Erstellt am: 22. 8. 2014 - 12:17 Uhr
Today's Webtip: Weapons of Mass Repression
I can still clearly remember one of my first impressions upon landing in Vienna in the 90's. I was absolutely shocked by the heavily weaponed patrols and guards at the Airport.
To be fair, heavily weaponed is relative, and I don't really know if the people wielding the weapons were military or police. But the impression remains, one that feels even stranger now that U.S. police forces more closely resemble something from Judge Dredd than from The Andy Griffith Show.
Now even small town police forces are being armed with millitary gear, SWAT teams are being used for things like issuing warrants for arrest, and the number of violent mistakes are rising.
The last couple of days have seen countless articles about the militarization of the police, with criticism coming from all across the political spectrum. But what does it actually mean? What are the tools that are being used and how do members of the military view their civilian use?
The Nation is currently running an article on the subject.
A Former Marine Explains All the Weapons of War Being Used by Police in Ferguson