American Police Brutality

djchameleon · 06-03-2011, 08:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tore

In April 2008, a woman named Mary Brooke Oberwetter attended Thomas Jefferson's 265th birthday, but got arrested because she was dancing to the music on her headphones. Demonstrating against this, some people went there on May 29th to dance and were subsequently arrested and also recieved some pretty rough treatment by the police.

If I was there and they closed it down, I would have said out loud "THIS IS WHY WE CAN'T HAVE NICE THINGS"

the guard/cop gave them multiple warnings. All they had to do was listen to him and move away.

The third guy in the white shirt was resisting arrest AND he was ignoring the warnings that he was given the first time.

Those three fucked it up for everyone

If that third guy wasn't resisting arrest the way he was, then he wouldn't have been taken down in that fashion. I see nothing wrong with that at all.

This is a far cry from being a police state. People are being so over dramatic.

Bloozcrooz · 06-03-2011, 09:45 AM

Lol...I think most of them were arrested for impersonating dancers cause what most of them were doing was not dancing. Especially the guy with the shades,white-t and head phones. He looked more like he had a bad case of the crabs rather than dancing. White people trying to dance lol

highoctane93 · 06-03-2011, 10:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boozinbloozin

Lol...I think most of them were arrested for impersonating dancers cause what most of them were doing was not dancing. Especially the guy with the shades,white-t and head phones. He looked more like he had a bad case of the crabs rather than dancing. White people trying to dance lol

=( i cain dance and im white *wipes her tears* lol

Bloozcrooz · 06-03-2011, 11:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by highoctane93

=( i cain dance and im white *wipes her tears* lol

lol im white as well but I cant dance at all...when I try it resembles a wounded duck trying gimp around.

anticipation · 06-03-2011, 11:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by djchameleon

the guard/cop gave them multiple warnings. All they had to do was listen to him and move away.

I think this was the main facet of their ill-advised "protest"; that we as free-thinking American citizens have the right, and some say responsibility, to question the police and the laws of our country. We live here, we built America into what it is, and we are responsible for the cultivation of change. Without resistance, we wouldn't have a sovereign state, we wouldn't have civil rights, and we wouldn't have the cherished freedoms we rarely take advantage of. It's as though the Sedition Acts are still in place, and as long as do-nothing legislation like this is passing there will be those who choose to express their discontent. I fully support these guys, regardless of how idiotic they've appeared and how poorly planned their actions were.

TockTockTock · 06-03-2011, 11:57 AM

I think the people at the Jefferson monument loved the attention they were getting because they felt they were being "martyrs" (even though they were just childishly acting out). Originally, the cop was very calm and asked them nicely to stop what they were doing. Would it have killed them to stop dancing? I understand it was to make a statement, but that is such an asinine reason to stage a protest. If they really had a problem with with the law, then maybe they should have brought it up in a hearing, court, etc. I'll say this much though... I can sort of see why dancing on a man's monument can be a bit disrespectful, but... I certainly wouldn't make a law against it.

Also, I don't think it's fair to label the entirety of the U.S. police force as being corrupt or prone to brutality. It varies locally. Our police department is pretty bad, but the one in a town next to us are very kind, fair, and work to serve the community.

~~someonecompletelyrandom~~ · 06-03-2011, 12:04 PM

I was once detained for 2 hours for taking a photograph on privately owned property, just because the dumb local cops had nothing to do that night. I later called the owner of the property and they said they couldn't give a crap what I did on their property.

I also feel like if people break social norms, they're the target of officers who use disturbing the peace in the wrong context. Basically, you either behave and be a nice little citizen or you'll get a time-out. For example,

That being said, I don't think police brutality and abuse of power is as widespread as people might think. The United States is very large, and in the age of media we can receive reports of incidents which happen in several different parts of the country at the same time. It's sort of like the stranger danger paranoia that's swept the country - even though random kidnappings are quite rare, media reports nearly every incident and so they appear common.

I think there are many sincere, good hearted individuals on the police force in America, but since it's such a large force there are abuses of power.

Phantom Limb · 06-03-2011, 12:25 PM

There really is nothing you can do to cops. They're untouchable and that's disgusting to me. I think that as time goes by, and as police get better and better technology, we will only be forced to submit to them more. The problem is that cops aren't afraid of us, and i think that they should be, or at least we need a better way to fight back against them should they get out of hand.

