The ongoing feud...

between me and my wonderful cop-to-be cousin.

I love you, but I'm gonna have to set it straight with some facts here. His words are the italicized portion of this post, so things don't get skewed.
And so begins my attempt to educate a man who is too ignorant to see how the laws of this country serve to protect him, rather than harm him.

As for your first paragraph, where you state:

"A policeman's power is limited only to removing liberty, safety, and occasionally lives, from the citizens he wields this power over."

You are obviously too ignorant of the processes and the procedures the officers follow on a daily basis that there isn't much I can say here. And no, unfortunately for you, it isn't because you're right, it's because you're completely and utterly wrong there's absolutely nothing I could say here that would make a difference. You've become so angry and so jaded towards the law enforcement community you won't even listen to reason, to see the good. You see, what you've written here, is more than just your thoughts and opinions, you've written what I like to refer to as a "smear ad." It's dirty, it's political, and it's down right wrong. Rather than being objective to the situation and trying to see both sides of the coin, you've chosen to see only the negative, and by doing so, you yourself have become part of the problem. You've become so enveloped in your own opinion and trying to get your message across, you can't see the good. Or rather, you can't see the forest for the trees.

A policeman's power, whether you like it or not, IS limited strictly to removing the life, liberty, and/or property from a citizen. He has no other legal authorities other than to kill or arrest a citizen upon warrant or reasonable suspicion of a crime, or to confiscate property. Sometimes his actions are not only just but also legal, other times they are not.

In your second paragraph you state:

"Yes, officers die in the line of duty. Much like every other occupation, most on-the-job deaths and injuries are the result of accidents. I'd also like to point out that, due to my specific occupation, I am statistically somewhere around ten times more likely to be killed or injured "on the clock" than a policeman is (that comes from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in case you were
thinking I pulled it out of my ass or something)"

Once again, you are wrong in thinking that most officer deaths are accident related. More officer's are killed during "routine" traffic stops due to the unknown nature of the individual being stopped.

Actually, no. While more officers IN THE PAST CENTURY have been killed by felonious assault, this has not been the case since 1999. Since that time, data reflects the fact that more officers are in fact killed by traffic accidents.

There is a reason and a method officers follow during a traffic stop, that whether YOU like it or not, is followed to protect them. It has nothing to do with trying to take away or violate your civil liberties. That may be the way you see it, but honestly, that officer could care less about taking away your freedoms, than protecting his/her own life. He/she too, has rights, and a family to return home to. The procedures they follow, and the commands they issue are tried and true methods of making sure that officer goes home at night. It however, it not about your rights, your freedoms, or your liberties. It's about life, and the protection of it. If your head is so far up your ass that you can't see the need for officers to protect themselves, especially against people like yourself, who rather than give respect and peacefully follow commands, would rather scream about rights violations, then more often than not you're going to end up in jail. It's simple, do what they say, and have your day in court. Cry about your injustices there. You seem to be good at it.

One question here...is a cop's family more important than mine? Moreover, does his willingness to violate my civil liberties (and yes, that's EXACTLY what I call it, when I'm detained for half an hour on the side of a highway during a Saturday night, because my factory-issued DOT-stamped tail lights aren't "red enough", when he wants to go on a fishing expedition in violation of my 4A rights) somehow require me to give a shit about his personal health and safety?

The second part of your second paragraph states:

"Your buddy's motorcycle-cop of a father was not run down intentionally by a criminal intent on killing a cop...he was injured in a traffic accident, much the same as I was when the idiot in the minivan almost ran me over while traveling down I-10 on my way to school. At the time of the incident, I was working as a CNC machinist. Your buddy's dad was a cop. Our respective occupations had absolutely nothing to do with our accidents, with the exception that your friend's dad was on the clock at the time."

Yes, her father was killed in a traffic accident. And that's exactly what I said it was. A traffic accident. However, assuming that what happened to you is the same thing, is comparing apples to oranges. If you're so unaware while driving that you cannot see a police officer on a motorcycle WHILE YOU RUN A RED LIGHT, then you do not need to be driving. Please, bare in mind now, Barry, then when this officer was struck, the suspect WAS IN THE PROCESS OF COMMITTING A CRIME! True, this was just a little crime, right, no big deal, just ran a stupid red light? Or...maybe it's a stop sign next time. And another cop is dead now. Or maybe someone else. A mother and her child maybe? Maybe hat would be more drastic to you? Would that get you marching on the streets for change? No, it wouldn't. If you're going to be so cold towards the men and women who do their best to protect us, why would someone like you care about the everyday people, most of who could care less about you?

