So what do we do about the police after Minneapolis?

[gimmethesimplelife]

I'm sure it's no great surprise to the regular posters here that I am very upset about the cold blooded murder of the Australian national recently in Minneapolis. Instead of going on and on about this tragic tale, I'd like to take a new angle and focus instead on what can actually be done about such incidents in the future in an attempt to spare innocent human life? I'm sure you'all have heard about fully charged smartphone blah blah blah - I won't repeat that here and now but one tip I've been given is to get a card from an attorney if possible and carry it with you at all times and in the unfortunate event you are hassled by the police for no legal reason whatsoever - show them ID at their request (they do have the legal right to ask for this and the legal right to expect you to provide such) and then neutrally state that you are unable to speak to them period, or any answer questions concerning any matter unless in the presence of an attorney. And then offer to hand the officers the attorney's card, first asking if they are going to freak out if this is all recorded for life protection. I believe it's really sad that society has sunk to this but A). It has, and B). I refuse risk my life via interacting with these people who have proven time and time again that their ranks include psychopaths with no regard for human life.

What tips do you have to protect your life from these people? After Minneapolis, we really do need to have a nationwide, across all social classes discussion regarding the evils of the American police and how to best position yourself to protect your lives and your property from them....and how to strike back against them in courts of law for top dollar. It's gotten to the point where I would not even discuss something neutral like the weather with a police officer - they are all about filling for profit prisons with generating as many arrests as possible and issuing as many tickets as possible to generate maximum revenue. Given this sorry state of affairs, is it not the sanest thing to do to flip the script and use THEM for top dollar settlements? I don't see much other use for the police at this point, given their rogue anti-citizen, them vs. us nature. Too bad Sanders did not win, I honestly believe he might have at least tried to curtail their power.

Anyone else have any ideas how to protect your lives and your property from these people? Rob

[iris lilies]

In general, it is a good idea for citizens to be vigilant about the overreach of government. Local police are the agents of local government. Police carry out the agenda of the dominant society, so it is important to keep an eye on that agenda and figure out where you fit in.

Today, in my neighborhood, I fit in the demographic that is the dominant social group, and that demographic is tax paying, law abiding ( for the most part) citizenry. The demographic that doesnt fit tends to be made up of minority males.

I understand that balance of power could change and I could find myself in the minority, the demographic that is not served by the local Gendarmes. I might move if that were the case and if I were mobile. Who knows?

This is all theoretical.

[LDAHL]

I'm sure it's no great surprise to the regular posters here that I am very upset about the cold blooded murder of the Australian national recently in Minneapolis. Instead of going on and on about this tragic tale, I'd like to take a new angle and focus instead on what can actually be done about such incidents in the future in an attempt to spare innocent human life? I'm sure you'all have heard about fully charged smartphone blah blah blah - I won't repeat that here and now but one tip I've been given is to get a card from an attorney if possible and carry it with you at all times and in the unfortunate event you are hassled by the police for no legal reason whatsoever - show them ID at their request (they do have the legal right to ask for this and the legal right to expect you to provide such) and then neutrally state that you are unable to speak to them period, or any answer questions concerning any matter unless in the presence of an attorney. And then offer to hand the officers the attorney's card, first asking if they are going to freak out if this is all recorded for life protection. I believe it's really sad that society has sunk to this but A). It has, and B). I refuse risk my life via interacting with these people who have proven time and time again that their ranks include psychopaths with no regard for human life.

What tips do you have to protect your life from these people? After Minneapolis, we really do need to have a nationwide, across all social classes discussion regarding the evils of the American police and how to best position yourself to protect your lives and your property from them....and how to strike back against them in courts of law for top dollar. It's gotten to the point where I would not even discuss something neutral like the weather with a police officer - they are all about filling for profit prisons with generating as many arrests as possible and issuing as many tickets as possible to generate maximum revenue. Given this sorry state of affairs, is it not the sanest thing to do to flip the script and use THEM for top dollar settlements? I don't see much other use for the police at this point, given their rogue anti-citizen, them vs. us nature. Too bad Sanders did not win, I honestly believe he might have at least tried to curtail their power.

Anyone else have any ideas how to protect your lives and your property from these people? Rob

Wouldn't it be a good idea to get a few facts about the case before defaulting to the usual language about "cold-blooded murder" and the "evils of the American police"?

