While acab is probably too generalized a term to apply to ALL police forces in the world..... Interpreting acab in absolutes is also kinda silly and needlessly pedantic.

If I were to say all Nazi are bastards...... Would we be making the same arguments? Surely there were Nazi that were forced to join the party, surely there were Nazi giving years of their lives to serving their communities, risking their lives and health.

The point of ACAB is to highlight the inherent and institutional failures of policing actions native to the vast majority of western democracies. Where police are primarily utilized to protect property and institutional power, rather than protecting the most disadvantaged communities in our society.

[–] Venicon@sopuli.xyz 3 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Trouble with that theory is that I think regular people won’t hear something like ‘All Cops Are Bastards’ and immediately think ‘well they probably don’t mean all cops’. It literally says it there.

Maybe because I’m Scottish living in Scotland I’m separate from the US side of the movement/argument but knowing so many good people in the service who have probably done more for their communities than some people spray painting on walls it just sounds so blatant. If it was a different slogan then I doubt people would have an issue with it but not everyone hears all the details about what it apparently means online or whatnot, they just see the words.

No desire to be pedantic at all, just explaining why a lot of folk won’t get behind the message.

[–] kaffiene@lemmy.world 1 points 2 years ago

As a New Zealander, I feel the same way about ACAB as you. I definitely have issues with the Police and I definitely think they're a racist institution (NZ stats back that up) but ACAB is a shitty slogan IMO

[–] AtariDump@lemmy.world 0 points 2 years ago

All Carsalesmen Are Bastards.

I say defund the dealerships!