FourFreedomsBlog - Protect and Serve?

It's that time of year again - our ISP is asking for money. If you have some spare change, please click the Donate link... Thanks!

Name:
Pswd:
Remember Me

Register

Latest Entries

Actions Menu

Blog Roll

Protect and Serve?
Author: BobR Date: 01/17/2014 18:33:41

Let me start off by saying I could never ever be a cop. I don't have the stomach or the physicality or the personality, and - most importantly - the desire to be a cop. It takes a special kind of person to spend every working day dealing with the denizens of society. It has to be emotionally gruelling to deal with humanity's worst day in and day out. With today's lax gun laws, you never know if someone is armed, so you always have to assume they are. Walking into the aftermath of violent death has to be rough as well.

The problem, of course, is that some of those who become cops are not that special kind of person. After dealing with the stress of constantly having to be on guard and being hated by those who see the law as a hindrance to getting what they want, some cops begin to assume everyone is guilty of something, and deserve to be treated as such. That's when we get these terrible stories about abuse of power.

Some are absurd, like arresting people for putting change in expiring meters, or for giving change to a homeless person:

Greg Snider was in a Houston, Texas parking lot, on the phone making a business call. While in the lot, a homeless man approached his car and asked for change. Snider gave him 75 cents and then drove off. KPRC Local 2 News reported on the shocking thing that happened next.

When Snider pulled onto a nearby freeway, a police car pulled him to the side. Greg was surprised by how aggressive the officer was, telling KPRC, “He's screaming. He's yelling. He's telling me to get out of the car. He's telling me to put my hands on the hood…They're like, 'We saw you downtown. We saw what you did.’ And I was like, 'Are you kidding me? I gave a homeless man 75 cents.'"

He was dragged out of his car and handcuffed. So what was it that police insisted Mr. Snider had done? Give that homeless man drugs. Again, he didn’t. Snider only gave the man some money.

An hour later he was on his way, but the cops convicted him in their own minds, and were determined to prove they were right. That mindset was taken to the extreme last year with a horrific story about a man forced to undergo colonoscopies and enemas because the police were certain he was carrying drugs. He wasn't, and after that inhumane ordeal, he sued. Ultimately, he and the police settled at $1.6M.

This is the end result of power unchecked. We hear tales of this from foreign dictatorships, and think "so glad that can't happen here". And yet - it does. The ongoing saga in NJ is just another form of what happens when power combines with moral certitude - or sometimes just a bad attitude. The rationale for the huge investigation is to be a warning to all that this will not be tolerated.

So what about the those few "bad apples" in the police ranks? The notion of the "thin blue line" is ubiquitous, but it would serve those who are proud to be cops to rid themselves of those few bad apples before the public sees the entire bushel as spoiled.

53 comments (Latest Comment: 01/17/2014 22:19:53 by wickedpam)
Perma Link

Share This!

Comments:

Order comments Newest to Oldest Refresh Comments

Comment by

wickedpam on 01/17/2014 14:09:11

Morning

Comment by

Mondobubba on 01/17/2014 14:12:04

Boaaahhhber! We want a fresh blog now!

Comment by

Scoopster on 01/17/2014 14:48:13

Mmmmm.. toasty out of the oven bloggie goodness!

Comment by

Raine on 01/17/2014 15:19:19

good morning.

Comment by

wickedpam on 01/17/2014 15:29:45

That should be a t-shirt -

"Just cause you post on Facebook it doesn't make you a revolutionary"

Comment by

Mondobubba on 01/17/2014 15:30:05

America this is a website address: www.domainname.com. This is an email address: email@ydomainname.com. Please stop confusing them.

Comment by

Raine on 01/17/2014 15:45:02

Quote by wickedpam:
That should be a t-shirt -

"Just cause you post on Facebook it doesn't make you a revolutionary"

I like it!

