height, education, and test score requirements to make that happen, but with the shortages, almost anyone without a criminal record and in decent health will do (and even that's kinda sketchy). A new requirement say you can't "have used, possessed or sold a narcotic in the last six years"!  Like other police departments, the LMPD is trying to steal replacements wherever it can by offering lateral transfers higher salaries and improved benefit packages (fully funded pensions remain a ongoing problem)

June of 2022 had its largest new police class in three years---31 applicants, but that's far short of its previous class sizes of 48. Recently that number has been around 18 to 19 seats filled, making the 31 recruits appear increasingly more like an aberration rather than a correction.

The department remains predominately white and male (current recruitment is 71% white and male).  Females make up just under 14% of the force while men are over 86%. Whites in general (men and women) are almost 81% of the force. Blacks of both genders comprise 13.87% while 3.32% are Hispanic. Asians comprise 1.46% and Native Americans are just 0.20%.  The largest age "bubble" is between 26 and 45 years old.  

As stated above,  the money situation has improved.  The average salary after two years is now $71k plus benefits, which is a significant improvement, but the long hours, lousy shifts, and high stress environment of police life remain. LMPD Union President Ryan Nichols calls the retention situation  "dire" and added that at the present rate, the matter could become catastrophic in short order.

Minneapolis was the epicenter of the police protests. It's where George Floyd was killed in May 2020 by Officer Derek Chauvin, one of four officers called to investigate a possible counterfeit $20 dollar bill by a store clerk.  Floyd was subsequently detained (Chauvin knelt on Floyd's neck for 9 minutes and 29 seconds) and died shortly afterwards (an autopsy found drugs in his system which were likely strong contributing factors to his death). Since the incident which captured the world's attention. Minneapolis has lost well over 300 of its officers.

Police retirements have jumped by 45% and resignations have increased 18%. The western Minneapolis community of Morris will disband its police force after 140 years of service by the end of the year. The reason? Not enough officers. The 5,200 strong community will use the Stevens County Police Department for its law enforcement needs.

With the decline in officers, amid demands to "defund the police" and "community monitoring", crime has skyrocketed across Minneapolis. Last year there was a record number of murders---62.  As of this March, there were 55. Carjackings for 2021 totaled 2,423. In the first third of 2022 there had already been over 3,000! 4,969 assaults were reported in 2021. By the end of the first quarter, there were already 5,573 with no relief in sight.

Back in Louisville, the situation isn't any better.  Louisville is ranked as one of the most dangerous cities in the country (in one report where "100" was the safest and "0" was basically a Dodge City, Louisville was ranked "5"). Another national site rated Louisville an "F" when it came to crime (along with its school system). Louisville's murder rate is more than double the national average and exceeds much larger cities like Chicago, Philadelphia, and Atlanta.

Violent assaults in Metro Louisville are also double the national average as are carjackings. Rapes, thankfully, are well below the national average while armed robberies, burglaries and thefts are all about 25% higher than average.

In Asheville North Carolina, more than 1/3 of the police force has quit, resigned, or retired. In New York City, one of the largest police departments in the nation, 2,600 officers called it quits in 2020. In Seattle, resignations and retirements more than tripled, 219 compared to 77. In Philadelphia, which has been racked by an increase in crime, has seen over 79 officers take early retirement thus far this year.

Chicago, a city notorious  for its crime and corruption, has been hemorrhaging police officers and civilian staff. As of April 2022, 300 officers had left. In March there were 11,669 men and women in blue. In 2021 there were 12,739, down 560 from the year before, which was further down 749 from 2019!  For 30 years, the city has never had less than 12,000 officers on duty. Chicago Police Superintendent David Brown called the exodus "generational", meaning it wasn't just the rookies leaving or the "old timers". It's across the board with newbies and experienced officers turning in their badges, along with staffers.

The reason for the mass departure of officers stems from several factors, but most notably from Mayor Lori Lightfoot's edict that everyone had to be vaccinated against Covid-19 whether they wanted to be or not. In addition, the department has seen its budget repeatedly sliced amid calls to "defund" the police (in 2020 the budget was cut by $59 million), along with an increase of assaults, mandatory overtime and a reduction in compensation.

San Francisco is facing a massive exit of police officers. San Francisco Police Chief Bill Scott said that he's worry that nearly a quarter of the departments staff will walk out as their early retirement dates near.  Thus far, the city is already down by 600 officers with more expected to leave, and it gets worse.

According to Chief Scott, for every 50 officers leaving, only about eight to ten recruits are taking their place (on average, about 25 apply with roughly half being cut for one reason or another before graduating). Like most other cities, San Francisco is trying to lure officers from elsewhere with offers of more money and benefits thanks to an increased budget.

However, as Chief Scott admits, he's competing with nearly every other police department in the nation. He's also faced with the fact that San Francisco is one of the most expensive place in the country to live, especially if you're coming from out of state. As an aside, in a recent poll, 65% of residents in the Bay Area said that fear of crime was what kept them from coming to downtown San Francisco

According to the Police Executive Research Forum, a Washington DC based policy institute, a study of 200 departments nationwide showed retirements (regular and early) were up 45% while resignations rose by 18% over the period from April 2020 to April 2021. In departments with more than 500 officers, the retirement rate was over 30% while new recruitments were under 5%. Those are unsustainable numbers.

