William Barr says 'communities' that protest cops could lose 'the police protection they need'

[Demovictory9]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2019/12/04/william-barr-police-protests-communities-race/

Speaking to a roomful of police officers and prosecutors on Tuesday, Attorney General William P. Barr drew a parallel between protests against soldiers during the Vietnam War and demonstrations against law enforcement today.

But this time, he suggested, those who don’t show “respect” to authority could lose access to police services.

“Today, the Americans people have to focus on something else, which is the sacrifice and the service that is given by our law enforcement officers. And they have to start showing, more than they do, the respect and support that law enforcement deserves,” Barr said in pointed remarks delivered at a Justice Department ceremony to honor police officers.

Barr added that “if communities don’t give that support and respect, they might find themselves without the police protection they need.”

While Barr didn’t specify what “communities” he was referencing, activists decried his speech as a clear attack on minorities who have protested against police brutality and other racially skewed law enforcement abuses.

“Barr’s words are as revealing as they are disturbing ― flagrantly dismissive of the rights of Americans of color, disrespectful to countless law enforcement officers who work hard to serve their communities, and full of a continuing disregard for the rule of law,” Jeb Fain, a spokesperson for liberal super PAC American Bridge, told HuffPost, which first reported on the comments.

[Sherman A1]

1. Seems to not understand

That is not up to him. Police forces are a local issue, not federal.

Moron

[underpants]

2. those who don't show "respect" to authority

[duforsure]

3. Barr's sentencing hearing

Will be a pleasure to watch. The most corrupt AG this country has even had. Justice will prevail he'll see eventually.

[Demovictory9]

5. he is unbelievable

[BuffaloJackalope]

4. This guy has no business being the Attorney General.

He should not be in any position of power at all.

[blm]

7. ✔️

[HuskyOffset]

14. Disagree. He should be in the position to control the power

to the license plate stamping machine in one of our federal prisons.

[Botany]

18. Barr is not really the A.G. but the consigliere for the Trump wing in Putin's international ...

... crime network.

[mountain grammy]

22. True of everyone in this administration

Barr is the worst.

[Dustlawyer]

29. I have been wondering why a man who had the respect of a lot of people

and a good career would audition to be in the Trump WH. Now I understand, he is just as racist as Stephen Miller!

[ms liberty]

6. That is a threat. I hope he gets what he deserves. n/t

[Clash City Rocker]

8. If police provided protection to those communities, there would be fewer protests

What they usually provide is intimidation, and the occasional assault.

[democrank]

9. What an empty, black hole Barr is.

He doesn’t want protesters to question authority, yet he ignores laws he doesn’t like.

[The Wizard]

10. Many protest

because they need protection from the police.

[UCmeNdc]

11. Remove this guy from his leadership position!

[Bernardo de La Paz]

12. "Nice little community you got there. Shame if it got broken."

"You people -- you should be grateful for the few drops of services we let trickle down to you. And don't complain if it is harsh because it is by design. So shut up and suffer in silence."

[wallyworld2]

21. what digby posts

[Roy Rolling]

13. Wake the Fuck Up!

What people don’t realize is that protestors against the Vietnam War were right!

Protesting against immoral wars and a corrupt war machine was a moral imperative for those of us who marched.

So in this case, the analogy is strangely apt.

Losing the protection of trigger-happy or dishonest cops is a blessing, not a curse.

And by withdrawing cops from communities, puts ALL POLICEMEN AND WOMEN (CORRUPT OR NOT) OUT OF A JOB.

Barr is a fuc*ing idiot.

[Augiedog]

15. By extrapolation that suggests if we protest him, we will loose him. Sooner the better.

[Botany]

16. Barr is very wrong on 3 points:

People were not protesting the soldiers in Vietnam but that we had soldiers in Vietnam.

The DoJ does not control local police departments.

The right to protest is protected by the 1st amendment.

Barr is a clear and present danger to America and her people.

[Farmer-Rick]

17. Actually losing some of those police organizations all together would be a good thing.

Here in TN we have county cops, city cops, state cops and federal cops.

