The insane level of authoritarianism in the United States.

[Os Cangaceiros]

Reading comments to stories like this (http://www.tampabay.com/news/publicsafety/article1112106.ece) is a good way to lose all faith in humanity.

In short: A kid is riding his bike, and does not stop when a cop pulls up to him and orders him to. The cop then pulls out a taser and shoots the kid, after which the kid falls under the cop car and is crushed to death.

Also worth mentioning:


The day after the funeral, Florida Department of Law Enforcement investigator Eli Lawson called Cassandra Steen's newly-hired attorney, Aaron Watson, and told him that TV news was about to report that a paramedic had found a gun in Victor's pocket.

A video, taken from the dashboard of another officer's car, recorded what happened in the minutes before the discovery:

Three officers squatted next to Ard's car, looking under it at Victor. Ard unlocked the passenger side of his car and got something out. The object is light-colored and floppy, but isn't clearly visible. Ard, holding the object, crawled under the car next to Victor's body and stayed there for 40 seconds. Two minutes later, paramedics found a 9mm silver and black semiautomatic in Victor's pocket.

Lab tests showed the gun had been wiped clean. No fingerprints were on it — not Victor's, not anyone's. Victor's family, as well as his pastors and friends, were aghast. Victor was scared of guns, they said. He would not have carried a gun around.

You would think that conduct like this would be inexcusable, but unfortunately there's a disgusting level of cop (and authority in general) worship that's ironic coming from a nation like the USA, where supposedly a culture of non-conformity and individual freedom is imbedded in our national culture. Despite all evidence to the contrary (http://www.economist.com/node/16636027).

[#FF0000]

The fact that the badge-kissing comments are being down-voted gives me hope, kind of.

But, yeah, there isn't much more to be said. Fuck the police.

[Ele'ill]

Yeah, it's getting out of hand. These situations are increasing in occurrence. What we need are organized communities that will know the person killed. They'll remember them from the last community cookout or road repair extravaganza or playground restoration project.

We need to prove that neighbors and neighborhoods can have fun together- and then can work together- and then can fight together.

[GPDP]

Reading the comments sections to any mainstream news site will net you some of the world's biggest assholes. That's nothing new.

As for the story... part of me wants to say "not surprising at all," yet another part never seems to be able to get over just how fucking corrupt the cops can be. Just when you think they reach rock bottom, they get a drill and dig a little deeper just because they can. Fucking disgusting.

And yeah, the U.S. is a land chock-full of contradictions. We claim to be peaceful in the midst of two imperialist wars, sing the virtues of freedom and liberty to high heaven while undocumented Mexicans get rounded up like cattle, and even dare to tell the world this is the land of equality and opportunity when nearly a fifth of the population has no job. And you know what? I believe a lot of the people saying these things know it's a crock of shit. They say them with an implicit understanding among their own ilk that what they preach really only applies to a privileged few. It's like the coded racial language employed by mainstream reactionaries. On the surface it sounds good and innocent enough, but if you read between the lines you can tell whom the message is actually directed to.

[TheCultofAbeLincoln]

Damn...it never ends. I hope more justice is given out for this than for the Oakland cop who thought he was grabbing his taser and shot an unarmed man in the back a little while ago...

Rest in peace.


Btw, very well put GPDP. I could not agree more.

[The Vegan Marxist]

That's absolutely disgusting. I hope the cop fry's for his murderous actions!

[The Red Next Door]

Its Time to go Pig hunting. Really when we get the pie, they will be up against the wall.

[Die Neue Zeit]

Damn...it never ends. I hope more justice is given out for this than for the Oakland cop who thought he was grabbing his taser and shot an unarmed man in the back a little while ago...

Rest in peace.


Btw, very well put GPDP. I could not agree more.

So taser usage has become more widespread in the US? I thought Canada had the monopoly on taser scandals.

[Veg_Athei_Socialist]

Terrible. Just, terrible.

[Os Cangaceiros]

So taser usage has become more widespread in the US? I thought Canada had the monopoly on taser scandals.

Pigs in the US will taser anyone for anything. It doesn't matter if you're ten years old or a bed-ridden elderly person or mentally retarded...if you don't promptly say "how high?" when they say "jump", you're getting zapped.

[Communist Guy]

This is terrible. Phaser use needs to be more reasonable than this. What a stupid cop.

Also, why didn't the boy just stop?

[Rusty Shackleford]

Jail all these motherfucking racist killer cops!

[Fietsketting]

Almost as if they got a gun ready in the car in case they mess up. Down the pigs!

[The Vegan Marxist]

This is terrible. Phaser use needs to be more reasonable than this. What a stupid cop.

Also, why didn't the boy just stop?

If you were 13, black, & white cops were trying to stop you at night, given the long history in America on racism in the police force, would you really stop? The neighborhood looked like it was somewhere within the projects as well, & given my personal experience in the projects, a lot of the cops in those areas are a bunch of racist fucks.

[Red Commissar]

Meanwhile, the same people call for getting rid of "underperforming" teachers. Yet they can't apply the same standards to policemen and cover their asses

[LETSFIGHTBACK]

The more as crime goes up, you will see support grow for more police, and not only more police, but, more support for ruthless police. As crime becomes more ruthless, ie a home invasion of an 81 year old who was beaten and robbed. The fear grows within the population. So when the cops display this ruthlessness, it gives a feeling of comfort, and a feeling of revenge.