Cities like Louisville and Minneapolis weren't the only ones with out of control crime in the face of fewer officers. According to the Police Executive Research Forum, most communities were experiencing a sudden increase in violent crimes like murder, shootings, and carjackings, as well as thefts after the mandatory Covid quarantines were lifted. Large cities have had a 24% increase in killings thus far in 2022, which followed a 30% increase in 2021. By the way, don't think for a moment that criminals aren't paying attention to and targeting these areas where officer shortages are occurring. 

Yes, it's true that the police are increasingly militarized, but they face criminals and gangs with the firepower of professional militias.  According to the FBI, in 2021 129 officers died. Of those, 73 were killed in the line of duty (23 of those were unprovoked attacks while 8 were ambushed). 56 died in accidents (17 of those were pursuits or  were responding to a crime in progress). This total represents 27 more deaths in the line of duty than in 2021.

In today's two tier judicial system, too often the testimony of someone is devalued or their guilt is determined based on the perceived income level, origin, or color of their skin while an officer, politician, or judge walks despite evidence of their guilt. Meanwhile, the wealthy and powerful don't even come close to facing the same "justice" ordinary citizens deal with and even fewer face the true consequences of their actions. 

Unfortunately, there are no easy solutions. The deaths of Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, David McAtee, Eric Garner, Michael Brown, or Tamir Rice and others are more than regrettable. They are a national tragedy, as is every lost life due to a crime. Many were, for the most part, avoidable.  However, not all the blame belongs on the shoulders of the police. 

First and foremost is restoring discipline and respect for authority at home and in the schools. There's a direct correlation between doing what a teacher tells you and what a police officer tells you. However, the repercussions can be much worse.  When a cop tells you to do something, stop what you're doing, don't mouth off, and do what you're told. You keep your hands where they can be clearly seen. Don't make sudden moves, and you sure as heck don't run! I can guarantee that you're not faster than a 9mm and you're sure as hell not bulletproof. This isn't about race, gender, religion, or anything else. It's about keeping everyone safe.

 In most cases you'll get a warning or ticket and sent on your way. Get cocky, you may get a free ride downtown. If you do something stupid, you may get a trip to the hospital or morgue. If there's a problem with the stop, go see a lawyer as soon as you can and let them handle it. Otherwise chalk it up to experience. It's better to be a live plaintiff than a dead victim.

Yes, police officers and first responders need more diverse hires along with diversity training. In fact, I think everyone needs diversity training. Perhaps it should be a mandatory class in high school alongside ethics and civics. Everyone is deserving of respect and even some empathy, but not due to some misplaced sense of entitlement or self importance. But because it's the right thing to do as a human being. However, respect and empathy are a two way street. If you want it, you have to give it.

Police officers are resigning or retiring enmasse because to significant degree the public has turned against them, thanks in large part to the media. They have lost the public's respect.  Calls to defund the police force has resulted in a decrease in their ability to do their job, which is to keep the public safe and maintain order. They also must deal every day with people under the worse of circumstances. That's where the empathy comes in.

 

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LMPD ramps up recruitment in face of shortage

'We're at a dire level': Nearly 100 LMPD officers eligible to retire as staffing shortages continue

LMPD Demographics August 2022

 

Why Police Have Been Quitting in Droves in the Last Year

 

Minneapolis Police Department Down 300 Officers from spring2020

Minneapolis DataSource: Crime Dashboard

AreaVibes: Louisville, KY Crime

Chicago Police Staffing hits new low...

SFPD chief worries about loss of hundreds of officers amidstaffing shortages

Is It Time We Consider Defunding the Police?

Following the deaths (or murders if you'd like) of Floyd George and  Breonna Taylor, there were massive protests all around the country, especially in Minneapolis Minnesota and Louisville Kentucky where the respective killings took place.  There were calls by Antifa, Black Lives Matter (BLM), and others, mostly on the Left, to defund police departments throughout the country.  

About 20 major metropolitan cities answered the call, including New York, Chicago/Cook County, Los Angeles, Portland, Austin, Baltimore, and Milwaukee, to the tune of about $870 million dollars.  

They praised the idea of cutting the already strained budgets of police departments, forcing some officers off the force, reducing patrols, and increasing response times. They claimed that white police officers had a long history of brutality towards minorities, often leading to unnecessary and often violent deaths, as in the case of not just Floyd and Taylor, but also to Eric Garner, Daniel Prude, Tamir Rice, and Michael Brown just to name but a few.

They called for local policing by minority led volunteer organizations, albeit with little or no actual authority, as if some sort of public censorship would reduce crime; that public exposure would make any difference to these petty criminals, carjackers, drug dealers, or reduce the number of murders. Some wanted to create a "rate-a-cop" program to weed out bad cops and neighborhood police  review boards 

Proponents called for the hiring of social workers to meet with youths deemed "at risk" of falling into the dead end trap of crime. They demanded more pre- and after-school programs to give these kids a place to go and something to do thanks to single, and often absent, parent homes.  They wanted  to extend these programs year around as well as providing breakfast and lunch during weekends and summer months since these were typically the only regular meals these kids received. 

In Louisville Kentucky, the mayor made the idiotic decision a few years ago to actually hire criminals  to keep the peace and rat on fellow criminals as means of reducing crime. Not unexpectedly, the opposite happened. Crime actually increased as these criminal informants used their new found clout to set up and get rid of their competition, or use their clout as a form of immunity. The ultimate result for residents of Metro Louisville was more carjackings, more robberies, and more murders.

