You have often discussed your position that the death penalty should be outlawed for the reason that the state shouldn't have the power to execute anyone, guilt, innocence, and morality aside. I agree with that judgement, and think it should extend to the police. Why do they get their own rules? How come if I shoot someone, because I'm scared, it's murder (as it should be), but for them, it's a paperwork headache at worst? There was a prominent case here in Detroit a few years ago where a team of cops stormed a house where they had good information a wanted murderer was staying. Instead of flushing him out, they busted through the door, guns blazing, and in the end, they killed a little girl. They got their murderer, but at what price? Is sure as hell didn't seem like a good trade to most people. I don't exactly know what happened to the officer, but I'd bet dollars to doughnuts that he didn't get a murder sentence.

All I've been able to conclude about race in this country is that I'll never be able to understand it. As a white, well-to-do man, all I can do is sympathize. There's no understanding, no empathy in me. I literally cannot relate to what it must be like to have the threat of a police state looming over me, at least in the background all the time. minimum_wage posted another article about not criticizing the rioters in St. Louis. I have to say that it strikes me as wrong (because rioting seems always counterproductive), but I know that I can't judge these people one way or the other. Their experience and mine in America are so dissimilar that it's hard to believe we come from the same country.