Abuse of Power Thread (Cops, Governments, Etc.) - Part 1

[MessiahDecoy123]

That seems completely unrelated to the point. A most illogical response.

Yeah it is illogical to post pics of dead police on a thread dedicated to why reforming the police is needed.

 

[Spock]

"Abuse of Power Thread" might as well be the "Anarchy Thread" if there is no reasoning applied to both sides of an argument.

 

[MessiahDecoy123]

Eh, still got him on ignore. The downfall of the quoting, which bypasses ignore feature Ah well, nothing is perfect

Keep your head in the sand.

People like you are part of the problem.

"Nothing is broken. Nothing needs to be fixed."

 

[MessiahDecoy123]

"Abuse of Power Thread" might as well be the "Anarchy Thread" if there is no reasoning applied to both sides of an argument.

Anarchy?

This is a civil thread where people can see up to date cases of abuse by various people in positions of authority.

That's hardly a form of anarchy.

If you want balance make an "everything is fine, nothing is broken" thread. Spamming this thread with stories of dead cops doesn't address the needs for systematic reforms which is what this thread is really about.

 

[DJ_KiDDvIcIOUs]

Is there not an inherent danger of losing perspective with this "down with the man" view that cherry picks cases for one side? A growing resentment to the feeble minded that won't objectively consider the factors from both sides of the fence. That is what I was addressing by posting those officer death accounts. Are there not contributory factors in many of these cases inducing such officer reactions?

First off this thread is about any abuse of power, it just so happens the most common thing that gets reported is police abuse. I've stated numerous times in this thread that the majority of cops are doing a hard job and they usually do the right thing. But it is important to bring to light that bad ones so that we can understand that not everyone in a position of power is always above board. Things need to be questioned for anything to change. The police have come a long way from they way they used to be but this thread wouldn't already be on it's second thread if everything was peachy keen

"Abuse of Power Thread" might as well be the "Anarchy Thread" if there is no reasoning applied to both sides of an argument.

You're new here so let me explain how threads work. I don't go the DC movie threads and talk about the Avengers and Spider-Man. Feel free to go back to the first post ever made by me in this thread if you would like to see that it's about shedding light on people that are abusing their power on the usually the most vulnerable of citizens. Corruption is always something that will be present in our society and just burying your head and the sand and ignoring it will do nothing to solve. That, my friend, is illogical

 

[DJ_KiDDvIcIOUs]

And FYI to the both of you, do a thread search for "Good things in the world" I started that thread to try and showcase things like good cops and generally awesome things that make the world a better place and when I do find things that fit into it's rare that anyone cares. Sadly cops and all of us normal folks that just go around doing the right thing don't get a medal or a news story done about us. So feel free to go there and post all the stories you find of people doing good things whether it be a cop or otherwise

 

[Anubis]

Heh, I can see it now. This is just gonna end up like the religion threads.

 

[KevanG]

With all the people just putting anyone with any valid points on ignore?

 

[Anubis]

Oh no, they're not gonna do that. Maybe the Police loving guys start a thread, but occasionally they pop back in here to troll. Then the people that frequent this one, retaliate. Mods say, STOP IT! Maybe they stop. Most likely they don't. Big flame war ensues, Infractions and bannings abound, then both threads get locked.

Which is always fun.

 

[KevanG]

You'd think the Baltimore thread would have gone down faster than it has so far. Seems to be going to crash soon enough though.

 

[Anubis]

People are generally awful. Especially people with strong opinions. Especially, especially people with strong opinions and the anonymity of the internet.

 

[mrvlknight21]

Everything You Need to Know About Drug Incarceration Rates Across the US

http://drugabuse.com/featured/state-sentencing-how-drug-sentencing-varies-across-the-us/

Interesting info

That is interesting!

Ga. Sheriff Refuses to Talk After Shooting Woman in Stomach

http://www.wsbtv.com/news/news/local/deputies-clayton-county-sheriff-involved-shooting/nk8C2/

That's insane. Let's see what happens if any of us go and shoot someone in the stomach and then just try to walk away

I'm not even sure how this guy got elected. It is my understanding that when he was elected, he was under a multiple count felony indictment. Although he later beat the charges, I dont understand why voters would trust him enough to put him in a position of power.