Comment by

Mondobubba on 01/17/2014 15:54:46

Quote by wickedpam:
That should be a t-shirt -

"Just cause you post on Facebook it doesn't make you a revolutionary"

YES!

Comment by

Raine on 01/17/2014 16:40:24

Uhm....

http://s3-ec.buzzfed.com/static/2014-01/enhanced/webdr06/8/14/enhanced-buzz-26201-1389208969-40.jpg

This swanky senator has been serving South Carolina as a single man since 2003!

Comment by

TriSec on 01/17/2014 16:41:31

HI all.

Any takers for tomorrow? Otherwise, we get a "Puppies, Flowers, and Bunnies" blog at 6:30 am.

Comment by

Raine on 01/17/2014 16:42:02

Quote by Raine:
Uhm....

This swanky senator has been serving South Carolina as a single man since 2003!

#7 should give Tri a man crush!

Comment by

wickedpam on 01/17/2014 16:55:12

OMG this is so great

GOP asks Twitter: What are your top issues?

Comment by

Mondobubba on 01/17/2014 17:11:08

Quote by wickedpam:
OMG this is so great

GOP asks Twitter: What are your top issues?

Another day, another tone-deaf Twitter town hall fail.

Comment by

Mondobubba on 01/17/2014 17:13:39

@GOP How does one lose all compassion for anybody but white men over 45?

Comment by

livingonli on 01/17/2014 17:27:57

Another day, another doughnut!

Comment by

Mondobubba on 01/17/2014 17:57:39

My friend Erica had to have her dog, Doc Brown put to sleep today.

BTW her derby name if Flux Decapit'r get it?

Comment by

TriSec on 01/17/2014 18:11:48

Say folks, can you be allergic to Kiwis?

I had one at lunch today, for the first time in what must be years. My eyes have transformed into flaming red cauldrons of itch over the last half hour.

I am still respirating normally and there is no sign of any hive activity.

Sure is weird...now where the hell is my Benadryl??

Comment by

Scoopster on 01/17/2014 18:14:43

Quote by TriSec:
Say folks, can you be allergic to Kiwis?

I had one at lunch today, for the first time in what must be years. My eyes have transformed into flaming red cauldrons of itch over the last half hour.

I am still respirating normally and there is no sign of any hive activity.

Sure is weird...now where the hell is my Benadryl??

Looks like a yes!

The actinidain found in kiwifruit can be an allergen for some individuals. Specifically, people allergic to latex, bananas, papayas, or pineapples are likely to also be allergic to kiwifruit. The fruit also contains calcium oxalate crystals in the form of raphides. Reactions to these chemicals include sweating, tingling and sore mouth or throat; swelling of the lips, tongue and face; rash; vomiting and abdominal pain, heartburn; and, in the most severe cases, breathing difficulties, wheezing and collapse. The most common symptoms are unpleasant itching and soreness of the mouth, with the most common severe symptom being wheezing. Severe symptoms are most likely to occur in young children.

Comment by

Scoopster on 01/17/2014 18:16:18

Ugh we just lost one of our largest accounts..

Comment by

BobR on 01/17/2014 18:34:33

blog is (finally) posted

Comment by

clintster on 01/17/2014 18:41:45

For your amusement and total weekend frittering away, jerrygarcia.com is now open with a MASSIVE archive:

Last night, JerryGarcia.com relaunched with a massive set of archival material for fans to explore, including 15,000 hours of recorded music and 3,450 shows, as well as timelines and information about 26 of Jerry's bands and 77 of his musical collaborators. Fans will also be able to "follow" 10 different tours undertaken by Garcia's bands. Featured are Spring 1970 (Grateful Dead), Europe 1972 (Grateful Dead), Summer 1974 (Grateful Dead), Summer 1976 (Grateful Dead), Spring 1977 (Grateful Dead), Summer 1988 (Grateful Dead), Fall 1989 (Jerry Garcia Band), Spring 1990 (Grateful Dead), Fall 1993 (Grateful Dead) and Fall 1993 (Jerry Garcia Band).

