Minneapolis is apparently about to abolish the police department

Crazy leftists have held up signs at demonstrations advocating abolishing the police department for a long time, but I never expected serious people to actually consider the idea, much less resolve to adopt it. I certainly never expected a veto-proof majority of the city council of a major American city to declare its intention to make that kind of idiocy actual municipal policy.

But here we are.

Yes, it would be, in the words of Animal House fraternity Delta Tau Chi president Robert Hoover, a "really futile and stupid gesture." But the death of George Floyd and the ongoing crisis in the abuse of force by racist police officers are too serious for that kind of crap. This is a time for earnest and deadly serious reform, not sophomoric stunts like abolishing police departments. And the fact that such idiocy is being looked at as a treatment for America's tragic birth defect of racism is a prime example of everything that is so desperately wrong with our nation right now.

While I await a description of what they plan to use for a replacement for a city police department with interest bordering on fascination, this is simply nuts. and I don't see anything good coming from this lame-brained idea.

Frankly, I always thought that if anybody ever tried this kind of insane anarchy, it would be the libertarian right. But it just goes to show that the psychotic hysteria that is sweeping over all elements of our political spectrum these days is more similar than different regardless of the point at which any particular group of extremists might appear on a political spectrum.

People are very far from being angels, "community-based" policing is a pipe dream, and as well as I wish the people of Minneapolis with this thoroughly nutty idea, the result is going to not only be ugly but a great deal uglier than its advocates will ever admit it was.

Left-wing craziness, in the last analysis, has an awful lot in common, when all is said and done, with Trumpism, whether the irresponsible folks on either side of the political spectrum are willing to admit it or not.

The bottom line is that Minneapolis is going to end up with a municipal police force. There may be an interim in which the clown in the Oval Office may have American troops doing their jobs in its streets. But the Minneapolis Police Department will be back, and when it's back the systemic societal problems at the root of the mayhem committed upon the minority population of American cities by racist white cops are not going to be improved by this. The percentage of black cops may be increased, which is to the good. There may be greater oversight and more accountability, which is essential. But this is not going to result in materially fewer George Floyds. It's only going to give the idiots a more convincing argument for repression and reinforce the fear that choked the life out of the man.