Was illegal or should be illegal?

As far as I know there is a law prohibiting dancing in the monument. They were dancing and refused to comply with the officers who told them to stop.

If that wasn't a law, what were they doing there in the first place? These guys were looking to get arrested, they weren't just making a video about dancing in the monument.

[Edited on June 1, 2011 at 12:38 PM. Reason : ]

6/1/2011 12:38:36 PM

The law violates a higher law. It is on the books, but not legal. Civil disobedience is required to remove it.

An heroes.

6/1/2011 12:41:47 PM

And if they didn't resist arrest I'd respect them more.

Plus when you're looking to get arrested you lose your right to any sympathy for the injustices done. I think we should actually be happy for these guys, they got just what they wanted.

6/1/2011 12:47:43 PM

It's perfectly legal to resist an illegal arrest...if you survive.

Rosa Parks was such a bitch.

6/1/2011 1:05:35 PM

She may have indeed been a bitch, I didn't know Rosa Parks personally.

Do you have a court ruling about this legality of resisting arrest?

6/1/2011 1:13:32 PM

"One has an undoubted right to resist an unlawful arrest, and courts will uphold the right of resistance in proper cases." - United States v. Di Re, 332 US 581, 594 (1948)

6/1/2011 1:16:44 PM

I wonder what Thomas Jefferson's position on the issue would be? How would he feel about people being bodyslammed for dancing ("resisting arrest") and told to "shut the fuck up" in his own memorial?

6/1/2011 1:20:06 PM

So now we just have to establish whether the law is valid.

Regardless, the cops didn't do anything wrong here. They were following the laws as they are on the books at this point. When they told the people to stop and they didn't they followed protocol by arresting them. When they refused to go peacefully they followed protocol by restraining them. Should they just let people go when it looks like they won't come without a fight?

Basically we've got two parties with differing views and this will be resolved in court. If the law is determined to be illegal, they will get off, but the cops were following the law and aren't to blame for what happened.

Personally I think the law is indeed stupid, and I would have been absolutely fine with what the protestors did if they hadn't resisted arrest. They hoped to bring attention to the issue and they could have done it by just being arrested (and clearly that was their plan)

6/1/2011 1:25:26 PM

He would say "Rightful liberty is unobstructed action according to our will within limits drawn around us by the equal rights of others...also, who's been letting these damn women vote?"

6/1/2011 1:28:36 PM

If it were a police state, this guy would be in jail:



We're more of a corporate or fascist state than a police state.

6/1/2011 1:31:48 PM

Miami cops fire 100 rounds, shoot four innocent bystanders. They then arrest a couple for filming the police fuckup, threaten them with guns pressed to their head to delete recording, all cell phones in area were smashed by police.

But the dude hid his SD card in his mouth.

http://www.cnn.com/2011/CRIME/06/07/florida.shooting.witness/index.html?hpt=hp_t2

[Edited on June 7, 2011 at 10:25 AM. Reason : .]

6/7/2011 10:22:32 AM

wow...good for that guy. It's almost imossible to argue that the police didn't know they were in the wrong when they expend so much effort to destroy visual evidence of the encounter.

the outcome suggests that out of the suspect and police, the police were the far greater danger to the public.

6/7/2011 10:47:55 AM

It's also fair to say that between terrorists and police/government agencies, the latter are a greater threat to our freedom and safety.

Q: What's the difference between American police and the Taliban?
A: Nothing! They'll both punish you for dancing!

I joke, I joke. I like cops. We do need someone to keep the negroes in check, after all. It's written right into the Declaration of Independence, in the final and most serious allegation against the king:

Quote :

"He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us,"

The founding fathers' greatest fear was a rebellion of armed slaves or indians. It's still the reason we tolerate police brutality...fear of an insurrection of our society's "slaves" and undesirables.

[Edited on June 7, 2011 at 11:06 AM. Reason : .]

