One neighborhood's attempt to change.

[LittleRaven]

This is the story of Powderhorn Park, in Minneapolis, and how they've tried to fight police violence by vowing never to call them. Results are....mixed.

It's a fascinating story. Give it a read.

https://imgur.com/a/itYlcqf

[clearspira]

Punish the many for the actions of the few. Throwing the baby out with the bathwater. Cutting off your nose to spite your face.

That what getting rid of the police is.

All this does is reinforce my view that too many Americans have a John Wayne fantasy - the lone gun fighting the evils of society in a world where the authorities are useless. And when you think about it, this is a recurring trope among American media. Clint Eastwood, Stallone, Arnie, Vin Diesel etc. all advocate the one man army as something to look up to and idolise.

When this fad dies - and it will however temporarily when cooler heads return - I hope it does not end with a little girl frantically calling the police for help and finding none because her parents were big brains who shouted f-k the police.

[LittleRaven]

THAT'S what you take away from this article?

I mean, Americans as a whole may or may not have a John Wayne fantasy, but that's certainly not what THIS neighborhood is about. Do you honestly think any of these people even own a gun?

[G-Man]

All this does is reinforce my view that too many Americans have a John Wayne fantasy - the lone gun fighting the evils of society in a world where the authorities are useless. And when you think about it, this is a recurring trope among American media. Clint Eastwood, Stallone, Arnie, Vin Diesel etc. all advocate the one man army as something to look up to and idolise.

This isn't a John Wayne fantasy. It's a "thugs are misunderstood angels" fantasy, and the "Danearys bodysurfing on a crowd of brown slaves" fantasy.

https://afrofantasy.net/2013/06/13/dear-sff-fans-a-lot-of-the-stuff-that-you-love-is-racist/

These guys aren't fantasizing about protecting themselves from criminals. They are fantasizing about how they are standing up for the poor oppressed minorities who will surely repay them with love and adulation.

[Darth Wedgius]

That is an interesting story. I don't think I'd be so charitable about being held the victim of an armed robbery.

I wonder how many people will read the bit about not holding criminals responsible for their own actions and think what a wonderful sentiment it is, and how many people will read it and think it's silly.

Hopefully it works out for everyone and nobody gets hurt.