As previously discussed, the state of Iowa has chosen to underfund the defense of impoverished people who it chooses to charge with crimes. This is a conscious decision on the part of the state, as it properly funds many other things such as prosecutors, judges, clerks of court, the roads, and the police. Acting Chief…
Author: Eric D. Puryear
Iowa’s underpayment of contract attorneys leads to shortages, but involuntary servitude isn’t the right answer
Many states have a public defender’s office that handles defending almost every person who is accused of a crime but that doesn’t have the money to hire an attorney. By having attorneys who work full-time for the public defender’s office, those states ensure there is representation available for the accused. The public defender system is…
For my thoughts on guns, visit my gun website
I’ve written enough about gun-related matters over the years that I have a separate website for that topic. Please visit www.LearnAboutGuns.com
My Mastodon account
My Mastodon account can be seen at https://ericpuryear.com/@eric. If you’re not familiar with Mastodon, it is a decentralized, federated social media network. The Functionality is a lot like Twitter. The key thing about Mastodon is that anyone can run a server that connects to other servers, such that no one organization controls things. I run…
Restarting my blog
I’ve decided to restart my blog after about a decade of downtime. I decided I needed a place to write about things in general and express my political opinions other than LearnAboutGuns.com, my Mastodon server, and my law firm’s website. So, here we are.
“Blue Lives Matter” is really about Supporting Racism – not supporting the police
The “blue lives matter” slogan is nothing but an attempt by racists to oppose the Black Lives Matter movement’s protest of racially motivated police brutality and racism within our criminal justice system. There is no such thing a a “blue” life As a threshold matter, there is no such thing as a “blue” life. People…
Rape and Sexual Misconduct by Police is a Widespread Problem
Police abuse their law enforcement powers to commit sexual crimes on a regular basis, often shielded from accountability by their fellow officers who ignore or even cover up their crimes. Background information Former police officer turned professor Phil Stinson conducted a national analysis of more than 500 officer arrests for sexual misconduct over a three-year…
Digital Privacy and Security Tips
Digital privacy and security is of increasing importance. That is true for those involved in civil rights work, as well as everyone in society. Activists who support racial equality, gun rights, gay rights, and just about every other issue have been targeted by the police and other governmental agencies. Whether a person’s politics lean left…
“More Training” is NOT the Solution to Police Brutality
Additional training of police officers is not the solution to police brutality. Cruelty and depraved hearts can’t be fixed with training Some problems can be fixed by training, while others cannot. A pilot who is unskillful due to a lack of training can have their airmanship improved through additional training. That makes sense, as the…
Video from the April 10, 2021 protest against police brutality and racism in Davenport, Iowa
Video from our protest today, including a great discussion about police brutality, racism, and what we can all do about it that was had by those who attended. Despite the rain, wind, and cold, our protest was a success.