Cop or not, it's a shame when anyone dies of unnatural causes. However, being a cop doesn't make his life any more or less important than my life. Honestly, I'm not that concerned about people who get pulled over for running red lights, because I don't run them and I don't think anyone else should be doing so either. It's a safety issue that could have just as easily have killed me or you, as it killed that cop. What DOES concern me is the action of cops pulling people over when they HAVEN'T run red lights, stop signs, et cetera. It's called a "pretext stop", and it's only legal if the person has ACTUALLY VIOLATED THE TRAFFIC ORDINANCE. Most often, it's a made-up allegation used to provide legitimacy to an otherwise illegitimate contact with a citizen.

In the first part of your third paragraph you state:

"Yes, police are hated as a pariah by the majority of people who don't know them. Officers know this, and still do the job. Some people even actively wish to kill police officers, yet these officers still go to work."

Wow! That must have been a hard statement for someone as jaded as yourself to write. If I didn't know better I might think this some type of praise. But we both know anything good you write about the law enforcement community is a wolf in sheep's clothing.

I'll be right up front and honest with you here, Bill. If I don't know you, and you wear a badge, I won't spit in your face if your eyes were on fire. It's not because all police are inherently bad people...it's because there have been plenty of instances that I've run across bad people who were police officers, and not nearly enough of the "good guys" to make me change this prejudice. Such is the case with many "cop-haters". If the police have a problem with this inconvenient little fact, perhaps they should start policing their own ranks a little bit better. Canned apologies written by the city attorney don't really do the job that adequately.

What you said is not only correct, it's commendable.

That's your opinion, and you're entitled to it. If you think it's "commendable" that ONE IN EVERY FIVE HUNDRED AMERICAN ADULTS is currently imprisoned for the simple sale or possession of a prohibited substance, that's your right to think it's commendable. Personally, I think that fact alone is absolutely criminal. Keep in mind, however, that particular number does not even come close to including all those people who have been prosecuted for other supposed "crimes" that have no actual victim...you know, where the "complainant" is listed as "State"? You call it "commendable" that people would actually knowingly continue to make money contributing to this problem, but I can assure you that I don't, and I'm sorry that you do.

They CONTINUE to go to work knowing they are hated by most, and hunted down by some, and yet still they press on. Can you say you would do the same? I doubt it.

There's a drastic difference here. If I'm hated by most and hunted by some, I'm not going to get too far working in a small business. Being "hated" kinda alienates much of my client base, you know? A cop, on the other hand, goes to work no matter how many people hate him...as long as the chief ain't one of those people. Personally, I don't really think that I'd be out doing things that would cause most people to hate me. Come to think of it, I DON'T. Go figure...

It seems to me the most you can do is throw a temper tantrum on the Internet. You are so unaware of what the law enforcement community is doing, all around you, right now, because rather than take a stand and fight WITH the officers to better the relationship between law enforcement and private citizens, you insist on being the problem. We have a place for people like you, it's called jail. If you aren't part of the solution, you're part of the problem. If you don't want to be in jail, or arrested, stay out of the grass because as you said, the police are coming to work day after day, regardless of how much you scream and cry "CIVIL RIGHTS! CIVIL RIGHTS!"

Actually, while you think all I do is "throw tantrums", you couldn't be further from the truth. I exercise my right to request a speedy and impartial trial by a jury of my peers. Funny thing is though, when I do so, charges keep getting dismissed. Hmmm...I wonder why that is? Could it be because there was never enough evidence of any wrongdoing to provide reasonable cause for arrest? No....that couldn't be it, because that would mean *YOU GUESSED IT* my natural rights (as well as those rights guaranteed to me by my nation's constitution) would have been VIOLATED BY AN OFFICER OF THE LAW.

In the second part, and the rest of your third paragraph you state:

"Officers are fully aware that the majority of our State Penal Code is based upon revenue generation and/or penalizing activities that harm absolutely no non-consenting adults, yet they still clock in. It is the fact that, even knowing that the majority of our penal code goes against the tenets of freedom that this nation was founded upon and STILL wish to work as a police officer, that I have very little respect for most of them. At least my friends are honest about why they work as cops."