Since COVID took over the news cycle, there hasn't been much said or done about cutting police budgets. Funding of Antifa paid organizers and protestors has dried up. The same can be said of BLM protestors. Meanwhile, a number of police departments overhauled their leadership and introduced mandatory diversity training for their officers (in some cases, this has also included Spanish language classes).

Some police departments have taken steps to hire more minority officers through minority specific recruiting, lowering hiring and academic standards. Where possible, patrols are comprised of a white and racial minority officers, especially in highly diverse neighborhoods.  There are more public service interactions between the community and law enforcement in schools, community centers, and public events to rebuild a sense of trust and cooperation within neighborhoods. But what about the actual defunding of police departments?

According to a Politico/Morning Consult poll from February 2022, 75% of those surveyed opposed defunding the police. The respondents felt that cutting the police budget would result in a increase in crime. 49% said it would result in a "major increase" in violent crime.

In a June 2021 Pew Report, 41% thought that violent crime was an issue. In July 2021, that number had risen to 61%. Data provided by the FBI seemed to agree. It reported that the murder rate in the U.S. had increased by 30% in 2020 . More specific date shows that Democrats now oppose a cut in police funding. In 2020, 41% of Democrats favored a reduction in police funding. By 2021, that number was just 25%.

34% of Democrats said the police funding should actually increased while 40% wanted to keep it at its current level. Compare that to 61% of Republicans and Conservatives wanting to see an increase in the police budgets, with 29% saying by a lot and 33% wanting to maintain current levels. 5% would a reduction in overall funding of law enforcement (within the GOP, 64% white Republicans favored an increase in police funding while 53% of Hispanic Republicans did). 

Minorities comprised of Asians, blacks, and Hispanics also oppose defunding police departments. However, by how much is significant. Hispanic, along with whites, would like to see a greater police presence (46% and 49% respectively) compared to 38% of blacks and 37% of Asians. Still, this represents an increase from 2020.

When it came to age, those 18 to 49, who previously favored a reduction in funding, now supported an increase. Only 23% still wanted to see a cut in police budgets. Adults over 50 strongly favored an increase in police funding. When it came to shifting money from the police to providing more social services, 57% overall opposed the idea. 43% however, supported it according to a March 2021 USA/Ipsos poll.

Going further, the poll indicated that 63% of blacks would like to a portion of the police departments budget go to social programs while just 35% of white agreed.  The same poll also showed that 67% of Democrats backed the idea of redistributing at some portion of the police budgets to social programs while only 16% of Republicans agreed. Meanwhile, 84% of Republicans wanted to make sure police budgets were fully funded. 33% of Democrats wanted to police funding at their present levels.   

In cities like Louisville Kentucky where the shooting of Taylor took place, and throughout much of the country, public opinion is consistent in believing that police officers are essentially "judgment proof". There have been numerous instances of incidents where a police officer was clearly at fault, be it for a traffic accident (including drunk driving, speeding without siren or lights), physical abuse, lying under oath, or a shooting, and faced no repercussions for their actions.

Granted there has to be a level of trust between the judicial system and law enforcement, however, it shouldn't be at the expense of justice. That is to say, the courts shouldn't automatically assume that someone is telling the truth simply because they wear a badge. I've known a number of police officers who've more than "fudged" where the truth was concerned.

It seems that most Americans agree. A survey conducted by the Associated Press---NORC Center for Public Affairs Research indicated that 60% of Americans thought that police officers should be penalized for any racially based crime or conduct. Another 60% of respondents said that officers shouldn't be able to hide behind their shields. They felt that law enforcement shouldn't be granted automatic immunity for their actions, as is often the case, and should be held liable in a court of law.

In a unrelated question, the same poll indicated that 75% felt that first time non-violent offenders should be afforded a bit of slack and given a shorter sentence, including community service rather than jail time.   

 So what do we take away from all this? The movement to defund police departments was, first of all, primarily urban. In small and rural communities, the support for law enforcement remained largely unaffected. It should be pointed too that these same communities are also primarily white with small populations of blacks and mostly migratory Hispanic workers.  

However, it was in the middle size and larger towns and cities that the defund movement was the strongest, and then with larger populations of minorities (mainly black). With this, there was also high rates of unemployment and crime, especially in predominately black sections of the town, which likely helped create a sense of fear and frustration among the residents.

The movement itself was largely started with the death of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri in August 2014 (Ferguson is part of the Greater St. Louis metro area). That's when the nation first became aware of the Black Lives Matter through nightly images of the mass protests by a combination of the black residents of Ferguson and those bused in by BLM to artificially inflate the numbers, along with images of looting and arson (the irony that many of the businesses destroyed were owned by Hispanics and Asians wasn't lost on many).   Antifa also soon entered the picture. Despite their name, "Anti-Fascist" or "Antifa", they routinely used tactics reminiscent of Nazi Brownshirts or Mao's "Red Guard".

The strength, in terms of numbers and funding, of both groups seemed to grow exponentially with each subsequent killing of a black individual by police officers, which was almost always portrayed as unjustified by the media (and in some cases justifiably so).  However, it was the 2020 deaths of George Floyd in Minneapolis Minnesota and Breonna Taylor in Louisville Kentucky that brought both BLM and Antifa to the forefront of public attention, along with starting the defund movement.

