Stop asking why the Texas police response was a clusterf#*k

[maxrandb]

When bad shit happened in the Navy, we immediately looked at leadership.

The rot in Texas comes from the head down. Elect incompetent pieces of amphibian shit as your leaders, you get incompetent pieces of amphibian shit from law enforcement to dogcatcher.

That's what happened in Texas. That's why the law enforcement response was FUBAR!

In the Navy, we called it Command Climate. It's cultural. Have shitty leaders, get shitty actions.

All that law enforcement in Texas was doing, was reflecting the leadership they have voted for over decades.

GW Bush

Rick Perry

Greg Abbott

You elect bags of dicks like those Asspickle, you get cowardly, incompetent, corrupt Dipshits in 10 Gallon Hats throughout every fucking agency in your state.

So please, stop asking how the law enforcement response was fucked-up. The SNAFU response was as predictable as the next mass shooting.

Fixing this soup sandwich will require massive leadership change in Texas, and NOT at the lower levels.

The fish rots from the head down.

[oswaldactedalone]

1. Well said

[Diamond_Dog]

2. Excellent post. Well said.

Yep - the incompetence at the top breeds incompetence all the way down.

[Docreed2003]

3. K&R

I used the phrase "soup sandwich" in conversation about this disaster just this morning. You are 100% correct. This is a systemic failure of leadership.

[The Magistrate]

4. Exactly, Sir

"The troops are the mirror of their officers."

[SYFROYH]

5. We can do both.

Im not letting the street lev cops off the hook if they were trained to respond differently.

[867-5309.]

6. I want them held accountable

Are Texas police shittier because of GQP rule? Yes. But we still need incidents like this pursued, all the while trying to defeat their masters.

[snowybirdie]

7. Anyone else catch

the Mayor calling Beto a son of a birch at the news conference Wednesday? A good old fat bellied red neck in a mainly Latino town? Bet he's a really effective leader.

[evolves]

9. Looking at the pictures of that press conference,

I was immediately reminded of the photos of the leering cops in Alabama and Mississippi during the Civil Rights movement in the 60s. Unfortunately, not much has changed in 60 years...

[shelshaw]

13. And he said it to the future governor of Texas

[NJCher]

15. writing teacher

Loves this descriptive writing: A good old fat bellied red neck in a mainly Latino town?

[deRien]

26. If the community is

70-80% Latino why did they elect him? Not sure about the political demographics of that area but why was a minority white male elected for this job?

[Wounded Bear]

27. Electioneering in its various forms is not limited to higher offices...

It happens at the local level, too.

[jaxexpat]

29. Though they may outnumber their Anglo fellows,.....

Texans of the latino community are all too aware of just how easily they can become " wetbacks" even if their ancestors were there before the American immigration of the nineteenth century. That sort of unspoken terrorist threat is what underlines Texas' politics. It's that aspect which made LBJ such an outlier in his cohort that he took the amazing step of signing the civil rights act into law, ensuring the south would turn Republican and remain so in perpetuity.

[thinkingagain]

57. Or because no one runs

I live in one county cross the river to
Work in another fairly red area. Just saw a list of who filed To run for all the local offices almost everyone is running unaposed I’m pretty sure even all republicans

[Texasgal]

62. Unfortunately..

Many Latinos in Texas are republicans. Why? I have no idea. although I suspect they are largely Catholic.

[uponit7771]

70. 50% of Mexicans view themselves as white. Lived in Texas, there needs to be DNC ground game ...

... the likes of Stacy Abrams there in force

[Irish_Dem]

8. Our children are slaughtered, police refuse to intervene, we are told nothing can be done.

No one takes any responsibility, everyone throws up their hands.

The GOP is breaking the heart and soul of America and we are letting them do it.

[Emile]

10. That's why I ask who was telling the police what to do!

The police captain or whatever they call him needs to answer for their bad leadership decisions.

[IronLionZion]

11. Abbott loosened already loose gun laws

and the mayor is a sick SOB

[Aristus]

12. As a veteran, I love it when fellow veterans bring hard-headed military practicality to important

social issues. That's why I trust liberal veterans, but not right-wing ones.

Well said.

[Traildogbob]

16. Damn right

Us sailers can paint a picture with words. Took me years to stop using “Fuckin” as an adjective for everything.
This post my fellow salty, is extremely well said. In rough seas, you head the bow straight into the worse of the waves. No fear. The ship is a smaller target when you head straight into the enemy fire. No fear. I was on a small Tin Can Guided Missile Destroyer. We had no fear of a rocking boat.
Time to rock the damn boat of Democracy to save it.
Happy Memorial Day to all my soldier brothers and sisters. Wait, not a time to be happy, it’s time to respect the lose of our fellow service people.
So, peace be with you all soldiers on a day to remember sacrifices. May your seas be calm on this day.

