ACAB doesn't mean every single cop on an individual level is a morally bankrupt shithead.

[joepie91@fedi.slightly.tech]

@hosford42 @mynameistillian The idea of "creating change from within" is mostly predicated on the unspoken assumption that the system or organization is fundamentally benevolent, and is being distorted or corrupted from the inside by elements which can be removed.

The problem with that assumption, unfortunately, is that things don't really work that way - any organization or institution will, given enough time, reshape itself to those which participate in it, their beliefs, their value systems, and their power dynamics. So even if an organization started benevolently, if the rot inside has been left unaddressed for long enough, it becomes part of the structure of the organization.

Is it possible to reverse this process, sit out the process of reshaping, and reshape it back towards something benevolent? On paper, yes. But the problem with that is that benevolence requires moral integrity, and moral integrity is expensive, in both time and energy - but malevolent actors have no such cost to their actions, they can pretty much do whatever is the easiest, no matter the cost to others.

The result is that every organization that's "interesting" (read: holds some amount of power and becomes a target of those who wish to wield it for their gain), will slowly trend towards malevolence as time goes on, with the benevolent participants always being at a disadvantage, and much more easily burning out. It's a war that can never really be won, only slowed down. And that war comes 'for free' with every institution of power.

So when officials resign, it's not necessarily because they don't have a spine, or because they give up easily - usually, it means that they have spent long enough 'in the trenches' to recognize this dynamic, and (correctly) concluded that it is an unwinnable war. At which point they'll usually either give up entirely, or switch to more radical strategies that aim to reduce or remove that power, since that's ultimately at the root of this dynamic - centralized power.

[noodlemaz@mstdn.games]

@mynameistillian @livinghell crap joke about the old meaning of bastard.

[kiloku@burnthis.town]

@mynameistillian in other words: being a cop makes you a bastard.

[pezmico@mastodon.nz]

@mynameistillian Golden opportunity to post one of my fav memes.

You might appreciate it too.

#ACAB

[someguy@beige.party]

@burnitdown @hosford42 @mynameistillian

The system is working as intended.

[2something@transfem.social]

@mynameistillian@plush.city

I think part of what it means is that a truly good cop will eventually get fired (or become bad).

[maypop_neocities@wetdry.world]

@mynameistillian idk what being assigned crab at birth has to do with cops in the first place?

[kichae@wanderingadventure.party]

Aaron To get into a high enough position within the system to have any meaningful control over the system means having participated in the system to such a degree that the system itself has repeatedly rewarded you.

People who want to change systems do not get rewarded by those systems. People who get rewarded by systems are not incentivised to change them.

[yza@plush.city]

@burnitdown @mynameistillian @hosford42 besides, you *can't* reform the police from within. reform comes from the government. within the police the best you can do is choose how to follow the orders you get from the govt, which really doesn't go all that far, even if you were the top cop in the counrty

even if that weren't the case good people have a way harder time getting promoted. cops that call out others for racism, brutality, illegal acts etc

[yza@plush.city]

@burnitdown @mynameistillian @hosford42 cops witrh resolute ethics tend to get ostracized or even mysteriously kill themselves the morning before providing evidence to a court about police misconduct, mere days after telling family "if i turn up dead it was not suicide"

(this is not a hypothetical situation, if i'm remembering right)

point is, to go far as a cop often requires looking the other way - especially in police forces most in need of reform

[yza@plush.city]

@mynameistillian ACAB also means you have to treat any cop you interact with as though they are the worst cop you may ever meet, because that's the risk you always face

[burnitdown@beige.party]

@Yza @mynameistillian @hosford42

there is no such thing as reform. it's a euphemism for reputation laundering.

[yza@plush.city]

@burnitdown @mynameistillian @hosford42 yep. i was using the term as generously as possible for the sake of discussion, but you're sure right

here's an example of how reformation is used to protect the police:

during 2020 police abolition got a higher approval rating that both then presidential candidates. the democrats managed to convince people that it was an unpopular slogan that would alienate potential allies

[yza@plush.city]

@burnitdown @mynameistillian @hosford42 they talked people down from abolish the police to defund the police. soon that became too spicy for them too and the cry became reform the police. it wasn't long before biden was running on a platform of 'fund the police'. how are you possibly going to reform them without spending money on training after all? and by training i mean giving the cops money under the assumption things will work themselves out