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Fffrl08Z20o/T1n70gy_EaI/AAAAAAAABG4/_6bk4JzTxVw/s1600/grateful-dead-dancing-skeletons-artwork-thumbnail.jpg

Comment by

Raine on 01/17/2014 19:04:25

Quote by Mondobubba:
My friend Erica had to have her dog, Doc Brown put to sleep today.

BTW her derby name if Flux Decapit'r get it?

Awww... I so wanna make a BTtF joke here. I;m sorry to read this.

Comment by

Raine on 01/17/2014 19:05:31

You know, this ultimately (regarding the blog) is the result of the War on Drugs maxed with the stupid patriot act.

It pisses me off.

Comment by

Raine on 01/17/2014 19:06:12

Quote by clintster:
For your amusement and total weekend frittering away, jerrygarcia.com is now open with a MASSIVE archive:

Last night, JerryGarcia.com relaunched with a massive set of archival material for fans to explore, including 15,000 hours of recorded music and 3,450 shows, as well as timelines and information about 26 of Jerry's bands and 77 of his musical collaborators. Fans will also be able to "follow" 10 different tours undertaken by Garcia's bands. Featured are Spring 1970 (Grateful Dead), Europe 1972 (Grateful Dead), Summer 1974 (Grateful Dead), Summer 1976 (Grateful Dead), Spring 1977 (Grateful Dead), Summer 1988 (Grateful Dead), Fall 1989 (Jerry Garcia Band), Spring 1990 (Grateful Dead), Fall 1993 (Grateful Dead) and Fall 1993 (Jerry Garcia Band).

See y'all next week!

Comment by

Raine on 01/17/2014 19:18:41

OMEFFING GOD.

Comment by

wickedpam on 01/17/2014 19:23:29

omg, more whining on Ed about paying athletes with scholarships -

you know what these kids are getting Ed - a fucking FREE college education.

Comment by

BobR on 01/17/2014 19:43:27

Quote by Raine:
OMEFFING GOD.

so glad I no longer live in the South

Comment by

TriSec on 01/17/2014 19:48:30

Note to self; No more Kiwis.

Comment by

Mondobubba on 01/17/2014 19:51:29

Quote by Raine:
Quote by Mondobubba:
My friend Erica had to have her dog, Doc Brown put to sleep today.

BTW her derby name if Flux Decapit'r get it?
Awww... I so wanna make a BTtF joke here. I;m sorry to read this.

No, you most certainly may.

Comment by

Mondobubba on 01/17/2014 19:53:48

Quote by BobR:
Quote by Raine:
OMEFFING GOD.

so glad I no longer live in the South

Bob, you live in Virginia. By definition it is the South. The part of the South you live in is not wall-to-wall rednecks.

Comment by

Raine on 01/17/2014 20:02:14

Quote by wickedpam:
omg, more whining on Ed about paying athletes with scholarships - you know what these kids are getting Ed - a fucking FREE college education.

I had to turn it off. He's really missing the point here.

Unless he starts advocating for all state school to give kids a free education he is advocating classism.

Comment by

BobR on 01/17/2014 20:02:26

Quote by Mondobubba:
Quote by BobR:
Quote by Raine:
OMEFFING GOD.

so glad I no longer live in the South

Bob, you live in Virginia. By definition it is the South. The part of the South you live in is not wall-to-wall rednecks.

NoVa is in no way The South, especially since the part I live in was once part of DC.

Comment by

TriSec on 01/17/2014 20:04:51

Further proving my decade long argument that being able to reproduce "in the normal manner" does not automatically qualify one to be a parent.

If Ms. Boo (or whatever the hell her name is) had to leap through all the flaming hopes we had to in order to prove so, she'd never have babies.

