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The Largest Street Gang in America

That video is pure:
Propaganda

Propaganda is communication aimed at influencing the attitude of a community toward some cause or position. As opposed to impartially providing information, propaganda in its most basic sense, presents information primarily to influence an audience. Propaganda often presents facts selectively (thus lying by omission) to encourage a particular synthesis, or uses loaded messages to produce an emotional rather than rational response to the information presented. The desired result is a change of the attitude toward the subject in the target audience to further a political agenda.

Those "sound-bites" and videos, don't even cover 5% of the story and there is a complete lack of any investigative information preceding the encounter or thereafter, except the one in Stark County, (where I live) and the police were cleared of wrong doing by a Grand Jury, and the girl was charged with two counts: disorderly conduct and resisting arrest.
Even the ones borrowing from news clips give partial information at-best.
This is not to say that police brutality/ intimidation does not exist, but if propaganda is the basis for your beliefs then facts and figures really won't make much difference with respect to your beliefs.
Of course it could all be just me because the video "was shortened for the attention span of the modern apathetic internet user"
What a great prelude to propaganda...
 
As I read through this thread I could not help but add my two cents.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2UPOL2ss1c

Does this mean that all snakes are aggressive and violent? Or am I smart enough to know that what I saw in that clip is an exception not the rule?

Nova, while I respect your right to your opinion I personally think your ideas are quite skewed and you should take the time to look at the larger picture. Generalizing any group based on a small sample size is terribly narrow minded and more then a bit foolish.
 
I should really go look, but I can't seem to remember very many posts Nova posts that does not relate to his political agendy.. Unfortunantly we are just sheeple.. *lol* and I might just be the Canadian Idiot here.. *LOL*

Regards.. Tim of T and J
 
It's only too easy too become a police officer

I am not going to go into all of the things about this thread, but i just want to comment about this little looked over comment.

It is NOT easy to become a police officer. At least not in Iowa. Our patrolmen go through some very hard training and i know because i am related to one, and he has told the tale. I will agree there are SOME bad cops who are abusive of there power all over this land, but We shouldn't generalize every police officer in this country into one big group of abusers of power. Its just not realistic or fair. But in a thread that has nova AND ricky in it, we will have generalizations that are unfair, name calling, a big fight, and then possibly a few suspendments.

Oh and on a side note, i back fred in all of his statements so far.
 
I should really go look, but I can't seem to remember very many posts Nova posts that does not relate to his political agendy.. Unfortunantly we are just sheeple.. *lol* and I might just be the Canadian Idiot here.. *LOL*

Regards.. Tim of T and J

Sorry Tim, but I don't think that's you.
 
Wow, I just watched that video, and had to stop after I saw that video in which the cops shot that man on the subway. I keep typing and deleting what I want to say, because what I want to say would be highly unwise to post here.
The job of a cop should be to protect, and I think that part of the job is overlooked by many. How can they use such violence and get away with it? The sick and twisted part is how easily they get acquitted of their crimes, and continue to "serve". Some are literal murderers, yet if they get killed it's the death penalty for the perpetrator. My heart is pounding after watching that, and I am probably way too caught up in emotion to accurately share my thoughts on policeman, but this enrages me to see.
So on the flip side, it makes me appreciate the good police officers even more. But may the corrupt and violent ones get what they deserve, it isn't pretty.
 
My heart is pounding after watching that, and I am probably way too caught up in emotion to accurately share my thoughts on policeman, but this enrages me to see.
A perfect example of this:
Propaganda often presents facts selectively (thus lying by omission) to encourage a particular synthesis, or uses loaded messages to produce an emotional rather than rational response to the information presented.
 
If we stop for a moment and pause to think.. Besides the cops, I think a lot of what we do to each other is more often than not, much worse than what the cops do.. Yeah, sometimes the situation gets blown out of hand, even by the professionals.. I have had the (mis)fortune to come upon a few murder scenes perputrated by civilian folks.. When you get to see a body wrapped and twisted under a car, or better yet, hours old torched remains, you realize just how primative man can really be..

Regards.. Tim of T and J
 
I acknowledge that this incited an unbalanced wave of emotions, that is why I kept deleting what I wanted to say, because it wouldn't have been rational enough to describe my overall thoughts on law enforcement. In that sense, and by your definition, it would be considered "propaganda". So by this token I tried to use discretion when commenting on my initial reaction.
But the sad reality is that all of these clips were real. You're right that it is in a sense an unfair use of media, as it overwhelmingly made me upset at law enforcement to watch. But I was able to realize this, even through my first emotional reaction. The fact is that (propaganda or not), this happens way too much, even if just a small percentage in comparison. Not one incident like the ones shown should ever happen, and the system should be met with proportionate outrage as a result.
This should not be held against every day officers, most of which are law abiding protectors of our freedoms. But the system which controls these members should be vigilant in response to these incidents, and law enforcement as a whole should be accountable for the harm their members cause.
 
