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When Roger West first launched the progressive political blog "News From The Other Side" in May 2010, he could hardly have predicted the impact that his venture would have on the media and political debate. As the New Media emerged as a counterbalance to established media sources, Roger wrote his copious blogs about national politics, the tea party movement, mid-term elections, and the failings of the radical right to the vanguard of the New Media movement. Roger West's efforts as a leading blogger have tremendous reach. NFTOS has led the effort to bring accountability to mainstream media sources such as FOX NEWS, Breitbart's "Big Journalism. Roger's breadth of experience, engaging style, and cultivation of loyal readership - over 92 million visitors - give him unique insight into the past, present, and future of the New Media and political rhetoric that exists in our society today. What we are against: Radical Right Wing Agendas Incompetent Establishment Donald J. Trump Corporate Malfeasence We are for: Global and Econmoic Security Social and Economic Justice Media Accountability THE RESISTANCE

Monday, December 22, 2014

IS THERE A POLICE PROBLEM IN AMERICA?

AND SOMEONE THOUGHT THIS WAS A GOOD IDEA?


Let it be clear to all, that the assassination of two NYPD officers is disgusting, but in the same breath, especially for this blogger, I can say, and It's possible for Americans to be both appalled by senseless executions of cops, and angry at unjustified killings by cops.

Police lives matter, but so do black lives, especially unarmed black men. This is not a choice of either/or, its both. Since when did it become controversial to believe that both NYPD officers and unarmed black NYC residents don't deserve to die?

From Sally Kohn on twitter:
"When there’s a school shooting, we don’t blame it on critics of public schools. Equally absurd to blame cop shootings on critics of police."
When a police union can publicly debase a Mayor and threaten the citizens they're paid to protect, this should make us pause. This is not just about Eric Garner, nor is this just about Michael Brown, this is about a systemic problem that has been allowed to go on for way to long.

I keep hearing readers tell me that "we are better than this". Well to you I say, evidentially not.


Below, two recent stories of cops being, oh do I dare say it, racist:

Police Officer In Ohio Acts Racist, Gets Caught And Then Blames It All On Immaturity


An auxiliary officer with the Fairview Park Police Department, who had written that black people should be "exterminated," resigned from the force last week.




Two Ohio Cops Suspended With Pay Over ‘I Hate N***ers, I’ll Stab A Coon’ Texts

Two cops were suspended in Ohio after the Dayton chapter of the NAACP brought a string of racist texts to the attention of authorities.

Captain Thomas Flanders and Michael Sollenberger, a detective, both working for Montgomery County, Ohio, were placed on indefinite leave with pay for their part in the scandal.

The department has not released the names of three others who were implicated in the texts, and the individuals have not been suspended, though Sheriff Phil Plummer did confess that the investigation is “in its early stages.”

WHIO-TV reports that it was NAACP Dayton President Derrick Forward who brought the racist texts to light. He would not reveal how he got them or the names of anyone who may have provided them.





What do you think should happen if these allegations turn out to be true, readers? Is it possible for an officer to effectively do their duty while harboring racial biases or telling racist jokes? Should the cops suspended be fired altogether?

An eye for an eye only leaves the world blind. Hey Merica, you claim to be a Christian nation, with Christmas upon us, how about proving to the world that you are indeed a civilized nation and not some rogue killing machine. America kills more humans via gun by nine am, than the entire world does in a day.

There are three problems in this country as I see it, the preponderance and overwhelming amount of guns in this country, mental illness, and the systemic and epidemic problems in policing of our communities.

With 400 million guns in this country, a failure to check the NRA - and a gun lobby that owns politicians, can we really do better?





NFTOS
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Roger West