This is what I'm talkin' about.

posted by The Vidiot @ 8:12 AM Permalink

If you're a long-time reader, you may have read any number of my rants regarding how the police state is creeping up on us. One of the ways this is done is by acclimating and desensitizing the general public to the presence of armed troops, be it National Guardspeople or police in military-like garb. (That's only one of the reasons why I'm so disturbed by the militarization of our borders, by the way.) Well, take a gander at this. It starts out by describing how, when an unmarked, black SUV pulls up to the front of the Empire State building, and four guys in paramilitary gear pile out.

Excerpt: A stone's throw down the sidewalk, Abad Nieves watches the scene unfold. Nieves is a detective with the Intelligence Division of the New York Police Department (NYPD). Casually clad in slacks and a black leather jacket, he monitors the response of people loitering in the area. Is anyone making notes or videotaping? Does anyone seem especially startled by the out-of-the-blue appearance of a heavily armed NYPD squad?

On this day, Nieves doesn't see anything overly suspicious, but he is pleased that the deployment created a strong impression. Known as a Hercules team, it makes multiple appearances around the city each day. The locations are chosen either in response to specific intelligence or simply to provide a show of force at high-profile sites.

"The response we usually get is, 'Holy s---!'" Nieves says. "That's the reaction we want. We are in the business of scaring people--we just want to scare the right people."

Add to that "and train the rest of them to accept us as authority figures."

My suggestion? Keep some rotten tomatoes on hand. When you see these guys, pelt them.