I was once arrested by the RCMP (charges dropped)--and have experienced first hand how this organization operates through intimidation tactics. I thought it would be appropriate to present John Clarke's article about RCMP oppression. John Clarke is a former major organizer of the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty (OCAP). He posted the following on Facebook this … Continue reading The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP): An Organization of Oppression
Category: Police
The Reality of Police Action: The Use of Force Against a 95-year Old Woman
I read an article on Saturday, May 20, in the Toronto Star newspaper. I mentioned this to my wife, who was shocked and began to cry (her mother is 85). John Clarke, former major organizer of the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty, commented on this article recently, and added a link to the Guardian's account. John … Continue reading The Reality of Police Action: The Use of Force Against a 95-year Old Woman
Should Cops Belong to Unions?
John Clarke, former major organizer of the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty (OCAP), posted this recently on Facebook: "Cops, of any type, are not workers. No cops should be anywhere near unions or the labour movement." https://springmag.ca/cops-out-of-cupe-cops-out-of-labour-the-cupe-5089-endorsement-of-mark-saunders-for-toronto-mayor?fbclid=IwAR3fQZSVMKWBCTMJ_z8688cZ13GGKrasBb9MXriF6N4YnMVgckIJk6D97y0
Police and the Poorer Sections of the Working Class
John Clarke, former major organizer of the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty (OCAP), recently wrote on Facebook: I hate seeing cops persecute those they have targeted based on racism or the selection of the visibly poor. It's difficult to play a useful role in these situations. I have had a couple of bad experiences where my … Continue reading Police and the Poorer Sections of the Working Class
The Primary Function of the Police: To Maintain Social Order
I have criticized the views of John Clarke, a former major organizer for the poverty organization Ontario Coalition Against Poverty (OCAP). However, he has written some interesting posts on Facebook, which indicat a welcome change of position. Thus, I read the following today on Facebook: John Clarke Watching police in London move, on the shabbiest … Continue reading The Primary Function of the Police: To Maintain Social Order
Reform Versus Abolition of the Police, Part 8: The Police and the Political Economy of Capitalism
Introduction The following provides many quotes from Mark Neocleous's book The Fabrication of Social Order:A Critical Theory of Police Power (2000), with short comments. The author argues that there is an inherent connection between the emergence of the modern police and the emergence of a society dominated by a class of employers. The issue of … Continue reading Reform Versus Abolition of the Police, Part 8: The Police and the Political Economy of Capitalism
Reform Versus Abolition of the Police, Part Seven: Giving to Abolitionists with One Hand While Taking Back with the Other and Giving to Social Democrats
In his article published in the social-democratic journal Canadian Dimension on May 28, 2020, "Can We Ever Truly Transform or Democratize the Police? Measures Are Needed to Restrain and Neutralize Police Brutality to Whatever Extent Possible," Harry Kopyto, ( https://canadiandimension.com/articles/view/can-we-truly-transform-or-democratize-the-police) seems to agree much more with James Wilt in the debate between Mr. Wilt and … Continue reading Reform Versus Abolition of the Police, Part Seven: Giving to Abolitionists with One Hand While Taking Back with the Other and Giving to Social Democrats
Reform versus Abolition of Police, Part Four: Possible Alternatives
This is a continuation of an earlier post on the issue of reforming the police versus its abolition. Mr. Rosenfeld, a self-declared radical and Marxist living in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, in an article published in the social-democratic magazine Canadian Dimension on April 20, 2020, Reform and Transform: Police Abolitionism and Sloppy Thinking), responded to another article … Continue reading Reform versus Abolition of Police, Part Four: Possible Alternatives
Reform Versus Abolition of Police, Part Three
This is the third post in a five-part series on the issue of the reform of the police versus its abolition. It is more philosophical than the first two posts since it deals with the relation of the present to the future--and the future to the present. The context of this post is explained thus … Continue reading Reform Versus Abolition of Police, Part Three
Reform versus Abolition of Police, Part Two
This is a continuation of an earlier post on the issue of reforming the police versus its abolition. Mr. Rosenfeld, a self-declared radical and Marxist living in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, in an article published in the social-democratic magazine Canadian Dimension on April 20, 2020, Reform and Transform: Police Abolitionism and Sloppy Thinking), responded to another article … Continue reading Reform versus Abolition of Police, Part Two
The Abolitionary 