Is America a Police state?

[Apex]

[Audio] 911 Dispatcher Tells Caller That Open Carry Is Legal in MI, But Police Still Respond and Draw Guns on Legal Carrier

Here we have police abusing their authority and showing no knowledge of the laws they are supposed to enforce.

Well this is certainly a weird case. To start, we have the audio of a 911 call in which a concerned citizen called the police to report a man carry a holstered weapon on his side.
Fortunately, the caller is advised by the 911 dispatcher that the act of openly carrying a handgun in completely legal in the state of Michigan (much to the chagrin of the caller). The dispatcher even went on to say, “Well, you’ll probably see more and more of it. Since all the school shootings and such, people are exercising their open-carry (rights).”
It initially sounds like an overly concerned citizen is going to learn a lesson about the law and everyone will go about their day.
However, police still responded to the call and confronted the carrier, Johann Deffert. The first officers on the scene ordered Deffert to the ground at gunpoint.

 

[Revoltingest]

[Audio] 911 Dispatcher Tells Caller That Open Carry Is Legal in MI, But Police Still Respond and Draw Guns on Legal Carrier

Here we have police abusing their authority and showing no knowledge of the laws they are supposed to enforce.

Well, try to imagine it from the cop's point of view. They draw their guns on people, curse
them out, force'm to the ground, handcuff'm, beat'm sometimes, & arrest'm on occasion.
When confronted with a guy committing no crime, they don't know what else to do.
To a man with a hammer, all problems look like nails.

 

[Apex]

'We called for help, and they killed my son,' North Carolina man says - CNN.com

Seventy seconds: That's how long a North Carolina family says it took for things to go horribly wrong as they sought police help dealing with their mentally ill son. Keith Vidal, 18, died Sunday.According to CNN affiliate WECT, he was just shot 1 minute and 10 seconds after a third law enforcement officer showed up at hisBrunswick County home.

Every day it seems more and more a bad idea to call the police for any reason in the US.

 

[Revoltingest]

'We called for help, and they killed my son,' North Carolina man says - CNN.com
Every day it seems more and more a bad idea to call the police for any reason in the US.

I was torn about posting that one. It seems a case of singular misbehavior by one
cop. But it might become worse if the authorities go easy on the murderer.

 

[Apex]

I was torn about posting that one. It seems a case of singular misbehavior by one
cop. But it might become worse if the authorities go easy on the murderer.

Of course they are going to go easy. What do you think this is, some mythical country where there is justice for all?

 

[Revoltingest]

Of course they are going to go easy. What do you think this is, some mythical country where there is justice for all?

My grasp on reality slipped momentarily.
If a guy can get an 8 month prison sentence for slapping a kid....
Man gets eight months in prison for slapping toddler on plane - U.S. News
....a murderous cop ought to get 8 centuries. Let's watch to see what happens.

 

[Clarity]

Your thoughts about recording the acts of public 'servants'?
Has anyone had a bad experience with law enforcement?

Silly question.

I can say anything I want, anywhere I want, in any public forum and the only thing I have to fear is a liberal outrage to have me fired.

The government has no such power.

 

[Revoltingest]

Silly question.
I can say anything I want, anywhere I want, in any public forum and the only thing I have to fear is a liberal outrage to have me fired.
The government has no such power.

Perhaps not over you...so long as you don't say anything they really dislike.
http://www.cato.org/publications/commentary/freedom-speech-except-when-it-matters
http://www.ij.org/mowing-down-the-grassroots

Anyway, here is one mechanism the fed uses to curb states' rights (in this case, legalizing MJ).
They threaten banks who do business in medical MJ.....
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/12/us/banks-say-no-to-marijuana-money-legal-or-not.html

 

[Clarity]

Perhaps not over you...so long as you don't say anything they really dislike.
Freedom of Speech, Except When It Matters | Cato Institute
The Institute for Justice

Anyway, here is one mechanism the fed uses to curb states' rights (in this case, legalizing MJ).
They threaten banks who do business in medical MJ.....
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/12/us/banks-say-no-to-marijuana-money-legal-or-not.html

I don't understand your links.
Campaign finance reform is so limited in legal scope that it doesn't relate to my post. (They certainly don't come close to "police state".)

Perhaps you could explain?

 

[Revoltingest]

I don't understand your links.
Campaign finance reform is so limited in legal scope that it doesn't relate to my post. (They certainly don't come close to "police state".)
Perhaps you could explain?

