Throwing a fit 2: Police and Pride

So everyone--police abolitionists, pride marchers...-- knows RIGHT where RantWoman stands

ANYTIME officers are on the street in uniform their badge numbers need to be clearly visible and not obstructed by anything.

Anytime someone tries to tell RantWoman that armed officers need to be added to schools, RantWoman wants to see twice as many hours of counselors and school nurse time.

NO, no matter how much FUN some might find it to drive around in tanks or other military vehicles the federal government does NOT get to launder the costs of foreign wars by saddling police departments with used military equipment the departments then get to maintain.

Considering the rise of the Proud Boys, in many cases not addressed by police, and other demonstration-related history of policing, the police have, um, a credibility problem    

Cops tell queers they need to work on respecting bigots

RantWoman's take on this episode: what religion permits large men to gang up on a smaller woman and pepper spray them? As far as RantWoman knows pepper spray is far from a wise proselytizing practice.

People standing in line at a bar are probably not prepared to come back at hecklers with Bible verses, but maybe turn the other glitter bomb? Or perhaps deploy silly string?

Unfortunately, if people want police help stopping the pepper spray proselytizers it helps to be able to cooperate with the investigation. Video tape any conversations. Give corroborating statements. Follow the case. What happened to charges? RantWoman wonders whether anyone has asked the OPA to investigate. 

RantWoman also wonders whether the pepper spray proselytizers actually attend any religious services because, ya know, it would only take a little imagination to turn a bigots' services into a drag show and love fest. In WA houses of worship are places of public accommodation and gender identity and sexual orientation are both protected categories... RantWoman is not sure she's ready to sign up, but...

Being a queer cop does not automatically make one a good cop--and good cops should not be tarred with the same brush as bad ones.

Swinging a golf club while Black

As an aside:

The Stranger What Amazon did to get rejected from this year's Pride

Yet given all of the above, if LGBTQIA+ police officers want to march in Seattle Pride, RantWoman would not have asked them to stay away and would prefer that the police chief not need to write the following letter to Seattle Pride. 

Seattle Police Chief Diaz Letter to the board of Seattle Pride 

Happy Pride everyone!