Did this really just happen?

[_Res Ipsa]

Probably. But the graphic is what I think is needed. Perhaps the problem is slogan culture sucks, and the kind of change needed isn't compatible with slogans? Slogans work when their ambiguity captures imaginations ("Hope", "Make America Great Again") that people can fill in as they will without doing damage to the core idea

The issue with Defund the Police is it can be taken literally or symbolically...and the two are incompatible. One can mean something like redirect funds or decommision and abolish the police...and the ideas are incompatible. It's provocative and self-destructive.

Yeah, but what the hell. Literalism is so yesterday and Humpty Dumpy is in. Antifa means leftist. Literally means figuratively. They is first person. And don’t get me started on decimate. If the folks leading this movement use “defund” to mean “reduce funding,” who am I to argue? The police aren’t kneeling on my neck.

[_Res Ipsa]

If you have to say “we really mean” twice, you’re doing it wrong.

Hey man, you will always be at a disadvantage with the mob if you're relying on them to understand nuance.

Word.

[_Some Schmo]

Well, to be clear, I am not one who thinks we don't need police. I do agree in principle that we need to narrow their focus and assign many of the tasks we ask them to do to other agencies. That makes perfect sense to me. Catching actual criminals should be their only focus, not roughing up innocent protesters or other extracurricular activities.

[_honorentheos]

Probably. But the graphic is what I think is needed. Perhaps the problem is slogan culture sucks, and the kind of change needed isn't compatible with slogans? Slogans work when their ambiguity captures imaginations ("Hope", "Make America Great Again") that people can fill in as they will without doing damage to the core idea

The issue with Defund the Police is it can be taken literally or symbolically...and the two are incompatible. One can mean something like redirect funds or decommision and abolish the police...and the ideas are incompatible. It's provocative and self-destructive.

Yeah, but what the hell. Literalism is so yesterday and Humpty Dumpy is in. Antifa means leftist. Literally means figuratively. They is first person. And don’t get me started on decimate. If the folks leading this movement use “defund” to mean “reduce funding,” who am I to argue? The police aren’t kneeling on my neck.

Sarcastic or otherwise, I have heard defund used to describe contradictory things by multiple people to the point it doesn't seem clear it means the same thing to enough people to have meaning. Cops aren't kneeling on my neck. But that doesn't mean it is not my concern.

[_Some Schmo]

Yeah, but what the hell. Literalism is so yesterday and Humpty Dumpy is in. Antifa means leftist. Literally means figuratively. They is first person. And don’t get me started on decimate.

They say they enjoyed reading this. You literally decimated the zeitgeist.

Translation: I liked this.

[Guest]

DP

[Guest]

Well, to be clear, I am not one who thinks we don't need police. I do agree in principle that we need to narrow their focus and assign many of the tasks we ask them to do to other agencies. That makes perfect sense to me. Catching actual criminals should be their only focus, not roughing up innocent protesters or other extracurricular activities.

When "defund the police" is defined that way, it makes more sense. It is certainly arguable that the police have been tasked with too many disparate responsibilities. For example: When state mental health institutions were closed down and defunded, too many of our jails and prisons became, in effect, default mental health facilities, tasked with services they were ill equipped or ill qualified to provide, thus often throwing people who were basically just mentally ill in with career and often violent criminals. I think this was and is unfair to both the affected mentally ill and dedicated law enforcement officials.

[_Jersey Girl]

Well, to be clear, I am not one who thinks we don't need police. I do agree in principle that we need to narrow their focus and assign many of the tasks we ask them to do to other agencies. That makes perfect sense to me. Catching actual criminals should be their only focus, not roughing up innocent protesters or other extracurricular activities.

When "defund the police" is defined that way, it makes more sense. It is certainly arguable that the police have been tasked with too many disparate responsibilities. For example: When state mental health institutions were closed down and defunded, too many of our jails and prisons became, in effect, default mental health facilities, thus often throwing people who were basically just mentally ill in with career and often violent criminals. I think this was unfair to both the affected mentally ill and dedicated law enforcement officials.

Was? Do you think it's different now and if so, why?

[_Gunnar]

Was? Do you think it's different now and if so, why?

Come on now! You know I didn't mean to imply that it's different now! See how I amended the post.

[_Jersey Girl]

Was? Do you think it's different now and if so, why?

Come on now! You know I didn't mean to imply that it's different now! See how I amended the post.

Oh yeah? Did you amend it before or after you read my post?