The reaction was largely in response of what was presented by the media as a "out of control" police force. Even among whites there was a growing concern over the increasing militarization of the law enforcement with things like armored personnel carriers, high-tech surveillance, military related equipment and training, leaving them looking like stormtroopers out of "Star Wars".

However, it was this militarization which created a greater sense of a "us vs. them" mentality and help poison the relationship  between the police and residents. It also resulted in a "siege mentality" among officers and making more likely to react in an aggressive manner.   

The original notion of defunding the police was to reduce this type of mentality and redirect funding to support low income and mainly minority neighborhood, as well as to require officers to undertake diversity and sensitivity training. The more radical elements wanted near total defunding with self-policing coupled with an increase in social workers to "council" non-violent offenders, which sounded good in theory but in practice was disastrous for residents. In communities where policing was reduced, crime, especially violent crime, increased, along with carjackings, burglary, and vandalism.

As the polling shows, defunding law enforcement was, in fact, mostly a knee jerk reaction in response to a media manufactured perception of increase in black killings by a "out of control" police departments amid "white racism" running amuck.  In truth, more whites were killed by police officers than minorities.

As the facts of the various cases ultimately revealed, many of the resulting deaths were as justified as they were unavoidable. However, not all were, as in the cases of Timar Rice, George Floyd, Eric Garner, or Daniel Prude.  As for blatant racism, that appeared as a virtual non-existent factor.  Additional data has repeatedly shown that when it came to violent deaths, blacks were likely to be killed by blacks than any other factor.

Based on the polls, it appears that the public wants to maintain current funding of police departments, along with added social programs within minority neighborhoods specially directed toward "at risk" children and teenagers. Officers also need to step back from their "us vs. them" mentality. Perhaps additional sensitivity and diversify training would help, but it must also acknowledge by all sides that racism is not a one way street.  

While the judicial system and law enforcement are required to work together, the courts must temper their willingness to assume that law enforcement does no wrong or that the accused (or the witnesses) aren't just as credible as the police officers irrespective of race, economic class, gender, or any other factor. Police officers must be held to a higher standard and that standard must be enforced.

As for the cities which defunded the police mentioned above, most have restore funding to the police. A few actually increased it with some of the larger cities investing an additional $450 million dollars. Much of the money has gone to hiring and rehiring officers along additional training and equipment. 

I would add that there needs to be a return to an academic understanding of civics early on in school and ending this false sense of perpetual victimization. The youth must also be taught right from wrong, which begins at home, along with a sense of self-worth and respect for others.  

 If you want to know more, please take a look at the links below. If you enjoyed the article, please consider passing it along to others and don't forget to subscribe. It's free! Lastly please be sure to "like" us on whatever platform you use to read A/O. It helps with the algorithms and keeps our articles in circulation. Thank you!

Louisville Crime

Poll: 75% say 'Defund the Police' caused violent crime wave

Growing share of Americans say they want more spending onpolice in their area

Fewer than 1 in 5 support 'defund the police' movement, USA/Ipsos Poll finds

Americans Don't Want to Defund the Police. Here's What They Want to Do

 

2020's Defining Moments and the Stimulus Package

 

2020 has been described as being everything from "challenging" to "historic". However, it's one that won't soon be forgotten. If we were to pick a symbol for the year, surely a dead skunk in the road would be it. So, let's briefly take look at some highlights of the past "stinker" of a year before delving into the year's main story, COVID-19 and the stimulus package.

The year kicked off with the protests and riots unlike anything we've seen since the 1960's following the deaths of Breonna Taylor in Louisville Kentucky in March and George Floyd in Minneapolis Minnesota in May; both at the hands of the police. It should of been taken as warning of what was coming.

 

Protests, Riots, and Calls for Racial Justice

Whether their deaths were racially motivated or simply poor decision making by all concerned,  it sparked massive waves of protests and riots nationwide along with looting, arson, random attacks on individuals, and destruction of property which had nothing to do with racial justice.

It also saw the appearance of so-called "Right Wing" militias (often wrongly labeled as "neo-Nazi" or "racist" by the media), which tended to be rather well behaved, and Leftist groups like Antifa which, despite its name, was more akin to the Nazi Brownshirts or Communist Red Front than not.

Black Lives Matter showed its true colors as a race-centric neo-Marxist group, which, along with Antifa, turned out to be surprisingly organized and well funded. It's worth nothing that both groups were labeled by the media as "peaceful" despite the chaos they caused. Race baiting seems to be back in fashion.

 

We Can Still Be Friends

The media continued to pound President Donald Trump at every opportunity as they have since he was first elected. Never once did they let up or give him any serious credit, even when there were historic diplomatic breakthroughs like the four Arab nations agreeing to officially recognize  Israel---Sudan (which lost the moniker of a terrorist sponsoring state), the United Arab Emirates, Morocco, and Bahrain (which was promised high tech weapons  and diplomatic favors including financial aid).  

Relations between Kosovo and Serbia were normalized, while Muslim Kosovo also agreed to recognize Israel. Meanwhile, the UK  formally said "goodbye" to the European Union as Brexit took effect. The virus shut down the pro-democracy moment in Hong Kong to China's relief as it upped the ante in challenging America and her Asian allies for dominance.

