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> Isn't it strange how we never had this many problems with bad cops before the invention of body cameras? Rodney King? And the subsequent LA riots in K-Town c

> Isn't it strange how we never had this many problems with bad cops before the invention of body cameras? Rodney King? And the subsequent LA riots in K-Town come to mind, where they arrested the Korean merchant owners defending their homes, busniesses and property. I think you need to understand that this is systemic, Police officers are vetted and no longer considered if they have High IQs, and the courts allow this: https://abcnews.go.com/US/court-oks-barring-high-iqs-cops/story?id=95836 https://abcnews.go.com/US/court-oks-barring-high-iqs-cops/st... Think about the implications you have with just 20 years of such low barriers of entry, and the ramped up militarization of police and its tactics?

loeg 7y ago
Rodney King is complicated. He's not the blameless victim you might think. At the same time, the cops responsible used ridiculously excessive force restraining him, and their initial acquittal was a sham (and everyone knew it, leading to the riots).
- geofft 7y ago
  I'd like to live in a country where you can be a bit of a flawed person and still not experience any violence from the government, unless you're so flawed that you're actively hurting others and there's no other way to make you stop. In this world, none of us are blameless victims.
  - loeg 7y ago
    > I'd like to live in a country where you can be a bit of a flawed person and still not experience any violence from the government, unless you're so flawed that you're actively hurting others and there's no other way to make you stop. Yes, me too. But this is not responsive to my comment and if you feel that it is, maybe you're not familiar with the full series of events that night? I recommend the documentary LA 92. > In this world, none of us are blameless victims. Um, sure, in some abstract sense. But in a very specific and real sense, Rodney King was less blameless than most of us. * He was speeding while driving drunk, endangering others; * he failed to pull over when the police initially indicated he should (a non-violent authority granted to police by the state to enforce traffic laws); * he attempted to outrun LAPD by driving at high speeds through neighborhoods (in an attempt to avoid parole violation for previous robbery), further endangering others; * and finally after the chase was stopped, and he was out of the car on the ground, he attempted to get up and fight the police officers arresting him several times. * Here is where the the Holliday video starts. * Police first use violence against Mr. King: they taser him when he first gets up off the ground, refusing police direction to stay on the ground. * He gets off the ground again and attempts to attack a cop (Powell). * Here's the beginning of the video cut that KTLA broadcast. Notably, it's missing the part where he tried to attack Powell. * Police again use violence in self-defense. * He continues to refuse to submit to arrest and attempts to stand repeatedly. Police continue to use violence. * At some point the violence was no longer necessary to keep him detained and allow an officer to safely handcuff him, but continued despite that. That last bullet is unacceptable! I don't dispute that. But Rodney King meets your bar for actively hurting others justifying government violence. Yes, people shouldn't have to be blameless to avoid government violence. But it is a much more compelling demonstration of the problem when the victims are blameless. There are so many other recorded incidents of excessive police force with less problematic victims.
geofft 7y ago
I think you may have missed my sarcasm :)

loeg 7y ago

Rodney King is complicated. He's not the blameless victim you might think. At the same time, the cops responsible used ridiculously excessive force restraining him, and their initial acquittal was a sham (and everyone knew it, leading to the riots).

geofft 7y ago
I'd like to live in a country where you can be a bit of a flawed person and still not experience any violence from the government, unless you're so flawed that you're actively hurting others and there's no other way to make you stop. In this world, none of us are blameless victims.
- loeg 7y ago
  > I'd like to live in a country where you can be a bit of a flawed person and still not experience any violence from the government, unless you're so flawed that you're actively hurting others and there's no other way to make you stop. Yes, me too. But this is not responsive to my comment and if you feel that it is, maybe you're not familiar with the full series of events that night? I recommend the documentary LA 92. > In this world, none of us are blameless victims. Um, sure, in some abstract sense. But in a very specific and real sense, Rodney King was less blameless than most of us. * He was speeding while driving drunk, endangering others; * he failed to pull over when the police initially indicated he should (a non-violent authority granted to police by the state to enforce traffic laws); * he attempted to outrun LAPD by driving at high speeds through neighborhoods (in an attempt to avoid parole violation for previous robbery), further endangering others; * and finally after the chase was stopped, and he was out of the car on the ground, he attempted to get up and fight the police officers arresting him several times. * Here is where the the Holliday video starts. * Police first use violence against Mr. King: they taser him when he first gets up off the ground, refusing police direction to stay on the ground. * He gets off the ground again and attempts to attack a cop (Powell). * Here's the beginning of the video cut that KTLA broadcast. Notably, it's missing the part where he tried to attack Powell. * Police again use violence in self-defense. * He continues to refuse to submit to arrest and attempts to stand repeatedly. Police continue to use violence. * At some point the violence was no longer necessary to keep him detained and allow an officer to safely handcuff him, but continued despite that. That last bullet is unacceptable! I don't dispute that. But Rodney King meets your bar for actively hurting others justifying government violence. Yes, people shouldn't have to be blameless to avoid government violence. But it is a much more compelling demonstration of the problem when the victims are blameless. There are so many other recorded incidents of excessive police force with less problematic victims.

geofft 7y ago

I think you may have missed my sarcasm :)