Comment by

Mondobubba on 01/17/2014 20:10:14

Quote by BobR:
Quote by Mondobubba:
Quote by BobR:
Quote by Raine:
OMEFFING GOD.

so glad I no longer live in the South

Bob, you live in Virginia. By definition it is the South. The part of the South you live in is not wall-to-wall rednecks.

NoVa is in no way The South, especially since the part I live in was once part of DC.

Yes, it is Bobber, Physically it part of the Old South. Robert E. Lee's Plantation is what, 2 miles from where you are?

Spiritually, oh hell no.

Comment by

Raine on 01/17/2014 20:15:24

Quote by Mondobubba:
Quote by BobR:
Quote by Mondobubba:
Quote by BobR:
Quote by Raine:
OMEFFING GOD.

so glad I no longer live in the South

Bob, you live in Virginia. By definition it is the South. The part of the South you live in is not wall-to-wall rednecks.

NoVa is in no way The South, especially since the part I live in was once part of DC.

Yes, it is Bobber, Physically it part of the Old South. Robert E. Lee's Plantation is what, 2 miles from where you are?

Spiritually, oh hell no.

I dunno, Saying Nova is the south , while technically it is is like assuming all of New York is from the city.

Comment by

wickedpam on 01/17/2014 20:18:22

Quote by Raine:
Quote by wickedpam:
omg, more whining on Ed about paying athletes with scholarships - you know what these kids are getting Ed - a fucking FREE college education.

I had to turn it off. He's really missing the point here.

Unless he starts advocating for all state school to give kids a free education he is advocating classism.

Exactly.

Comment by

wickedpam on 01/17/2014 20:20:45

Quote by Raine:
Quote by Mondobubba:
Quote by BobR:
Quote by Mondobubba:
Quote by BobR:
Quote by Raine:
OMEFFING GOD.

so glad I no longer live in the South

Bob, you live in Virginia. By definition it is the South. The part of the South you live in is not wall-to-wall rednecks.

NoVa is in no way The South, especially since the part I live in was once part of DC.

Yes, it is Bobber, Physically it part of the Old South. Robert E. Lee's Plantation is what, 2 miles from where you are?

Spiritually, oh hell no.
I dunno, Saying Nova is the south , while technically it is is like assuming all of New York is from the city.

*double checks location of Mason-Dixon line - nope hasn't moved* As much as I hate it, we are still the south, even though everyone in NoVA is in denial about it

Comment by

Mondobubba on 01/17/2014 20:22:16

Mason-Dixon Line.

In popular usage, the Masonâ€“Dixon line symbolizes a cultural boundary between the Northeastern and the Southern United States (Dixie). After Pennsylvania abolished slavery, it was a demarcation line for the legality of slavery.

Don't make me turn this blog around!

Comment by

Mondobubba on 01/17/2014 20:24:03

Quote by wickedpam:
Quote by Raine:
Quote by Mondobubba:
Quote by BobR:
Quote by Mondobubba:
Quote by BobR:
Quote by Raine:
OMEFFING GOD.

so glad I no longer live in the South

Bob, you live in Virginia. By definition it is the South. The part of the South you live in is not wall-to-wall rednecks.

NoVa is in no way The South, especially since the part I live in was once part of DC.

Yes, it is Bobber, Physically it part of the Old South. Robert E. Lee's Plantation is what, 2 miles from where you are?

Spiritually, oh hell no.
I dunno, Saying Nova is the south , while technically it is is like assuming all of New York is from the city.

*double checks location of Mason-Dixon line - nope hasn't moved* As much as I hate it, we are still the south, even though everyone in NoVA is in denial about it

My take on the "American By Birth, Southern By the Grace of God" nonsense is the this; "Southern by Birth, Blessedly Free of That Lost Cause of the South Horseshit."