What a sack of shit! Did you, Barry, really write that? I would hope someone of your tenure would be able to come up with something better than this. If this is your basis for not respecting the law enforcement community, then perhaps your need to reexamine your reasons. In the light of an officer putting a child molester in jail, I could honestly care less about whether or not the state makes a couple dollars off me in the process. I cannot, nor can you attest to the fact that all officers see the laws and statutes the same way you do. As revenue. Of course, we all know, the government needs to make money to pay it's officials and it's employees. How is this done? Hmmm. Let's see. People speed. Run red lights. RUN STOP SIGNS and the like. Looks to me like adding a dollar amount is the simplest way to go. But of course, to someone like you, this is just the governments way of raping you out of your hard earned money and I'm sure it's how they bleed you dry, right? Cry about it. I'm sure someone will care.

Your petty insults and snide comments aside, you fail to recognize the one key word here, Billiam. *MAJORITY* As in, "not all, but MOST". The MAJORITY of our penal code does not concern itself with crimes against persons or property, they concern themselves with crimes in which THE STATE is the so-called "victim". Which is, in essence, nothing more than a revenue generator. Why? Because there is no other justification for prosecuting such an offense.

The first part of your fourth paragraph you state:

"Just because it hasn't happened TO YOU doesn't mean it doesn't happen. Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence...and you should understand this, otherwise you're going to make a shitty cop. I've only had a gun pointed at my head on three occasions in my lifetime...all were unwarranted, and all three of those pistols were in the hands of men wearing badges. As I've
repeatedly mentioned, there have been numerous instances of unlawful arrest, and I have the case dismissals to prove it."

This my friend, my cousin, is where you being to look like a fool, but it doesn't end here. You see, what I didn't tell you, is that it HAS happened to me. I was wrongly arrested, and placed in county jail for 8 hours, before having to pay $500 in bail money, and why? Because a court clerk forgot to file paper work. Not because I had done anything wrong, in fact, I'd done everything the courts asked of me. I didn't even still have an original charge, as it had been dismissed. So you tell me Barry, how is it, I was arrested on a warrant for a charge, that didn't exist? And on top of this, after a simple phone call to the judge who dismissed my case, I was allowed to return to the county jail to get my money back. As well as being met by the two deputies who arrested me, who both apologized, even though they were only doing their job. You see, I could have fought and screamed and cried about injustice and the like, but I didn't. I followed the commands of the officers and yes, I lost 8 hours of my life. Big deal. It's only 8 hours. I too, have been pulled over, and pulled out of a vehicle at gun point, because of bad information on the police side. Do you see me crying about injustice? Of course not. They did what they thought they were supposed to. No one is perfect, and I don't expect them to be. More than just police, they are humans. Every day people who make mistakes.

This isn't apples and oranges, Bill. This is so drastically different that it's not even apples and baked beans. In your case, a paperwork error resulted in a bona fide arrest. It's not even close to being comparable to an officer arresting someone because he doesn't like the "suspect's" attitude, the fabrication of evidence for the purposes of providing probable cause, and denial of the right to an attorney. I'm not expecting anyone to be perfect, not even cops. I am, however, expecting them to treat every individual with basic human dignity and respect while on the clock...especially when my tax dollars are paying their salaries. Is that really too much to ask, or should I just expect to have a cop insult my dead relatives that he's never met, attempt to provoke me into swinging on him, calling me a "druggie", crash his bicycle into my car and point a gun at my head because I'm sitting in my car on private property, kick my door in because there are too many cars in my driveway, et cetera? Should I expect to have a cop fabricate a falsified arrest report, merely because he didn't like the fact that I refuse to waive my 1A, 4A, and 5A rights? Sorry, but I don't...especially when I'm forced, under threat of fine and imprisonment, to help pay for their livelihood.

In the last part of your fourth paragraph you state:

"Furthermore, the fact that you knowingly committed a criminal offense that the police deemed worthy of an "investigation" (and readily admitted doing so) should render your privilege of being a Law Enforcement Officer null and void...after all, why should you be allowed to arrest others for a crime that you yourself have committed?"