So Barr will remove which of the many layers of police control? Each of these layers have their own people, own laws to enforce, own penalties, own jails and full infrastructure.

What with the lack of tax revenue, getting rid of some of these would actually put less pressure on the populace as each organization trys to extract funding through excessive fines on minor violations.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

19. Cops protect communities?

[CaptYossarian]

25. They serve and protect WHITEY.

If the police go away, maybe life expectancy will go up again.

[spanone]

20. the sooner we get these criminals out of office the better

good god almighty

[wallyworld2]

23. reminds me of

Sinclair Lewis

It can't happen here.

Republicans are priming the pump for 'it' to happen here

[Takket]

24. Nobody protests police. They protest brutality. They protests criminals

[DallasNE]

26. "Protection' Is In The Eye Of The Beholder

To call Barr an idiot would be an insult to idiots. Many communities would welcome a little less of that police protection Barr is talking about. Just ask the parents of Mike Brown, for instance. The same would apply to the Hispanic community and their relationship with ICE as they rip families apart. And it doesn't end there either. Just ask the black family that lives in fear of the knock on the door from CPS as they rip children away from their parent(s). That is a broad swath of people living in constant fear of this "protection". It is simply not natural to respect the oppressor - and make no mistake, that is what is happening. Police "protection" is very different depending on the race of those being "protected". Respect can only come when the nature of policing changes. We know that community policing works so why did we abandon community policing? It certainly was a political decision rather than a policing decision. Barr knows how his message will be received and that was the whole point. He wants the racial divide to remain and nothing like playing the fear card to assure that will be the case. Barr is the problem, not the solution. Barr must go - along with all of those that are like minded.

[AllaN01Bear]

27. local plolice forces are paied by home owner property taxes and the feds have nothing to say.

[PubliusEnigma]

28. Just like a good little Mafioso.

Now the DOJ offers "protection".

[Perseus]

30. This ass of a human is really nuts, he must be impeached, he is a danger to siciety

How do they become that insane? that hateful?

[Hortensis]

31. Who needs to hear more to understand what these people have become?

This rejection of the rights of citizens and redefining of the role of authority could only be clearer if they ordered police or troops to machine gun protesters in the streets.

[world wide wally]

32. Trump's lawyers need to go back to law school

Both Barr, and Guiliani

[Volaris]

38. they can take law classes in prison, right?

[world wide wally]

40. Jailhouse lawyers

[SummerSnow]

33. Sounds like he wants a Gestapo here in the U.S.

[duforsure]

34. Sounds like a threat to me.

[MasonDreams]

35. Ok fat boy with the big glasses, let's think this through before

BEFORE you get even more stupid. You have obligations to the govt, humanity, and in your case God. Be good or be gone.

[Firestorm49]

36. How unAmerican. How dictatorial. How arrogant.

Hey Barr, this is not a perfect world. Mistakes, intentional or unintentional, occur every day.

Is this fool saying that racist police should go unchecked? Is he saying that crimes by law enforcement should be swept under the rug and go unchallenged? Gestapo? He sounds more like Vlad than the top law enforcement officer of the United States if America.

I for one, support police. I wouldn’t want their job in any circumstance, and I sure as hell want a cop there when in any dangerous situation. However, I also believe that our system is set up to deal with adversity through the liberties afforded us by the Constitution, and Barr has no fricking right to promote Nazi like attitudes on the public.

Barr is a disgrace, and nothing more than another mouthpiece for Mother Russia.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

37. Sounds like a threat

Impeach the motherfucker.

[Hermit-The-Prog]

43. he needs bars

[greenjar_01]

39. Barr knows this happens in fact: police in Chicago have abandoned neighborhoods

that they felt were "against them." Barr is essentially greenlighting such behavior.

It's shocking beyond description. We don't owe fealty to the police.

[Initech]

41. Cops that murder unarmed citizens aren't exactly protecting them.

What is this? Thunderdome? Are we living in a society where it's every man for themselves? I mean WTF?

[lunatica]

42. Communities should tell soulless Barr to fuck off.

He doesn’t get to decide such things.