4 ms·

Not to downplay the NSA issues -- but it's a lot scarier for a black/brown person to realize their life can be ended when they get stopped for having a tail lig

by bdavisx 10y ago

Not to downplay the NSA issues -- but it's a lot scarier for a black/brown person to realize their life can be ended when they get stopped for having a tail light out.

kbenson 10y ago
Yes. As these things go, every day existential threats generally trump threats to our liberty. I can't fault anyone for that.
lettergram 10y ago
I do agree that people will think that way, but it's actually not scarier. Giving the government the power it has, implies the government can basically do what ever it want. It has secret courts, secret arrests, and secret police. That is way more horrifying than the very small risk of being shot - which the numbers don't even fully support that it's getting worse, unjustified, or even preventable. I recommend the Through the Wormhole episode: are we all bigots?). That being said, I do think we whould always be wary of police and generally question the government. It's important we keep into perspective what's actually a threat and whats just unfortunate. Both should be improved, but one (the NSA) can prevent any sort of improvement, the police shooting rate seems to be more of an over reaction and mistake that almost everyone agrees should be fixed. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2016/07/13/why-a-massive-new-study-on-police-shootings-of-whites-and-blacks-is-so-controversial/ https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2016/07/13/why-a... http://www.sciencechannel.com/tv-shows/through-the-wormhole/are-we-all-bigots/ http://www.sciencechannel.com/tv-shows/through-the-wormhole/...
- optimuspaul 10y ago
  I don't think you can say what is scarier for another person.
  - matt_wulfeck 10y ago
    What's the difference than someone saying it is scarier? This reasoning "only people who are X can say what it's like to be X" makes no logical sense.
    - vertex-four 10y ago
      "Needles are scary." Well, actually... no, I don't find needles scary. To be scared is an emotional response, and you can't really tell pother people what their emotions are.

by bdavisx 10y ago

Not to downplay the NSA issues -- but it's a lot scarier for a black/brown person to realize their life can be ended when they get stopped for having a tail light out.

kbenson 10y ago

Yes. As these things go, every day existential threats generally trump threats to our liberty. I can't fault anyone for that.

lettergram 10y ago

I do agree that people will think that way, but it's actually not scarier. Giving the government the power it has, implies the government can basically do what ever it want. It has secret courts, secret arrests, and secret police. That is way more horrifying than the very small risk of being shot - which the numbers don't even fully support that it's getting worse, unjustified, or even preventable. I recommend the Through the Wormhole episode: are we all bigots?). That being said, I do think we whould always be wary of police and generally question the government. It's important we keep into perspective what's actually a threat and whats just unfortunate. Both should be improved, but one (the NSA) can prevent any sort of improvement, the police shooting rate seems to be more of an over reaction and mistake that almost everyone agrees should be fixed. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2016/07/13/why-a-massive-new-study-on-police-shootings-of-whites-and-blacks-is-so-controversial/ https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2016/07/13/why-a... http://www.sciencechannel.com/tv-shows/through-the-wormhole/are-we-all-bigots/ http://www.sciencechannel.com/tv-shows/through-the-wormhole/...

optimuspaul 10y ago
I don't think you can say what is scarier for another person.
- matt_wulfeck 10y ago
  What's the difference than someone saying it is scarier? This reasoning "only people who are X can say what it's like to be X" makes no logical sense.
  - vertex-four 10y ago
    "Needles are scary." Well, actually... no, I don't find needles scary. To be scared is an emotional response, and you can't really tell pother people what their emotions are.