I was able to watch the taser spectacle that Lew had shown us a few days ago. There are a number of things that strike me about this whole sorry episode.

First, the officer obviously is acting according to his training, which is done military style. (More proof of the militarization of the police in this country.) In the past, the “poorly-trained” officer would have waited or just would have started writing the ticket while the woman was talking.

Second, it is clear that the police in this video were acting like members of an occupying force, and not as the cops of yesteryear. Everything was “by the book,” which tells us that the “book” is evil.

I also went to the discussion board and found a number of people who supported the police, which does not surprise me. One teacher wrote that we are supposed to be in complete obedience to everyone in authority, and that the woman got what she deserved.

Yes, the woman was a bit belligerent, but she posed no threat to the officer in the least, yet he assaulted her — and got away with it. I can only imagine what it is like in Iraq.