 

[ChrisBaleBatman]

"Abuse of Power Thread" might as well be the "Anarchy Thread" if there is no reasoning applied to both sides of an argument.

Well, to be fair...it is an 'Abuse of Power' thread. The main focus is going to be on the abuse of power. It's going to be about negatives of the government. It's going to be critical, but that doesn't automatically mean that I want to leave in the Wasteland where everyone is killing eachother for gasoline, and I get to be Mad Max (I can pull it off, though).

I think it'd be weird to have to post pictures of dead American soldiers just to let all you guys know I value their sacrifice, because that should go without saying. And it's kinda icky, like how Fox News seemingly panders on tv and comes across as completely insincere and phony. I understand wanting to remember the fallen, and their sacrifice. It's a good thing. But, I don't think wanting reform in anything means you're completely against that thing. And, it is an abuse of power thread. So, it's going to focus on that stuff.

For the record, I don't want dead cops. Killing cops is bad, don't do it. It's bad.

I mean...is there anyone here who actually does want that?

 

[KevanG]

Texas law bans cities from banning fracking

Texas moved Monday to ban its own cities from imposing prohibitions on hydraulic fracturing and other potentially environmentally harmful oil and natural gas drilling activities within their boundaries — a major victory for industry groups and top conservatives who have decried rampant local "overregulation."

Lawmakers in America's largest oil-producing state scrambled to limit local energy exploration prohibitions after Denton, a university town near Dallas, passed an ordinance in November against hydraulic fracturing or fracking, attempting to keep encroaching drilling bonanzas outside their community.

So yeah, I wasn't sure which to post this in, abuse of power, since the governor is apparently big in connections with the oil industry or Stupid people since this is balls to the wall bat**** insane.

 

[DJ_KiDDvIcIOUs]

I always defer to the abuse of power thread if it's an elected official no matter how stupid. That is really screwed up though

 

[KevanG]

So despite knowing about how it has massive detrimental effects on the environment, the people in the area and the long reaching effects into the future Texas just said "**** you" to the people because they want their ****ing kickbacks. Hell it causes ****ing EARTHQUAKES in places that have never had recorded earthquakes in areas in over a century.

 

[DJ_KiDDvIcIOUs]

Wells Fargo Sued For Ripping Off LA Customers

Yesterday, the city of Los Angeles filed a lawsuit against the $284 billion bank Wells Fargo alleging that the company pressured employees into defrauding unwitting customers. Isn’t that something?

The lawsuit was tied to extensive allegations laid out by the LA Times in 201: Wells Fargo employees said that the company had a systematic, high-pressure quota system for employees that ultimately left them with the choice of engaging in fraud, or being disciplined or fired. Employees were expected to constantly get customers to open new accounts and purchase new banking products, or else. As a result, the LAT wrote, “employees have opened unneeded accounts for customers, ordered credit cards without customers’ permission and forged client signatures on paperwork. Some employees begged family members to open ghost accounts.”

And surprise: the city attorney of Los Angeles alleges that the company engaged in exactly those practices—pressuring employees into scamming customers, including by opening employees in customer names without ever telling the customers— in his big new lawsuit.

No matter the final disposition of this case, it’s always nice to see a city suing a big bank on behalf of customers.

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-wells-fargo-20150506-story.html

Well damn, I bank with them. I hope they don't try to screw me like that

 

[ChrisBaleBatman]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/05/07/nsa-phone-surveillance_n_7231872.html

NSA Bulk Data Collection Illegal, U.S. Appeals Court Says

Ruling on a program revealed by former government security contractor Edward Snowden, the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan said the Patriot Act did not authorize the National Security Agency to collect Americans' calling records in bulk.

A small victory towards the justification of what Edward Snowden did. Probably doesn't mean he can come back home, though. Not yet, atleast.

 

[Teelie]

Ga. Sheriff Refuses to Talk After Shooting Woman in Stomach

http://www.wsbtv.com/news/news/local/deputies-clayton-county-sheriff-involved-shooting/nk8C2/

That's insane. Let's see what happens if any of us go and shoot someone in the stomach and then just try to walk away

He's a cop, of course whatever he did was justified.

With all the people just putting anyone with any valid points on ignore?

Damn, now I have to put you on ignore for that.

Texas law bans cities from banning fracking

So yeah, I wasn't sure which to post this in, abuse of power, since the governor is apparently big in connections with the oil industry or Stupid people since this is balls to the wall bat**** insane.

