“46 Prince George's County officers suspended or on administrative duty,” The Washington Post headline informs us.
The three Prince George's County police officers arrested as part of the sweeping federal investigation into corruption in the county represent only a fraction of those accused of wrongdoing, according to police officials and internal department records.
Bear in mind:
[T]hree of these cases are known to have a direct relationship to the federal probe that led to the arrest this month of County Executive Jack B. Johnson (D).
Charges against “at least 10 of the suspended officers… include driving while intoxicated, assault and drug possession…”
Then there are “nine others...suspected of criminal wrongdoing that includes sexual assault and theft,” and “[a]t least seven officers are either suspended or on administrative duty because of an allegation of excessive use of force…”
It’s no surprise for those of us who follow such things. Prince George’s County law enforcers have made recurring appearances over the years in the “Only Ones” Files at my online journal, The War on Guns: Notes from the Resistance. Consider these incidents:
- One of Prince George’s finest, with a history of abusive and violent behavior shoots unarmed deliverymen. The department’s initial reaction is to consider how the victims can be charged with assault.
- Another pulled a gun on a real estate appraiser.
- A prisoner died from strangulation. We further learn “There have been several problems recently at the county jail, including a former police corporal convicted of murdering a man who was found with a handcuffs key. The county's director of corrections was fired in early June when four handguns went missing from the jail armory."
- They killed the pets of “innocent victims” and did not apologize because “officers felt threatened.”
- One of their lieutenants racked up four DUIs, a cruiser, a hit-and-run, a…
- Here’s one where they weren’t at fault. Home invaders posed as police. How is someone to know, particularly with the way this gang conducts itself?
- PGC sheriff’s deputies forced their way into a woman’s apartment and pepper sprayed her to serve a warrant on a suspect who was not there. And even though her rights were violated, it was all within “protocol.”
- Then there's this: "More than 20 guns seized by a state-run firearms task force in Prince George's County are unaccounted for, and investigators believe that one of the weapons was used in the shooting of an off-duty police officer late last year…”
Understand that these are glimpses based on infrequent and random story tips—as with the “Only Ones” Files in general, I don’t go looking for them, so it’s reasonable to assume a dedicated effort would show this merely scratches the surface.
Here are some other excessive force and other incidents to consider. Then consider this: The Prince George’s County Police Department has1,683 employees that includes 1,420 sworn officers. How many companies have you worked for of comparable size that exhibited this level of outright criminality?
This protection racket is what the citizenry is forced to shell out over $250M a year for? And the brass is complaining about cuts?
This is not “just a few bad apples,” as the ubiquitous police [state] apologists would have us believe. For every one exposed, there’s an entire support system of co-workers, superiors and subordinates who witness attitudes, behaviors and actions every day and keep silent, going along to get along, to protect their own place at the table and/or activities. And as the Johnson case, and before that the case of Baltimore Mayor Against [Your] Guns Sheila Jackson demonstrate, it’s not just the police. The entire system is corrupt and appears to be more a criminal enterprise than a government—but I repeat myself.
Then keep in mind that Maryland is a “may issue” state requiring an approved “good and substantial reason” to obtain a handgun carry permit (see Dave Workman’s related column), so they have the option of saying “No.” Even the purchase of handguns or a so-called “assault weapon” is subject to a seven-day “waiting period” for the police approval process.
They have to make sure you can be trusted.
Also see:
Who are the ‘only one’ we can trust with guns?
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Portland enacts new rules to stop "gun murders"
Oregon Firearms Federation evaluates the latest “crime control” measures that are doomed to fail.
Click here to read the latest alert, and here to revisit previous coverage in this column.
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Trigger Sports RECORDED!
Despite some audio problems that the crew will be working on over the next week to resolve, yesterday’s special 100th episode of Trigger Sports LIVE! was a lot of fun, and included a quite a few special outtakes to celebrate the occasion.
