Quote Originally Posted by Songbird View Post
I have to say that I can't even begin to fathom this way of thinking - not making a simple phone call to get help for someone that was suffering and possibly being murdered. I think it's inhuman not to do so....

Rob, I've had some bad experiences with the police in my lifetime, directly affecting my family when I was a kid. But I've also seen cops do some amazing heroic things. They lay their lives on the line everyday in their profession. I have utmost respect for most of them and fear some of them as well, so I do understand some of your issues with them. But not making a simple 911 call for someone that needs urgent help is just WRONG as a human being!! You don't even have to be there when the cops and paramedics arrive, just simply get the person some HELP....
I'm not an inhumane person. I do struggle with this. I find it very difficult to live in a country where realistically I am taking a risk making such a call to the police to help someone - I am putting my health and well being on the line as there is no way of knowing if I am going to get a decent cop or if I am going to get power tripping trash. And as you have seen here in this miles long thread there sure is a lot of denial and or acceptance and or pretending it's not happening or at least this doesn't happen in my neighborhood going on - how do I forgive America for the risk making such a call places me at ? How on earth as an adult am I ever supposed to forgive such a thing ? You can perhaps see why I have such problems living in this country when faced with such issues constantly. Though I will say that it's not quite as bad as it used to be - at least now there is access in some states to health care via Medicaid expansion - imagine lack of access to health care coupled with fear of police brutality - really, for some of it's citizens/legal residents, America is no great prize and I rather think that those who sacrificed in World War 2 (and other wars) would be ashamed if they saw what things had deteriorated to. Perhaps this is why I have continued on with this thread so - I am a bit of breath of fresh air around here as I am the one voice here for those who knows this America, who know this reality. Given that I feel nothing for America at this point I don't mind being a voice for the disenfranchised. Here I can change nothing on this thread, that much is true, but at least someone out there has been exposed to a voice that runs counter to what they hear everyday and what society says. At least I have done that much on this thread.

For those of you who think so highly of the police - please answer me this if you would. How do I realistically forgive America for putting me in a position whereby calling the police to come to the aid of someone else places me at risk for illegal attack/assault on the part of the police? How does one realistically forgive America for this risk and why am I supposed to just accept it and pretend it's not there - why is America worth this denial? For those who spring so quickly to the defense of the police, imagine living with such questions that pretty much will never go away unless leaving America permanently - even if I were to move to a better area where I'd be at much less risk of the police, I would still know this fear, it will never go away without leaving America. Heavy stuff but very true. The next time you say something or think something nice about the police, remember me and my neighborhood full of people who are afraid of the police - certainly they are best avoided at all costs has been my experience, and I have America to thank for this. At least I'm not in denial and I am speaking the truth of lower income America. Rob