[Aristus]

20. I was a tank crewman in the Army, not a sailor. But I respect our Navy veterans.

[Traildogbob]

22. I respect all of us.

Army and Marines took the fight to the face of the enemy. Our Seals, bad ass as are all Special Ops. We all gave other branches hell but when the fighting started, we all had each other’s back. And still do as veterans. Except Air Force, they are wusses, 😉. Just kidding. It’s the Coast Guard, Navy Shoreline sailors, scared to go deep out there, that are wusses, 😉 again just kidding. Cheers to every service member active and veterans. Have a heart felt weekend with loved ones, many sacrificed back home, as we served.

[towerbum]

66. same here - V.N. vet !

[Permanut]

60. Back atcha, Traildogbob..

Tin can sailor here, USS Sampson, DDG-10. Service in the Atlantic and Mediterranean, not Nam, but when trouble was brewing, like the 1967 "six day war", we headed straight for it, and waited to assist as needed. Didn't get involved, but we didn't know it was going to be six days, either.

Fair winds and following seas to you.

[Traildogbob]

61. 🤜🤛

DDG 18 USS Semmes. Ops Specialist Petty Officer 2nd Class. Loved my job. 3 times a Shellback. Loved being a Sailor. Still taste the salty air. Have a great weekend.

[sarge43]

36. As we used to say in the wussie fly force,

shit flows down hill and spreads out.

[Skittles]

58. DAMN STRAIGHT

I have a hard time understanding why American military folk would fall for obvious propaganda / support fascism. WE LIBERAL VETERANS TRULY UNDERSTAND THE VALUE OF FREEDOM.

[bucolic_frolic]

14. It's almost as if police were waiting from orders from a higher up

Could that possibly explain the delays?

[dwayneb]

17. Very very true

Well written summary of the situation.

And as you point out, the solution will require massive leadership change.

Which will NOT happen anytime in the foreseeable future, because the people that can vote for that change are fully brainwashed and will goosestep behind Abbott and Cruz and Trump and all the other Fascist trash they think they adore.

[CaptainTruth]

18. Well said!!!

[Fla Dem]

19. You nailed it.

[secondwind]

21. TRUTH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Traildogbob]

25. The list of superstar elected

Texans need to include Cruz, Gomert and Paxton as well. And the Mayor of Uvalde. Son of a sick bitch.

[90-percent]

23. lest we forget

Dim Son LIFTED the assault weapons ban in 2004 because NRA.

And he was also riding the popularity wave of our ILLEGAL INVASION of Iraq in 2003.

Hey, if the U. S. of A. can invade a sovereign nation based on lies, then it's perfectly acceptable for POOTY-POOT to do THE EXACT SAME THING by invading Ukraine nineteen years later.?

We lost the moral high ground after war mongers rumsfeld, cheney, wolfowitz, stupid doug feith and many many others that want to exploit America's "New Pearl Harbor".

The PROJECT FOR A NEW AMERICAN CENTURY coincided with the SC's illegal appointment of GWB in 2000, ILLEGALLY AND INCORRECTLY DECIDED. Based on winning is the only thing, even for "impartial top cop beyond reproach" legal ninja judges

-90% Jimmy.

[OMGWTF]

39. If there's ever a REAL investigation into 9/11/01

PNAC should be Exhibit A.

[calimary]

43. Indeed.

We can painfully and too-obviously be certain what the “Project” was for the “New American Century.” We’re seeing it play out now.

How appropriate that the GOP’s color is the color of blood. In this case, blood that flows out of the body of a gunshot victim.

Republicans, you must be so proud. Your team color is oozing out everywhere.

[towerbum]

67. yellow run's deep !

[calimary]

69. Welcome to DU, towerbum.

Kinda feels like we're all attending a wake, or sitting shiva or some such thing.

My best friend called, and told me the same thing I told her: "I've been crying since Tuesday."

[towerbum]

71. thank's , better news here !

[PortTack]

24. RULE 303!!

[Wounded Bear]

28. K & R...nt

[Tommymac]

30. K&R for the TRUTH. Well done.

#GOTV2022

[lostnfound]

31. Corporate experience? The same. Incredibly good CEO changed entire climate in a few months

One of his right hand men pointed out to me,”you know — it was only the top layer he changed. All working people stayed the same but company turned around. What does that tell you? All management problem.”