So despite knowing about how it has massive detrimental effects on the environment, the people in the area and the long reaching effects into the future Texas just said "**** you" to the people because they want their ****ing kickbacks. Hell it causes ****ing EARTHQUAKES in places that have never had recorded earthquakes in areas in over a century.

Texas, where people's rights are secondary to whatever corporate (usually oil) interests are. This is why Texas is seen so negatively by people who aren't Texan (excluding the tiny slice of ones who aren't all for this kind of nuttery).

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/05/07/nsa-phone-surveillance_n_7231872.html

NSA Bulk Data Collection Illegal, U.S. Appeals Court Says



A small victory towards the justification of what Edward Snowden did. Probably doesn't mean he can come back home, though. Not yet, atleast.

Unfortunately it doesn't mean anything because Congress in their lack of respecting or enforcing the law will just find a way to allow it to go on despite it having had no noticable effect on terrorism.

Oh, but if it did we'd never hear about it because it's too sensitive to reveal. In otherwords, it's done jack **** to help but it won't go away because it would embarass the supporters too much otherwise.

 

[Hobgoblin]

Never mind.

 

[Teelie]

So despite knowing about how it has massive detrimental effects on the environment, the people in the area and the long reaching effects into the future Texas just said "**** you" to the people because they want their ****ing kickbacks. Hell it causes ****ing EARTHQUAKES in places that have never had recorded earthquakes in areas in over a century.

And in today's news: What's causing Texas earthquakes? Fracking 'most likely,' report says

Officially, the cause of the earthquakes is inconclusive, according to the USGS, but on Tuesday, a Southern Methodist University-led research team found that in Azle and Reno, towns northwest of Fort Worth, the oil and gas activities in the vicinity were "most likely" responsible for several earthquakes in late 2013 and 2014.

 

[Teelie]

San Francisco cops’ racist, sexist, homophobic texts prompt inquiry

I wonder how many more of these stories need to come to light before the defenders and apologists see the problem is not as isolated as they believe it is.

As many as 3,000 San Francisco arrests conducted by officers implicated in a widening text-messaging scandal are being reviewed to see if police bias led to prosecutions, the city's top prosecutor said.

"We cannot afford to look the other way," George Gascón, the San Francisco district attorney, said. He decried the text messages, discovered in a corruption probe, as "horrendous." Some of the messages said "we celebrate whiteness" and that African-American women "should be spayed."

The prosecutor said he has identified as many as 3,000 arrests and criminal cases involving 14 officers implicated in the text-messaging fiasco. At least eight cases have been dismissed already.

Gascón has created a task force of sorts to examine the messaging scandal and others, including sheriff's deputies allegedly gambling on inmates fighting each other in jail, and crime-lab employees allegedly breaching standards surrounding the analysis of DNA. Hundreds of convictions in connection to the crime lab could be compromised, he said.

The San Francisco Police Department said in a statement that “We have cooperated with the district attorney and handed them the requested documents so they could conduct their audit. The DA has to review the cases and it's their responsibility to determine if there is any bias in those cases."

The department is moving to fire at least seven of the officers involved and at least one has resigned.

The text messages, meanwhile, came to light in March during a federal corruption case against a former sergeant, Ian Furminger, who sent and received many of the messages at issue. Furminger was convicted and sentenced to 41 months of prison.

Furminger is out on bail while his case is on appeal.

"If I offended anybody, I'm sorry. I'm truly, truly sorry," he told CNN. "However, it's banter amongst friends."

Ars Technica

 

[Docker2.0]

San Francisco cops’ racist, sexist, homophobic texts prompt inquiry

I wonder how many more of these stories need to come to light before the defenders and apologists see the problem is not as isolated as they believe it is.

Ars Technica

Something is wrong here. Cops are not racist. I'm sure those blacks and Mexicans did something to make them send those texts and get harassed. There are no such things as corrupt police and some kind of way it's the perps fault.

 

[\S/JcDc\S/]

Seeing as how the tensions are between black people and cops right now, I'm not surprised they would be making comments like that.

 

[Asgard]

Seeing as how the tensions are between black people and cops right now, I'm not surprised they would be making comments like that.

Yeah Im sure its tension between blacks and cops that made them make those comments and not that theyre racist, sexist and corrupt.