US Politics Mega-thread - Page 8707

On September 10 2017 21:09 farvacola wrote:
Haha, GH the incrementalist Coates fan, that's a nice title.

Few national liberal politicians have shown any recognition that there is something systemic and particular in the relationship between black people and their country that might require specific policy solutions.

[...]

Resistance to the monstrous incarceration of legions of black men, resistance to the destruction of health providers for poor women, resistance to the effort to deport parents, resistance to a policing whose sole legitimacy is rooted in brute force, resistance to a theory of education that preaches “no excuses” to black and brown children, even as excuses are proffered for mendacious corporate executives “too big to jail.”

Even as Hurricane Irma was bringing its might to bear on the west coast of Florida, there was one thing that could not be buried by the immense storm's winds: all the wreckage those winds have made of the Caribbean.

From Antigua to Cuba, the string of small islands so often considered tourist paradises endured the hellish brunt of a Category 5 hurricane.

Smack in the center of that path were the U.S. Virgin Islands, a territory torn apart with the storm's arrival Wednesday. Now, days later, many on the islands fear the focus of their fellow Americans will be irreversibly drawn to the mainland, while they're left to pick up the pieces.

The Associated Press reports that of the at least 24 people who were killed by Irma in the Caribbean, at least four people died in the U.S. territory.

"This is a horrific disaster. There will be no restorations or solutions in days or weeks," U.S. Virgin Islands Gov. Kenneth Mapp told reporters Saturday. "Let's manage our expectations."

President Trump issued a major disaster declaration for the battered U.S. territory Saturday, freeing up more federal funds to support recovery efforts, including the removal of debris.

Mapp said St. Croix, an island spared the worst of Irma's effects, has become the temporary staging area for delivering relief supplies to the rest of the U.S. and British Virgin Islands. On St. Croix are aircraft, troops — and residents such as Elizabeth Smith, who told NPR about the situation faced by the territory four days after the storm's departure.

The other two major islands in the U.S. territory, St. John and St. Thomas, are still "not safe," Smith wrote in an email Sunday.

"No power, no running water, no cell service. The only hospital on St. John faced catastrophic failure during the storm. Patients with life threatening injuries were evacuated to hospitals in Puerto Rico and St. Croix."

Smith reports obstacles to obtaining assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, including the fact that the stations distributing food or water in rations are difficult to find without power or cell service.

Meanwhile, the State Department continues to coordinate evacuation efforts for U.S. citizens who remain on St. Martin — an island half by the Dutch and half by the French — administered through social media, radio and in reaching out to hotels and Airbnb locations, spokesperson Heather Nauert said in a statement.

The department warned passengers arriving at the island's Princess Juliana International Airport, "there is no running water at the airport and very limited shelter."

Several cruise lines have offered their ships to assist in recovery efforts, sending them fully stocked to usher tourists to safety off the islands, according to the Miami Herald.

On September 11 2017 22:23 Sermokala wrote:
In a non judgemental or demeaning tone, what exactly is "symbolic reperations"? I love never assumed that a literal reperations plan was talked about seriously but I'm hesitant in opening the door to any kind of race based improvement plan. I could see a general agreement that "we all failed to integrate the slaves from the south into the economic political and cultural structure of our nation on an equal standing with any other group we've had done just far" and then embark on a comprehensive plan to better the people who live in ghettos and trailer parks equally based on socioeconomic standing.

Also on an aside a policing who's sole legitimacy is based on brute force? Racist and overly violent I can understand but is this a seriously argument that police only have brute force for legitimacy?

On September 12 2017 00:03 kollin wrote:

All polices legitimacy is built through brute force. We just don't mind because, ideally, the brute force is used to protect us.

On September 12 2017 00:30 Sermokala wrote:

That can't be true surely it's legitimacy is given by its commission from the state to "protect and serve"?

On September 12 2017 00:30 Sermokala wrote:

That can't be true surely it's legitimacy is given by its commission from the state to "protect and serve"?

On September 12 2017 00:36 Plansix wrote:

That was/is the motto of the LA police department that has become common place in the public discourse. I have never seen it directly linked to police powers given by the state.

On September 12 2017 00:03 kollin wrote:

All polices legitimacy is built through brute force. We just don't mind because, ideally, the brute force is used to protect us.

On September 12 2017 00:52 KwarK wrote:

Not really. The police's legitimate use of force comes from accountability and the collective democratic will to imbue them with powers. In theory at least.

That's the point being made. That ideally when a police officer waves you over you should believe that he is doing so in your best interest and in line with the obligations society has placed upon law enforcement officers. Therefore you should happily comply, not out of fear but because his successful job serves your interests. But in reality you comply because you know you will be forced to comply. That reality is a failure of policing.

On September 12 2017 00:58 Mohdoo wrote:


Add this to the list of reasons being a cop should require a law degree and should be an extremely well paid career.