Defunding our police..

[SpoonDog]

...man.  If protesting is now domestic terrorism, and the folks shooting/beating/macing/gassing them are heroes... we seriously need to revisit those two terms.

[Mitch f]

27 minutes ago, SpoonDog said:

...man.  If protesting is now domestic terrorism, and the folks shooting/beating/macing/gassing them are heroes... we seriously need to revisit those two terms.

Umm yeah......burning, looting, destroying all businesses in their own neighborhoods. Get a grip

[SpoonDog]

Mitch, you know George Floyd wasn't burning anything down.  And you know Breonna Taylor was asleep in her bed when police knocked down the door and killed her. I'm sure you've seen the videos of police shooting credentialed journalists with pepper bullets.  Arresting credentialed journalists, in defiance of the Constitution they swore to uphold and you obviously value.

You know peaceful protestors are still being shot and killed and beaten and maced and gassed, despite the fact they're peaceful protestors.  I don't think anyone should be defending or rationalizing that decision, police, civilian, or otherwise.  Do you?

 

[nomolites]

There are protesters and there are criminals; their actions define them separately.  I’ve seen clips edited to omit actions leading up to events and spin up riots, and I’ve seen unedited clips that tell a different story.  I like facts and data; and choose not to be mislead or manipulated.  I do not think I am alone.

Mike

[oneshot]

What bothers me is they don’t show everything on George Floyd.

Don’t show him standing saying he can’t breathe or him saying he couldn’t be put in Police Car because he was Closter Phobic.

The Officer was holding him until he was told what to do with him.

oneshot

[fishinwrench]

17 minutes ago, oneshot said:

What bothers me is they don’t show everything on George Floyd.

What bothers me is that the crime they were arresting him for has no evidence to back it up.   

If there is a counterfeit 20 in my billfold, am I automatically a felon ?

[SpoonDog]

In many instances, the police aren't making a distinction between protestors and criminals.  The President's attempts to label "antifa" a terrorist organization is, by definition, an attempt at criminalizing protest. 

Oneshot- I'd imagine one of the four officers involved would have, say, handcuffs.   I've never held my knee against the neck of another human being for eight and a half minutes because I'm reasonably certain what the outcome would be.  SURELY there's a way of holding suspects that doesn't wind up killing them.  If not, we need to rethink policing.

[Flysmallie]

1 minute ago, fishinwrench said:

If there is a counterfeit 20 in my billfold, am I automatically a felon ?

Maybe. But that's not for a cop decide much less become judge and executioner. He had many other way to hold the guy but he chose to teach him a lesson. 

[SpoonDog]

4 minutes ago, fishinwrench said:

What bothers me is that the crime they were arresting him for has no evidence to back it up.  

Also just the idea that counterfeiting is a capital offense.  I remember kids passing around fake $20's in the high school lunch room in suburban St. Louis to pay for french fries and breadsticks.  If the same rules applied...

[nomolites]

I don’t excuse the cop’s behavior in that interaction - he should answer in court in addition to the already levied penalties.  I will add, however, I was taught as a young child that fighting would not turn out well - especially with LEOs.  It’s called respect.  I also believe in taking personal responsibility and not making excuses.   I have been arrested several times and not once was it the LEOs fault.  Not once did I fight, as I would have my day in court.    Cops did me a favor by calling me on my BS.  I believe if everyone behaved accordingly there would be no events like this.

Mike