All laws are ultimately enforced with threats of violence. Don't pay...
· Comment — Miryam Strautkalns's post · View on Facebook · Markdown source
All laws are ultimately enforced with threats of violence. Don't pay your taxes? You'll be fined. Don't pay the fine? You'll be imprisoned. Fight being put in cage? You'll be beat down or killed by the cops. Of course, most people bend the knee long before violence becomes necessary, as they rightfully recognize that they can't win. But some people don't. In addition, some people are bullies, and enjoy beating others down. Cops rarely face punishment for abuse, as they enjoy qualified immunity. So policing attracts violent bullies disproportionately. Get too many of them on a squad, and sometimes they end up killing someone. Since many people like a) forcibly extracting resources from others b) telling other people what to do, legislators pass a plethora of taxes and laws. These laws are enforced by cops whose job--by definition--is to mete out violence if necessary. And there's heavy state propaganda to promote the idea that cops are heroes and are doing what's for the good of the country. Therefore, in the cop's mind, the violence they mete out is _good_ and _part of their job_. And most people go along with it. because they think value of the regulations/taxes outweigh the occasional person being severely beaten/killed at the hands of cops.