From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
<< We both know the realities of our respective groups, but are unable to get
people to see the wider picture! >>
Very true, IG, but there is a considerable difference between our respective
groups, in that the police - though not in a direct sense "government agents"
- are in a position of authority over other citizens. They apply the laws,
and the regulations which CCs make up by themselves, "force policy" etc,
which the State uses to control us. And while bad apples among shooters can
be (or should be, cf Central Scotland Police & Hamilton) weeded out by the
wide discretionary powers given to CCs by e.g. Section 27, and your average
shooter is not rich enough to fight oppressive rulings in court, various
high-profile instances of police corruption & incompetence have confirmed
that the police are a law unto themselves...
While not wishing to paint absurd alarmist pictures of police oppression, or
make the bobby down the road (mine's called Adrian) seem like a fascist
brute, you cannot separate oppressive government policies from the agents who
enforce them. In occupied France during WW2, order could not have been
maintained by the German forces (comparatively few in number) without the
French police, most of whom remained in their jobs. And closer to home, the
co-operation of the Channel Islands authorities with the occupying forces is
notorious. In both cases, the police have come in for sustained criticism,
rightly so.
The same principle applies to you and your colleagues, IG. You might dismiss
this as paranoia - I don't know how much interest you take in politics - but
an increasing number of us are seriously alarmed at the destruction of
liberty in this country. When the Met say they will exclude protesting
truckers from London, on the shaky pretext that terrorists might seize the
opportunity to plant bombs, what are we to think? Are they concerned purely
with the public good - or has some politician bent the ear of the Chief Plod?
Draw your own conclusions.
My point is that many people distrust the police not through superficial,
unthinking prejudice based on a small number of bent coppers, but because
they are alarmed by the growth of authoritarianism in government, and the
readiness of the police both to encourage (cf ACPO's lobbying to squeeze gun
owners out of existence) and enforce authoritarian policies. It's not good
enough to say you're just obeying orders. I don't accept equivalence between
the two groups - police and gun-owners - in the way you imply.
BTW IG (Ian? Ieuan? Ivan?), please don't call me "Ant", or "Tone" for that
matter. Anthony or Tony will do - or "Sir" if you hail me in your
professional capacity...
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