Jaywalking? Really?

djchameleon · 06-03-2011, 04:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by anticipation

I think this was the main facet of their ill-advised "protest"; that we as free-thinking American citizens have the right, and some say responsibility, to question the police and the laws of our country. We live here, we built America into what it is, and we are responsible for the cultivation of change. Without resistance, we wouldn't have a sovereign state, we wouldn't have civil rights, and we wouldn't have the cherished freedoms we rarely take advantage of. It's as though the Sedition Acts are still in place, and as long as do-nothing legislation like this is passing there will be those who choose to express their discontent. I fully support these guys, regardless of how idiotic they've appeared and how poorly planned their actions were.

If they planned a protest they should have known ahead of time that when you do civil disobedience you will be getting arrested. If you are protesting something specifically all you have to do is obey what the silly cops say and continue with your protest/action. Yes, they are able to question the cops and find out what they did wrong but they went about it in a horrible way.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Abearmauledme

There really is nothing you can do to cops. They're untouchable and that's disgusting to me. I think that as time goes by, and as police get better and better technology, we will only be forced to submit to them more. The problem is that cops aren't afraid of us, and i think that they should be, or at least we need a better way to fight back against them should they get out of hand.

No, the problem is citizens are afraid of the cops for some stupid reason and there ARE things that can be done even if you do them and they fall on deafs ear for that point in time you can continue to do things until the cops get in trouble for it. One of the main things that can be done is the same thing that so many of you are posting about. Almost everyone has some sort of recording device so catch their actions. In this day and age there is very little they can get away with. It was much worse in the past where they would only have to rely on eye witnesses and those complaints/reports would get thrown out no matter how many eye witnesses but with video footage they can't do that.

Mr November · 06-03-2011, 08:21 PM

I don't think that police brutality is as huge an issue in the states as people make it out to be. Looking back through history at different police forces that have existed, it's hard to make a case for police in the States being anything other than human. They aren't perfect and they often aren't the cream of the crop, but they have a job and they do it.

View Poll Results: Do american police generally seem too violent or oppressive to you?
Yes	60	65.22%
No	23	25.00%
Undecided / No opinion / I'm a vegetable	9	9.78%
Voters: 92. You may not vote on this poll

06-03-2011, 11:57 AM	#26 (permalink)
TockTockTock They/Them Join Date: Nov 2010 Posts: 1,914	I think the people at the Jefferson monument loved the attention they were getting because they felt they were being "martyrs" (even though they were just childishly acting out). Originally, the cop was very calm and asked them nicely to stop what they were doing. Would it have killed them to stop dancing? I understand it was to make a statement, but that is such an asinine reason to stage a protest. If they really had a problem with with the law, then maybe they should have brought it up in a hearing, court, etc. I'll say this much though... I can sort of see why dancing on a man's monument can be a bit disrespectful, but... I certainly wouldn't make a law against it. Also, I don't think it's fair to label the entirety of the U.S. police force as being corrupt or prone to brutality. It varies locally. Our police department is pretty bad, but the one in a town next to us are very kind, fair, and work to serve the community.

06-03-2011, 12:04 PM	#27 (permalink)
~~someonecompletelyrandom~~ Account Disabled Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 4,538	I was once detained for 2 hours for taking a photograph on privately owned property, just because the dumb local cops had nothing to do that night. I later called the owner of the property and they said they couldn't give a crap what I did on their property. I also feel like if people break social norms, they're the target of officers who use disturbing the peace in the wrong context. Basically, you either behave and be a nice little citizen or you'll get a time-out. For example, That being said, I don't think police brutality and abuse of power is as widespread as people might think. The United States is very large, and in the age of media we can receive reports of incidents which happen in several different parts of the country at the same time. It's sort of like the stranger danger paranoia that's swept the country - even though random kidnappings are quite rare, media reports nearly every incident and so they appear common. I think there are many sincere, good hearted individuals on the police force in America, but since it's such a large force there are abuses of power.

06-03-2011, 08:21 PM	#30 (permalink)
Mr November Music Addict Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Halifax, Canada Posts: 429	I don't think that police brutality is as huge an issue in the states as people make it out to be. Looking back through history at different police forces that have existed, it's hard to make a case for police in the States being anything other than human. They aren't perfect and they often aren't the cream of the crop, but they have a job and they do it.