This is Why Even Innocence and Compliance is No Guarantee of Your Safety During a Police Stop
Posted by Zenphamy 9 years, 9 months ago to Philosophy
I was reading this while watching Schindler's List. The similarities and progressions were frightening.
"Handcuffed and Helpless
There’s a naive idea floating around that an innocent person should never be afraid of cops
What you are about to read is not a philosophical argument. It’s a personal testimony. The aim of telling this story is neither to make a political statement, nor to score points for a particular ideology. For almost three years, I’ve mostly held it in. But it’s become clear to me that it’s time to give a more detailed account to a broader audience."
And: "Without asking to see my license or registration, the officer on my side told me to get out of the car. I immediately and respectfully complied without raising a single question or objection. And in case you’re wondering, I wasn’t dressed in gang colors, nor was I wearing a hoodie.
When I exited the car, he turned me around, handcuffed me, threw me against the side of my car, and did a complete body search on me. As he groped me, he said, “This is how we do it in LA.”"
Then: "Imagine what goes on inside of a man’s head when he’s handcuffed and helpless as he watches two men with guns get in his wife’s face. Imagine the complex blend of confusion, fear, irrational optimism, and rage that festers inside one’s soul as he watches one cop take his wife’s purse and pour all the contents out, while the other officer literally crawls around inside our car for several minutes."
Finally: "As I slowly walked back to our car, I said to one of the officers, “Sir, I’m not trying to be antagonistic or disrespectful, but is there a reason for why I was pulled over?”
“We just had to check you out.”"
Is it time that we all asked questions or is it already too late? How compliant do you have to be to end up in a Police State?
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Note: Since the author is a philosopher, I've categorized this post such.
"Handcuffed and Helpless
There’s a naive idea floating around that an innocent person should never be afraid of cops
What you are about to read is not a philosophical argument. It’s a personal testimony. The aim of telling this story is neither to make a political statement, nor to score points for a particular ideology. For almost three years, I’ve mostly held it in. But it’s become clear to me that it’s time to give a more detailed account to a broader audience."
And: "Without asking to see my license or registration, the officer on my side told me to get out of the car. I immediately and respectfully complied without raising a single question or objection. And in case you’re wondering, I wasn’t dressed in gang colors, nor was I wearing a hoodie.
When I exited the car, he turned me around, handcuffed me, threw me against the side of my car, and did a complete body search on me. As he groped me, he said, “This is how we do it in LA.”"
Then: "Imagine what goes on inside of a man’s head when he’s handcuffed and helpless as he watches two men with guns get in his wife’s face. Imagine the complex blend of confusion, fear, irrational optimism, and rage that festers inside one’s soul as he watches one cop take his wife’s purse and pour all the contents out, while the other officer literally crawls around inside our car for several minutes."
Finally: "As I slowly walked back to our car, I said to one of the officers, “Sir, I’m not trying to be antagonistic or disrespectful, but is there a reason for why I was pulled over?”
“We just had to check you out.”"
Is it time that we all asked questions or is it already too late? How compliant do you have to be to end up in a Police State?
-------------------------------------------------------
Note: Since the author is a philosopher, I've categorized this post such.
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The cities you refer to have some pretty bad Police public reputations so far for at least last year and this year from the articles I read in Reason, The Guardian, The Washington Post and a number of others.
See: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VoWTd...
The sticker might not be such a good idea.
As to areas like Detroit, etc, shut down Urban Project Housing, go back to 'Welfare to Work' programs, give anyone on welfare transportation to a job anywhere in the country.
Please provide your source of such a statement.
I think that in every serious study that's been performed, blacks, mexicans, indians, oil field workers, construction workers, etc have more interactions with police, initiated by the police "To just check them out" than a large number of us. But with the excuses of the 'War on Terror', it's moving into our lives as well. Listen to all the nonsense that vets and constitutionalists are now considered potential domestic terrorists.
Police state? We are already in one.
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