But as I always tell people, in work, on radio talk shows, you think they are here to protect you, they are the same pigs that crack homeless people on the bottom of their feet while they are sleeping. They are the same pigs that protect the employer and scabs as they take your job, inforcing low wage slave labor. And they are the same pigs that will assist landlords evicting the unemployed from their homes.So, forget about officer friendly.

[leftace53]

Honestly, I didn't even click the link to read the comments, I just can't take shit like that anymore. This kind of thing seems to be happening more and more lately, and people constantly taking the side of the authorities. This kind of thing makes me feel so helpless, because if there is one thing capitalism has done well, its implementing a big brother sort of "you can't question me" authority. People are scared that if they rise up against the authorities they will get killed. People are scared to talk to their employers about proper working conditions because they will get fired.

I feel more and more, that we should concentrate on fighting fear in the people, and the fall of capitalism will follow.

[Reznov]

Obviously, a cop should never do something like this.

But why didn't the kid stop? He also had a gun in his pocket apparently? What makes you think that kid wouldn't have gone on to kill someone else?

Either way, this police officer is a fucking joke.

[Reznov]

I am a UK citizen.
If the Americans or British came and invaded my country I would bear arms too.

Your country has already been invaded by the Bourgeoisie.

[Comrade Wolfie's Very Nearly Banned Adventures]

Obviously, a cop should never do something like this.

But why didn't the kid stop? He also had a gun in his pocket apparently? What makes you think that kid wouldn't have gone on to kill someone else?

Either way, this police officer is a fucking joke.

The Gun was planted by the cops.

[LETSFIGHTBACK]

Yes hi to all my first post here.
Where can I start unfortunately it can only be an honest post about why I hate America so much.
Just before I get into it it is only fair to say that I am a UK citizen and believe me I hate Britain just as vehemently.
Hopefully you will already be getting the picture that I have absolutely nothing against the majority of Americans and so with the British apart from a minority that make up the exploitative ruling classes the state and the racists.
I actually have too much to say that I probably won't bother with most of it straight off.
Britain is not a free democratic country and nor is the US both are ultimately controlled by the rich.
Look at it this way over here the police force are paid more than other public sector workers and are not allowed to strike.
They were put into place originally not for the protection of society as a whole but were employed by the wealthy elite as a glorified security force to protect the themselves as they were making themselves richer and richer and feared a backlash from the angry exploited mob.
I feel sick to the stomach when I think of the USAs criminal system their lack of human rights and their crammed to the rafter prisons where people are exploited as slaves.
This serves to keep jobs from poor American communities and workers causing more unemployment more poverty more crime and more criminalisation of the disadvantaged.
Still it means that there are always enough desperate youngsters to sign up for their barbaric illegal racist occupations.
Some of these poor young soldiers at least in the UK can legally go to Afghanistan while being to young to be permitted to vote.
These soldiers who are lied to and brainwashed about the evils of Afghan society then find themselves in the most horrific situation of having to murder another poor innocent human being or risk being shot themselves.
I have utmost respect and admiration for our young working class troops American and British and no way want to see one single one of them get hurt or killed however I also have exactly the same respect for young Afghanistan's who undoubtedly just want to be left alone to get on with their lives.
If the Americans or British came and invaded my country I would bear arms too.


First off, Hello and welcome.
I do not, and will not have support for ANY kind of capitalist authority, whether they are police or military. No, I do not support the troops. I will support soldiers that go AWOL, or refuse to follow orders and frag their superiors.

[theAnarch]

Obviously, a cop should never do something like this.

But why didn't the kid stop? He also had a gun in his pocket apparently? What makes you think that kid wouldn't have gone on to kill someone else?

Either way, this police officer is a fucking joke.

Considering the relationship between the black community and the police in Florida I wouldn't stop either. He didn't have a gun in his pocket, I think its obvious that its a plant but even if he did have a gun would it matter?

[#FF0000]

Obviously, a cop should never do something like this.

But why didn't the kid stop? He also had a gun in his pocket apparently? What makes you think that kid wouldn't have gone on to kill someone else?

Either way, this police officer is a fucking joke.

He didn't have to stop.

I wouldn't stop for a cop who's weaving all over the fucking road and sidewalk, either. I probably wouldn't even get a chance to think about it, I'd just get scared and book it.

And the gun was planted by the cops. Paramedic cameras spotted it.

[this is an invasion]

Five people have been murdered by cops in Northern California since the Oscar Grant Trial verdict.

[Ztrain]

Honestly the cops have done so much horrble shit im only mildy supised...sigh

[thesadmafioso]

And to think that American culture has evolved to a point in which these men and women are expected to be treated as heroes. It says a lot about a nation when such pathetic and morally devoid individuals are handed such blunt power, and allowed to abuse it in sickening ways like such.

It is easy enough to see why they are given such tremendous power and the ability to use it with minimal consequences though, promotion of fear in regards to the main protectors of the capitalistic status quo only serves to be beneficial to those which hold the economic and thus political power in this nation.

[leftace53]

Yea, all this is kinda the "who watches the watchmen" kinda thing.