[Williamsmith]

Rob, I would urge you to get to know a few of the police officers in and around your zip code. Prejudice is born out of fear and you need to be more rational in your approach to emotional topics.

Minneapolis has a very young police force , as many large cities do. Youth is great but it comes at the cost of lack of experience. The officer involved here is reported to have only 2 years experience and his partner only 1. In a city with the crime problems of Minneapolis, experience is invaluable. I can't know what really happened here yet and neither can you. But I will predict that "inexperience" will become an issue with pairing officers who ride together.

In addition, I find it ironic that the Justice Department during the Obama years targeted many large cities and put them under a mandate to hire "ethnically diverse" new police officers that reflect the racial makeup of the communities they serve. While this is a goal with merit......it became preemptery to hiring "qualified" candidates. Recruiters commonly scoured neighborhoods looking to "develop" candidates that would satisfy the Justice Department. Recruitment most often uses carrots to tempt otherwise uninterested candidates into a career which they have no latent feelings for.

My guess is many social justice warriors are wringing their hands in disappointment over the fact that the offending officer was Somali born and black. The more important aspect probably will be that he simply was too on edge to be properly cognizant of his surroundings and too fearful for his own life to preserve the life of others.

And more importantly Rob, I am sure rather than this man being a "cold blooded murderer"..... he is probably wishing he accidentally shot himself instead. The District Attorney and the BCI will serve up justice.

Some things are just tragic and heartbreaking. We must try to do better. You must quit seeing the boogie man around every corner.

[catherine]

Williamsmith, without having the experience you have, those were kind of my initial thoughts. Apparently he was spooked by a loud sound. Not good to have a weapon in your hand when you're spooked and inexperienced, I'm sure. I also agree that he probably is feeling abject regret over this event.

Rob, I understand that you and your friends have had difficult encounters with law enforcement, but please try not to paint all tragic shootings with the same brush. I just watched one of my favorite authors/philosophers on Oprah last weekend, and he said that hate and fear arises when you don't recognize that you have never had the totality of "the other's" experience. Wisdom comes from knowing that if you had lived in the shoes of another, you would probably act in exactly the same way. The only way back to connection and interbeing is the ability to see that we are all mirrors of each other.

Here's the entire interview, which I loved: https://charleseisenstein.net/videos...erview-7-2017/

[Reyes]

The stereotyping is a bit much. Come on Rob, you and I am part of a group that have been harmed by such broad paint brush stereotyping, why do the same for another group?

I am interested to read more about this case as facts come forward.

[bae]

I find it odd that Rob didn't concern himself with the police-involved cold-blooded murder of Miosotis Familia, a 48 year old black woman, mother of 3, recently.

[iris lilies]

I find it odd that Rob didn't concern himself with the police-involved cold-blooded murder of Miosotis Familia, a 48 year old black woman, mother of 3, recently.

Black lives matter unless they are blue.

[bae]

...show them ID at their request (they do have the legal right to ask for this and the legal right to expect you to provide such)

Where did you get the idea that this is generally the law? You are not required, in most states, to carry ID or to provide it upon demand.

Anyone else have any ideas how to protect your lives and your property from these people? Rob

I guess I'd start out by developing an understanding of what rights I actually have, what the local laws are, what the Supreme Court has said, and so on.... The ACLU has some good introductory material available. So does https://www.flexyourrights.org/

[Teacher Terry]

I am sick of the killings of police and innocent civilians. I felt so bad for the black officer and her family. I feel terrible too for this latest victim. If I see a cop I smile and say Hi and keep moving. Many years ago there was a famous killing in New YOrk City in front of an apartment complex where everyone heard a woman screaming and just assumed someone else called the cops but no one did and she died. IN the past if I heard something going on and thought it warranted police action I would call. I would not anymore. And if I did call because someone was being raped/murdered I certainly would not give my name or walk outside of my house. My behavior has changed profoundly and it is based on what is happening here and all over the country. I have no clue why everyone has gotten so violent and it does seem like officers are inexperienced and above their heads in this job. I wonder if people have figured out how to beat the psychological test they are given to try to weed out the nut jobs. I really don't know what is going on but this needs to stop. I really hope this officer goes to prison for life and that example will finally wake up other officers that they can't shoot first, say they were afraid for their lives and get away with murder.