Sunday 30 November 2008

Behind the Songs: I Kill Therefore I Am

"Farewell to the gangsters, we don't need them anymore
We've got the police force, they're the ones who break the law"
--Phil Ochs, "I Kill Therefore I Am" (1969)

Our Enemies in Blue

Our Enemies in Blue examines the history of police violence from a radical but pragmatic perspective. Uniting theory and practice, the book provides a resource useful to activists, scholars, and citizens concerned about the encroaching police state. Kristian Williams traces the evolution of modern police forces from slave patrols and protection rackets, critiques "community" policing, explores racism in law enforcement, and suggests strategies for combating police violence. Our Enemies in Blue shows that police misconduct isn't just a matter of "bad apples" but is a function of the very nature of policing in the United States.

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