 

Presidential Election:  The Ole Cup and Balls Trick

In 2016, we were told that Russian meddling in the election caused Hillary Clinton to lose his bid for president; not her inability to connect with voters, and surely not her questionable behavior (like Benghazi). We were told to ignore the rigging of the Democratic Primary against Bernie Sanders even though it was admitted and the head of the DNC was fired (as was her successor). This year, despite ample evidence of ballot corruption, we're told that our electoral system is safe and there is no way fraud could have taken place, so ignore the evidence and videos. Nothing to see. Move along.

Biden's Cabinet picks (as I've recently pointed out in my previous two articles) are primarily retreads from the Clinton and Obama administrations. Throughout Biden's 47 years in office, he has repeatedly shown himself not to be a friend of the working and middle classes or small business owners. He has perpetually pushed to cut taxes for the wealthy, favored deregulation and bailouts for big business, while supporting tax hikes on everyone else. Even seniors and veterans aren't safe.

Biden has repeatedly backed cuts in Social Security and support for veterans. But, not to worry! It seems that Biden isn't quite all there. Many expect a short tenure in office before being forced to stepped down and replaced by Kamala Harris as the first female president.

 

The COVID Virus: The New Normal

Not since the 1919 Influenza outbreak has a virus had such a far reaching affect on society. Businesses and restaurants have been shuttered, laying off millions of workers. Ordinary people have been forced to self-quarantine.  When we do go out, we're expected to wear mask and only go where we absolutely must and return home as quickly as possible, and don't forget to wash your hands thoroughly with the sanitizer you're now expected to keep in your car, your purse, or pocket.

Of course, we can't forget "social distancing"; maintaining that invisible six foot barrier between you and the next person. Government has stepped in to ensure that we can't gather in groups of more than  ten. They don't want us attend weddings, funerals, or religious services, movies, family gatherings (and especially if it involves singing), but apparently protests, political events and shopping at big box stores are okay. Just no small local stores. 

Americans are scared, which seems to be the way the Status Quo wants it. As a result, we've seen hoarding and artificial shortages. If there's any doubt that in a crisis, self-interest will always prevail, this should have removed all doubts. As a result, we've willingly accepted so-called "temporary emergency" restrictions to many of our freedoms. Many a despot has come to power using "temporary emergency" measures. Freedoms, once lost, are hard to reclaim just as power, once obtained, is hard to surrender.

Nevertheless, what we have entered is a "new normal" of masks, sanitizers, and self-imposed restrictions of movement. It's part of what the elites are calling "the Great Reset". It will be their attempts to reverse any changes President Trump made to the Status Quo, and to implement new ones under Biden/Harris. How far this "reset" will go depends on how much resistance they encounter. Based on the previous months, I expect very little.

The media will do its best to sell it. So will Hollywood, and naturally, so will Wall Street and  Madison Avenue since they all make up this Oligarchic Corporatocracy that is now America. Unions, once the voice of the working class, long ago sold out, leaving millions of blue collar workers high and dry, not to mention unemployed or underemployed.

But there is some good news I suppose. Earlier this year most Americans received a "stimulus" check of around $1200 (some countries gave citizens as much as $7000). It helped, but was nowhere near enough for the long term, especially as many were nearing the end of their unemployment benefits. Many more were looking at the possibility of facing repossession or foreclosure.

 More recently, Congress offered the American People $600. To call it insulting would be a gross understatement. The public was (rightfully) outraged. Social media was flooded with stories about illegal immigrants getting $1800 or Pakistan receiving billions to study "gender differences". But, how true were these stories?  What was in the 5600 page bill?

 

The Devil is in the Details

While Americans felt that the stimulus bill was supposed to be by and for us, it was, in fact, not. The bill did include billions in foreign aid, much of which was for education and infrastructure development in places like Tibet, Laos, Cambodia, and Egypt. There was $33 million set aside for "pro-democracy" programs in Venezuela (basically political bribery). $1.65 billion to Jordan which can use the money however it wants.

Four billion was authorized to help other countries purchase vaccines for the COVID virus. $130 million went for programs to empower women overseas and promote gender equality, while another $15 million went to help at-risk women and girls from religious extremists. $25 million went to World Bank to help with refugees. $40 million went to Syria for the purpose of providing medical assistance to those exposed to chemical weapons as well as first responders. So, what about us? Did we get anything besides the $600 lump of coal from Congress?

 

 Political Afterthought: The Voters and the Stimulus Package

The $900 billion dollar stimulus bill does include a few perks for Americans. Well, first some good news. At President Trump's insistence, we could get a check for $2000 rather than $600. However, the biggest roadblock is Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who has indicated that he will oppose the increase in order to keep the bill's cost from skyrocketing (we could cut the foreign aid pork but that would be rejected by members of both parties anxious to score brownie points with their financial backers).

Nevertheless, the bill does include funding to help extend unemployment benefits up to $300 per week, which is half of the amount provided this past spring. Schools and universities will get $82 billion. $7 billion is for expanding broadband internet access. $285 billion goes to a program called Paycheck Protection Program. It's to help guarantee employers' ability to meet payroll. $12 billion of that has been earmarked for minority owned businesses. However, the program has come under criticism in that the majority of money goes to large corporations not adversely affected by the pandemic.  Many have used the money to cover top level executive bonuses.