He told the rest of leadership to decide if they were going to be on the same team with him, stop fighting with each other and started rowing the boat in the same direction.. one of the great turnarounds.

Another one of his expressions? If someone did something stupid he might say “okay..so who hired the son of a (*****)?”

He also absolutely did not tolerate racism.

[Joinfortmill]

32. 👍

[keithbvadu2]

33. I would never imagine that a police spokesman would say/admit that.

TX Police Lt. Says Cops Were Reluctant to Engage Gunman Because 'They Could've Been Shot'

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100216733612

I would never imagine that a police spokesman would say/admit that.

[FakeNoose]

34. How much does the state governor influence local police management?

I totally get your point about not electing Repukes for ANY office.

However in the case of the Uvalde shootings, the local police failed to act either because of bad training or bad management. This isn't the fault of the Repuke Governor is it? I'm not sure how much of it can be pinned on Repuke Senators and Congressmen. Their collective failure is in their denial that guns (particularly assault rifles) must be regulated/outlawed and it's because they have no integrity. They take way too much money from the NRA and various rightwing PACs to be able to judge this situation clearly.

We need to stop asking the so-called leaders of the Repuke Party - we need to start TELLING THEM! Their own constituents need to start TELLING THEM. If they don't get with the new program of gun control and banning of assault weapons, then they'll be out of their cushy Washington jobs.

The Mayor and the Chief of Police of Uvalde need to step up and start answering questions now. Clearly the police department has no idea how to deal with this, and everyone is passing the buck. The Governor (as odious as he is) is superfluous here.

[DENVERPOPS]

72. bad training or bad management.?????????

Bad training or bad management my ass........pure cowardice.............

[BlackSkimmer]

35. Spot on.

K and r.

[birdographer]

37. Well said

Could not agree more.

[orwell]

38. Kind of like...

...a certain clusterf*ck in Ukraine led by the biggest dick sandwich, Vlad the Bad.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

40. I may not know enough about what's going on but gathered that the issue

Of course along with all you said, but particularly here was the lack of armor. And the budget had been doubled so that was an open question yesterday as to why not protective gear and what they did with the money

[gulliver]

41. Great post!

And well said!

[Glaisne]

42. Just like the SNAFU

of the electrical system was predictable. Red State America is a mess.

[MFGsunny]

44. Plus a million. NAILED IT! n/t

[Handler]

45. Well said 👍

[LymphocyteLover]

46. It makes me want to puke to think that Abbott is still favored to get re-elected

How much more damage can this sick SOB do?

[Shipwack]

47. I agree 100%, but that's not the whole story.

Fellow squid (ret) and new Texas resident here. I agree, "the fish rots from the head down", but it's worse than that.

The police system in the US is broken, not just in Texas. This is the second time (that I know of) that the stated reason for the slow response to a school shooting was "I was scared to get hurt". The police culture in the US teaches at least two things:

1) Everyone out there not in a uniform is your enemy.

2) Your life is far more valuable than a citizens.

"Oh, that black kid in the park looks like he has a rifle. I'd better drive up next to him and shoot him before he knows I'm here, even though it is legal to carry a rifle in in public in this state"

"I thought his cell phone was a gun, so I shot him."

"That gunman is killing innocent children? I know my police car has 'To serve and protect' scrawled on it, but he has a gun and can shoot back. I'll stay here where it's safe, and physically abuse some parents that are whining too much, to show them who's in charge."

[maxrandb]

53. Spot On! It's the "get home safe" attitude.

Heard this same shit from a National Guard spokesperson after a couple of ignorant flyboys buzzed a crowd of protesters at 40 feet during protests in DC.

First words out of the spokesman mouth was "the safety of our Citizen Soldiers and Airman is our HIGHEST priority"

I can't tell you how fucked-up that statement is.

I was in the rear with the gear during my 30 years in the Navy, except for one time I had to dive under a desk in the sandbox, and the one time I suited up to fight a Main Space fire.

I was, and am no hero. But even I know that my safety was NOT EVER the HIGHEST priority. Safety was incredibly important to us, and we didn't take stupid and unnecessary risks, but it was drilled into me that my HIGHEST priority was the protection and safety of my country and my Shipmates.

Safety is important to the National Guard, but the HIGHEST priority of the Guard is the safety and security of the people they serve

Had that been their true priority, they would not have put their fellow citizens at risk by such a dangerous cowboy move.