6/7/2011 10:53:07 AM

Quote :

"It's also fair to say that between terrorists and police/government agencies, the latter are a greater threat to our freedom and safety."

you're not too far off with that...i cringe every time i hear the 'keeping us safe' argument from a gov official.

6/7/2011 11:12:41 AM

Let's just say I don't worry too much about being shot to death by Al-Qaeda because I drive an ugly car with a driver's window that won't roll down.

For all my bravado on here, I'm all "yes, sir. no, sir. I'm sorry, sir." when I talk to police. I fear them. They fuck up lives for a living. They, and the system around them, can destroy you for very petty things, or nothing at all if you're just unlucky. Only a fool would forget that for a second.

6/7/2011 11:25:52 AM

Education officials break down Stockton man's door over estranged wife's defaulted student loans

Quote :

"STOCKTON, CA - Kenneth Wright does not have a criminal record and he had no reason to believe a S.W.A.T team would be breaking down his door at 6 a.m. on Tuesday. "I look out of my window and I see 15 police officers," Wright said. Wright came downstairs in his boxer shorts as the officers team barged through his front door. Wright said an officer grabbed him by the neck and led him outside on his front lawn. "He had his knee on my back and I had no idea why they were there," Wright said. According to Wright, officers also woke his three young children ages 3, 7, and 11, and put them in a Stockton police patrol car with him. Officers then searched his house. As it turned out, the person law enforcement was looking for was not there - Wright's estranged wife. "They put me in handcuffs in that hot patrol car for six hours, traumatizing my kids," Wright said. Wright said he later went to the mayor and Stockton Police Department, but the City of Stockton had nothing to do with Wright's search warrant. The U.S. Department of Education issued the search and called in the S.W.A.T for his wife's defaulted student loans. "They busted down my door for this," Wright said. "It wasn't even me." According to the Department of Education's Office of the Inspector General, the case can't be discussed publicly until it is closed, but a spokesperson did confirm that the department did issue the search warrant at Wright's home. The Office of the Inspector General has a law enforcement branch of federal agents that carry out search warrants and investigations. Stockton Police Department said it was asked by federal agents to provide one officer and one patrol car just for a police presence when carrying out the search warrant. Stockton police did not participate in breaking Wright's door, handcuffing him, or searching his home. "All I want is an apology for me and my kids and for them to get me a new door," Wright said. "

http://www.news10.net/news/article/141072/2/Dept-of-Education-breaks-down-Stockton-mans-door

Jesus Christ. Things are really, really getting out of hand. When do we say enough is enough?

6/8/2011 12:02:55 PM

Quote :

"U.S. Department of Education spokesman Justin Hamilton confirmed for News10 Wednesday morning federal agents with the Office of the Inspector General (OIG), not local S.W.A.T., served the search warrant. Hamilton would not say specifically why the raid took place except that it was part of an ongoing criminal investigation. Hamilton said the search was not related to student loans in default as reported in the local media. OIG is a semi-independent branch of the education department that executes warrants for criminal offenses such as student aid fraud, embezzlement of federal aid and bribery, according to Hamilton. "

http://www.news10.net/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=141108

The raid was conducted by the Department of Education's OIG which means that it's most likely linked to a fraud, embezzlement, or corruption scandal. I think the Federal Agents could have done this better, at least explain to the man why they're searching his home.

However, if this is an OIG type case, I understand why they came on aggressively since usually in these sorts of situations, bureaucrats, corporate hacks, and other suspects start burning and shredding documents when they see the police.

6/8/2011 3:17:51 PM

Time to put that microwave on express and cook up some Hard drives.

