Very embarrassed.....

[gimmethesimplelife]

It seems as if lately there's a nationwide phenomenon going on whereby people are calling the police on others of different races for the most asinine of reasons. Cases in point, Permit Patty calling the police on a young black girl selling water outside her SF apartment building. A gay male CVS manager in Chicago calling the cops on a black women for presenting a coupon he suspected was counterfeit (Fired quickly by CVS and with any luck due to the Internet will be unemployable going forward). And today, a male employee at a Dollar General calling the police on another black woman for the crime of using coupons to begin with......

What gives? I'm starting to become afraid to shop at any non-Hispanic store for my basic needs.....razor blades, shaving cream, those kinds of things where coupons are available. I'm 50/50 on ever shopping at CVS again (though they did handle it well, I have to give them that and I would like to give them a second chance, I just worry that doing so says the wrong things about me). Dollar General I will have to pass on, though, as they don't seem to be taking responsibility and I have no room for such a company in my life.

What's your take on the rash of people calling the police for the most trivial of non-reasons? Should there be some kind of mandatory quick (within 72 hours or so) mandatory settlement for such incidents? (the only way I know of to make such problems go away) Rob

[Gardenarian]

It might not be an increase in incidents, maybe after the Starbucks debacle people are more likely to report this kind of racist behavior.

[LDAHL]

I'm inclined to agree. Is there an increase in such incidents or simply an increase in the number of cell phones recording them for the gratification of our growing number of outrage addicts.

[Gardnr]

What's your take on the rash of people calling the police for the most trivial of non-reasons? Should there be some kind of mandatory quick (within 72 hours or so) mandatory settlement for such incidents? (the only way I know of to make such problems go away) Rob

1st....I think our President has given permission for rash judgment and name calling. And perhaps a step further, encourages it.

2nd..cell phone recording is easy as noted by prior responses.

[Yppej]

1st....I think our President has given permission for rash judgment and name calling. And perhaps a step further, encourages it.


An alternate explanation I have heard is that people don't want to be seen as racist, so they try to get the police to do their dirty work for them.

[sweetana3]

Stupid behavior has always existed. The news media markets it to the masses. Would be even better if the people who live around there took the steps necessary to identify and work on these issues. Boycotts, parades, etc. What happens in a small town in CA does not affect me directly and I have little involvement in resolving their issues. We all have these issues around us and need to be the "somebody".

[oldhat]

It's tricky to determine how much the increased reporting is due to an actual increase in incidents. Journalists tend to have a herd mentality (I ought to know). This doesn't mean these things don't happen, or that they aren't wrong. But I'd avoid drawing any conclusions in the absence of something more empirically based than isolated news reports.

[bae]

Stores in Austria are pretty nice. I mean, if you aren't Jewish. And have the proper skin albedo.

[iris lilies]

-...Should there be some kind of mandatory quick (within 72 hours or so) mandatory settlement for such incidents? (the only way I know of to make such problems go away) Rob




“mandatory” settlement of money—imposed by who? And for what, exact, transgression?

Sorting out the who, what ,where, when, and why of any event that is punishible by kaw enforcement folks requires people in authority to investigate and build a case.

or would Rob’s team of vigilante phone waving warriors just be the judge and jury to dispense the justice?

sometimes your illogic astounds me.

seriously, placing a phone call to the police department results in immediate criminal prosecution?

That is crazy.

[ToomuchStuff]

It seems as if lately there's a nationwide phenomenon going on whereby people are calling the police on others of different races for the most asinine of reasons. Cases in point, Permit Patty calling the police on a young black girl selling water outside her SF apartment building. A gay male CVS manager in Chicago calling the cops on a black women for presenting a coupon he suspected was counterfeit (Fired quickly by CVS and with any luck due to the Internet will be unemployable going forward). And today, a male employee at a Dollar General calling the police on another black woman for the crime of using coupons to begin with......
Please show me what the different race is?
What gives? I'm starting to become afraid to shop at any non-Hispanic store for my basic needs.....razor blades, shaving cream, those kinds of things where coupons are available. I'm 50/50 on ever shopping at CVS again (though they did handle it well, I have to give them that and I would like to give them a second chance, I just worry that doing so says the wrong things about me). Dollar General I will have to pass on, though, as they don't seem to be taking responsibility and I have no room for such a company in my life.
No, you have been afraid for a long time. You even fear owning a watch!
What's your take on the rash of people calling the police for the most trivial of non-reasons? Should there be some kind of mandatory quick (within 72 hours or so) mandatory settlement for such incidents? (the only way I know of to make such problems go away) Rob
You might want to actually learn how the law, government and such work.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--hMJPUBwMc
You really might want to unpack one of those suitcases, and pack them full of depends.
You might also think about how the news needs incidents (no matter how small and especially if someone does something idiotic) to keep people tuning in/subscribed, etc. and how you focus on that, rather then things that are important to you (finding your future country, a dinner with your husband, bettering yourself financially), rather then using up time and money, effectively advertising for them.

[Lainey]

1st....I think our President has given permission for rash judgment and name calling. And perhaps a step further, encourages it.

2nd..cell phone recording is easy as noted by prior responses.

Agree with this. Some have said that cell phone cameras have become the best civil rights tool out there. I think these incidents have been eye-opening for some people who don't have to endure any of this crap.