Comment by

Mondobubba on 01/17/2014 20:24:49

Quote by wickedpam:
Quote by Raine:
Quote by Mondobubba:
Quote by BobR:
Quote by Mondobubba:
Quote by BobR:
Quote by Raine:
OMEFFING GOD.

so glad I no longer live in the South

Bob, you live in Virginia. By definition it is the South. The part of the South you live in is not wall-to-wall rednecks.

NoVa is in no way The South, especially since the part I live in was once part of DC.

Yes, it is Bobber, Physically it part of the Old South. Robert E. Lee's Plantation is what, 2 miles from where you are?

Spiritually, oh hell no.
I dunno, Saying Nova is the south , while technically it is is like assuming all of New York is from the city.

*double checks location of Mason-Dixon line - nope hasn't moved* As much as I hate it, we are still the south, even though everyone in NoVA is in denial about it

Mala! GET OUT OF MY BRAIN!

Comment by

livingonli on 01/17/2014 20:32:54

Quote by Raine:
Quote by Mondobubba:
Quote by BobR:
Quote by Mondobubba:
Quote by BobR:
Quote by Raine:
OMEFFING GOD.

so glad I no longer live in the South

Bob, you live in Virginia. By definition it is the South. The part of the South you live in is not wall-to-wall rednecks.

NoVa is in no way The South, especially since the part I live in was once part of DC.

Yes, it is Bobber, Physically it part of the Old South. Robert E. Lee's Plantation is what, 2 miles from where you are?

Spiritually, oh hell no.
I dunno, Saying Nova is the south , while technically it is is like assuming all of New York is from the city.

You mean it's not!

Them's fightin' words!

Comment by

Mondobubba on 01/17/2014 20:41:57

Quote by Raine:
Quote by Mondobubba:
Quote by BobR:
Quote by Mondobubba:
Quote by BobR:
Quote by Raine:
OMEFFING GOD.

so glad I no longer live in the South

Bob, you live in Virginia. By definition it is the South. The part of the South you live in is not wall-to-wall rednecks.

NoVa is in no way The South, especially since the part I live in was once part of DC.

Yes, it is Bobber, Physically it part of the Old South. Robert E. Lee's Plantation is what, 2 miles from where you are?

Spiritually, oh hell no.
I dunno, Saying Nova is the south , while technically it is is like assuming all of New York is from the city.

My mom has schooled my on correct NYS geography. "Upstate"= up the Hudson from NYC.
So, by this definition, LeRoy (Home of Jello!) and Palmyra (Home of Mormons) are not upstate NY. They are Western NY.

Comment by

Mondobubba on 01/17/2014 20:44:45

Quote by TriSec:
Further proving my decade long argument that being able to reproduce "in the normal manner" does not automatically qualify one to be a parent.

If Ms. Boo (or whatever the hell her name is) had to leap through all the flaming hopes we had to in order to prove so, she'd never have babies.

Comment by

TriSec on 01/17/2014 20:47:02

"American by Birth, Southern because my parents couldn't afford to move someplace decent"

<-- flees country, changes identity

Comment by

clintster on 01/17/2014 20:51:40

Quote by TriSec:
"American by Birth, Southern because my parents couldn't afford to move someplace decent"

<-- flees country, changes identity

*drops tomatoes in the clam chowder* Now them's good eatin'!

Comment by

Scoopster on 01/17/2014 20:54:46

Quote by clintster:
Quote by TriSec:
"American by Birth, Southern because my parents couldn't afford to move someplace decent"

<-- flees country, changes identity

*drops tomatoes in the clam chowder* Now them's good eatin'!

*throws quahog shells at the blasphemer!*

Comment by

wickedpam on 01/17/2014 21:00:13

Quote by Mondobubba:
Quote by wickedpam:
Quote by Raine:
Quote by Mondobubba:
Quote by BobR:
Quote by Mondobubba:
Quote by BobR:
Quote by Raine:
OMEFFING GOD.

so glad I no longer live in the South

Bob, you live in Virginia. By definition it is the South. The part of the South you live in is not wall-to-wall rednecks.