$10 billion will go to the childcare industry, which has been hit hard by the mandatory shutdowns. The bill also includes a ban to prevent doctors, hospitals, and others in the medical industries to send so-called "surprise" bills to patients. They define this as bills for services not previously explained to and acknowledged by the patient or their family. That one, I suspect, will need a lot more clarification.

The bill also provides a provision to prevent evictions, foreclosures, and repossessions for the next 30 days (but not interest charges or late fees). $13 billion will go for food assistance such as SNAP, food banks, and food pantries. $175 million of that is earmarked for Meals on Wheels and similar programs.

Lastly, there is nothing in the bill that provides illegal immigrants with a stimulus check. Only those here legally and possess a green card will receive a payment, which will be for $600 like the rest of us.

While the stimulus bill is far from perfect (much of the funding of foreign countries is unnecessary, at least at this time), it does provide some badly needed relief, especially to those worried about losing their homes or cars, those on SNAP or depend on food programs.

Sadly, not included in the package is assistance for senior care, help with utilities like heat or shelters. As of now, it seems likely that most of us will receive $600, not the $2000 President Trump wanted. It also appears that this is just the beginning of our "new normal", at least for the foreseeable future.

 

A Look at What's in the Stimulus Package Trump Signed

Long-term care industry expresses disappointment as Congresspasses stimulus bill

Foreign Aid in Congress' December Stimulus Package

Biden failed veterans as VP, he'd fail them again as President

 

 

 

A Message to the Protestors: Be The Change You Demand Of Others

 

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There's a lot of finger pointing about Breonna Taylor's death. Was it Kenneth Walker's fault? Was it Jamarcus Glover's? We know it was Detective Myles Cosgrove who fired the fatal shot. You know what would have saved her life? Not running around with drug dealers. That would have saved her life. Her choices are what put her on the path that led to that fateful evening of March 13th.

It's time to stop blaming other people for your decisions. This country, for all its flaws (and there are many),  offers more opportunities for minorities than any other country. People come here with virtually nothing and make it. Far too many blacks, Asians, Hispanics, Muslims, gays, and yes, "poor white trash" have succeeded to believe there's some "systematic racism" or other barriers holding you back.

The only "racism" is the one people wear on their sleeve as a "you owe me" patch. The only thing anyone is owned is an equal chance. What you do with is up to you. Stop teaching kids to disrespect or run from cops. Stop telling them that doing well in school is "acting white".  A quality education is the key to a good life regardless of who you are or where you come from. Gangbanging leads to an early grave. No pride. No honor. No respect.

I know these protests were supposed to be about "social justice", so please explain to Louisville and the nation why there's looting, arson, riots, graffiti, and violence. Where's the "social justice" in attacking innocent people minding their own business? What happened to your "peaceful" protests?  I'll tell you what happened. It got hijacked. You got played. You've become a "useful idiots" to quote Lenin. It was taken over by BLM which itself was hijacked by Marxist organizers more intent in a race war than social justice.

You are losing Middle America (if you haven't already lost it). Without Middle America there is no solution. Think there are no "innocent bystanders"? Keep it up and you'll be right. All your efforts will be for nothing and you'll end up worse off than when you started. If you lose Middle America, then no matter how "noble" your cause, you've lost. Let that sink in.

Politics is corrupt. The political system is broken beyond repair. Our Republic has been hijacked just like your movement. They sold out long before you were born. We know. We get it. But violence and anarchy will only give the power elite ---the ruling Oligarchy---what they want, an excuse to declare martial law and impose a full out police state. We're already on the precipice as it is. 

Don't like capitalism? Remember that the next time you pull out your Smartphone or order off of Grubhub. Of course, you can always check out China, North Korea, or Cuba if you like warm weather anytime you like. Just buy yourself a ticket and hop on the next plane (another capitalist perk). Instead, why don't you put some action behind your high ideals? 

 Try picking an issue which benefits working class America irrespective of race or any of the other artificial divisions imposed on us by the elites, then organize and make it happen. Start local and work your way up. Worried about the environment? Great! Start doing something by picking up you're all's garbage.

Think about the consequences of your actions. Pull your pants up. No one is impressed with your underwear.  Reconsider those tats, especially on your hands and face. Same with your piercings. The only statement about you that they make is that you make bad decisions. As trite as it may sound, treat people the way you want to be treated and most people will do the same. Act like an asshole and get treated like one.

Want more change? Start a business in your neighborhood. Learn what it's like to start from scratch and build something from nothing. Learn what its like to have strangers depend on you. It's rewarding, but damn hard work. It may also give you a better perspective on what it's like to have some punk come along and steal everything or burn it down.  Want a "revolution" or "civil war" instead? More fun to destroy than build? Be careful. You might just get one and it may not turn out like you think. 

Try instead creating or joining a police review board, even informal ones to monitor and report on police actions---the good and the bad. Publicly acknowledge the good cops and expose the bad ones before another "George Floyd" happens.  Create block watches and neighborhood associations...and be active in them. Don't leave it to someone else to do the work. If you do it probably won't get done.

Work to clean up neighborhoods. Get rid of the need for the police to be there. That means getting rid of the wrong crowd. It will improve not just the physical appearance of your community, but it's value too (that's money in your pocket), not to mention reduce shootings. Empty lots? Grow a community based garden and trade with each other. Think of how much money you all could save in grocery bills.

