Sunday, August 21, 2005

For JM

"Be the best kind of policeman; the one who serves justice, the one who works not for laws and authority structures -- but for finer worlds." - Planetary, Chapter 10, Warren Ellis

4 comments:

  1. Hey, bro

    Justice is the pursuit of the profession. Thought I missed your comment? Ha! Fear my trained-observerness. Oh, and my .45, that's scary too.

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  2. Scary? But... but... you're so cuddley?

    My first comment!

    I'll always remember this day!

    Well, not the day, exactly... more like the thing... the effort.

    Okay.

    I'll probably forget everything.

    I blame alcohol.

    [Oh yeah, if "justice is the pursuit of the profession" what happens when the laws are unjust, o' wise one? Or does cognitive dissonace not allow such ruminations? :) ]

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  3. Ah, how ironic that I'm the first to comment on your blog! I'm usually so good about staying in touch and sending emails and all.

    rob said...
    [Oh yeah, if "justice is the pursuit of the profession" what happens when the laws are unjust, o' wise one? Or does cognitive dissonace not allow such ruminations? :) ]


    Then I suppose it's up to good people to change the laws. You'd be surprised at just how much law is 'case law' and how much a good testimony on the stand can really change how judges (and later-on other lawmakers) interpret the Constitution. That's a quick answer. You and I both know changing law is much more complicated. Also on a criminal law note, I always have officer's discretion on how I enforce the laws until they're changed. Besides, there will always be a question as to what is 'unjust', 'unfair', or whichever word you want to use.

    jm

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  4. "Then I suppose it's up to good people to change the laws."

    Alternatively, good people could ignore unjust laws, good people who are cops could refuse to enforce them and we could all arrive at the conclusion that law doesn't equal morality.

    Slavery, Jim Crow, Apartheid, Prohibition... all lawful.

    But of course no laws like THAT exist anymore. We're so much more advanced and refined.

    [The rest of your argument is far to lucid and rational too argue. Damn you! This is the internet! Give me something to work with, will you?]

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