4 ms·

It's not a 1% chance. Even if one accepts your definition of torture, people who aren't criminals are very rarely caught up in the system at all. So it's far

by jki275 7y ago

It's not a 1% chance. Even if one accepts your definition of torture, people who aren't criminals are very rarely caught up in the system at all. So it's far less than 1% as long as you're simply not a criminal. If the US were really so bad, people would leave. The people who do leave typically leave for tax purposes opposite to your belief.

bdamm 7y ago
Mobility is really restricted to the top half of people. Yeah, it's not so bad as to cause mass refugee exodus, but that's a very low bar to aim for. We can and should do better.
whycombinater 7y ago
Seriously dude? "American Airlines overcharged you by $1 and you're complaining? WHY NOT JUST START AN AIRLINE YOURSELF?" If only we were all god, your comment would be helpful.
- ameister14 7y ago
  More like you are outlining how much worse AA is than every other airline and a person says 'well, why don't you fly other airlines?'
  - BubRoss 7y ago
    Choosing a country to be a citizen of is not a very liquid market.
    - ameister14 7y ago
      Yep, and airlines are a terrible analogy.
Elzear 7y ago
Around 5% of the US population go to jail at least once in their life. And 0.69% are currently jailed (0.075% in Germany). Since it is harder to _simply not be a criminal_ and prisons there are proven not to fulfill their role, maybe OP simply wishes that this aspect of the country would improve. I don't think he/she was whining, or even saying that everything in the country terrible.
- seppin 7y ago
  > Since it is harder to _simply not be a criminal_ European misunderstanding and distortion of American society never fails to entertain.
michaelmrose 7y ago
Years ago while making a regular six mile hike home from a low paying job I was regularly harassed by law enforcement who would stop me and hold me for no reason while "running my ID" I was asked if a bag of teriyaki beef jerky in its original packaging, the edge of which was sticking out of my pocket was drugs. Eventually I was arrested for saying fuck off while walking away. I was charged, appealed eventually rejected because half of America does not actually have any rights at all unless you have thousands of dollars and if you need that money to buy medicine or pay rent you are fucked. Then there is the time I was almost arrested by virtue of helping a black man move a couch from his own home because burglers always leave the electronics and jewelry and take the giant furniture. I'd keep going but the other abuses are more personal. Your perspective is based on being well off and white.
monkeycantype 7y ago
I've had US police pull guns on me several times, thrown to the ground have been arrested and jailed overnight, despite not having committed a crime on any of the occasions. My transgression in each case was to have not learnt the submission rituals that American police expect, the whole stay in your car with you hands on the wheel, the yes sir, yes mam. One of these times was on a late night Santa Cruz to SF drive, my friend and I got too tired to drive and slept on the beach near McNee Ranch state park, in the middle of being arrested, with five guns drawn, one officer said - this is verbatim 'That's a north face jacket, I don't think this guy is homeless. Are you Homeless?' and just like that I was restored to full white privileges and the arrest was off. I don't think changing law enforcement is easy, I believe law enforcement reflects the power relationships of society - you won't change law enforcement with out changing the society in which it exists. I love California, it broke my heart to leave, I'll never really know if I made the right decision, and I'm pretty sure if I didn't have four kids I'd be back there.
- pnako 7y ago
  >My transgression in each case was to have not learnt the submission rituals that American police expect Either you are a slow learner, or you make a point to be a smartass with cops. Do you think it's specific to American cops? Maybe try that with Algerian or Brazilian cops and see how things turn out for you.
  - BubRoss 7y ago
    Classic victim blaming.
    - pnako 7y ago
      Victim of what, exactly?
  - bmn__ 7y ago
    I see your whataboutism. That works both ways. Try holding American cops to the standard one can expect in Central Europe.

by jki275 7y ago

bdamm 7y ago

Mobility is really restricted to the top half of people. Yeah, it's not so bad as to cause mass refugee exodus, but that's a very low bar to aim for. We can and should do better.

whycombinater 7y ago

Seriously dude? "American Airlines overcharged you by $1 and you're complaining? WHY NOT JUST START AN AIRLINE YOURSELF?" If only we were all god, your comment would be helpful.

ameister14 7y ago
More like you are outlining how much worse AA is than every other airline and a person says 'well, why don't you fly other airlines?'
- BubRoss 7y ago
  Choosing a country to be a citizen of is not a very liquid market.
  - ameister14 7y ago
    Yep, and airlines are a terrible analogy.

Elzear 7y ago

Around 5% of the US population go to jail at least once in their life. And 0.69% are currently jailed (0.075% in Germany). Since it is harder to _simply not be a criminal_ and prisons there are proven not to fulfill their role, maybe OP simply wishes that this aspect of the country would improve. I don't think he/she was whining, or even saying that everything in the country terrible.

seppin 7y ago
> Since it is harder to _simply not be a criminal_ European misunderstanding and distortion of American society never fails to entertain.

michaelmrose 7y ago

Years ago while making a regular six mile hike home from a low paying job I was regularly harassed by law enforcement who would stop me and hold me for no reason while "running my ID" I was asked if a bag of teriyaki beef jerky in its original packaging, the edge of which was sticking out of my pocket was drugs. Eventually I was arrested for saying fuck off while walking away. I was charged, appealed eventually rejected because half of America does not actually have any rights at all unless you have thousands of dollars and if you need that money to buy medicine or pay rent you are fucked. Then there is the time I was almost arrested by virtue of helping a black man move a couch from his own home because burglers always leave the electronics and jewelry and take the giant furniture. I'd keep going but the other abuses are more personal. Your perspective is based on being well off and white.

monkeycantype 7y ago

I've had US police pull guns on me several times, thrown to the ground have been arrested and jailed overnight, despite not having committed a crime on any of the occasions. My transgression in each case was to have not learnt the submission rituals that American police expect, the whole stay in your car with you hands on the wheel, the yes sir, yes mam. One of these times was on a late night Santa Cruz to SF drive, my friend and I got too tired to drive and slept on the beach near McNee Ranch state park, in the middle of being arrested, with five guns drawn, one officer said - this is verbatim 'That's a north face jacket, I don't think this guy is homeless. Are you Homeless?' and just like that I was restored to full white privileges and the arrest was off. I don't think changing law enforcement is easy, I believe law enforcement reflects the power relationships of society - you won't change law enforcement with out changing the society in which it exists. I love California, it broke my heart to leave, I'll never really know if I made the right decision, and I'm pretty sure if I didn't have four kids I'd be back there.

pnako 7y ago
>My transgression in each case was to have not learnt the submission rituals that American police expect Either you are a slow learner, or you make a point to be a smartass with cops. Do you think it's specific to American cops? Maybe try that with Algerian or Brazilian cops and see how things turn out for you.
- BubRoss 7y ago
  Classic victim blaming.
  - pnako 7y ago
    Victim of what, exactly?
- bmn__ 7y ago
  I see your whataboutism. That works both ways. Try holding American cops to the standard one can expect in Central Europe.