Is that so? Well, according to your logic from earlier, this was an unlawful investigation, since all charges against me were dismissed. Oh, wait, that's right, I NEVER HAD CHARGES BROUGHT AGAINST ME during the investigation, so as for your I shouldn't be a cop because of that theory, you had go ahead and pull your foot out of your mouth, and shove that sentence right up your ass. I do however find it funny that you consider being an officer a privilege. Hmmm. Perhaps that was a Freudian slip on your part. What you do however fail to realize is that simply because you had the charges dropped, DOES NOT mean you didn't commit the crime Barry. Look at OJ Simpson. Our court system found him Not Guilty. We all know he did it. And you're more ignorant than I thought if you honestly believe that because your charges were dropped that you did not in fact commit a crime.

Actually, I believe your words were "Take it from me boys and girls, if you're going to commit a crime, make sure you aren't friends with the entire department that's going to investigate it." If that isn't an admission of guilt, what exactly was it? And when it happens once, I might call it a fluke. When it happens twice, I might call it "bad luck" on the part of the cops or the DA. When it happens REPEATEDLY, I call it wrongful arrest. What do you call it?

In the beginning of your fifth paragraph you state:

"What you see on COPS is the edited version of reality. As I pointed out in a previous post, cops typically run from cameras like Richard Simmons runs from a naked woman."

What you see on COPS, while it isn't always right, it is the unedited truth of what officers encounter on a daily basis.

When I said it was the "edited version of reality", I meant exactly that. It shows exactly what the producers of COPS wants it to show...bad guys getting lit up by the cops. You don't honestly think that a person would start running around doing foolish things that would embarrass their department, cost them their jobs, and potentially cost them their money or freedom, while the cameras were rolling, do you? Think about that. Even if you were a complete jackass, would you be doing it on camera, if your ability to eat or make rent depended on your ability to keep a job?

What the officers are running from in your case, is the liberal media's unjustly biased opinion that all officers are hate mongrels out to arrest and ticket for no reason.

You lost a great deal of credibility when you decided to use the "L-word". What they should be running from is not something from the O'Reillyan boogeyman known as the "liberal media", but someone willing to fight back in court. Furthermore, it shows that you have a fundamental misunderstanding of the word, as used in this particular context. To be politically "liberal" is to advocate that the state be the answer to the world's social ills, and LIBERALLY throw money and resources at the problem. To be politically "conservative" is to understand that a person has a right to live and let live, and our tax dollars should not be spent in a manner that prevents a person from doing so.

They run from people like you, who would smear the good name of the boys in blue for no other reason than because they've made some mistakes.

And again, I'll say it...there is a difference between making a bona fide "error", and knowingly breaking the law. It's no different for a cop than it is for you and I.

Guess what Barry. You've made your share of mistakes as well. I guess you should be permanently branded as an asshole and ignorant fool.

I know I've made my share of mistakes, just as you have. I've hurt plenty of people with the bad things I've done, and I am still paying the price for some of these things today.

Running from a liberal bias and an unjust and unfair opinion, doesn't make you a bad person, or secretive, it makes you smart. Ever since police departments have begun using dash mounted cameras, the number of cases of "false arrests" "police brutality" and "police excessive force" cases HAVE GONE DOWN! Why? Because people can't lie about the police any more. It's all right there, in black and white. And this is a point my friend, not even you can argue. The camera, doesn't lie.

Again, please stop using the word "liberal", it makes you sound like you've been watching way too much of the Faux News Channel. The number of cases of "false arrest", "police brutality", and "excessive force" have drastically dropped. As I've mentioned in previous posts, the camera is your worst enemy when you're guilty and your best friend when you've done nothing wrong. Time and time again, the camera has had my back...which is why my hand-held rides shotgun at all times my vehicle is in motion.

In the next part of your fifth paragraph you state:

"I'd also like to point out that some police actions that have been "legalized" by the state/county/local policies ARE NOT inherently legal according to the United States constitution, and continue to go on only because no one has taken the fight all the way to SCOTUS yet. Beyond this, we must also look at the fact that this state's penal code is slammed full of things that will land a man in prison, even though many of these "crimes" do not affect anyone except the consenting adults involved in these activities."

Well well well. I see you've figured out what the rest of us have known for years. The local principalities create and enforce their own statutes and laws. This isn't news to anyone, least of all me, so I'm not sure who you're trying to point this out to. Anyone who doesn't already known that wouldn't be able to follow this anyways. Yes, the state penal code has crimes in it that will land you in jail, even if the only person you're harming is yourself. First and foremost, this is simple, if it's illegal, IT'S ILLEGAL! I don't care what it is. If it's illegal, it's illegal. It's that simple. Get over it for Christ's sake. Quit crying about all the little things. If the law says don't do it, then don't do it! But, see, when we dig deeper, we see that NOTHING you do, will ever effect just you. EVER. You will always have family, and your family will always be effected by the things you do and the choices you make. Are we wrong to try and impose laws on each other to protect our family members from the decisions we make? Probably. But they are there nonetheless. Don't be so foolish as to think your actions effect only you. I would hope someone of your age would have learned that by now.