NoVa is in no way The South, especially since the part I live in was once part of DC.

Yes, it is Bobber, Physically it part of the Old South. Robert E. Lee's Plantation is what, 2 miles from where you are?

Spiritually, oh hell no.
I dunno, Saying Nova is the south , while technically it is is like assuming all of New York is from the city.

*double checks location of Mason-Dixon line - nope hasn't moved* As much as I hate it, we are still the south, even though everyone in NoVA is in denial about it

Mala! GET OUT OF MY BRAIN!

Comment by

Mondobubba on 01/17/2014 21:01:33

Quote by TriSec:
"American by Birth, Southern because my parents couldn't afford to move someplace decent"

<-- flees country, changes identity

Comment by

Mondobubba on 01/17/2014 21:09:20

Quote by Scoopster:
Quote by clintster:
Quote by TriSec:
"American by Birth, Southern because my parents couldn't afford to move someplace decent"

<-- flees country, changes identity

*drops tomatoes in the clam chowder* Now them's good eatin'!

*throws quahog shells at the blasphemer!*

I'm with Tri on this one. A chowder is a soup with a cream-based stock.

Comment by

Mondobubba on 01/17/2014 21:20:51

Quote by wickedpam:
Quote by Mondobubba:
Quote by wickedpam:
Quote by Raine:
Quote by Mondobubba:
Quote by BobR:
Quote by Mondobubba:
Quote by BobR:
Quote by Raine:
OMEFFING GOD.

so glad I no longer live in the South

Bob, you live in Virginia. By definition it is the South. The part of the South you live in is not wall-to-wall rednecks.

NoVa is in no way The South, especially since the part I live in was once part of DC.

Yes, it is Bobber, Physically it part of the Old South. Robert E. Lee's Plantation is what, 2 miles from where you are?

Spiritually, oh hell no.
I dunno, Saying Nova is the south , while technically it is is like assuming all of New York is from the city.

*double checks location of Mason-Dixon line - nope hasn't moved* As much as I hate it, we are still the south, even though everyone in NoVA is in denial about it

Mala! GET OUT OF MY BRAIN!

Mala, don't go all River Tam on me!

Comment by

wickedpam on 01/17/2014 21:26:05

Quote by Mondobubba:
Quote by wickedpam:
Quote by Mondobubba:
Quote by wickedpam:
Quote by Raine:
Quote by Mondobubba:
Quote by BobR:
Quote by Mondobubba:
Quote by BobR:
Quote by Raine:
OMEFFING GOD.

so glad I no longer live in the South

Bob, you live in Virginia. By definition it is the South. The part of the South you live in is not wall-to-wall rednecks.

NoVa is in no way The South, especially since the part I live in was once part of DC.

Yes, it is Bobber, Physically it part of the Old South. Robert E. Lee's Plantation is what, 2 miles from where you are?

Spiritually, oh hell no.
I dunno, Saying Nova is the south , while technically it is is like assuming all of New York is from the city.

*double checks location of Mason-Dixon line - nope hasn't moved* As much as I hate it, we are still the south, even though everyone in NoVA is in denial about it

Mala! GET OUT OF MY BRAIN!

Mala, don't go all River Tam on me!

Comment by

Mondobubba on 01/17/2014 22:14:40

Read the description.

Comment by

wickedpam on 01/17/2014 22:19:53

Quote by Mondobubba:
Read the description.

Cute house

Show All

Latest Entries

Actions Menu

Blog Roll

Other Links

Protect and Serve?
Author: BobR Date: 01/17/2014 18:33:41

Share This!

Add a Comment

Latest Entries

Actions Menu

Blog Roll

Other Links

Protect and Serve? Author: BobR Date: 01/17/2014 18:33:41

Share This!

Add a Comment

Protect and Serve?
Author: BobR Date: 01/17/2014 18:33:41