If we stop for a moment and pause to think.. Besides the cops, I think a lot of what we do to each other is more often than not, much worse than what the cops do.. Yeah, sometimes the situation gets blown out of hand, even by the professionals.. I have had the (mis)fortune to come upon a few murder scenes perputrated by civilian folks.. When you get to see a body wrapped and twisted under a car, or better yet, hours old torched remains, you realize just how primative man can really be..

Regards.. Tim of T and J
So true! It is a human flaw, which subsequently affects every walk of life. My only dilemma is the power that cops have to abuse, and for this power they are given, they should be much more strictly monitored and punished for their wrong doing.
 
But the sad reality is that all of these clips were real.

No one is going to debate with you the fact that the clips ARE real... they are NOT staged. However...

That is like saying "Well the burmese python that killed that two year old girl-- that was real too!"

So let's ban ALL burmese pythons! Every one of them!!

Or, to hit closer to home for you... I have a friend whose daughter got half her face tore off by an aggressive German Shepherd dog... that was REAL, Michael!

We need to ban German Shepherds, and I think you should be the first to walk yours into the local humane society for euthanasia. How would that make you feel? How does it make you feel to think about someone blaming your GSD for the misfortune that my friend and her daughter suffered?

What is the common link between all three of these very real events??

The link is that they are exceedingly rare, percentage wise.

The vast majority of police encounters with civilians are either positive or neutral and go by the books... i.e. Kathy's early example, Bethany's example, or even the traffic stops that aren't so happy, but don't end with us bleeding on the pavement either.

The vast majority of Burmese Pythons kept in captivity will live to a ripe old age and never harm a single human, save for a bite or two, which is a risk for ANY snake.

The vast majority of German Shepherd dogs are wonderful family companions and will live to a ripe old age in homes with children and folks of all ages, without harm coming to ANY of them.

You CANNOT use incidents like this to judge the entire police department of a city, let alone police officers everywhere. They are always accused of having a blue wall, of looking out for their own TOO much....

Well, isn't that what we herp enthusiasts are doing when we call senators and their staff in Florida even though we live in Maryland, Massachusetts and other states? We're banding together for the good of the whole, because we KNOW that not all Burmese Python keepers are bad, irresponsible individuals, but that they are persecuted by the overzealous media morons, and we want to defend them. Fact is that my defense of people in Florida who keep pythons may well lead to another python released. I am not just defending Cflaguy and other good, responsible owners when I call... I am defending the irresponsible ones too. But I think that they are low enough in percentage that the risk is worthwhile.

Police officers are the same way... they are persecuted, they are guilty until proven innocent if ANYTHING goes wrong, unlike the criminals they seek to capture and protect us from. Their paychecks are lower than most white collar fields, and their work is more difficult. They are often required to have significant amounts of training in order to advance themselves (in Baltimore County, if you want to go anywhere in the police department other than the lowest rank levels, you have to have at least a bachelor's degree) and are exposed to conditions, situations, scenes and horrors that most of the rest of us can only imagine, if we dared to. It is no suprise to me that they band together and become a family, and want to stick up for each other.
 
No one is going to debate with you the fact that the clips ARE real... they are NOT staged. However...

That is like saying "Well the burmese python that killed that two year old girl-- that was real too!"

So let's ban ALL burmese pythons! Every one of them!!

Or, to hit closer to home for you... I have a friend whose daughter got half her face tore off by an aggressive German Shepherd dog... that was REAL, Michael!

We need to ban German Shepherds, and I think you should be the first to walk yours into the local humane society for euthanasia. How would that make you feel? How does it make you feel to think about someone blaming your GSD for the misfortune that my friend and her daughter suffered?

What is the common link between all three of these very real events??

The link is that they are exceedingly rare, percentage wise.

The vast majority of police encounters with civilians are either positive or neutral and go by the books... i.e. Kathy's early example, Bethany's example, or even the traffic stops that aren't so happy, but don't end with us bleeding on the pavement either.

The vast majority of Burmese Pythons kept in captivity will live to a ripe old age and never harm a single human, save for a bite or two, which is a risk for ANY snake.

The vast majority of German Shepherd dogs are wonderful family companions and will live to a ripe old age in homes with children and folks of all ages, without harm coming to ANY of them.

