YIPES !

Wait until we have Pres. Barack Obama going after "business criminals" for exploiting the poor or tax evaders who won't pay their "fair share." I've told Bush conservatives for years that if they forge broad Patriot Act-type regulations, that they would be used against regular Americans. And so they are.

Post 2

Thursday, May 15, 2008 - 6:29am

Gigi, that PrisonPlanet site, and the commentator on the video, are kooks. The woman being arrested on the video is a kook. She blathered on and on about how the police had no right to stop her and no right to see her driver's license. Uh... the cops need to be able to check your driver's license. If she'd just shown her damn papers, they would have told her why she was stopped, and probably let her go. She really looked like she was hiding something criminal, and the cops reacted the way they'd been trained to do in that circumstance. I also wonder about the date on the police video - 9-12-00, pre-Patriot Act. I don't think she was busted for suspected terrorism. She probably had an expired plate or something, and the cops were just trying to do their jobs.

If you read some of the actual source material referenced from PrisonPlanet, you will see that they are hugely distorting things. For example, the website says that Texas troopers consider the wearing of Levis and the use of cell phones to be indicative of terrorist activity. What the actual pamphlet says is that discovering a large quantity of Levis or cell phones is suspect.

Post 3

Thursday, May 15, 2008 - 8:32am

Hi Laure, I haven't seen that website, I found this on the Mommy-forum I participate at. I was more alarmed by the "Founding Fathers were terrorist" etc. part.

Post 4

Thursday, May 15, 2008 - 8:59am

Hi Gigi, yeah, I was puzzled by the "Founding Fathers were terrorists" thing. I couldn't tell what the context was, but I don't think the intention was that people who carry a Pocket Constitution should be viewed as terrorists, as seemed to be the interpretation of the commentator.

Post 5

Thursday, May 15, 2008 - 11:39am

Just Following Orders

Yes, they were doing what they have been trained to understand as their job, but if you listen closely, they admit to the woman that all her papers and tags are apparently in order, that she did not commit a moving violation, and they refuse to give her probable cause when she asks for it. They demand to know her name even though they admit she has not apparently done anything wrong. They are also shocked to find that she has a copy of "patriot games" by the known subversive Tom Clancy.

My father, a conservative supporter of the police, aged 70, went through the same BS a few years ago. No wrong-doing on his part, just pulled over by a cop because the cop could do so. After my father did identify himself (he was working directly with the town's mayor managing a new school construction) the cop was mortified. Not because the cop was wrong, but because my dad apparently had pull.

If I were one of these cops I would have to resign my job in disgust. I have to wonder if they would pull over suspected fags and niggers if they were told to do so.

Post 6

Thursday, May 15, 2008 - 1:09pm

Jackboot harassment. Is that the new training atmosphere ? That "Terrorist" video was a FEMA agent training video.
Ted, it's like cognitive dissonance, a job like this these days, integrity and priciples have you seek to "Protect and Serve" then you are told to behave in a way suppresses your integrity and principles. I have aquaintences on the force who I knew through-out highschool and many have lost there self-respect, and one is now in prison. I would have resigned also.

Post 7

Thursday, May 15, 2008 - 3:51pm

I watched that video and was impressed with the woman's knowledge of the law and of her rights.

Her mistake was rolling down the window. If he wanted to see her papers, she could show them through the window, and he'd have to accept that.

The cop was a plain bully for putting his hands on her, and refusing to answer her reasonable questions about the stop. Some cops will tell you immediately why they pulled you over, even before you ask. Others enjoy the control they wield, like this turkey, and play bossy bully to people just because they can. "You will respect my AUTHORATAH!"

Post 8

Thursday, May 15, 2008 - 7:53pm