The country in general used to believe police and military were there to help protect the rest of us. Helping them out with getting equipment wasn't so much conveying a special status as ensuring everyone's best interests were served by supplying those who protected our society. Unfortunately, the civic attitude has deteriorated over the past few decades, partly due to misbehavior by LEOs or military who copped an attitude but mostly (I believe) due to Marxist/anti-establishment forces who have actively tried to tear down the traditional structures that glued Western society together and made America powerful.

The comment that started this whole thread was based precisely on that problem: I believe Magpul generally wants to support military & LEOs because of their service to society; the difficulty is in weeding out the "I'm special" attitude types like John Morse.