If you missed it, no worries. Click here to watch "Special Guests: Rachel Parsons-NRA, Barbara Crown-Hunt Report...Mark Walters-Armed America Radio, NSCA Main Event - Orange Course, IDPA - Bakersfield, CA and more!"
And, of course, yours truly, looking a bit scruffy these days, especially when compared to dapper host James Towle in his red blazer and tie!
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Force multiplier help wanted--inquire within
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Comments
"Can corrupt government legitimately decide who it allows to keep and bear arms?"
No, of course not. And no legitimate government of voluntarily associating people would even try.
I must say, why should a government of HUMANS be in a position to tell ANY OTHER human what they believe is best for them?
Do no harm...its simple, easy and if followed means a nice world!
I mean self defense never means to initiate force...(and Mamma Liberty, where have you been?)
"Can corrupt government legitimately decide who it allows to keep and bear arms?"
This begs the question: "Can ANY government legitimately decide who it allows to keep and bear arms?" when those arms may be the tools by which the people replace their government.
The answer to both questions is, obviously, 'no'.
Those people which list Government as being legitimate believe God established Government to punish the wicked, this does mean when the wicked do become plentiful then God will destroy that Government.
Can *legitimate* government decide who (among free people) it allows to keep and bear arms?
According to both our Declaration of Independence and various Constitutions, no, it cannot.
Illegitimate government; those in governmental positions using power outside the bounds authorized by law; criminals acting as a government; none of these has a place anywhere at all.
(See Marbury vs Madison and Norton vs Shelby County to name two crystal clear legal decisions stating the same thing.)
Excellent article, as always, but Frank In FL nailed it; should ANY government have the authority to disarm those whom it seeks to rule? Obviously, applying the word 'legitimate' to any facet of the recent spate of increasingly tyrannical moves by the statist law enforcement machine, is a bit out of place. The current regime bears no resemblance whatever to the republican form of government envisioned by the Founders. Therefore, why should any citizen recognize their 'authority', when the Founders clearly said that they derive their power ONLY by consent of the governed?
The Second Amendment was not necessary in a federal system with narrowly-defined powers. It still isn't. As it is, the amendment is a tripwire. Violation of that basic right *is* an unmistakable signal that the government is corrupt.
I think I know where our host was going in this article. I think I know what the previous posters meant with their comments. But I feel I need to take a different tack on this one.
"Government is not reason; it is not eloquent; it is force. Like fire, it is a dangerous servant and a fearful master." -- George Washington
Governments, all governments, whether just or unjust do what they are allowed to do by the people they govern. Even in a Stalinist state, one has the choice to tell the government you can kill me but you cannot tell me what to do, say or think. Thomas Jefferson repeated to the world Locke's ideas about why governments exist. Jefferson also told us how to tell whether a government was just or unjust, and what we must do in the latter case.
If you have never been to Arlington cemetery, I highly recommend it. Stand under those trees and look out over grave markers as far as you can see. I'm sure every one has its own story. But I am also sure that not one of those service men and women gave their lives so that any American citizen would have to live under the kind of corrupt government that exists in Chicago, IL., New York, NY., or Prince George's County, MD.
Now, what do the citizens of Prince George's County or the rest of us do about it? The founding fathers and those men and women under those grave markers are waiting for our answer.
DDS -- NRA Life Member
One of these days we're going to work on that quote sourcing...:)
http://www.guncite.com/gc2ndbog.html
"While this quote is often attributed to George Washington in his Farewell Address, this quote cannot be found there. Many people have tried to verify its origin, but cannot confirm its authenticity."
And I have a special prize for the Yamamoto "blade of grass" cite...:)
And typical of government, you've been following all the body screw-ups being discovered there of late...at least Teddy Kennedy's final resting place is OK, thank goodness...