6/8/2011 3:33:23 PM

Cop gropes woman. Other cops arrest her when she secretly films them intimidating her and refusing to file her complaint.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/06/08/chicago-district-attorney-recording-bad-cops_n_872921.html

6/8/2011 10:19:19 PM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXpMzT5yGp8

Quote :

"Miami Beach police did their best to destroy a citizen video that shows them shooting a man to death in a hail of bullets Memorial Day. First, police pointed their guns at the man who shot the video, according to a Miami Herald interview with the videographer. Then they ordered the man and his girlfriend out the car and threw them down to the ground, yelling “you want to be fucking paparazzi?” Then they snatched the cell phone from his hand and slammed it to the ground before stomping on it."

http://www.theagitator.com/2011/06/06/miami-police-beat-threaten-point-guns-at-arrest-citizen-videographer/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+radleybalko+%28The+Agitator%29

6/9/2011 7:39:42 PM

nobody comments on ^

it's some pretty fucked up shit.

6/9/2011 11:57:05 PM

Oh my bad, you already posted the video. It's crazy. Totally insane.

[Edited on June 10, 2011 at 12:50 AM. Reason : sss]

6/10/2011 12:49:43 AM

Promotions for everyone!

6/10/2011 10:23:35 AM

Yeah, that video is outrageous. You have virtually the entire police force trying to destroy evidence.

6/10/2011 3:46:04 PM

If you don't have anything to hide, you don't have anything to worry about

6/10/2011 4:24:16 PM

If you don't have anything to hide, you won't mind getting a fucking beat down from the cops

6/10/2011 4:27:18 PM

Hopefully this falls the right way.

Quote :

"If you pull out your cell phone to make a video of police officers arresting a suspect, are you "secretly recording" them? "No" seems like the obvious answer, but that's precisely the claim that three police officers made to justify their arrest of a Boston man. In arguments before the US Court of Appeals for the First Circuit on Wednesday, the city also denied the man's claim that his First or Fourth Amendment rights had been violated."

http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2011/06/if-you-pull-out-your.ars

6/10/2011 7:52:26 PM

Orlando Police Arrest People for Feeding Homeless

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/crime/os-homeless-feedings-standoff-20110608,0,3367688.story

"Did Jesus Need a Permit?"

A police state is not made up entirely of corrupt cops. A lasting police state is made up of police just doing their jobs(the bidding of their puppet masters).

[Edited on June 11, 2011 at 8:42 PM. Reason : .]

6/11/2011 8:40:01 PM

Quote :

"They were violating a controversial city ordinance that prohibits sharing food with large groups in a downtown city park more than twice a year."

That's a pretty weird ordinance. And seems like it would be very easy to get around (just have someone different host the event every time).

6/12/2011 2:51:25 AM

Not really. Cities hate the homeless, especially cities with a tourist image. They wish they were dead. But since they can't actually kill them, they get creative. Sometimes they give them free bus rides to other cities.

Other times, like in Raleigh, they make up ridiculous permits they have to get, so that cops can arrest them on the spot. In raleigh you have to go downtown(walk 10 miles?) each day and apply for a panhandling permit. The permit will be denied if you have any arrests. Most homeless find out they need the permit by being arrested. After which they can't get a permit. Because they've been arrested. At this point it is illegal for them to exist, so cops can do whatever they want with them. I personally approve of all this, because I'm not currently homeless and their presence annoys me.

6/12/2011 2:05:07 PM

Quote :

"At this point it is illegal for them to exist"

Isn't it just illegal for them to panhandle?

Also it looks to me like they last a year

Quote :

"The permits last a year and without one, beggars could be arrested and fined."

http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/6096822/

[Edited on June 12, 2011 at 3:35 PM. Reason : ]

6/12/2011 3:33:16 PM

The permit shouldn't exist, violates a basic human right. The time period is irrelevant. And my reality is superior to yours.

6/12/2011 5:22:50 PM

Quote :

"The permit shouldn't exist, violates a basic human right."

Which is? I compare it to operating a business without a license....

If this is basic human right, its also my right to be able to drive down the road without a homeless person or some other knucklehead begging for cash or raising money for "a church trip."

6/12/2011 8:07:20 PM

All businesses, in cases other than services that pose a health risk, shouldn't require licenses either.