Billiam, there are so many things categorized in the "epic fail" arena here that I don't even know where to begin. Your apparent ignorance of the law, in general, quite frankly scares the living shit out of me when I think of you actually getting paid by my tax dollars to enforce it. I'll attempt to keep things in a semi-coherent and rational order, so that you may understand the error of your ways. Hopefully, before they issue you a badge and a taser, they'll teach you at least a minimum of basic legal principles that you should already know from seventh grade social studies class.

1) America IS NOT a "democracy", and we haven't been since the ratification of the United States Constitution. We are a CONSTITUTIONAL REPUBLIC. In a pure "democracy", you have nothing but tyranny by the majority. In a constitutional republic such as ours, our local, county, and state governments have every right to enact legislation prohibiting certain acts...AS LONG AS THEY DO NOT VIOLATE THE RIGHTS OF THE INDIVIDUAL, AS SET FORTH IN OUR UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION. While a law may be considered "legitimate" at the state level, and may be prosecuted as such in the county in which an arrest is made under said law, IT IS NOT NECESSARILY LEGAL UNDER THE UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION. For example, take Lawrence v. Texas...the case of two gay men arrested for engaging in acts of sodomy within their own home. The law was in place, a bona fide warrant was served (albeit at the wrong address), and upon failure to find any dope on the premesis, John Lawrence and Tyrone Garner were arrested for doin' it in da butt as pursuant to the state's anti-sodomy laws. The court overturned this case on appeal, guaranteeing the right to be secure in one's home for whatever consensual sexual acts may occur between two adults, on grounds of 4A violation.

2) I suppose I should have clarified myself when I used the word "affect". Yes, my actions affect members of my family. If I choose to get hammered drunk and act like a goddamned fool, it's going to embarass (and, likely, piss off) members of my family, because I share a name with them. However, amongst all the rights you have in this great nation of ours, one you DON'T have is the right to get your feelings hurt by another's actions. For example, if I decide to start smoking crack and washing it down with an ice-cold cup of antifreeze, that's my choice. It's going to affect my family in the manner that it makes people wonder what kind of parenting my father did. However, it's not going to affect my father's physical ability to get up and go to work in the morning. It's not going to affect my grandmother's physical ability to go to church on Sunday. It's not going to affect my neighbor's ability to enjoy his big-screen television. If I start smoking crack and decide to COMMIT A CRIME AGAINST ANOTHER PERSON OR HIS/HER PROPERTY, that affects them in a physical manner. If I steal my dad's ATM card and drain his account dry to pay for crack, leaving him unable to purchase enough fuel to get to work, that is THEFT...and I have physically affected his ability to live in the manner he sees fit. If I steal my grandmother's car and sell it for crack, that is GRAND THEFT AUTO, and prevents her from having transportation. If I break into my neighbor's house and steal his big-screen for the purposes of selling it for crack, that is BURGLARY OF A HABITATION. Obviously, my dad and my grandmother don't want to be known as relatives of a crackhead...and my neighbor doesn't want to be known as "that guy who lives next to a crackhead". However, until my actions physically affect their abilitiy to exercise their personal rights, my rights should be left intact. If you haven't heard this before, I'll clue you in: "The rights of my fist don't end until they reach the rights of your nose." Does that make any sense to you?

3) You tell me to "quit crying about the little things", but those "little things" add up to a whole bunch of big. Even if we're talking minimum wage, just the amount of time I've pissed away dealing with random cops hassling me WITHOUT EVER ARRESTING, TICKETING, OR EVEN SO MUCH AS ISSUING A WARNING would add up to more than a thousand dollars. Then, we have all the money that I've shelled out on bail, vehicle impoundments, ALR hearings, attorneys, et cetera...and we're talking enough money to buy me a car. Not a "decent used car", but a brand-new off-the-lot sticker on the window car. Yes, there really have been that many instances. You and I together can't count on our combined fingers and toes how many times I've been subjected to lectures, field sobriety tests, vehicle searches, et cetera with no further involvement on the part of the cops...and that's not counting all the tickets and arrests that have been thrown out. It also doesn't count the times that policemen have pointed loaded guns at my forehead. I don't know about you, but I don't call these things "little". I call it an infringement upon my life, liberty, property, and safety.