People are still arguing about who wrote Shakespeare's plays as well. Adams either said or wrote the same idea multiple ways. Some say that means he never really said/wrote it at all. Preposterous! Some of this stuff will never be decided well enough to satisfy everyone. Much of the stuff on the internet is also questionable. We should try to avoid the stuff that is obviously false. But does that mean we can never use anything that isn't obviously, unquestionably agreed to by everyone as to the source? There's also the problem of one historical source quoting another. Part of the ideas in the first part of The Declaration of Independence were "borrowed" from Locke's "Treatse of Government". Jefferson never gave him credit. Possibly becuse everyone in his day knew where the ideas originated. Should we stop quoteing Jefferson because we aren't as familiar with Locke as Jefferson's peers were?
Whether the quote is accurate or not my point remains valid. All governments govern by the consent of the governed. You cannot govern a dead man. Even Stalinist Albania's people got fed up enough to make the country ungovernable and ended up overthrowing and executing their dictator and his wife. The people of Chicago, New Jersey, New York, California, and Maryland live under their poor excuses for governments because they, in large, part choose to do so. They should be ashamed of themselves for the way they have squandered the liberties bought for them by the bloodshed of their betters.
DDS -- NRA Life Member
I showed this thread to my brother-in-law who is a former USAF intel officer and speaks fluent German. He now teaches AP American History to high school kids. He was also an Air Force brat who lived in Germany in the 1960's. On the subject of quote accuracy he commented "Ich bin ein Berliner". It seem as a young man he listened to Kennedy's famous speech in Berlin. Did Kennedy say "I am a citizen of Berlin" or did he say "I am a jelly donut"? Look up the dispute on that one for an eye opener.
DDS -- NRA Life Member
A corrupt government can and will do anything that the people will let them. That can't do it legitimately though. Anything that such a government does that is Unconstitutional is null and void but it takes a populace that is willing to actually do it's duty to uphold and defend the Constitution before such government can be stopped.
You answered your own question when you wrote the word "Corrupt". No government can legitimately tell anyone what they can and cannot have unless that government seeks to control those who control it though the vote. Government by it's very nature seeks more and more control over those that control it and thus it is an ever ending battle between those who created the government (the public) and the government itself. As the public we are losing this battle and soon we will lose the amendments if we do not get more active in the ballot boxes and contain Congress. Serious ridicule of the government is at an all time high.
Unfortunately, the history of mankind is the history of governments not giving a rodent's posterior about legitimacy, and rarely much more about the appearance of same. Governments, all governments, do whatever they can get away with, and are always seeking a way to get away with more. It is up to us to draw the line and say, "This far and no farther!"
As Chairman Mao said, (watch David shoot this one down too) "Political power grows from the barrel of a gun." Governmental force can only be checked by the will of a free people willing to re-assert their control of their government with force if necessary. "Tree of Liberty", "blood of tyrants", and so forth. I believe Jefferson did say that one. ;-)
DDS -- NRA Life Member
"watch David shoot this one down too"
Not at all, DDS: "Problems of War and Strategy" (November 6, 1938), Selected Works, Vol. II, p. 224.
:)
Will the people of this county send these betrayer's of public trust to prison not only for the crimes they committed individually but also for betraying public trust while on a public payroll. Serving the public was always a public trust but somewhere along the line that changed when we became known as public employees (union term) instead of public servants who were there to serve our bosses known as the public. .
NOPE!
"If the police insist on acting like an army of occupation, their subjects will insist on acting out their roles in return. Vive la Revoluccion! - author unkown but thanked.
David you asked the question, “Can corrupt government legitimately decide who it allows to keep and bear arms”
The sad answer is “YES” they can. Because the people believe they can not win!
Law means nothing to these goons even though they claim to be the law. “Absolute power corrupts absolutely” Yes it’s a worn out saying but its true!
These clowns have NO legitimate right to be in power but yet they are.
It’s easy to blame an uninformed electorate but is it the fault of the electorate that has been dumb down with fluoride and other neural suppressants.
David the Republican leadership in the House hasn’t even taken power yet and they’re backing away from their support for a REPEAL of Obama care.
They are also trying to block Ron Paul’s chairmanship to the House Banking Committee.
We are going to see a repeat of 1994: promises were made but never be kept.
Why…
Because they are tyrants and they are illegitimate.
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