This is where we differ fundamentally. Citizens shouldn't have to ask permission to walk down the road, or generate income, or feed and house themselves. The government should ask permission to inconvenience its citizens, and this request should be granted sparingly.

[Edited on June 12, 2011 at 9:58 PM. Reason : .]

6/12/2011 9:51:59 PM

so licenses are okay for things that pose a health risk, but walking in the street (a safety hazard) should not require permission? how do you rectify that?

6/12/2011 10:26:18 PM

It's not a safety hazard to me. I'm not the dumbass walking down the street.

6/12/2011 11:42:45 PM

Quote :

"I'm not the dumbass walking down the street."

what? do you take a helicopter everywhere?

[Edited on June 12, 2011 at 11:57 PM. Reason : only park at places with garages?]

[Edited on June 12, 2011 at 11:57 PM. Reason : oh. you meant IN the street.]

6/12/2011 11:57:01 PM

the guy in the street puts drivers in danger, not just himself

to panhandle in durham you even have to have a hi-viz vest on

6/13/2011 12:29:38 AM

[tin foil hat post]

Apple introduces technology into the iPhones such that an infra-red signal will shut off the camera.

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/3641676/Apple-to-ban-iPhone-gig-filming.html

Quote :

"Apple to 'ban iPhone gig filming' [parts cut out] A patent application filed by Apple revealed how the technology would work. If an iPhone were held up and used to film during a concert infra-red sensors would detect it. These sensors would then contact the iPhone and automatically disable its camera function. People would still be able to send text messages and make calls."

Now, who do we know is getting super pissed about their actions being recorded?

Cops, TSA, other sometimes controversial officials with lots of power.

This technology becomes a mainstay on cell phones...cops begin to wear IR sensors (or whatever device) that automatically shuts down the camera.

[/tin foil hat]

[Edited on June 16, 2011 at 1:44 PM. Reason : lkj]

6/16/2011 1:44:31 PM

http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/9799392/

Read the letter from the link in the story....Wow

6/29/2011 5:08:17 PM

A bitchy woman in high heels and her sleezy lawyer husband. I think I'd trust the allegations of a hood rat more.

Anyway, if it's not on camera it never happened.

6/29/2011 8:52:23 PM

Sleazy lawyer? Kill yourself.

6/29/2011 9:47:54 PM

For a lawyer, he doesn't know much about the law; would like to hear from the Trooper as well.

6/29/2011 10:24:51 PM

^^You're right. I apologize and will try to avoid such redundant phrasing in the future.


This cracks me up every time I see it.


All acquitted, btw:
http://www.fbi.gov/birmingham/press-releases/2011/bh011811.htm




[Edited on June 29, 2011 at 11:03 PM. Reason : .]

6/29/2011 10:44:17 PM

Dumbass kid deserved what he got. If he didn't want to be paralyzed he should have complied faster. I guess the next bar he drinks too much in will have to have a ramp. Haha.

http://www.wsbtv.com/news/28396902/detail.html

6/30/2011 3:50:27 AM

Quote :

"Copies of radio calls the troopers made that night, released by the patrol Wednesday following a public records request, confirm the timeline and locations in the Tesseners' account of events."

6/30/2011 12:55:29 PM

Here is an interview with the Tessener lady from the WRAL story a few posts up

http://www.wral.com/news/local/video/9801128/#/vid9801128

6/30/2011 4:16:32 PM

Quote :

"former N.C. State cheerleader"

Sounds like she and her squadcar-chasing lawyer husband needed to be knocked down a peg or two. Tax money well spent.

The state should NOT release the text messages of these officers. Those are private, and we should respect these fine officers them enough not to subject them to this witchhunt.

6/30/2011 8:22:33 PM

^^ Basically totally confirmed their story

6/30/2011 9:47:09 PM

Quote :

"Highway Patrol releases text messages between accused troopers"

http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/9822511/

SMOKIN' GUN BABY!

i had to do a double take to make sure it wasnt a joke/hack. Quite juicy, indeed.

7/6/2011 1:29:09 AM