Iris lilies, how are things in your hood?

[LDAHL]

i'm not sure. But large settlements have taken place in the not so recent past and with the advent of social media and all the anger that is present out there in the lower social classes towards the United States and everything it stands for these days - it's only common sense that the courts will grant settlements as if they don't, the whole thing could explode and the reality of America could sift upwards through the social classes more than it already has. I'm not sure society wants that just yet - too many people unanchored with nothing really to lose does not for calm and stable conditions make. Rob

So you feel that the Courts will decide cases out of the fear that otherwise there will be widespread mob violence? Out of hatred for "the United States and all it stands for"?

I don't see that happening anytime soon.

[gimmethesimplelife]

I have been thinking about your response when you posted even if a young woman was being gang raped or an elderly man was being beaten and robbed, you would not call 911. How do you get teachers to come into the schools? And merchants to open stores. Or visiting nurses to come help the sick? Or physician offices to open in the neighborhood?

I can can imagine with the scenario you have painted the police force is not going to send in Mayberry RFD when their is a problem. They would be eaten alive in five minutes.

The sad but true issue your post neglects is that if I make such a call should I see something like this happening - if I am illegally assaulted by the police - this isn't going to help the person with the issue I called about in the first place, now is it? Why the automatic assumption that calling the police will de-escalate a situation or make things better in some way? This is not always the case in low income neighborhoods, and no, there is no way America can ever apologize either to myself or to my neighbors enough for this reality. Rob

[gimmethesimplelife]

Something this thread has really done for me - and yikes, I had no idea it was going to get this long lol - other than draining me a bit - has been to solidify further for me my view that America all boils down to social class. Life has taught me that life in America - and I'm going to hazard to guess some other Western countries, too - what you experience has a lot to do with where you find yourself in the class structure and life in the US certainly is not standardized across the board for all citizens - the concept of how many "rights" you have really does have something to do with where you stand in the hierarchy. I am very grateful I undertstand this as there are people falling out of the middle class every day who are meeting this reality head on and I accepted it and moved on by the age of 15. This has nothing to do with intelligence - it's just that this reality was in my face far too often to deny it. Something else to be grateful for. Rob

[LDAHL]

In my life, I have experienced some failures and some successes. I can't help thinking that if i had decided at an early age that all my failures were due to my imagined "social class" rather than my lack of effort, preparation or luck, there would not have been much in the way of success.

[gimmethesimplelife]

In my life, I have experienced some failures and some successes. I can't help thinking that if i had decided at an early age that all my failures were due to my imagined "social class" rather than my lack of effort, preparation or luck, there would not have been much in the way of success.

I have had some successes and failures, too. Like anyone else. I have never forgotten what America taught me when I was young, though. May I never forget. Though I doubt in my case I ever will. And even when I have experienced some success in my life, I (for the most part) never forgot what America taught me when I was young..... I do wish I have saved more money while I was making good money though and for that I only have myself to blame. But the basics? Never forgot them. Rob

[Yossarian]

In my life, I have experienced some failures and some successes. I can't help thinking that if i had decided at an early age that all my failures were due to my imagined "social class" rather than my lack of effort, preparation or luck, there would not have been much in the way of success.

It's much easier to just claim you are a victim. It absolves you of any resposnibility for yourself or others.

[gimmethesimplelife]

It's much easier to just claim you are a victim. It absolves you of any resposnibility for yourself or others.

I never said I was a victim. I only call things as they are.....just because I call the police for what they can be in my neighborhood, that does not make me a victim. Did I not go on at some length as to how the neighbors are getting cheap smart phones to equip themselves against illegal police assaults? Of course, this can't stop illegal police behavior but it can be very helpful in gunning for top dollar and in getting richly deserved publicity against the police. This is not the line of thinking victims take.....this is victor behavior, not victim behavior. I would agree that it's sad that America has slid to the point that such is necessary but it's our job to protect ourselves against America.....and hopefully change it for the better via huge lawsuit settlements and international publicity via social media. Certainly my neighbors and I did not make America morph into something so horrible - we are just taking sane steps to protect ourselves against it is all. Rob

[Yossarian]

I only call things as they are

Mmm, not so much. But whatever, life goes on.

[gimmethesimplelife]

Mmm, not so much. But whatever, life goes on.

I'm really making an honest effort to understand your comment here. Really. Given that I have seen police brutality up close and personal as I've gone on and on about like a broken record by this point - is it wrong to take the stance I do in regards to the police and in regards to protecting myself against them via smartphone, and to be part of a neighborhood drive to encourage others to do the same? This is wrong because ? Verbalizing my experience witnessing police brutality is wrong because ? Feeling closeness and sympathy for my neighbors as they are more likely to be illegally assaulted by the police then I am because they are mostly Hispanic is wrong because ? Your comment leaves much unanswered and leaves numerous questions strewn about - at least for me it does. Rob

[Songbird]

I have been thinking about your response when you posted even if a young woman was being gang raped or an elderly man was being beaten and robbed, you would not call 911.

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....