[News] The Trayvon Martin Discussion Thread

[Charlie Don't Surf]

the police = an institution, not every single individual police officer

 

[sixpackshaker]

Next you'll tell us that you have a friend who is a cop. Most bigots will use that type of line...

 

[checkeredhat]

Next you'll tell us that you have a friend who is a cop. Most bigots will use that type of line...

Hey man, stop stereotyping bigots. My friend's a bigot and he never does that.

 

[makare]

the police = an institution, not every single individual police officer

That IS the point we are trying to get through to you, but I think you have bastardized even that.

 

[Charlie Don't Surf]

The only police officer, even online, with whom I interact in any regular capacity is Charon here

 

[Covar]

Next you'll tell us that you have a friend who is a cop. Most bigots will use that type of line...

I spend my days teaching cops...

 

[figmentPez]

the police = an institution, not every single individual police officer

So what you're saying is "blacks = a race, not every single individual black person". Yeah, I still think it's pretty damn racist to rail against blacks in general even if you think there are exceptions who are okay people. Similarly, it's pretty damn prejudiced to rail against the police in general, even if you think there are exceptions.

 

[Dave]

The only police officer, even online, with whom I interact in any regular capacity is Charon here

I'll bet Frankie would take exception to this remark.

 

[LittleSin]

Frankie is RCMP. They don't get any respect.

 

[fade]

I'll bet Frankie would take exception to this remark.

That was my first thought. Actually, it was "What is Frankie, chopped liver?"

 

[checkeredhat]

Frankie is RCMP. They don't get any respect.

SAM STEELE COMMANDS RESPECT

 

[Charlie Don't Surf]

Canada isn't half of the police state as the USA, so I guess I don't think of them in that same light.

but look, this isn't the place, I had been thinking of starting a "fuck the police megathread" where I post a lot of news stories and stuff people smarter than I have written on the subject. I just haven't had the time since well, it's a really busy time at work until the first week of april or so

 

[Chippy]

police state as the USA

Stop.

 

[Dave]

police state as the USA

Here's my question and it's dead serious.

Is America more of a police state than it used to be in the "good old days" or have we just become more aware of the actions of SOME policemen due to the rise of cell phone cameras?

 

[Charlie Don't Surf]

the united states police state effectively enslaves minorities and the poor (but especially poor minorities)

*drop mic*

 

[Charlie Don't Surf]

Here's my question and it's dead serious.

Is America more of a police state than it used to be in the "good old days" or have we just become more aware of the actions of SOME policemen due to the rise of cell phone cameras?

My main argument / thrust is more along the lines of the War On Drugs, which I can't recall exactly when that became "a thing" and ramped up. Again, I don't have much time to put together much of a coherent response

 

[Dave]

My main argument / thrust is more along the lines of the War On Drugs, which I can't recall exactly when that became "a thing" and ramped up. Again, I don't have much time to put together much of a coherent response

The war on drugs I agree is a failed experiment that does exactly what you say to the poor and especially minorities. But I think that overzealous enforcement of the drug war does not equate to a de facto police state.

 

[Null]

I think the awareness is beyond comparison to even ten years ago. I don't think that police agencies have more general authority than before. For every video of one cop crossing the line, and all the attention it gets, you have to think about how much we simply used to not be aware of.

 

[Charlie Don't Surf]

I agree with most of that post but

I don't think that police agencies have more general authority than before.

Patriot Act

 

[fade]

My problem with where this is going is that it's the wrong target to attack. I would go so far as to say the vast majority of cops are good human beings. They make mistakes, but they also do their jobs. There are a lot of minority arrests and minority overpopulation in prisons. Here's the thing though: is it the police who are being unfair by arresting people committing crimes? Or is the problem that we live in a self-perpetuating society where a criminal lifestyle is the only choice a lot of minorities feel they have? That isn't the arresting police officer's fault. That is everyone's fault. Including charlie's.

 

[Covar]

the police state as the USA

And yet you want the country to "be more like socialist Europe."

 

[Adam]

the united states police state effectively enslaves minorities and the poor (but especially poor minorities)

*drop mic*

 

[Charlie Don't Surf]

And yet you want the country to "be more like socialist Europe."

for the record, I said that with "in some regards", not all.

ALSO for the record, could you bring up how many times european police have accidentally shot someone to death? I'd love to see that statistic

 

[Jay]

Canada isn't half of the police state as the USA

 

[Charlie Don't Surf]

this guy owns

http://www.cnn.com/2012/03/28/politics/congressman-hoodie/index.html?hpt=hp_t2

 

[North_Ranger]

And yet you want the country to "be more like socialist Europe."

God do I ever f***in' hate when you Americans speak of socialist Europe.

 

[Null]

To be fair, when people say that, they mean France.


...I think the trollface needs a beret.

 

[ElJuski]

I go with Charlie to plenty of places, and agree with him on countless occassions, but I think his stance on cops--and the hyper-liberal ideology beyond that--is a place I cannot follow. But as always I wish the man well in his pursuits.

 

[Frank]

Frankie is RCMP. They don't get any respect.

Not even from Canadian metro police like EPS or CPS. They call us piss stripes.

As an aside, fuck EPS and CPS.

 

[ElJuski]

This is the weirdest Skittles commercial I have ever seen.

!

 

[fade]

Wait. So Zimmerman is America now? Assuming that everyone in America thinks that all young black men are suspicious is incorrect, rude, and as much of an "ist" as assuming that a young black man is suspicious. Don't we teach our children that two wrongs don't make a right?

 

[makare]

yeah the skittles thing is a little weird. and he may not look suspicious but the dude at around :50 reminds me of a black Bert.

 

[Chippy]

Wait. So Zimmerman is America now? Assuming that everyone in America thinks that all young black men are suspicious is incorrect, rude, and as much of an "ist" as assuming that a young black man is suspicious. Don't we teach our children that two wrongs don't make a right?

Probably more in response to Geraldo's "Don't wear your hood up" line.

 

[Hailey Knight]

the united states police state effectively enslaves minorities and the poor (but especially poor minorities)

*drop mic*

You should become a police officer; try something that isn't illegal gambling to make your difference on the world.

 

[Charlie Don't Surf]

You should become a police officer; try something that isn't illegal gambling to make your difference on the world.

man you are fixated on that illegal gambling thing aren't you