I think I may have gained some insight into why a large portion of America doesn't mind if police murder citizens for any reason or no reason at all. I think it's because they believe that any conceivable breach of law, no matter how slight, is worth an instant death penalty.
In the story above, a woman leaving leaving a party was dared to steal a Nazi flag flying from a neighbour's house. When the home-owner burst out of his house she dropped the flag and took off running, and the home-owner shot her four times in the back with a small calibre rifle. (She's obviously injured, but was rescued by neighbours and is expected to survive)
The comments are largely (well, overwhelmingly) of the "Well, I don't condone the Nazi flags, but he had every right to shoot her" variety.
This comment is a verbatim example:
"I don't agree with flying that flag, but I also don't agree with someone taking it upon themselves to steal it. Even though the flag is not one that I support, the owner is within his rights to defend his property and I would have to side with the owner on this one"
I've posted the article so that you can satisfy your own curiosity about the comments.
I think that in the mind of much of the Republican base, it is morally justified to murder (or attempt to murder) anyone, at any time, for any slight or infraction no matter how minor. I'm beginning to believe that much of the right's support for police brutality (and let's face it, police murder) doesn't stem from any particular lionisation of police so much as it does their fundamental belief that it always OK to kill someone if you've been slighted or if you feel you've been slighted. This would explain the Republican base's widespread support for Ken and Karen Rambo, their support for the arrest of Henry Louis Gates (because he said mean things to a cop), their continual support for the officers that murder American citizens in cold blood, etc.
I think that for this core group that can be roughly approximated as "The Trump Cult", the question isn't whether or not black lives matter, the question is whether or not any lives matter.
If you are so inclined, read the comments in the news article and decide for yourself.
I see your point and have come to a similiar one recently.
I think that any suggestion that you cannot shoot someone for stealing from you or being on your property scares people, regardless of the situation (largely). They want to know they can protect themselves. But I don't see criticizing how someone handles the protection of their property or life to be something we can't do. I don't care if it is the person's right, shooting someone shouldn't be the default in this case.
Sometimes, when I say that, people will tell me "well just invite them in for tea" or something similiarly stupid as well just try to talk to them if they break into your house and want to harm your family. The fact is, neither of those instances is a reasonable response to me saying shooting someone doesnt always have to be the first option.
I think part of what you see is not just that anyone that even slightly breaks the law is allowed to be shot but that anyone that disagrees with your political views deserves to be shot. I bet you if the flag was a soviet flag and the kids were from a good old republican family the comments would be different.
yep, whoever is on 'their team' gets a pass ... that's the kinda people they are.
Hit the nail on it's head :: and this aged very well; Their 'base' are deplorable, just like Hillary said. I don't even like Hillary, but she was spot on when describing these people.
They truly are the worst among us. Heartless, immoral types who truly do NOT care about life; their pro-life stances are hilarious because they take them, simply to have something to argue about. They LOVE to argue - to fight - they carry so much hate and cruelty in their hearts .... sadly they've been 'normalized' ... and I am not sure what this nation can do about them.