Demand that schools require civics classes again. Learn how the system is suppose to work so you can bring about change. Skip anything which divides us and seek out what unites us as a community. Divided we're vulnerable. United we're unstoppable.  Remember that "identity politics" like "identity education" is a dead end street. If everyone starts pursuing a "me only" agenda then everyone winds up with nothing because everyone will have their hand out and there's only so much money to go around.  

Breonna Taylor got off to a good start. Becoming a EMT is tough. She worked hard to become one, but then ended up with the wrong crowd. As a result she threw all that hard work away and ultimately, it cost Breonna her life.  Was it worth it? Was it worth dying in a hail of bullets in the middle of the night at the age of 26?  I can't imagine it was.

So, if you want to make her a martyr; a symbol of the new social justice movement, just remember that her's was a life wasted. Social justice begins with fundamental change and that starts in the home, and then the neighborhoods, the churches, and expands from there. It doesn't start with riots, looting, arson, destroying or defacing property, or sucker punching someone. It sure doesn't start by taking pot shots at cops or anyone else. Change, be it personal or public, is all about taking responsibility. Remember that.  

It's Time For Louisville to Settle Up With Fischer

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$12 million dollars. That's what the City of Louisville, under embattled mayor Greg Fischer has agreed to pay the family of Breonna Taylor who was shot and killed back in March during a police raid of her apartment, along with a promise of police reform.  What does this settlement actually represent?

To many it was a just and reasonable settlement as a result of a botched raid resulting in Ms. Taylor's death (she was hit eight times according to police reports) with one officer suffering a gunshot wound to his upper thigh. The other two officers were uninjured. Others see it as smart business. An attempt to avoid a possible jury trial and a much higher court award, especially given our current political climate.

Still others see it as nothing short of a bribe; an attempt to buy off the Taylor family while covering up a series of screw ups from the mayor's office through the Louisville Metro Police Department (LMPD) all the way down to the officers on the scene. So, which is it? A reasonable settlement aimed at putting a tragic episode and civil unrest behind us or another cover up by the mayor's office.

What is known to a reasonable degree was that Taylor, along with her former boyfriend, Jamarcus Glover, and her current boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, were allegedly part of a drug ring. According to the police, a jailhouse informant told them that drugs were being sent to Taylor's address, which was backed up by a postal inspector. Taylor's apartment was supposedly being used to store drugs and money with Taylor allegedly acting as Glover's bookkeeper while in jail on earlier drug charges.

Acting on this information, Detective Joshua Jaynes obtained  a "no knock" warrant from Circuit Court Judge Mary Shaw and coordinated the two prong raid. One was Glover's residence, and the other, about ten miles away, was Taylor's apartment. Unbeknownst to the officers raiding Taylor's residence, Glover, the main suspect, had been arrested earlier at his home was being held in jail.  Nevertheless, the raid went forward.

While the raid on Glover's residence was without incidence, things didn't go well at the second address. At around  12:40 on the night of March 13th, undercover officers Brett Hankison, Jonathan Mattingly, and Myles Cosgrove, under orders not to use their body cameras, allegedly announced themselves and busted through Taylor's door. Walker and Taylor were asleep at the time.

The commotion prompted Walker, who stated that he thought someone was breaking in, to fire a single "warning shot" which hit officer Mattingly in his upper thigh, near his femoral artery. Nevertheless, all three officers returned fire, blindly shooting into the dark apartment.

At some point during the fray, Taylor exited the bedroom into the hallway and was hit approximately eight times.  Walker claims that went immediately to Taylor who, by that point was either dead or rapidly dying. Walker surrendered without further incident.

Investigation afterwards showed that the police fired somewhere between 20 and 25 bullets, some of which going into the adjacent apartment. Following standard police procedure, all three officers were put on paid administrative leave pending further investigation (Hankison was later fired). However, Taylor's death in conjunction with George Floyd's in Minneapolis, prompted civil disobedience on a scale not seen in Louisville since the 1960's Civil Rights Era or anti-forced busing protests of the 1970's.

The protests quickly devolved into riots, looting, and a dramatic increase in violence, including arson, carjackings, and random shootings while the police were allegedly told  informally to "stand down" (something the mayor has denied although others have insisted is true). What was supposed to be "justice" for Taylor became a racial and political issue.

Meanwhile, the LMPD has dragged their feet at every turn as things unraveled. They've provided incomplete and inaccurate reports, delayed the ballistics report (which, six months later, was only recently turned over to the FBI). The postal inspector now says that he never told Jaynes that drugs were being delivered to Taylor's apartment and residents claim the police never announced themselves.

As if this wasn't bad enough, LMPD's Chief of Police, Steve Conrad, was forced to resign amid numerous scandals ranging from misuse of the budget to rampant sexual abuse in the LMPD's Explorer Program for young boys and girls (throughout, Mayor Fischer continued to deflect criticism of Conrad, and "encourage" the media to drop their inquiry).

Finally, as the investigation of Taylor's death continued at a snail's pace, rumors began to swirl about so-called "back room" deals with developers to acquire property owned by the city at deeply discounted prices, including property allegedly owned by Kenneth Walker (Beonna Taylor's boyfriend at the time of her death) and knowledge about a possible affair by the mayor. However, without details, those stories may be just that...stories, but nothing would come as a surprise from this administration.

