Did Darren Wilson invent systemic racism?

The anti-climatic conclusion to this grand jury drama that has played out in Missouri, is that officer Darren Wilson will not be indicted.

Well, he should have been.

On the other hand, that would be letting the bigger villains off the hook.

Why are cops today trained to use overwhelming force first?

Darren Wilson is a product of his training and his socialization. Darren Wilson did not invent systemic racism.

Both Michael Brown and Darren Wilson are products of that system of institutionalized systemic racism that saturates America 150 years after Lincoln allegedly freed the slaves.

How cop shows glamorize police brutality

I'm not much for cop shows, or any TV for that matter, but the Farm Manger tends to watch this shit, and there's some version of the CSI franchise going on in the background as I write this.

The overall modus operandi seems the same in every show. Shit happens, and then the "good guys" show up with an overwhelming display of force to set things right.

That's pretty much how it happens in the real world these days. There is no policing problem that can't be solved with an overwhelming show of force.

That's why we've acquiesced to the rampant militarization of local police forces.

On the ground, that's led to stand-offs and egregious displays of police brutality like we've seen in Ferguson for a couple of weeks now.

On TV, it just leads to the triumph of the good guys over evil.

We should not overlook the role that popular culture plays in greasing our path to a police state.