
The oddly beautiful and sometimes disturbing artistic talent of drug cops (2015) - tlrobinson
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2015/03/20/the-oddly-beautiful-and-sometimes-disturbing-artistic-talent-of-the-nations-drug-cops/
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dTal
It's a very interesting article, particularly the observation that whimsy in
law enforcement patches is giving way to military imagery. Not a happy trend.

But I don't think it's appropriate to call them beautiful. Disturbing, yes,
but sophomoric, and many if not most of them look like they were made in MS
Paint.

~~~
TwelveNights
It's a little interesting to see the contrast between the DEA as a straight-
laced government agency, and the patches they make. Frankly speaking, there's
an "edginess" to it that's hard to reconcile with their public image.

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pmoriarty
This is similar to the extremely serious, straight-laced image doctors and
other medical staff present to the public and their patients compared to the
gallows humor expressed by them in private.

Many patients would probably be absolutely shocked by what gets joked about.

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default-kramer
Reminds me of that classic Mitchell and Webb sketch. "They've got skulls on
them."

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hn1VxaMEjRU](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hn1VxaMEjRU)

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sigmaprimus
Just more proof that the drug enforcement community is nothing more than a
glorified gang who's members make their living off the misery and pain they
inflict upon addicts. Put a bottom rocker patch and a 1%er patch next to those
"badges" and they are no different to the emblems currently worn by criminal
biker gangs. Law enforcement or criminal drug gang matters not, they are just
two sides of the same coin and unless the laws change the general public will
continue being victimized by both groups.

~~~
jayar95
I used to take a similar view on the war on drugs- now it's more nuanced given
my immersion into the problem. It's hard to say wasting countless lives and
millions of dollars to combat organizations illegaly smuggling harmless
product (marijuana) into the states is hardly worth the mess left behind. Take
a step back and it's easier to justify when the income of that product is
going to large criminal organizations that also create problems such as the
meth epidemic in california or the opioid crisis across the country. And to
facilitate the delivery of these criminalized products, criminal organization
have no hesitation of delivering those packs covered in the blood of poorest
class of people in the hemisphere (the consumers are dying too, but from
consumption, another problem entirely). Lots of people against the war on
drugs will say "yeah but if it was decriminalized..." A lot of things would be
different if it was decriminalized, but good luck selling that pipe dream to
the traditional base of america that has a strong influence across the nation.
Not happening anytime soon. In my opinion everything sucks here and I haven't
heard a viable solution yet to this very complicated issue

Edit: I do want to say that decriminalization is probably the most hopeful
option of them all, I just think it's going to take forever, generations
probably. This is really a public health issue in my opinion, it's just not
treated as one :/

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gerbilly
> when the income of that product is going to large criminal organizations
> that also create problems

But that's just it, they wouldn't be criminal organizations if you didn't
criminalize it in the first place.

To me, the war on drugs is a proxy for unpopular geopolitical actions or even
domestic race wars that the US wants to fight.

~~~
justwalt
I believe he means organizations that are involved in other illegal or harmful
activities sans the drug presence.

~~~
jayar95
Yeah, most organizations don't deal in _just_ weed. A lot of them deal in
people too

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phjesusthatguy3
I Could Tell You But Then You Would Have To Be Destroyed By Me[0] is one of
the books dedicated to these sorts of patches. My library still doesn't have a
copy.

[0][https://www.amazon.com/Could-Tell-Then-Would-
Destroyed/dp/19...](https://www.amazon.com/Could-Tell-Then-Would-
Destroyed/dp/193555414X)

~~~
matthewwiese
My girlfriend got me this book for Christmas! It's an absolute trip. Some of
the Area 51 patches (for black site tech development, etc) have such
surprising on-the-nose humor regarding aliens. It's nice to know that even
people that work on top secret stuff have a sense of humor!

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fasdetwaew
I liked looking at these patches. They remind me of the kind of imagery they
used to print on pogs. Lots of skulls and swords.

At the same time, if I saw an officer wearing this, I'd be inclined to take
them less seriously.

The cultures of some police forces are weird. I don't claim to understand it,
as an outsider.

And yeah, the drug war is out of control, yatta yatta all that jazz.

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tyingq
Paywall workaround: [http://archive.fo/ny5td](http://archive.fo/ny5td)

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blaze33
Interesting while also reminding me of those weird society rules.

Free access to booze, tobacco and guns: ok, but you're the only one in charge
of whatever happens next.

Now: thc, mdma or lsd: no way! Not only illegal, but if you're ever caught
somehow transfixed by the shear beauty of your couch surroundings, be sure
we'll fuck up your life ;)