You CANNOT use incidents like this to judge the entire police department of a city, let alone police officers everywhere. They are always accused of having a blue wall, of looking out for their own TOO much....

Well, isn't that what we herp enthusiasts are doing when we call senators and their staff in Florida even though we live in Maryland, Massachusetts and other states? We're banding together for the good of the whole, because we KNOW that not all Burmese Python keepers are bad, irresponsible individuals, but that they are persecuted by the overzealous media morons, and we want to defend them. Fact is that my defense of people in Florida who keep pythons may well lead to another python released. I am not just defending Cflaguy and other good, responsible owners when I call... I am defending the irresponsible ones too. But I think that they are low enough in percentage that the risk is worthwhile.

Police officers are the same way... they are persecuted, they are guilty until proven innocent if ANYTHING goes wrong, unlike the criminals they seek to capture and protect us from. Their paychecks are lower than most white collar fields, and their work is more difficult. They are often required to have significant amounts of training in order to advance themselves (in Baltimore County, if you want to go anywhere in the police department other than the lowest rank levels, you have to have at least a bachelor's degree) and are exposed to conditions, situations, scenes and horrors that most of the rest of us can only imagine, if we dared to. It is no suprise to me that they band together and become a family, and want to stick up for each other.

Um, Lauren. I know you have a wonderful girlfriend, and I am a happily married woman of 21 years...but...I think I love you!!! :)
 
Repeatedly, in many of the cases, you could hear the person asking why they were being arrested and the police refused to answer.

The first time I was arrested they wouldnt tell me either. Therefore, I hate all cops.


j/k... I am all about a man (or woman) in uniform ;)
 
No one is going to debate with you the fact that the clips ARE real... they are NOT staged. However...

That is like saying "Well the burmese python that killed that two year old girl-- that was real too!"

So let's ban ALL burmese pythons! Every one of them!!

Or, to hit closer to home for you... I have a friend whose daughter got half her face tore off by an aggressive German Shepherd dog... that was REAL, Michael!

We need to ban German Shepherds, and I think you should be the first to walk yours into the local humane society for euthanasia. How would that make you feel? How does it make you feel to think about someone blaming your GSD for the misfortune that my friend and her daughter suffered?

What is the common link between all three of these very real events??

The link is that they are exceedingly rare, percentage wise.

The vast majority of police encounters with civilians are either positive or neutral and go by the books... i.e. Kathy's early example, Bethany's example, or even the traffic stops that aren't so happy, but don't end with us bleeding on the pavement either.

The vast majority of Burmese Pythons kept in captivity will live to a ripe old age and never harm a single human, save for a bite or two, which is a risk for ANY snake.

The vast majority of German Shepherd dogs are wonderful family companions and will live to a ripe old age in homes with children and folks of all ages, without harm coming to ANY of them.

You CANNOT use incidents like this to judge the entire police department of a city, let alone police officers everywhere. They are always accused of having a blue wall, of looking out for their own TOO much....

Well, isn't that what we herp enthusiasts are doing when we call senators and their staff in Florida even though we live in Maryland, Massachusetts and other states? We're banding together for the good of the whole, because we KNOW that not all Burmese Python keepers are bad, irresponsible individuals, but that they are persecuted by the overzealous media morons, and we want to defend them. Fact is that my defense of people in Florida who keep pythons may well lead to another python released. I am not just defending Cflaguy and other good, responsible owners when I call... I am defending the irresponsible ones too. But I think that they are low enough in percentage that the risk is worthwhile.

Police officers are the same way... they are persecuted, they are guilty until proven innocent if ANYTHING goes wrong, unlike the criminals they seek to capture and protect us from. Their paychecks are lower than most white collar fields, and their work is more difficult. They are often required to have significant amounts of training in order to advance themselves (in Baltimore County, if you want to go anywhere in the police department other than the lowest rank levels, you have to have at least a bachelor's degree) and are exposed to conditions, situations, scenes and horrors that most of the rest of us can only imagine, if we dared to. It is no suprise to me that they band together and become a family, and want to stick up for each other.
I think this is the post of the year for me.
 
No one is going to debate with you the fact that the clips ARE real... they are NOT staged. However...

That is like saying "Well the burmese python that killed that two year old girl-- that was real too!"

So let's ban ALL burmese pythons! Every one of them!!

Or, to hit closer to home for you... I have a friend whose daughter got half her face tore off by an aggressive German Shepherd dog... that was REAL, Michael!

