Against Privatizing Violence

            Many policies involving law enforcement are flawed, but public police are best of an unideal situation. If we defund or abolish police run by governments, then police run by corporations will fill the void, and they will be even less accountable. Compare the US military to private military contractors, like Blackwater. As awful as it is that the US military kills people, there is even less accountability for private corporations. Privatizing law enforcement, and abolishing would simply mean privatizing, would be as awful as privately run prisons or the privatized military.

            Non-violent protest, like the Civil Rights Movement, can only be effective with a government with a monopoly on the use of force and the rule of law. Think of protestors or activists in other countries, how long do they last without a government that deters violence against them? As awful as force that the government may use against protestors is, they are not typically too afraid to protest. Non-violent direct action requires the rule of law and a government with the monopoly on the use of force, or else the protests will simply not be effective.