In your seventh paragraph you state:

"In your last paragraph, you make the assumption that every man and woman that has ever encountered a policeman has had that encounter occur as a direct result of the violation of a criminal statute...and, knowing from my own personal experience, I can say that this assumption is completely and totally devoid of any truth or fact."

The hell I did! First and foremost, before you ever attempt to quote me, or state an assumption, which I DO NOT DO, you better have your facts straight and you had better make damn sure you know what you're talking about. This is the last thing my last paragraph was about. This is my last paragraph in it's entirety:

"My point? I'm not some goody-two-shoes who thinks the police are uncorruptable or correct in every way, shape, and form. I'm not. And it's not true. However, people are constantly asking, who's going to protect us from the police? Once again, false arrests, police brutality, excessive force, deadly force all come to mind. Who's going to stop that officer from beating me, arresting me for not stopping at the stop sign? Who's going to keep that officer from breaking in my door and taking away all my guns? As long as they're following the law, no one is. Why? Why do they have to right to do this to me? I'm a good citizen! I obey the law! Apparently, no, no you don't. I've yet to see an officer randomly break down a door. Or unjustly search and seize an item from
someone. It doesn't take too many episodes of COPS for private citizens to get an idea of the kinds of people officers come into contact with on a daily basis. People who don't follow the law. People who could care less. Unlike you and me, right?"

Do you see that bolded part? That's what I was refering to. If you weren't insinuating that everyone who's had their door kicked in, car pulled over, pockets searched, et cetera HADN'T BROKEN A LAW, specifically what were you trying to say?

My last paragraph was intended to highlight the point that I do not see the police as perfect, but I do see them as justified. Your sneaky attempt to smear my words and incorrectly quote me won't get you any sympathy. Nor does it help your cause, as I'm sure this is the exact attitude you have towards the police. You smear their words and actions and try to make them into something more than what they really are. That my friend, is pathetic. Don't quote me, if you aren't going to quote me correctly, because you're lying when you do.

Again, I call it like I see it. If that wasn't what you were trying to say, what the hell were you saying?

"Failure to break a law put three slugs in Derek Hale's chest, and a GI-issued flag on his coffin. Not being a criminal put a slug through Robbie Tolan's lung, after protesting the manhandling of his mother, in his own front yard. Just being a law-abiding citizen put a bullet through the back of Oscar Grant, and left his daughter without a father. At least Liko Kenney got some payback for having his car rammed and being pepper-sprayed by a giggling cop, via the sound and fury of
some .45cal freedom coming from the business-end of his Glock."

While I'm sure some of these might be true stories, I see no sources by which to investigate these stories for myself. And as such, they are hearsay.

Billiam, c'mon now...you and I both know you are perfectly capable of using the googles. I shouldn't have to do your homework for you. Furthermore, you should be fully aware of these four cases, as they made national news. Derek J. Hale was a decorated Marine Corps combat veteran of Iraq, gunned down while sitting on his friend's porch in front of young children...because he couldn't get his hands out of his pockets while being tasered. He was unarmed, with the exception of a small pocket knife, similar to the one I use at work. He had no criminal record prior to this event. His widow is currently in the midst of a civil suit against the agency that murdered him in front of several witnesses.

Robbie Tolan was pulled out of his own vehicle at gunpoint, in his own driveway, after going for an early-morning hamburger run...because a cop mistakenly thought he was driving a stolen vehicle (we're still trying to figure out how that one happened). When his mother came outside to ask what the problem was, the officer slammed her against the wall of her home. When Tolan protested this treatment of his mother, in his own yard, he was shot through the chest. The officer, Jeffrey Cotton, is currently under indictment for Aggravated Assault (we're also trying to figure out why it's not "attempted murder") because of this incident. Luckily, Robbie Tolan survived his gunshot wound, and will be available for testimony at Officer Cotton's impending trial.

Oscar Grant was handcuffed, unarmed, and laying face-down on a train platform when Bay Area Rapid Transit officer shot him through the back. His "crime" was repeatedly saying "I haven't done anything!". Allegedly, the officer who shot him was under the impression that he had his Taser in his hand, and was going to "subdue a combative suspect"...that was already on the ground, handcuffed, and surrounded by several officers. Even though officers did their best to confiscate all the "evidence" surrounding the shooting, they couldn't get everyone's cellphones and camcorders, and footage of the shooting made national headlines. I'm shocked that you haven't heard of this before now.

