WhiteElk: Though i would agree to let police handle all that they can, i would highly disagree with the statement that police are our best bet for meaningful protection. They are too busy and too few. Their priorities are enforcement not protection -unless protecting businesses. Best to be responsible for oneself, walk softly, be smart, think ahead, and be able to protect oneself.
hedwards: Once you're in that sort of situation they're your best bet. The safest thing is to not be in that position to begin with.
And it's rather cynical to suggest that they care more about protecting businesses than private citizens. Businesses have the advantage in most cases of being in a fixed location.
i'm definitely not saying that cops care more about protecting businesses than citizens. But i do see, without doubt, that the policing priority in the United States is protection of business and wealth. i see this proved time and time again. And in the late 80's i had job contact with various policing agencies. At times we had to wait together and so there was talk. My biggest concerns were protection of my companies clients. So i often asked about policing priorities or questioned why response was so slow etc. i heard the frustrations and complaints those officers had about policing priorities.
i know that generalizing something will lead to inaccuracy. But i see the policing priority frequently not falling on side of the citizen. Not cool and not something to ignore. It grows worse.
