<p>“Why do you think that white people are pulled over more on the NJ turnpike for the same offenses? Regarding socioeconomics, i can tell you a recent story in a leafy upscale suburban neighborhood. This 70-year old white man made the mistake of parking in a 10-minute-only zone. When questioned, he told the cop brusquely at first that he was just about to move. The cop didn’t shoot him, but he had his hand on his gun the whole time as if he was ready to pull it and shoot it. Everybody that was eating in the restaurants closeby stopped what they were doing to watch the scene. I suggest that everyone here who is so confident that their so-called ‘white privilege’ protects them from the police is deluded, and they should be having the same talk with their kids about how to talk to the police that NewhavenCtmom is.”</p>
<p>Lets see - traveling at a high rate of speed down the Jersey Turnpike and you think a cop can tell if the driver of the vehicle is white or black? Much different than a car cruising slowly in a upscale neighborhood - not doing anything illegal - like speeding - yet stopped because they look like they don’t belong there. </p>
<p>Why wasn’t the white man shot? Why wasn’t he taken down in a chokehold by the cop? He didn’t do what the police officer told him to right away. He argued (sort of like Eric Garner arguing) with the cop. Yet, nothing happened to him. And I have heard time in again that people who don’t obey the cop get what they have coming to them. </p>
<p>I can just imagine what would be said by people if this 70 year old man was killed for not obeying the officer. Someone, I doubt anyone would say he had it coming to him. </p>
<p>"Lets see - traveling at a high rate of speed down the Jersey Turnpike and you think a cop can tell if the driver of the vehicle is white or black? " </p>
<p>Of course they can, especially if they are stationary while sitting at the side of the road with a radar gun.</p>
<p>Well, the guy moved his car, first of all. Second of all, I don’t believe parking in a 10 minute zone is an offense which results in someone being arrested and brought to the station. And no one called the police on this guy. </p>
<p>Third of all, I do think socioeconomics and crime rates in a neighborhood affect it. There was absolutely no danger in that neighborhood, yet the cop was jumpy. It was probably the most upscale suburb in my state, and in the center of town. Compare that with Ferguson. I mentioned it to illustrate that even with these factors, there was almost a confrontation. </p>
<p>“So busdriver, do you think that link supports the idea that law enforcement deserves more respect?”</p>
<p>I don’t think the link has anything to do with law enforcement deserving more or less respect. I think it supports the obvious conclusion, that people of all colors are mistakenly or inappropriately killed sometimes by police officers. That tragic circumstances, accidents and errors can affect anyone.</p>
<p>Which is why I support as a number one priority–effective, non-lethal weapons. The solution is obvious. Sure body cameras would help, people are getting their points across by protesting, and discussion is always a good thing. However, when you shoot someone, dead is dead, and all the protesting, discussions and cameras aren’t going to change that.</p>
<p>Not every story gets covered, but I remember very well when a cop shot of a homeless white man while complying with the officers. It was all over the news and many expressed horror and outrage over it. </p>
<p>True. But these recent cases with nothing much in common are being linked purposely by professional linkers to inflame people and cause trouble and it’s working and now two innocent cops are dead in NYC and the NYPD is about the most professional and least racist PD on the planet. So, it’s disturbing…</p>
<p>“I don’t believe parking in a 10 minute zone is an offense which results in someone being arrested and brought to the station.”</p>
<p>Excuses, excuses. </p>
<p>And what was Eric Garner’s crime - selling cigarettes for $0.50 a piece. I assume you believe that is cause for being not only arrested but put in a chokehold. </p>
<p>“Of course they can, especially if they are stationary while sitting at the side of the road with a radar gun.”</p>
<p>So you think a cop sitting on the side of the road with a radar gun can tell the race of the person drving by at 70 plus miles an hour? </p>
<p>It’s not what I think. It’s whatever is policy. I have no idea. From what I’ve heard, in NYC this is an arrestable offense. Elsewhere, it is not. The cops enforce the law. If it’s a stupid law, they still have to enforce it.</p>
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<p>Yes, I do. I did have a conversation with one cop about this. BTW, are you now saying you don’t believe the “driving while black” claims?</p>
<p>Newhavenctmom, offensive and disheartening? How about the Hispanic and Asian mothers of dead sons?
I love in the same area as the Garner family and there has been nothing but support for that family here, and it has been graciously received by the family from all members of the community. But the mayor has been inappropriate almost since he took office. Emily, he didn’t call the attack on garner alleged because it was on video. He did call the attack on the two lieutenants on the brooklyn bridge alleged. It was ignorant and offensive.</p>
<p>“As for the chant of a vocal minority, that’s all that is. A chant of a vocal minority. I hear or read things every day that are every bit as awful and offensive. As long as we have freedom of speech in our country, we are going to have wackjobs that say inflammatory things like that. You can’t blame the mayor for everything.”
