Eh, I don’t think “power corrupts” applies mostly in these situations. That would imply these cops weren’t racists or pedos until they joined the force and got that power.
In these cases I think it’s more that these bad people, racists and pedos, seek out the positions of power that are available to them - law enforcement positions.
But yeah I totally agree law enforcement has a problem of being extremely far right. If it is, which it is known, then people with similar ideologies will flock to those positions even more.
I mean, I get what both of you are saying, but I’d argue that the phrase “power corrupts” still applies here.
It’s a feedback loop of being above the law that feeds into these police gangs (like the one in Texas, I believe, that were called because “two black men are staying with a white woman.” The gang went over and sexually assaulted and then pulled the trigger of a gun they shoved in one of the two guys’ mouth. They literally pulled the “let’s sprinkle a little crack on ‘em and get out of here” move. They said it was a drug deal gone wrong—yes, they planted drugs.)
These guys push each other to test the limits of their power abuse further and further. Just like 4chan users tried to one-up each other’s shocking memes and shit, these groups of cops try to out-“badass” each other.
So I do think that their power plays a part in this. Of course the power didn’t make them racist pedophiles, but—especially in Germany, they got a taste of getting away with things people never get away with, and they explore those things. In Germany, sharing and displaying swastikas is illegal. So, I think the taste of untouchability that comes with being a cop definitely fed into their sharing and espousing these views.
It’s a feedback loop of being above the law that feeds into these police gangs (like the one in Texas, I believe, that were called because “two black men are staying with a white woman.” The gang went over and sexually assaulted and then pulled the trigger of a gun they shoved in one of the two guys’ mouth. They literally pulled the “let’s sprinkle a little crack on ‘em and get out of here” move. They said it was a drug deal gone wrong—yes, they planted drugs.)
That happened in Mississippi, but point taken. I’m also reminded of the rampart scandal in LA where the cops very literally formed a gang, inspiring The Shield.
By the way, those turds pled guilty and will likely be spending the rest of their lives in prison, where they will assuredly have a wonderful time.
U.S. District Judge Tom Lee said the men will be sentenced in mid-November. Dedmon and Elward each face a maximum sentence of 120 years plus life in prison and $2.75 million in fines. Hartfield faces a possible sentence of 80 years and $1.5 million, McAlpin faces 90 years and $1.75 million, Middleton faces 80 years and $1.5 million, and Opdyke could be sentenced to 100 years with a $2 million fine.
Yeah I can agree to say that power corrupts even worse. Or maybe power amplifies the already corrupt.
My only argument was that these types generally don’t start out as bright shining stars, then the position of power corrupts. They’re probably already bad.
But yeah the power then probably can make it worse.
My biggest question is how the fuck do we fix this? Difficult not to feel hopeless.
I agree on the point that “they are racist/pedo because of the power they receive” is pretty much false in this situation.
But i would say that this is not the only meaning behind “Power corrupts”. (What follows is only a personnal opinion, there may be some wrong usage of terms or anything) To me, it also means that power corrupts our ways of thinking : believing in a strong power, even if you do not hold it, tends to makes this power more important than human lives or conditions. Like “Police is important, so it’s okay if some peoples get hurt to protect it”. In other words, the more you believe in power, the more it may become an end rather than a tool. This is were the corruption is to me.
I think that people get racist because they believe in some kind of great cause that should held power (like Homeland, Historical Background, Race, etc.). Then they consider normal to use power for this cause, even if it is against other people. Maybe it’s not the same thing for getting attracted to young people. But doing pedo crimes always involve some power in the very act of it, and to some extent in the decision making that led to it.
To sum it up, imo the hate and weird attraction of those cops basically mean that they think they have, or that they should have, a legitimate power over other people (minorities, kids, etc.). Even if it’s not the specific power that they got as cops that corrupted them, it is their belief in power more generally. (and as other said, the power they got as cops probably reinforced all of this, as a vicious circle).
