...it's the Feds.They just really rub me up the wrong way. I don't want to, I strive not to follow the crowd, but everything I've taken down in evidence can be used against them.
Like growing up in Northern Ireland and watching my father (a Catholic) being carted off by the police (inevitably, as instruments of the British state, Protestants).
When I was a sixteen or seventeen, and an exile in Australia, I was stopped and searched a few times. On one occasion, the officer looked in my wallet, where I happened to have the picture of a (male, of course) crush. The officer looked at the picture, and looked at me, and I felt about an inch tall. Violated? It's not quite on a par with rape by truncheon, but it's still an invasion of privacy. When I was eighteen, a gang of Aboriginal youths mugged me and a Vietnamese date (George, the second boy I ever kissed), threatening us with a syringe of blood on our way to Perth's only gay bar. There was a police station across the street and a couple of officers saw what happened. They were laughing and joking. Heard the one about the Abos robbing the fags? 
In London, the police took away my best friend. He was innocent, but not blameless. They tasted blood and hounded him until his life was utterly destroyed. Was it just coincidence that he's young, black and successful? It isn't cliché after all. It happens.So I don't like the police. Not very original, I know. But it's based on personal experience, not media hype and peer pressure. The funny thing is, NYPD Blue, Law & Order, The Shield, The Wire and old school episodes of The Bill are amongst my favourite TV shows.
There's a thin blue line between love and hate...
(Pictured: Henry Simmons in NYPD Blue, and Aml Ameen in The Bill.)
if there's one thing I hate... DOORS!
if there's one thing I hate... CAPTCHA!
People's experience with the police varies a lot, especially depending on where on the socio-economic ladder you fall. Usually the higher up you are in your respective society the better the relationship you have with them.
ReplyDeleteThe strange thing is though, despite so many countless negative experiences with the police we (US) still have this idealistic depiction of them in our collective imagination. Though that might be because those that craft that imagination are higher up on the ladder.
I think in all those shows you mentioned, with exception maybe of the NYPD Blue, portray the police in a less than idealistic realistic view. The wire especially.
Still, I'm really sorry for what happened to you when you were in AUS. Some cops can be douches.
I hate the, too.
ReplyDeleteBut my reasons are completley biased and based on the influence my tele has had on me brain.
Plus I get pulled over a lot but I don't actually ever get cited for anything.
I find that experience stressful and pointless.
Although I do find cops retardedly sexy for some reason. And I am now a security guard.
Witness my tortured psyche ;p
*shrug* My other half was a police officer for 12 years, so I get to hear his side too. A lot of times it really depends on the person and his/her personality, and how dedicated they are. Sadly, most of the good cops usually get inside desk jobs, and the losers/crazies/rookies get the foot beat (patrols). There's very little chance you'd get pulled over by a nice, respectful Sergeant or Captain.
ReplyDeleteAlthough... I dunno. Sometimes it's a frame of mind too. I've had my days when I'd yell at some unfortunate underling of mine. Like now, for instance. If I have another misspelled report arriving in my inbox.... somebody's gonna get barked at and written up!!!!!