Government uses campaign finance reform to silence some, while being permissive to friends.
Consider the "in kind" of political contributions. If a talk show host advocates for a candidate,
this could be considered an illegal contribution by an opposing administration. But a friendly
administration can look the other way. There's a whole lotta leeway in prosecution of such offenses.
Would we want a snake such as a Nixon wielding such power. (My apologies to my serpent friends.)

 

[Clarity]

Government uses campaign finance reform to silence some, while being permissive to friends.
Consider the "in kind" of political contributions. If a talk show host advocates for a candidate,
this could be considered an illegal contribution by an opposing administration. But a friendly
administration can look the other way. There's a whole lotta leeway in prosecution of such offenses.
Would we want a snake such as a Nixon wielding such power. (My apologies to my serpent friends.)

Campaign finance reform can only silence candidates running for office.

The private sector can (and always does) use the 1st amendment to do and say whatever they want, and the USSC almost always errs on the side of freedom of speech.

 

[Revoltingest]

Campaign finance reform can only silence candidates running for office.

Au contraire! Check the links I provided.
Gov is silencing grass roots political efforts with onerous requirements to speak as a group.

You should note that I don't claim we live in a police state.
I merely ask a provocative question to encourage vigilance for our constitutional rights.

 

[Clarity]

Gov is silencing grass roots political efforts with onerous requirements to speak as a group.

I don't disagree with this, "onerous" requirements exist everywhere you find regulation.

In the accounting industry, we laugh at regulation. Sometimes we have bets. After the passage of a new tax on _______ , for example, how many days will it take for the media to report on businesses smart enough to find a legal way around the law?

(This is one of the places where human ingenuity flourishes. Look, all you really need to do is file for non-profit status under section 503(c) as a political org, and you can raise money and do what you want.)

 

[Revoltingest]

I don't disagree with this, "onerous" requirements exist everywhere you find regulation.
In the accounting industry, we laugh at regulation. Sometimes we have bets. After the passage of a new tax on _______ , for example, how many days will it take for the media to report on businesses smart enough to find a legal way around the law?
(This is one of the places where human ingenuity flourishes. Look, all you really need to do is file for non-profit status under section 503(c) as a political org, and you can raise money and do what you want.)

I agree. The problem with grass roots organizations is that they are typically small & neophytes. Coping with complexity is far more practical for someone the size of the NRA or ACLU, but woe unto the group of a dozen house fraus who get together to fight the halfway house proposed for their neighborhood.

Note: I don't mean to dis housewives, but I really wanted to use "house frau".
Note: We business owners don't find a way around every regulation. We often
do as they require, & then we're all bitten by unintended consequences.

 

[Clarity]

I agree. The problem with grass roots organizations is that they are typically small & neophytes. Coping with complexity is far more practical for someone the size of the NRA or ACLU, but woe unto the group of a dozen house fraus who get together to fight the halfway house proposed for their neighborhood.

Note: I don't mean to dis housewives, but I really wanted to use "house frau".
Note: We business owners don't find a way around every regulation. We often
do as they require, & then we're all bitten by unintended consequences.

The hous fraus put Sarah Palin in the governor's mansion. Don't underestimate them.

 

[Revoltingest]

The hous fraus put Sarah Palin in the governor's mansion. Don't underestimate them.

The requirements to vote are quite low. But political speech in the wrong manner,
even with innocent intentions, can get one in hot water with The Man.

 

[Revoltingest]

When a government functionary wants to give you a "pat down", remember this story....
Phila. Police Commissioner Says January 7th Street Incident Remains Unclear « CBS Philly

...during the course of a search, he was grabbed by the genitals and there was a yanking that took place. And according to what I’m also hearing from a medical report is that a testicle was ruptured.

Of course, such a violent sexual assault warrants swift prosecution!

The teen is now facing three misdemeanor charges, including resisting arrest.

I wonder....how would a "pat down" involve grabbing & crushing one's genitals?
If he resisted arrest, how would restraint involve grabbing & crushing one's genitals?

 

[Revoltingest]

Institutionalized rape of people in custody.....
Guards, staff committed half of sexual assaults in prisons - Washington Times

 

[Northern Lights]

Whilst perhaps not a Police State by absolute definition, I think the US is as close to a Police State as there is in the world at the moment. But it's cultural IMHO. There are more law enforcement agencies in the US than there are medical and health agencies. A huge part of US culture is militarized, and it's not just about weapons and guns.

 

[Revoltingest]

Charges to be dropped in Clark County jail case; lawsuit moving forward » Recent Local News » News and Tribune
2 day sentence turned in to 154 days cuz authorities goofed, but wouldn't listen to her.
It seems that civil suits against gov are the best way to threaten them with honoring civil liberties & the law.