Well, any community that doesn't have a civilian review board with the authority to investigate, censure, fire and prosecute police, then you live in a police state. It is that simple.

A couple of years ago, some police widows started barking about a monument in Washington DC honoring the dead police. That lasted about two sound bites when people started screaming about the number of UNINVOLVED people being killed each year by stray gun fire. I think some committee started research on all of the deaths and found that in the majority of cases, the officer was violating department policy, like high speed chases through family areas when the person chased was wanted for speeding. I remember I was shocked at the time by how many cops were killed by “friendly fire,” so when the true story of Tillman in Afghanistan came out, I wasn't surprised.

Hell, I damn near killed a fellow soldier in Vietnam when he walked around a building wearing fluorescent shorts and no one but the guards were supposed to be there. I was on full automatic when the color of the shorts finally registered. I was very very careful when I put my M16 back on safety and usually carried it unloaded after that.

Oh, and just an FYI, when Reggie Lewis collapsed, Officer Crowley was there to personally administer the breathing portion of CPR to Lewis. If he's willing to, instinctually, give CPR to a black man who has collapsed, the charges of racism and racial profiling ring hollow.

Specifically on Joe's point on miltarization, in the last couple of days we had a situation in Jersey City where a couple started shooting at police who came to arrest them. The couple then retreated into their apartment. The cops rightfully, emptied the building but instead of waiting out the bad guys who were absolutely trapped, or using tear gas etc, they went in with guns blazing. It was the military macho response and it ended with 6 police with gunshot wounds, one of whom died. Stupid, stupid, stupid.

The president does not regret anything he said last night about the Cambridge situation, said White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs, emphasizing that Obama did not say that the police were stupid. The president said they acted “stupidly'' in arresting Gates

After initially refusing, Gates provided his ID. The police officer confirmed the ID with dispatch, left the house and walked toward the sidewalk. Gates chased after him screaming that the officer was a racist and threatening that this will not be the last the officer will see of him. A crowd had gathered in response to Gate's yelling. The officer warned Gates 3 times to lower his voice. The officer than proceeded to arrest Gates for disorderly conduct.

What part of that was NOT acceptable?

crosspit, I had to read no more than this phrase to know that everything that followed would not be the utterings of a being with a modicum of actual knowledge……..naturally , I stopped there.

I’m certain that by the end of the day, Daily Kos or FireDogLake will have photoshopped the picture of Crowley into a KKK hood and gown.