Police reform

How Civil Asset Forfeiture Could Undermine Efforts to Defund Police

Shadowproof —Between 2001 and 2017, the federal government seized $40 billion from ordinary people and high profile criminal defendants, including major corporations, through asset forfeiture. The money was funneled into the Assets Forfeiture Fund (AFF), a trust founded in 1984 through the Comprehensive Crime Control Act as part of the War on Drugs.

10 Reasons Why Defunding Police Should Lead to Defunding War

Since George Floyd was murdered, we have seen an increasing convergence of the “war at home” against Black and brown people with the “wars abroad” that the U.S. has waged against people in other countries. Army and National Guard troops have been deployed in U.S. cities, as militarized police treat our cities as occupied war zones. In response to this “endless war” at home, the growing and thunderous cries for defunding the police have been echoed by calls for defunding the Pentagon’s wars.

The System Is Rigged: Qualified Immunity Is How the Police State Stays in Power

CHARLOTTESVILLE (Rutherford–– The system is rigged, the government is corrupt, and “we the people” continue to waste our strength by fighting each other rather than standing against the tyrant in our midst.
Because the system is rigged, because the government is corrupt, and because “we the people” remain polarized and divided, the police state will keep winning and “we the people” will keep losing.

Struggle Theater: Don’t Let Theatrics Shroud the Reality of Systemic Oppression

The crowd cheered. I hustled to slide the fresh battery into place, snap the latch closed, click on, and survey the scene. On their knees, protestors in front of the newly erected fence applauded as a cop on the other side took a knee. Around him, other cops seemed to take no notice, shifting in their riot gear as the sun slowly dipped behind the White House. I didn’t bother taking a picture. Shallow displays of solidarity are easy and pathetic, both in practice and in pictures.

Americans May Be Ready For Real Change-- And We're Stuck Choosing Between Two Status Quo Stiffs

What? by Chip ProserIt's been about 2 weeks since several officers from the Minneapolis police department brutally and virtually routinely murdered George Floyd and then lied about it, not knowing they would be exposed by a cell phone tape. Those officers are responsible for a "Defund the Police" movement and more.