Liko Kenny, whose prior claim to fame was nothing more than being the cousin of an Olympic skiing champion, had a long and well-documented history of abuse at the hands of a local policeman. It started after Kenney was assaulted for failure to waive his rights upon contact with the officer due to "suspcicious activity" (read: being in a parked vehicle in a public place after dark). It got to the point where a judge actually ordered officer Bruce McKay to call for a separate patrol unit upon the acknowledgement of the presence of Kenney. In the events leading to Kenney shooting McKay, the dashboard camera shows Kenney being pulled over by McKay, as well as showing Kenney announcing his identity (as if it weren't already known) and instructing McKay to call for another unit. Eventually, after waiting for quite an extended period on an isolated road, Kenney left the scene and headed toward a more populated area. His car was rammed, and Officer McKay pepper-sprayed Kenney without provocation...and leisurely walked away, giggling. Kenney responded to this violation (of not only his basic civil liberties, but also a COURT ORDER) by doing his best to empty a Glock .45cal pistol into Officer McKay. Unfortunately, Mr. Kenney was unable to defend his actions in court, due to being shot dead by a passer-by (and two-time convicted felon, with a strong history of violence), who picked up Officer McKay's gun and emptied it into Mr. Kenney.

Sorry, but if you're going to come to me, come properly and state your sources, otherwise, these are pretty shitty stories you've made up in order to make yourself look better.
Once again, we've already seen you cannot quote someone correctly, how are to know you aren't making this up as well?

I've provided your exact words, and you are more than free to correct me where I've "misquoted" you. In fact, I'd like it if you did, because I'm still wondering specifically what you're speaking of. Furthermore, here are your sources on the four instances I've mentioned:

Derek J. Hale shooting

Robbie Tolan shooting

Oscar Grant shooting

Liko Kenney shooting

Is that enough "citation", or are you still saying it's heresay?

In your ninth paragraph you state:

"In your last sentence, you ask the question, "So I ask you this, you want protection from the police...but who's going to protect the police? "...and here's my answer: the surest way for a policeman to get protection from those who don't like their rights being raped is, quite simply, to NOT BE A POLICEMAN. If you're not part of the solution, you're either part of the problem or you're part of the landscape. If you don't want to be mowed down with the weeds, get out of the lawn."

This is probably the worst logic I've ever seen in my life. I'm not going to spend much time on it, because it's just asinine. Barry, I know you went to a tea party on April 15, 2009 to protest the way the government was spending your tax money. You pay taxes out of your paycheck. Which means, you're part of the problem with the American government, as you're giving them the money to spend. So, my advice to you if you don't like how the American government spends your money "GET THE FUCK OUT OF AMERICA and take your ideas with you." Of course, that's only following your line of thought. You are part of the problem with the law enforcement community. You are going to get mowed over EVERY single time you fight with them. You will not win. Why? Because most of us support their efforts. Majority always wins. Continue to be the minority and the underdog if you want, but you're going to lose everytime and I'll be there smiling. Not because you lost, but because I'm working on changing things, not just crying about it.


And this is what truly astounds me. Contrary to popular belief, the majority of the people in this nation DO NOT feel safer due to police presence. Time after time, we have seen what guns in the hands of a young man with authority to kill, and the authority to threaten to kill, will bring...nothing but heartache and misery, in the majority of cases. It happens time and time again. You keep bringing up "child molestors" at every opportunity, and I will agree...child molestors deserve a special place in the pits of hell. Unfortunately for the rest of us, we AREN'T baby-rapers, even though we are treated no differently by most of the policemen we come in contact with. When is the last time you were handcuffed and had your vehicle ripped apart by a policeman looking for non-existent dope, for NOT USING A BLINKER? Your mother took me to court when I had the two illigitimate charges against me in that episode dropped...it happened less than a month ago. When's the last time you had a gun pointed at your forehead, just because you were "being suspicous" for sitting in a parked car on private property? When it happened to me, I was waiting for a client to arrive at her home, so I could fix her computer, as I often did for extra money while in college. When's the last time you had your door kicked in, and a gun pointed at your forehead, because there were "too many cars parked in your driveway"? I was hosting a friend home from college, and some of his schoolmates, in the privacy of my own home...and I had a Glock pointed at my head for my hospitality. No noise complaints, no reasonable suspicion of a crime being committed, just four cars in my driveway. Upon clearing up the matter, I had to verbally instruct one of the officers to stop shining his light in the back of my SUV, as he had no cause to do so. How many times have you been pulled over and called a "terrorist", because you had industrial equipment and a toolbox in your truck? It's only happened to me once, and to me, that's one time too many. How many times has an officer walked into your private property, without invitation or probable cause, to "take a look around"? Well, it's only happened at my father's shop WHEN I WAS THERE once, and to me, that's one time too many. How many times have you been asked to consent to a search of your vehicle, after being pulled over because your tail lights weren't "red enough"...while knowing your taillight bulbs were functioning, the lenses were OE, and you just got a state inspection sticker less than a week before? Well, it's only happened to me once...but, in my eyes, once is one time too many.

