system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
CMV: "ACAB" is ultimately going to hurt America more than it will help.

My view on the phrase “all cops are bastards” is that while it is a convenient way to express distaste with policing in the US it doesn’t allow any room for what is good and working.

For example: I recently saw a video where a person was getting arrested on the street. One cop cuffing him, another standing in front, and a third walks up and points a rifle to the suspect’s head inches away. In the comment section I saw a lot of “ACAB” type comments and there were discussions over if any of those cops were “good” and it seemed that the conclusion was “the one cuffing him may be the only one there doing good, but he’s a cop so he’s not.”

From where I sit there has to be good cops, and cops that want to do better. Cops still play a vital role in the country and while many seem to be questionable there are always going to be things that cops have to do.

How “ACAB” will ultimately hurt the situation is that with defunding and restructuring police in America we will still have cops, and I imagine many cops right now will still be cops then. At some point we need to accept that there are good cops, but “ACAB” doesn’t allow for that step. It’s an all-or-nothing point of view that doesn’t stem from any critical thinking nor does it allow it.

Note: this isn’t a view about police reform, social injustices, or anything other than a mindset that while may help changes things right now, will inhibit change in the future.  


Edit: My view isn't about the person behind the badge, it's about being able to accept when the system is better/good.

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gpt
Consider the phrase "stranger danger".  This is not say that all strangers are dangerous.  In fact, most strangers are probably awesome. However, we suggest that people _treat_ strangers as dangerous so as to stay maximally safe.

Similar, it's reasonable to treat cops as _dangerous_  or as _bastards_ (as "bad cops") because the implications of encountering a bad cop are so incredibly dangerous that it's unwise to do anything other than regard the cop you might be encountering as a bastard.

So...it's not a specific cop is indeed a bad cop or a bastard, it's that we ought approach them as if they are because it is unwise and dangerous to not do so.