2015 Baltimore riots

I think just from a defensive standpoint its better to shoot at the thoracic cavity (the chest) to stop someone. Often times it'll be dark, they'll be running, they'll be causing a threat etc. Its not really practical to aim for the arms and legs (it isn't going to stop someone on drugs or pumped with adrenaline).

The problem imo is that they are trained to subdue people with any amount of force. They're trained to tackle, taze, or open fire at you even when the situation doesn't call for it and leaves too much to an officers discretion. On top of that like you said the officer is always given the benefit of the doubt, and the state is the one trying the state. More often than not even if you're guilty of murder worst that's going to happen to you is being made to stay on desk work until it blows over.

 

Because it evidently wasn't clear the second time it was explicitly stated, here it is again in red.

Don't get yourself banned for making racist comments

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/02/u...port-given-to-baltimore-prosecutors.html?_r=0

If the riots don't stop now, it'd be clear that they're in it for there own personal gains.

 

Yes, it's great the officers have been charged and while this is a step in the right direction, this no way fixes the problems Baltimore & communities around the nation face.

Only 1/3 of accused cops are convicted (decent article about this written in the context of Gray: https://img.washingtonpost.com/wp-a...the-fix/files/2015/05/PoliceCrimes.png&w=1484)

IMO riots will stop until yet another one of these takes place. Which will happen, it's just a matter of time. It is incredibly difficult to get away with things now, phones are everywhere and officers are constantly being recorded.

Yeah I know right











Actually never mind, they probably won't be arrested

 

Freddie Gray's death was ruled a homicide, and all 6 officers were charged for manslaughter.

http://www.cnn.com/2015/05/01/us/freddie-gray-baltimore-death/

This is good news.

 

Great news. Goes against the lies in many circles saying "he had spinal surgery a week before" or "he was trying to injure himself!". Its absurd how up in arms many people will get about government surveillance or police injustice until it involves a poor black person.


http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/bs-md-gray-settlement-20150429-story.html

 

Being charged doesn't mean anything. That's just an accusation. Wait to hear the verdict.

 

Agreed. It's just a start but as seen in the Eric Garner case even having video evidence of the police murdering an innocent citizen (accused of selling single cigarettes on the street!) won't even get a conviction.

 

Some of you people need to chill tf out lmfao.

 

You cannot blame protesters for becoming violent when, consistently, unarmed black people are murdered by police and nobody is held accountable. When your parent, child, sibling, partner or best friend are murdered by a police officer and nobody is jailed; clearly silent or peaceful isn't working. Not all police officers are racist, most police officers are just earning a crust, working a hard and honourable job. But there are racist police officers. There are homophobic police officers, sexist police officers, transphobic police officers and just police officers who like to assert their authority on people excessively. What needs to happen is action against these officers. That's all. It's not much to ask but it doesn't happen.

 

I've seen no evidence whatsoever that this is an issue of race. When I quoted you I removed the race/sex stuff, and you can see it is still entirely relevant.

I think turning it into a race discussion is entirely unproductive, its kind of detracting from the issue. As far as I can tell, the issue here is that officers can get away with excessive force and not be held accountable. And clearly people are fed up with it.

Oh, and also I'd argue being in a position where you blindly enforce the will of the state (if you're unwilling you're dismissed) in exchange for money isn't especially honorable. But that's a whole other issue.

 

This was all over my facebook newfeed and yet I still have no idea what's going on in these videos and why they want to riot..

 

Do you gatecrash other people's funerals and say "I too have felt loss, this isn't about JUST you". Just because these specific protests are by the black community for black people who've been killed doesn't mean they're wrong or there aren't other fights to be fought.

Like if teachers are striking for wage rises in the education sector, you don't get engineers and taxi drivers striking for their wellbeing. But you may have a separate "living wage" rally. No one in this case blames teachers and education sector workers for being selfish or not thinking of anyone else.

 

Tmoe I was talking about to rioters L

 

OMG. People actually get this? Awesome. I'm sick and tired of people playing the victim. Racism and the like is basically dead except for select areas where the white-trash people are.

If something is true, it's not Racist! If statistically the majority of African Americans love watermelon, saying, "Most black/African Americans love watermelon" can't possibly be racist.

There's a statistics about Cops killing African Americans, and most of them are.......killed by African American Cops LOL.

 

Do you have any evidence suggesting that racism is "basically dead"?

 

My evidence is my life. I've never in my entire life heard or saw anyone treat another person differently based on their race. And that's the truth. I've only ever heard of it on the internet. Even then it's rare instances that are by white-trash or highly religious douches. And who cares what those people have to say anyway? They are prejudice against everyone.

And to reply to the idiot response I can tell would come: "Your life isn't a means to decide."

Maybe not. But I've lived in 8 states all over the US. And I've visited 40+ states. I've lived in Mexico. I've been around the block a couple times.

 

Sigh..

There is a reason why studies aren't projected by the influence of 1 person, but rather a base of hundreds if not thousands. You cannot accurately measure incidents by an individual who hasn't experienced these incidents themselves. This creates bias which is favorable to the person in question and not the study. Here are some studies done that evidently show the liveliness of racism.

http://www.cracked.com/article_2182...-racism-still-way-worse-than-we-think_p1.html

http://newsone.com/1195595/shocking-new-studies-show-racism-exists-affects-peoples-actions/

http://billmoyers.com/2014/05/22/these-eight-charts-show-why-racial-equality-is-a-myth-in-america/

How do you attest to this?

 

Lol the very argument I predicted.

Anyway. Those articles range from not racist at all to as likely not racist as are.

People basing their decisions on statistics isn't racist. When you see someone who doesn't have their life together you don't rent to them, you don't give them a job, you don't take risks with them. Whether that be a white, asian, hispanic, african american, or native american. So the statistics that say unfavorable things about a group of people doesn't make it the 3rd parties fault that the statistic says that and they want to protect themselves. It doesn't mean they don't like that party, it doesn't make them racist.

Also, I question the accuracy of those articles because there are way more variables than just race. Look below for a example.

Part 1: Joe is every race. Joe wears his pants at his knees. No one is going to give him equal opportunity compared to someone who won't offend customers or the like with his apparel.

Part 2: I don't know about this, but it's an example. Hispanics/African Americans wear their pants at their knees at a way higher rate than white people. Therefore a white people have a higher rate of obtaining a job and the statistics on a article based on a study doesn't tell you that all the people not hired had their pants sagging to their knees. You get the idea.

Part 3: So let's say 12 people applied for a job with me. 4 African Americans, 4 Hispanics, and 4 Whites. They all have a associated degree. They are all named Bob. I interview them. 3 African Americans and 3 Hispanics have saggy pants. 2 white people have saggy pants. I hire the the one African American and Hispanic that didn't and the two Whites that didn't. A "study" is then done that says that I'm racist because I hire twice as many whites with the same credentials. They make stupid graphs and make people feel entitled to the victim mindset.

 

You're blinded by your own ingorance. Do you think these graphs and statistics are falsely construed? But for what purpose?

http://www.cnn.com/2015/04/03/us/ferguson-justice-department-report-emails/

I guess the leaked racist Ferguson emails are fake too, and that the policemen involved in the incident stepped down from their position because they wanted to be farmers.

Do you believe systematic racism is nonexistent too? There is no point in trying to detail the obvious to someone who is prepared not to read your rebuttals to satisfy their own intolerance.

Your feeble argument is supported by stereotypes that are not likely to be the case in actual situations.