That is such nonsense. Many of the acts of violence by the police are committed by a very small minority and just as many involve complicated situations. The chants and the refusal of the mayor to support the police against the protesters has poisoned the well. There have been four officers assaulted by protesters before the two killings and that should have sparked outrage by the mayor. And, frankly, I think you have a very interesting life if you hear things that offensive every day.</p>
<p>“It is really remarkable how some people can actually defend and excuse police killings of unarmed blacks. I guess it plays into their own personal worldview. Facts and decency be dammed.”</p>
<p>Who did that? Certainly not me. I posted that I cried and thought I would faint at the grand jury decision here. Be careful what you imply because that was a completely dishonest thing to imply.</p>
<p>^It’s not an “excuse” when you argue against racial bias by saying there were confounding factors involved that may have caused the death to happen. It doesn’t mean those factors <em>justified</em> the death. </p>
<p>I should clarify that in the conversation with the cop I mentioned before that it was not clear whether he was talking about sitting on the side of the road versus driving around. </p>
The same mayor that is said to be completely blameless in the revenge executions is the very one that wanted the screws tightened on the loose cig selling, right?</p>
<p>Right, cat. Just because the mayor wanted that memo suppressed doesn’t mean it didn’t exist in the first place. Maybe things wouldn’t have gotten so hot if he had come out and said that his policy was partly to blame and he was going to consider the implications of unintended consequences. But, of course, this mayor is notorious for dodging blame and it was more important to him to deflect any responsibility than to humbly accept it and try to make peace. </p>
<p>I read an article recently that said that whites who only come into contact with whites…no black friends or otherwise are less likely to be sympathetic with what we go through. It’s easier for you to see blacks as “those criminals” and to lump us all into one basket. </p>
<p>@marie1234(or someone else) posted about mouthing off and arguing with police, and that’s why Garner & Brown are dead. If this driver had been black, he would have had a sticky situation on his hands! Should the man in the video have been shot? Dragged out of his car and stomped? Punched? Pummeled with a night stick? </p>
<p>Be careful what you say…you never know when your own beliefs will come home to roost. Unfortunately, we can all get a turn. God forbid your son, husband, brother mouths off to a cop and is choked or shot. Will you say that they had it coming??</p>
<p>“otherwise are less likely to be sympathetic with what we go through. It’s easier for you to see blacks as “those criminals” and to lump us all into one basket.”
You? Who is you?</p>
<p>No, that is not what I am saying. I don’t believe a study done about stops on the NJ turnpike means anything. And sorry, I don’t believe a cop on side if road can tell the race of the driver speeding past him. Your talking to one cop doesnot make it true. </p>
<p>We have people on this very board who say they are followed around in stores and treated differently simply because of the color of their skin. I believe them. </p>
<p>It might have been on 60 minutes last week or one of the networks nightly newscast, where they interviews minority teens and asked then who has been followed in stores and harassed by police. They all raised their hands, except the white teen. But she remarked that when with her friends she saw the way they were treated. </p>
<p>Everyone wants to believe this doesn’t happen and that justice is color blind but sadly it is not. And when minorities speak out about these injustices their claims are dismissed and the blame put on them that they are bringing it on themselves. </p>
<p>I do not know what, if anything, the mayor said about the Garner case before the indictment came down and I am not going to make a judgement on it on your say so. </p>
<p>Even on newscasts “alleged” is almost always used because, as I am sure you know, one is always assumed to be innocent. Now, ordinary people, like those of us on this board, can say whatever they want and proclaim someone guilty or innocent before a trial, but public officials should never do that. </p>
<p>“Marie1234 or (someone else)? posted about mouthing off and arguing with police, and that’s why Garner & Brown are dead.”</p>
<p>Yeah, no-one did that. People read things that aren’t here all the time it seems. And, it certainly wasn’t me because I don’t see anything at all similar about these two cases. As a general rule, sure we should all obey police orders but I don’t think there’s a big controversy about that, either. </p>
<p>“Even on newscasts “alleged” is almost always used because, as I am sure you know, one is always assumed to be innocent.”</p>
<p>This is just crazy talk. The incident is not alleged if it clearly happened. Alleged means reported. Ahhhh.</p>
<p>“do not know what, if anything, the mayor said about the Garner case before the indictment came down and I am not going to make a judgement on it on your say so.”
So if you don’t know and don’t seem interested in finding out, perhaps you should refrain from commenting on the topic.</p>