So, while the FBI is conducting its own ballistics investigation based on material provided by the city six months after the fact, and while the state's Attorney General, David Cameron, is still conducting his investigation, Mayor Fischer announced a settlement with Ms. Taylor's family for $12 million dollars.

Metro Council was unaware of the settlement prior to its announcement. The media, which is deeply embedded in the local power structure, was caught off guard. Groups behind the protests/riots were equally unaware. They were supposedly here to get  "justice" for Breonna Taylor now find out that it was apparently about the money. Of course, I'm sure they'll have their hand out too.

Louisville, on the other hand, has been long struggling financially. The mayor has tried repeatedly to raise taxes, citing shortfalls in the budget (in part due to millions spent on his pet projects like bike lanes). The Board of Education is pushing for a 7% hike in property taxes, claiming they need yet more money while outside reports indicate that the school system is top heavy in administrative personnel and paid well above national levels while the teachers remain underpaid, yet use their own money to buy needed supplies. Besides, the schools aren't open thanks to COVID-19.

Public utilities are another source of revenue. Their rate increases seem constant yet they're not effectively monitored. Still, like the school board, what they want they get. Ever since the City/County merger in 2003, the residents of Jefferson County have lost their advocates. Previously it was the a board of Aldermen and a mayor, who were fairly evenly matched in terms of political clout. The same for the county, which had a Judge Executive and three district commissioners plus separate administrations with its own police force and police chief, and separate tax revenue stream.

The city's power structure was primarily Democrat while the county's was Republican. The city was often in a fiscal hole while the county managed its money pretty well. The merger, which was drawn up by the local power elite, changed all that for the worse.

 What the community ended up with was a powerful mayor akin to the old city hall bosses of a century past, and a weak Metro Council, which is too large to be effective. The city is in constant search for money. The actions of the past mayor and now his handpicked successor has more than driven the point home. Fischer's behind the scenes settlement agreement, whether rightly or wrongly offered, serves as  a great example that his power.

There is no question that the LMPD is in need of serious and immediate reform from the Chief's office all the way down to the officer on the street. I served on the old Jefferson County Police Department's Citizen's Advisory Board from 2001 to 2005. I was selected to serve on the Service Awards Committee which reviewed reports involving officers whose actions exceeded the call of duty.

I had also served on the Kentuckiana Interfaith Community Forum on Police & Community Relations, which was a panel of about a dozen community leaders which examined police and community relations. In each of these groups we would review incidents in detail. We would hear from the officers involved, their partner, commanding officer and citizens as needed for details.  

 

The vast majority of these individuals were outstanding police officers.  I rarely ever came across anyone who had a racial, gender, ethnic, or religious bias. If they did, they hide it well. The officers recommended for some sort of commendation typically deserved it and more.

 

What has happened to the local police department post merger I don't know, but it doesn't have the character or confidence it once had. It had no confidence in its previous Chief of Police, Robert White, and it most certainly didn't have faith in Steve Conrad. As for the mayor, Greg Fischer, the police and others in government have little to no confidence in his leadership.

 

The community as a whole has lost its confidence in his ability to lead the city as well. In fact, the only reason he won reelection was that the local Republican East End clique has failed to build the necessary community wide base it needs to win the seat (the last Republican mayor elected was in 1965). I'm not saying that the City of Louisville needs a Republican mayor. I am saying, however, that the city needs new ideas and a new approach. What it has been doing is clearly not working.

Mayor Fischer, I believe, overstepped his boundaries with this covert settlement. He has once more shown that he backs those who are of use to him politically or personally, and that apparently doesn't include the ordinary police officer. If he was confident in the steps taken officers on the night of March 13th, he would be demanding an immediate trial. Instead, he has once more tucked tail. 

 

If Mayor Fischer was confident of his decision, he would have included the Metro Council instead of leaving them hanging on the line. If Fischer was confident in his leadership as mayor he would have put a quick end to the rioting, looting, car hijackings, gang violence, and shootings which is plaguing the city while permitting peaceful and orderly protests to continue.
 

Instead, his inaction has led to the vandalism of whole sections of downtown which, in addition to the largest settlement paid by any city in recent history, will cost taxpayers millions more to clean up. Was this an attempt to buy off the Taylor family in order to keep the matter out of the courts because he knew his failure of leadership, and by extension, the police, would prove to be too much? Maybe.

Regardless, his failure has and will result in more businesses closing and/or moving out of downtown, thus putting Louisville on track to becoming another "doughnut" city like Detroit or West Memphis (as if the virus hasn't done enough damage). Louisville continues to show that it's no long in the same league as its (former) peer cities like Nashville, St Louis, Indianapolis, and Cincinnati.  

The shooting of Breonna Taylor, irrespective of whether she was into drugs, a fired EMT, or whatever, was uncalled for. Shooting randomly into a dark room is not good policing. A ordinary "flash bang" could have eliminated the threat long enough for officers to secure the area without endangering anyone.

 

This matter may yet find its way into the courts. We are still awaiting the FBI's and Attorney General David Cameron's reports. There is also still the matter of Jamarcus Glover and Kenneth Walker to consider yet. Meanwhile, it's time to clean house, starting with Greg Fischer.