I've argued with friends about this since the 80s. I'm not sure exactly how it would work, but I definitely think it could. Do we really need a third party to solve our conflicts? Especially a third party as corrupt as the government. In a way, abolishing the police is an answer to Kaepernick, actually a step toward "ending America".

I just read this article in the Reader:

http://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/po ... d=23289710

I was unaware that there is an entire "abolish the police" movement, primarily led by queer black women. Of course that makes sense. The white guy on the northwest side can't imagine a world without police. In fact, he probably is the police. Additionally, when you are a capitalist hoarder you likely feel the need to protect all that you have hoarded from those who have less than you do.

The one statement that struck me the most in the article was this:

“People in Naperville are living abolition right now. The cops are not in their schools, they're not on every street corner.”

That may be partially true, but I don't believe it's actually abolition in action. People in Naperville have simply chosen to hoard their accumulated belongings far enough away from anyone who might be economically depressed enough to try to take them. I'm sure there is a plenty of police presence near the Aurora border.

The bottom line though is this: If we were starting a brand new society from scratch and setting everything up fresh, would we want police?

No.

Stuart Copeland

WOW! That's a surprise.

If you want to abolish the police in your neighborhood then I'd like to see it. For now, I'll stick with having police over my neighbors asking the robber to give me my stuff back.

Do you really think the police protect you now? Or do you just hoard your accumulated goods in a neighborhood where there are no poor people to threaten you?

Yes they do. They certainly do more than a coalition of neighbors that would ask the robbers to give me my stuff back do.

There are plenty of poor people around me and I actually have a door that is accessible from the street unlike many city dwellers.

People in Naperville have simply chosen to hoard their accumulated belongings far enough away from anyone who might be economically depressed enough to try to take them.

If you want to abolish the police in your neighborhood then I'd like to see it. For now, I'll stick with having police over my neighbors asking the robber to give me my stuff back.

So you prefer armed outsiders "protecting" you as opposed to you and your neighbors creating the type of place where you want to live?

Well, both would be nice. If I'm ever robbed at gunpoint and my neighbors want to ask the robbers politely to give my stuff back and they do then I would be pretty happy. I'll still be happy that I can call the police though.

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And how will calling the police help you in that situation? I think your better argument would be to say that the existence of the police prevents such things from occurring, although such a statement, particularly with regard to certain areas, is clearly untrue.

Did you just ask how calling the police when you are being robbed at gunpoint would help?

Name a society in the history of man who's first actions didn't include making laws and empowering people to enforce those laws.