Good ideas and conversation. No ads, no tracking. Login or Take a Tour!
nowaypablo · 2399 days ago · link · · parent · post: The Spy Who Came Home: why an expert in terrorism became a beat cop
Wish I had a badge to bump this up. This is the gold standard of a profile piece. Fuckin' A.No military force can end terrorism, just as firefighters can’t end fire and cops can’t end crime. But there are ways to build a resilient society. “It can’t be on a government contract that says ‘In six months, show us these results,’ ” Skinner said. “It has to be ‘I live here. This is my job forever.’ ” He compared his situation to that of Voltaire’s Candide, who, after enduring a litany of absurd horrors in a society plagued by fanaticism and incompetence, concludes that the only truly worthwhile activity is tending his garden. “Except my garden is the Third Precinct,” Skinner said.