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Police arrrest man who posted video of Alton Sterling's death

No one will deny the police should be bringing law-breakers to justice.

But the problem is: Are the police selectively placing attention on those they feel threaten them (even through just cause)?

I think it would be naive to believe that coming forth with criminal evidence against the police does not subject one to intense scrutiny at the least, and perhaps even worse.

But this does not happen if one does not come forward.

So it seems to me undebatable that this increased scrutiny is not selective on their part.

It's important to remember that many people who feel that the police are out to get them are people who commit crime regularly and blame it on other people.
That's the real issue here.
People who want to break the law and pay no consequence are exploiting these handful of cases . Look who started the Rodney King riots, it was the CRIPS gang. They didn't care about Rodney King, they just used him as an excuse to commit crimes and attack people.
 
Derogatory???

First let's make sure we have the same video.

If it's this one, there's no words spoken besides the crying & shock of the killing.

This video is exactly why the police came after him - it wasn't you or me - it was one of theirs:





The private citizens can do whatever they lawfully would like, but they can't use police powers or police systems to their ends (for obvious reasons - they're not cops).

But the police sure did here, and that's the issue.

Exactly!

If they're using their powers to investigate and pursue those otherwise exercising their 1A to the police's displeasure, and once again that's selective enforcement/selective investigation.

This is pretty basic stuff.


Yes, that's the same video. You don't think it's derogatory towards the police? What would you call it...a positive, heartwarming, complimentary video?

You have an objection to the PD using their rights to investigate whatever they want, just like the man had a right to post the video. Why do you object to the police exercising their rights?
 
It's important to remember that many people who feel that the police are out to get them are people who commit crime regularly and blame it on other people.
That's the real issue here.
People who want to break the law and pay no consequence are exploiting these handful of cases . Look who started the Rodney King riots, it was the CRIPS gang. They didn't care about Rodney King, they just used him as an excuse to commit crimes and attack people.
There's some truth to that, but only some.

The guy shot in Minnesota seems crime free as far as we know, and it seems he was wasted for exercising his 2A rights by carrying.

I'm no criminal myself, but I personally feel the air tinged here with what I perceive as institutionalized police over-empowerment, and a little too much license to shoot first.

But the big picture is we've got to get the vast majority in the country to feel fully enfranchised, or this divide may keep growing.

Something seems off in a society that accepts this much death and imprisonment.
 
Then, you didn't read the article, either.

More than you did, I'm afraid. Your desperate attempts to make me look bad only make you look even more pathetic.
 
Yes, that's the same video. You don't think it's derogatory towards the police? What would you call it...a positive, heartwarming, complimentary video?
How exactly is this video derogatory, Tres?

It seems to accurately capture the actions the officers took against the man they killed.

You have an objection to the PD using their rights to investigate whatever they want, just like the man had a right to post his video. Why do you object to the police exercising their rights?
Yes, I have a problem with the police selectively enforcing or investigating! Don't you?

The police have no "right" to investigate anyone in anyway they chose! They're given the public trust to perform their duties, and one of them is not to harass or attempt to suppress evidence that may be used against them.

But since you seem to think the police have this "right", what do you think about this women's 250 investigations?

Sun-Sentinal: Donna Watts

Were these thugs just exercising their police "rights" too, as you claim above?
 
More than you did, I'm afraid. Your desperate attempts to make me look bad only make you look even more pathetic.

I quoted you. If it was wrong, then guess what.
 
Given the timing someone certainly ran his name because of his post. He wouldn't have gotten tagged had he kept his mouth shut. Whether that makes it retaliatory or not is in the eye of beholder. It is certain to make others think twice before posting something that calls cops into question and that is unacceptable.

All it does is make people that have outstanding warrants think twice before making yourself a national figure in the media. There are dozens of people that put videos about cops on the internet almost every day, and they don't get arrested for outstanding warrants, because they don't have any outstanding warrants.

He had outstanding warrants. Period.
 
Given the timing someone certainly ran his name because of his post. He wouldn't have gotten tagged had he kept his mouth shut. Whether that makes it retaliatory or not is in the eye of beholder. It is certain to make others think twice before posting something that calls cops into question and that is unacceptable.

It could have been as simple as someone say, "hey, I know that guy. We've been looking for him".
 
Selective enforcement is wrong.

There are plenty of things wrong in the world, why is this case wrong? Are you arguing that if they can't get everyone, then they should try?
 
There's some truth to that, but only some.

The guy shot in Minnesota seems crime free as far as we know, and it seems he was wasted for exercising his 2A rights by carrying.

I'm no criminal myself, but I personally feel the air tinged here with what I perceive as institutionalized police over-empowerment, and a little too much license to shoot first.

But the big picture is we've got to get the vast majority in the country to feel fully enfranchised, or this divide may keep growing.

Something seems off in a society that accepts this much death and imprisonment.

