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Wilmington, Massachusetts Police Chief Michael Begonis informs us that

Illicit drug use is a form of domestic terrorism to some extent. It is preying on folks who are more susceptible and who need a better life. And it’s something that we need to deal with head on.

That’s right, now criminality is terrorism. You should expect this sort of thing from the home of the Puritans, and modern statism, but it is more instrumental in examining the mindset of the military-law-enforcement-industrial complex.

Begonis is head of the Northeastern Massachusetts Law Enforcement Council — a multi-jurisdictional Rapid Response Team/SWAT unit. Of late, SWAT teams have been trying to “sell” themselves for various duties beyond the usual hostage rescue or high violence encounters they were created for; now they shop themselves out for warrant service, and even traffic stops. (An indication that crime just isn’t as violent and prevalent as it used to be.) Add to that the ever-present threat of terrorism, which “requires” a militarization of law enforcement tactics and mentality, and you have the perfect mixture for abuse of authority.

Worse, the money to be made by law enforcement in Department of Homeland Security funds for terror operations, and the income from “drug-related” asset forfeiture, makes policing for profit very attractive. It’s even easier to steal when you have military hardware at your disposal.

This mentality is being supported by weapons and armor companies, tactical clothing and vehicle manufacturers, and other purveyors of surveillance equipment who now sell military styled equipment (and with it the mentality), as well as Defense Department cast-off surplus to law enforcement. You need to be dangerous — the enemy — for these sales to keep flowing. They need to be able to peek in your windows with small drones — for your own good (and the bottom line.) When you have a profit-driven prison system, there is a vested interest in widening the field of criminality and incarcerating as many as possible.

The link above has a good kicker to their story that I’m going to steal here. Who’s more terroristic? Just to be fair, I’ll pick the most scary of the two, this guy..?

Or these guys..?

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