We need to ban German Shepherds, and I think you should be the first to walk yours into the local humane society for euthanasia. How would that make you feel? How does it make you feel to think about someone blaming your GSD for the misfortune that my friend and her daughter suffered?

What is the common link between all three of these very real events??

The link is that they are exceedingly rare, percentage wise.

The vast majority of police encounters with civilians are either positive or neutral and go by the books... i.e. Kathy's early example, Bethany's example, or even the traffic stops that aren't so happy, but don't end with us bleeding on the pavement either.

The vast majority of Burmese Pythons kept in captivity will live to a ripe old age and never harm a single human, save for a bite or two, which is a risk for ANY snake.

The vast majority of German Shepherd dogs are wonderful family companions and will live to a ripe old age in homes with children and folks of all ages, without harm coming to ANY of them.

You CANNOT use incidents like this to judge the entire police department of a city, let alone police officers everywhere. They are always accused of having a blue wall, of looking out for their own TOO much....

Well, isn't that what we herp enthusiasts are doing when we call senators and their staff in Florida even though we live in Maryland, Massachusetts and other states? We're banding together for the good of the whole, because we KNOW that not all Burmese Python keepers are bad, irresponsible individuals, but that they are persecuted by the overzealous media morons, and we want to defend them. Fact is that my defense of people in Florida who keep pythons may well lead to another python released. I am not just defending Cflaguy and other good, responsible owners when I call... I am defending the irresponsible ones too. But I think that they are low enough in percentage that the risk is worthwhile.

Police officers are the same way... they are persecuted, they are guilty until proven innocent if ANYTHING goes wrong, unlike the criminals they seek to capture and protect us from. Their paychecks are lower than most white collar fields, and their work is more difficult. They are often required to have significant amounts of training in order to advance themselves (in Baltimore County, if you want to go anywhere in the police department other than the lowest rank levels, you have to have at least a bachelor's degree) and are exposed to conditions, situations, scenes and horrors that most of the rest of us can only imagine, if we dared to. It is no suprise to me that they band together and become a family, and want to stick up for each other.
Beyond well stated, and point well taken!. I still fear cops, though. I don't break laws, but I just feel like they have the power to harass anybody on any given moment and get away with it. Respect to those who don't abuse the power, as I'm sure most don't. I do think racial profiling is still a major issue, though, and there is so much prejudice in the judicial system. I was reading a horrific story on CNN.com the other day about a man being called the "N" word by a cop, then charged with assaulting an officer after only responding back. They then took him to the station where 5 or more officers proceeded to "assault" him in the bathroom. It's scary how entire departments forge to become so corrupt, and in big urban areas it's even scarier. The German Shephard analogy was accurate, though, and we would be much worse without cops than we are with them. Society is violent in general, and the cops are just a microcosm of that brutality. I get where your coming from, and I appreciate the time it took to post it. I think you did reach people with it, myself included. Thanks!!.
 
I love the elder of my two sisters. But she went through a "crazy" phase when we were young (we are only two years apart). After a night of her throwing glass and metal items at our heads, my brother and I tried to restrain her. She called the cops. My brother and I had only tried to restrain her by the wrists, preventing other dangerous objects from being thrown at us. She wasn't even angry at US, but she WAS angry. The cop who responded was greatly influenced by my sister's cleavage-bearing and eyelash-batting. My brother and I were repeatedly instructed to shut up or face the consequences. She was obviously in no danger from us (quite the opposite, in fact), but flirtation and dick-swinging won the evening. I respected cops a lot more before that night.

Years later, I stopped a roommate from kicking in his girlfriend's ribcage with steel-toed boots. I didn't expect the cop that the p$)$$ roommate called to judge the incident, but he was definitely an arrogant, power-hungry bleep-head. A two-year old could gave accurately assessed the situation. Sure, it wasn't his job to judge; but he was a condescending a-hole. I could have let that chick be murdered. Probably should have.
 
Things like this happen everyday, yes. But also video tapes never start from the very begining of the incident, its always after what the person has done. Not to say that i am protecting the police officers involved. But you have to look at the point of view from the officer's also. They deal with assholes, and people that do not respect them in anyway. Even before they have even spoke to the officer, they just hate them because they represent the law. Those videos were pretty incriminating, and alot of them may have been true. BUT that a handful out of the entire nation. You rarley hear about heroic things officers have done, or you hear it months after the fact. Their were officers shot to death by some low life in gang bangers because the officers were trying to help a girl from getting a train ran on her but these low lifes. I bet you didnt hear about that one? Go tell that to both officers mothers and show them this video i bet they would be very happy.
 
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