Like it or not, the real world we live in has very evil people in it. Also very unfortunately, many of these people often hide behind a badge. As I've said before, if you knowingly associate yourself with a criminal organization, it matters not whether it is the Mafia or the Police Department. People are going to know what you are.

I can't stop you from being a policeman, I can only attempt to talk you out of it. If you choose to join it, you will not see any sympathy from me when someone gets tired of having his rights raped...even if it's not you that did it to him, and he's just tired of seeing those red and blues in his rearview, and takes it out on you. You live by the sword, you die by it.

And no, for the record, I will not "get the fuck out of America". I will continue to "throw internet tantrums". I will continue to make my voice heard. I will continue to demand that my constitutional rights be recognized. I will continue to demand my constitutionally-recognized right to a trial by a jury of my peers. I will continue to assert my rights, utilizing any means necessary to do so. I will continue to legally travel in my car pursuant to Chapter 46.2 of the Texas Penal Code, and will reserve the option of facing unnecessary force with force of my own.

In your last paragraph you state:

"...Much like a policeman, I also know that there are certain risks involved in my job...risks that actually make me more likely to die on the clock. The difference between me and a cop shot "in the line of duty" is quite simple...if a jackstand fails and the rear end of a truck crushes my bean, or if I slip with an air grinder and slice through my wrist, or some jerk runs me over in the parking lot by mistake, NO ONE will be saying that I died while performing a duty to restrict the liberties of others."

The different between you dying underneath a car changing oil, and an officer in the line of duty is simply this: While you're changing the oil in a car, or grinding on a piece of metal, that officer is out there hunting down a man who thinks it's ok to rape and molest a 5 year old little girl. A man who thinks it's ok beat a woman to death. A woman thinks it's ok to drown her 5 children. Where were you when a local man was running a child pornography ring and scarring an unknown number of children for life while penetrating them vaginally? Where were you while he was video taping this crime and making money off of it? Where were you while he was taking these little girls to a motel and changing their lives forever. Grinding a piece of metal? Changing the oil in a car? Crying online about how your rights were so wrongly violated? You were no where to be seen. In fact, the only thing you did was slow down these officers because instead of dealing with these kinds of people, they're out there having to defend themselves from people like you. Before you EVER decide you want to compare yourself with America's FINEST remember your place. And remember you've done NOTHING compared to what they do every day. And you never will if all you do scream about rights. You apparent paranoia of the law enforcement community and the actions they take to protect EVEN YOU reeks of jealousy. And that's not a good look on anyone. Not even you.

Again, you're bringing up the "child molestor" thing. Yes, obviously child molestation is a horrible thing. Imagine how much of our resources could be put toward rooting out these shitsticks, if they'd stop spending OUR resources on harassing innocent people like me. Yes, much like you, I've done my share of "dirt". Also, much like you, I've paid my dues. We are somewhat "special", the two of us, in the fact that we belong to a certain group of people who have seen more before our 25th birthdays than most mortal men will see in their entire lives. You've done your dirt, had charges brought because of it, and had them dropped for whatever reason. I've done my fair share, paid my penalties, and had to deal with "and then some" for whatever reason. There's a reason why I do my best to keep off the roads, and it's because I don't like being fucked with because a cop thinks my hairstyle is different or my car looks too cheap. You want to be a cop? That's your thing. Just don't expect any special respect or sympathy from me because you did...because in my eyes, it's nothing more than an official authorization for the arrogance you've displayed in your own "internet tantrums".