A few years ago I did an internship at a small US think tank, related to policing/defence.
On the last day was a roundtable discussion, in which I was astonished to hear the senior directors effectively describe *all* Americans as potential threats. /1
On the last day was a roundtable discussion, in which I was astonished to hear the senior directors effectively describe *all* Americans as potential threats. /1
This was meant to be a fairly light wrap up for the British interns but represented our only opportunity to proactively engage with some fairly senior thinkers on defence/policing/CT etc.
After a month stateside I'd been struck by the sheer amount... /2
After a month stateside I'd been struck by the sheer amount... /2
of casual racism and tribalism, with one of our group violently assaulted in a bar for... being British.
During the discussion the directors' tone deteriorated to the point where they listed potential threats, all the way to, "... and Obama's supporters are getting angry." /3
During the discussion the directors' tone deteriorated to the point where they listed potential threats, all the way to, "... and Obama's supporters are getting angry." /3
We'd been warmly welcomed in by an African-American fraternity: the experience proved truly eye opening.
Stunned at the directors' collective tone, I challenged them as to how law/order worked if your entire society represented a threat & something must be deeply wrong. /4
Stunned at the directors' collective tone, I challenged them as to how law/order worked if your entire society represented a threat & something must be deeply wrong. /4
For over an hour a... near-snarling row from their point kicked off, on what should have been over in 20 mins.
In short it highlighted the deep fissures that was underpinning intellectual engagement with various challenges, and law enforcement in general. /5
In short it highlighted the deep fissures that was underpinning intellectual engagement with various challenges, and law enforcement in general. /5
I was aghast to hear *very senior* figures openly deride the majority of US citizens as being continually on the precipice of violent insurrection in such a blase manner.
This was really remarkable given no one had ever challenged them on their views. /6
This was really remarkable given no one had ever challenged them on their views. /6
All of which underpinned the think tank's approaches, education programmes - the works.
I held my own in a room of 20 for half an hour, with the other interns silent and trying to keep their heads down.
A few years later one of them said it was actually the best... /7
I held my own in a room of 20 for half an hour, with the other interns silent and trying to keep their heads down.
A few years later one of them said it was actually the best... /7
experience of our time stateside, as these experts were clearly never held to account and operated within their own deepset feedback loops - spreading & entrenching the problem further.
For whatever reason, footage of Jimenez' arrest brought this flooding back. /thread
For whatever reason, footage of Jimenez' arrest brought this flooding back. /thread