If a better and more fairer model exists in the world for including people of color, I'm not aware of it.
We often think that we're the only ones in the world experiencing these issues, we're not.



The same claims of police injustice and disenfranchisement exist in every multicultural society in the first world.

Life choices determine one's destiny. There are thousands of black Americans who decided to become police officers, or pursue higher education, or learn a trade. And these are the people who rarely complain about the US being unfair to them, or voice feelings of disenfranchisement.
 
Um, the message is clear. If you have outstanding warrants, don't do anything to bring attention to yourself.

The cops don't spend days running down people with outstanding warrants for parking and driving tickets. There aren't enough hours in the day to do it. They hope to catch those people the next time they commit a malfeasance. Did you seriously not already realize this? Have you ever read a police blotter and see how many people are arrested/pulled over for "x" violation or were even sitting in a car driven by someone else who had done something wrong and were ultimately arrested because of a bench warrant?

Like Beau said, there is no message, no conspiracy, no coincidence here. He wanted everyone to know who he was when he posted that video. He made himself available and he invited this.



I am amazed that you could know what the individual was thinking when he posted the video.

Sorry, but anyone with a brain knows this was indeed retribution. There are no cops in any jurisdiction dedicated to parking violations.

further, the actions in this regard are unprofessional to say the least. They lie to the military police about "assault" then turn around and hold him illegally for tickets.


I volunteer with the VPD, I know policing and this is everything it looks like. Some uniformed thugs sending a message "don't **** with us", the same way the Hell' Angel's trash your pad when they want to send a message.

There is no difference here.
 
If a better and more fairer model exists in the world for including people of color, I'm not aware of it.
We often think that we're the only ones in the world experiencing these issues, we're not.



The same claims of police injustice and disenfranchisement exist in every multicultural society in the first world.

Life choices determine one's destiny. There are thousands of black Americans who decided to become police officers, or pursue higher education, or learn a trade. And these are the people who rarely complain about the US being unfair to them, or voice feelings of disenfranchisement.
I think this is a reasonable comment. Thanks.
 
There are plenty of things wrong in the world, why is this case wrong? Are you arguing that if they can't get everyone, then they should try?
They seem to have made exception for this guy, and for one reason: He implicated their fellow officers.

And that type of selection is wrong.

We should be encouraging evidence of possible criminality by the authorities, not dissuading them.
 
They seem to have made exception for this guy, and for one reason: He implicated their fellow officers.

And that type of selection is wrong.

We should be encouraging evidence of possible criminality by the authorities, not dissuading them.

How was an exception made? Were they supposed to ignore arrest warrants?
 
All it does is make people that have outstanding warrants think twice before making yourself a national figure in the media. There are dozens of people that put videos about cops on the internet almost every day, and they don't get arrested for outstanding warrants, because they don't have any outstanding warrants.

He had outstanding warrants. Period.


Why should people who witness what they believe to be government malfeasance have to think twice? Is that really the government we want?
 
How exactly is this video derogatory, Tres?

It seems to accurately capture the actions the officers took against the man they killed.

Yes, I have a problem with the police selectively enforcing or investigating! Don't you?

The police have no "right" to investigate anyone in anyway they chose! They're given the public trust to perform their duties, and one of them is not to harass or attempt to suppress evidence that may be used against them.

But since you seem to think the police have this "right", what do you think about this women's 250 investigations?

Sun-Sentinal: Donna Watts

Were these thugs just exercising their police "rights" too, as you claim above?

It appears you don't know what the meaning of the word "derogatory" is or why I'm using it. I've used it repeatedly in many contexts. This is a derogatory video. It makes the police look bad. It is why they ran a background check on the man who posted it instead of running background checks on me when I post pictures of my dogs. It's why some men would go after another man who made a derogatory comment about his wife and wouldn't go after a man who made a positive comment about his wife.

Yes, police have the right to investigate anyone they want. They can check your driving record. They can check for outstanding warrants. They can check your arrest record. Or did something change and I missed it?
 
I am amazed that you could know what the individual was thinking when he posted the video.

Sorry, but anyone with a brain knows this was indeed retribution. There are no cops in any jurisdiction dedicated to parking violations.

further, the actions in this regard are unprofessional to say the least. They lie to the military police about "assault" then turn around and hold him illegally for tickets.


I volunteer with the VPD, I know policing and this is everything it looks like. Some uniformed thugs sending a message "don't **** with us", the same way the Hell' Angel's trash your pad when they want to send a message.

There is no difference here.

What a delightful post. Nice dig too - loved the "brain" comment. No clue why you posted all of that except apparently this story has you all worked up. Maybe you need to file a complaint with the justice department on this poor man's behalf. And help him pay his parking tickets, too.

Yes, I don't know what at all the man was thinking. You're right, he surely wanted to make sure that nobody knew who he was. That's why he posted it anonymously and with no way of tracing the post back to him. I guess the people with a "brain" know that. Too bad it isn't what happened. Or maybe he's too stupid to know how to avoid having everyone in the free world know who you are.

