"How We Train Our Cops to Fear Islam"

[Majormarginal]

Some "experts" are able to sell to the upper echelon of an organization. The cops on the beat understand what is BS and what is not.

I have been to classes taught by state, local, or national agencies that were excellent.

I have also been to classes taught by the feds that were more sales and PR fronts. What is being sold is that we are now "one happy family" in the war against tooth decay.

[Rex Brynen]

The cops on the beat understand what is BS and what is not.

It would be nice if that were always true. In my experience, however, it isn't.

[Bill Moore]

There has always been a market for snake oil salesmen, and despite having some of the best universities in the world our nation's popular culture is largely shaped by various forms of media that present stories for profit, not to provide a non-bias study for intelligent consideration of the audience.

The view above represents the extreme view that every Muslim is a potential terrorist, and then makes some stupid acquisitions about head banners being an indicator of being a terrorist. Some of his points on body language on the other hand were correct, so don't throw out the baby with the bathwater. Hopefully both Police and Soldiers can tell the difference between legitimate advice and BS. I guess we could use he same line of logic for the Italian Mafia. To be a member of the Italian you need to be Italian. Any Italian who discusses family matters in an airport must be referring to the Mafia and should be reported. Sadly, I'm sure that kind of logic would find a market somewhere. The views represented by this kind of extremist play into AQ's strategy of creating them versus us mindset.

On the opposite end of the extreme scale we have those who blindly embrace the philosophy of political correctness where no behavior is wrong, except for those who condemn someone else's views. Accuse a Muslim extremist who promotes violence to establish sharia law and abuse women within the U.S., then you are biggot in their eyes. Somehow in their perverse logic the Muslim extremist isn't? This group of PC extremists would leave our country vulnerable if it was up to them.

The reality seems to be that we do have a growing homegrown threat that needs to be addressed wisely, which doesn't mean over reacting which will only accerlate the spread of radicalism, nor does it mean ignoring the problem as the PC crowd would propose.

The responses also have to appease to the voters in a democracy, so it is important to pull the media into the role of informing insteading of entertaining the public so appropriate decisions are supported. I could make some comments about Congress, but rather not waste my time with that den of radicals.

[Pete]

... various forms of media that present stories for profit, not to provide a non-bias study for intelligent consideration of the audience.

Could be, but U.S. Army Public Affairs truly outdid itself in 2003 when it made up the story of Jessica Lynch's valiant resistance out of the whole cloth. Which is worse, "liberal bias" in the mainstream media or outright fabrications by people who ought to know better?

[Bill Moore]

Posted by Pete

Which is worse, "liberal bias" in the mainstream media or outright fabrications by people who ought to know better?

I felt sorry for Jessica and wanted to stomp on the PAO that came up with that trash story. Looked like something you would have read in National Enquier or Star magazine while standing in line at the grocery store. I would argue that story had links to liberal bias and the PAO was playing to it by drumming up a tale of a heroic female in combat. The U.S. couldn't get enough of it, but quickly were reminded that many of our PAO generated stories are just B.S.. I don't know what is worse, the liberal media doesn't disappoint me anymore because I expect it to be bias and left leaning, just like I expect Beck and Limbaugh to be bias and right leaning, while on the other hand while I expect B.S. from our PAOs, it still disappoints.

Joe, thanks for the post above.

[Jedburgh]

Giduck has been milking the Beslan cow for a long time. And those who are better qualified to critique the event - and there are a few - just don't do the training circuit gig. There are also a few issues with his bio - when speaking about his own background he's master of avoiding direct claims while still implying as much as possible. And well before the Washington Monthly piece, there was a standing trend on various forums, that whenever Giduck was publicly criticized, there were almost immediately new members posting in his defense. This thread from '07 on SOCNET makes for an entertaining read-through.....