WMUR Feeds Fear, Not Solutions

By on January 10, 2013 in

Was anyone else as disturbed as I was watching a military style drill in a New Hampshire high school this week?

I have a lot of years of experience but this newscast of a bunch of boys-and-their-toys goes down as one of the most shocking, irresponsible pieces of “journalism” I have ever seen.

The story was of some militarized police staging an action in a high school, I think it was Bristol, all decked out in their fanciest bullet proof duds and high tech assault weapons, the kids streaming out of the school as if it were another Newtown.

They would not have staged it had the media not covered it. Do they want us to accept this militarization of police as the new normal? Do they really believe “Playing Army” is a realistic way to enhance the safety of our kids?

It was jaw-droppingly irresponsible.

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  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Joshua-Harvey/829214815 Joshua Harvey

    Well put!

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Tony-Jankowski/100000702021060 Tony Jankowski

    I guess I’ve seen it far too often, but I think the militarization of police is already apparent. Look at the Bearcat. Look at these swat teams. I’m not interested in funding those operations. I read stories about the TSA switching colors of uniforms from white to dark blue because “Darker colors enhance intimidation.”

  • hannah

    Police weaponry and outfitting have to be addressed at budget times. While I am not a budget maven, mostly because the media always focus on the numbers of dollars, rather than what it proposed to be acquired and deployed, budget hearings are mandated at all levels, citizens are welcome, and items can be removed and appropriations denied by via the votes of our elected representatives. Even “gifts” from the feds have to be housed and maintained. So, if funding is cut out, they’re less likely to be accepted.
    Yes, some of this stuff has already been paid for. But, it is a sound business principle that we don’t throw good money after bad.

    • Graham

      The Manchester Board of Alderman just approved one such military-style “gift” from DHS to the Fire Department. The Fire Chief admits that it will cost $5,000 per year and do nothing to fight or prevent fires. To say nothing of the $600,000 added to the Federal deficit.

  • Graham
  • http://www.facebook.com/elkingrey Seth King

    If we think this is bad, just imagine the type of terrorizing the empire is guilty of towards people over seas.