[spdrun]

The cops don’t know he’s a tourist who is simply looking at houses (and there’s no saying he wasn’t casing houses, BTW). That’s what they were trying to ascertain when they were questioning him. The fact that he apparently kept walking away/resisting them is what caused them to put him on the ground.

If the cops had more than a bird’s brain, they’d have made the connection. Doesn’t speak English = likely tourist = can’t obey orders which he can’t understand. Your defending those thugs is frankly beneath you, and I don’t know why you persist in doing so.

Time for them to have ten years to think about what they did (assuming they’re able to think at all, which I’m not convinced). And frankly no: I don’t think that we should prevent crime at the cost of harassing people who have the temerity to walk in an area rather than driving and burning gasoline like good little sheepsumers.

zOMG. He was looking at houses. Perhaps the nosy neighbors should be happy that someone thinks their homes to be worth looking at, and maybe engage them in conversation before calling in the cavalry.

[spdrun]

I would hate to live in your world, spdrun. We agree about many things, including our distaste for the militarization of police departments, the Patriot Act, police action against political protesters, pot smokers, etc. But you come across as someone who has had no experience with violent criminals, either as a victim or law enforcement.

Personally, I’ve had experience with violent criminals, and I have ZERO compassion for them.

A tourist standing on a sidewalk looking at houses isn’t a violent criminal. Someone who attacks said tourist and BREAKS HIS NECK is a violent criminal.

I’ve been victimized by violent criminals before. Beaten up pretty bad once, carjacked another time. This does NOT in any way excuse police acting with excessive brutality in my book.

Screw that cop. Hope he rots in prison and comes out a broken man. Chances are, this isn’t the first time when he’s exceeded his authority and the bounds of reasonable force.

[spdrun]

Unclear whether he was going on private property or not. He was on the sidewalk when the cops talked to him. The fucking chump who initially called the cop said “he’s got a toboggan on” — shows how much credence you can place in the report.

As far as the warnings, if he didn’t understand English, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know that he didn’t understand the warnings. The resort to force was completely unwarranted.

I agree that this doesn’t warrant a 10-year sentence. A public hanging would be more appropriate.

[spdrun]

CA Renter —
(a) he wasn’t doing anything illegal. Walking on the street, looking at houses is not cause for arrest, even while “brown.”
(b) he was giving them information (phone # and “no English”) as best he could. Had they acted on that information (calling his son), violence could have been averted. Instead, they chose to resort to violence instead of investigating first.
(c) the force used was clearly excessive.

Hope they go to prison for 10 years, watch their kids grow up through a reinforced glass window, and get out with a few nasty VDs. It would serve as an example to other cops of what NOT to do. Screw those cops, hope they rot in hell.

[spdrun]

Seller’s agent’s job is to sell the home at the highest price. OF COURSE s/he/it will say what they think you’ll need to hear to up your offer, even if the “backups” that you’re competing against are illusory.

As far as the market rising rapidly, it hasn’t been since late 2013. Maybe rising moderately. But I doubt that prices will be much higher by summer’s end. If anything, things slow down by August/September.

Lastly, landscaping is irrelevant. You can do it yourself incrementally as time goes on. Look for houses with crappy landscaping, dirty interiors and exteriors. Keeps the schmucks with no imagination out of the competition.

And think with your brain, not your hormones. Schools won’t be a consideration for another few years. No harm in staying pat or renting till you find the right place.

[spdrun]

I’m not sure that Blogstar is calling for laws as much as decorum.

[spdrun]

I don’t think the market is nearly as hot as people assume any more. I was at two well-priced (~$500k range) open houses in decent areas last week, and they weren’t exactly crawling with people. They were also on the market for a few months without accepted offers.

[spdrun]

Vigilantism is tarring and feathering someone without trial or lynching them. Gathering evidence of wrongdoing by authorities is every citizen’s right and DUTY. The evidence is then given to the victim, who can choose to seek redress from the courts. Being a witness is working within the system, not being a vigilante.

Your bomber example is nonsense, unless you want to also ban cell phones. Someone could follow the bomber, call and say, “success” or “epic fail.”

[spdrun]

CA Renter –

It’s not always practical to avoid certain locales. Given a “bad” police department, you could end up being assaulted or killed as a mere passer-by. Thus the need for scrutiny from the public, to get rid of the bad apples. Everyone can be affected, not just people who choose to live or work somewhere.

Read up on the poor guy from India who was visiting his son in Alabama, and got his neck broken for being the wrong color and walking on the street. Fortunately, the local police chief manned up and disavowed the actions of his officer. But public scrutiny and film evidence can serve to root out bad apples BEFORE they kill or maim someone.

[spdrun]

Unlike private business, government and its police are special cases.

(a) the employees are literally given a power to kill
(b) people have no choice whether to do business with a given government. People can walk out of a restaurant with a rude waiter. They can’t just walk away from an encounter with a violent cop.

[spdrun]

Filming from a distance is reasonable in all cases. If a cop is (say) beating someone who’s on the ground and not attacking him, it’s the duty of the public to treat him like any other perpetrator of a criminal assault.

[spdrun]

No justification for hordes on the backs of crime fighters.

“Crime fighters”, spare me. You’re making them seem like some sort of superheroes. If we got rid of 90% of our asinine drug and morality laws and set highway speed limits to reasonable levels, probably half of the crime they’re “fighting” would no longer exist.

[spdrun]

It means that they are in the service industry working for the government.

Of course. My point was that I don’t see them as the brave heroes that the post-9/11 media wants us to think of them as. They’re just hirelings.

Ultimately, they’re paid via tax money taken from the public. Therefore, they’re accountable to the public. The public has every right to film and scrutinize their actions.

If they don’t like it, they can change jobs.

[spdrun]

Trials are already public. Typically transcribed and recorded, even in states that still ban news cameras.

Teachers aren’t typically armed and don’t have the power to kill someone essentially at will.

As far as hospitals, most surgery requires the patient’s informed consent, and information on surgeons and doctors is actually available to the public. A bunch of cops jumping on someone, not so much.

Police need special oversight. If they don’t like it, they’re free to find another job. Frankly, the country would be a better place if 50% of them quit, and enforcement was restricted to serious crime due to lack of manpower. Over the top? Maybe. But we’ll have to agree to disagree.

[spdrun]

If police (who are public servants … that’s right SERVANTS) are uncomfortable with the public, too fucking bad. Time to seek a new job or jump off a tall bridge. Can’t hack the job description … no one drafted them.

And people do belong near enough to film police work, considering the number of outright homicidal and violent cops these days. In many instances, the “mob” is doing the world a great service.

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