Had the protection of the people they served been Texas law endorsements HIGHEST priority, they wouldn't have stood around for 40 minutes while a man slaughtered children.

[Cozmo]

48. Yup! Texas got what Texas voted for and if they don't wake up, then too bad for them and their kids

[moondust]

49. And locally the mayor.

Last edited Fri May 27, 2022, 06:24 PM - Edit history (1)

Don McLaughlin has been Uvalde mayor since 2014. He's the one who yelled “you're a sick son of a bitch” at Beto. I'm guessing he's probably a MAGAt as 60% of Uvalde County voted for TFG in 2020.

ETA: Wondering to what extent authoritarian toadyism played a part--similar to Russian military failures due to Putin being told what he wants to hear, that Ukrainians will welcome "superior" Russian troops with open arms, etc. Greg & Co. seem like they, too, might not want to hear "facts" they don't like.

[hamsterjill]

50. So what are you saying to those of us in Twxas

Who have worked our asses off to elect progressives and have no chance in hell of getting that done because the Republicans cheat?

Can I come and live with you? We can’t all leave, you know.

[Permanut]

65. We tend to generalize about this state or that state..

which shouldn't happen. Thanks for the reminder.

[Cha]

51. TY!🤷‍♂️💖

💙💛

[Evolve Dammit]

52. Long way from LBJ and Ann Richards. Molly Ivins died too soon. Is Hightower still active?

[Shipwack]

55. Yes. Link below.

https://hightowerlowdown.org/

I get his news letter.

[Evolve Dammit]

56. Awesome! Thank you

[asa4ever]

54. If you want to blame someone, blame the Supreme Court.

I am not a lawyer so I don't know if they could have voted the other way. It is unconstitutional to hold police responsible for not saving people.

[PatrickforB]

59. Ah, you have elevated hyperbole to an absolute art!

Your rant reminds me of the now horribly politically incorrect movie, Full Metal Jacket, and R Lee Ermey's brilliant performance as Gunnery Sergeant Hartman, the senior Drill Instructor.

I remember his happy little soliloquy: "If you survive this training, you will be a weapon, a minister of death praying for war. But until that day, you are pukes, you are the lowest form of life on earth. You are not even human fucking beings. You are nothing but unorganized, grab-asstic pieces of amphibian shit!"

Great stuff.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

63. Is it simply a party change? Because that wouldn't explain the Minneapolis Police Department.

[maxrandb]

74. There is no comparison

Yes, there are problems in a lot of Police Departments. The major differences are, in places with good leadership and good government, leaders take responsibility. Leaders demand accountability.

All we have seen from Retrumplicans since Ray-Gun, is a lack of POaccountability. When is the last time you saw a Republican admit they were wrong? When is the last time you saw a Retrumplican take responsibility?

Their entire political philosophy is to never admit they were wrong. That lack of accountability and humility permeates their entire administration.

Minneapolis entered into a consent decree with the DOJ.

Investigations and criminal charges were demanded by the leadership of Minneapolis and Minnesota.

The Governor, Mayor and City Council didn't claim that it was "fake news".

Hell, Retrumplicans won't even admit when they've lost.

If you don't think that type of "leadership" makes a difference, then please tell me who you work for, so I can avoid that business like the plague.

[AdamGG]

64. Wouldn't have dreamed (or nightmared) that it was possible that

GW Bush would be the most competent Governor of Texas in 22 years.

[prodigitalson]

75. I was thinking the same thing yesterday

Perry was far worse than Bush (way more corrupt) then came Abbott who was as corrupt as Perry but much more of a radical ideologue. Bush was a disaster of a president but a mediocre governor. Which is way more than I can say for Perry and Abbott.

[live love laugh]

68. Just like the power outages.

[eppur_se_muova]

73. The Texas Constitution was designed to produce weak, ineffective government.

The Governor has relatively little power, and the Representatives receive very low salaries. If you don't have some other source of income you can't afford to serve in the Lege. Originally, this meant only rich Anglo ranchers, or those who were *very* open to bribery (Beef, Broads and Bourbon were the typical "currencies" of political negotiation) could afford to enter gov't; later, the rich oilmen joined in. Both kept the government on a tight leash, and that hasn't changed even as the composition of the Lege has changed to include other wealthy businessmen. The TX gov't is there to serve the wishes of wealthy Texans, and that includes keeping all those poor brown people as powerless as possible -- in other words, a Republican version of Paradise. It would require fundamental, radical changes in the TX Constitution to bring real change.


https://www.texastribune.org/2012/04/13/lousy-pay-great-benefits/