If you detest our "uniformed thugs" then the good news is if you ever need police assistance while in the USA, you can make sure you don't call 911. God forbid one of those "thugs" has to come to your aid.
 
Why should people who witness what they believe to be government malfeasance have to think twice? Is that really the government we want?

Maybe he should think twice before not paying his parking tickets, like the rest of us do. Had he paid them, this thread would never exist. Nobody suggested removing anyone's rights to post these kinds of videos.

It's always someone else's fault....government, the uniformed thugs, and so on. I could have posted this video and the cops could investigate me all day long. There are no warrants out for me. Someone who has no warrants out for him could have posted it too.

He can freely and should freely share government malfeasance. Next time it's in his interest to make sure his background is also free of malfeasance.
 
It appears you don't know what the meaning of the word "derogatory" is or why I'm using it. I've used it repeatedly in many contexts. This is a derogatory video. It makes the police look bad. It is why they ran a background check on the man who posted it instead of running background checks on me when I post pictures of my dogs. It's why some men would go after another man who made a derogatory comment about his wife and wouldn't go after a man who made a positive comment about his wife.

Yes, police have the right to investigate anyone they want. They can check your driving record. They can check for outstanding warrants. They can check your arrest record. Or did something change and I missed it?
You believe it's derogatory, whereas I see it as evidentiary.

This guy provided a video record of a public act. Apparently, the police would prefer to be secretive in this matter? It should not be made public?

But again to your statement of "the police have the right to check whatever they want":

What is your opinion of Donna Watts?

Sun-Sentinal: Donna Watts
 
They seem to have made exception for this guy, and for one reason: He implicated their fellow officers.

And that type of selection is wrong.

We should be encouraging evidence of possible criminality by the authorities, not dissuading them.

I generally agree, but just as freedom of speech doesn't make one free from criticism, nothing would have happened to this person if there weren't an outstanding warrant. This person made himself prominent. He could have just as easily sent the video to the local newspaper anonymously or given it to someone else who didn't have an outstanding warrant.

He wanted the credit but he had an outstanding balance.
 
Why should people who witness what they believe to be government malfeasance have to think twice? Is that really the government we want?

That's not what I'm talking about and that's not what I'm saying. Honest, non-criminal people should not think twice about videoing and then publishing the video on line of police officers. However, if they've broken the law at some point in the past and are a fugitive from justice with outstanding warrants for their arrest, they should neither be surprised nor complain when they are arrested.

I have no problem with people videoing the police, and in fact applaud those who do. All I said was, if you have outstanding warrants, and you don't want to get arrested, then you'd better stay below the radar, and not put very high profile videos on the internet under their own name.

You guys really don't get what I'm saying. And, that's sad. You both are asking me questions or putting forth statements as if I said something completely different - as if I'm saying that no one should hold the government accountable, or as you said, people who witness what they believe to be government malfeasance have to think twice. I never said that. What I said was: "... people that have outstanding warrants (should) think twice before making yourself a national figure in the media" if they do not want to get arrested. Which is what this thread is about. They guy had outstanding warrants and he's bitching about some supposed conspiracy by the police to arrest him. They arrested him because he had outstanding warrants. If didn't have outstanding warrants, he would not had been arrested. Once he paid his fines, he was released.

Are you guys saying that people should not be arrested when they have outstanding warrants just because they posted a video online of what they thought was police malfeasance?
 
He had outstanding warrants. No one "created" those so they could go after him. He brought this upon himself.

Yeah, right, which is why I said this quoted above: " I'll admit it's his own fault for throwing rocks at the police while you have a warrant" and this in a later response to you, "I don't even mind him getting called to account for his fines - he should have paid them, not paying them is stupid and him getting caught is his own damn fault."

If you feel so sure there was retribution here, then file a civil rights complaint with the US DOJ.

Sheesh, that's a strawman and a bad one. Civil rights complaint? No one is alleging his 'rights' were violated for being arrested on an outstanding warrant. What some of us are objecting to is someone pissing on our leg and claiming it's rain. The police weren't happy he posted that video and got it broadcast nationwide, and they looked him up, and did some petty retribution by arresting him AT WORK and using BS trumped up charges AT WORK for all his coworkers to hear while he's being hauled away in public. It's like a perp walk but for TRAFFIC VIOLATIONS. Give me a break that there was no petty retribution going on here.

I wonder how often the police in that area enlist the military police to arrest TRAFFIC TICKET scofflaws. If it's more than "never but in this case" then it's a gigantic waste of time and resources and someone should be fired, since the police can look the guy up and find his HOME and send a couple of rookies 3 days out of the police academy over at 6am to haul him to jail. But that wouldn't be AT WORK where they can do the perp walk in front of his bosses.
 
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