Is the USA a pseudo-fascist state? (Police constantly abusing people)

[The End]

I'm telling you, news stories in which police beat people up, harass people to fill quotas (stop and searches), arresting people for no discernible reason, and even killing people, these stories are constant.

Latest one, search on youtube 'Police brutality over a paid bus fair'.

I can't post it or link it because of the swearing.

A guy gets off a bus and police ask for his ID and ask to see his ticket. He shows them. They hold him any way. He asks them repeatedly why they're holding them and he doesn't get any answer. This goes on for a couple of minutes. He eventually tries to move, they grab him, more police arrive and they tackle him to the ground and sit on top of him, one cop can be seen delivering a kick to the head.

It's not the WORST, and that's sad that I even have to state that, yet its also clearly unacceptable.

Show me your papers please!

 

[MrsKent26]

I'm glad I'm Canadian.

 

[KevanG]

Me too. I'm also happy you're Canadian.

One of the few times police have asked me for my ID when I had done nothing wrong was when someone had stolen something from a church and the cops only had a vague description to go on. I didn't know about it and was waiting for the bus across the street. It took a few minutes and since the bus was coming I gave them my info and left, never got a call back on it.

Haven't really had much issue with the cops when I wasn't being bad as a teen so I can't say much else but some people I've known (who are complete idiots and obsessed with getting high) insist that all cops here are monsters so they aren't too reliable either.

 

[Hotwire]

There are roughly 800,000 police in the US. So, let's look at how many AREN'T on YouTube on in the news for this sort of thing. Then compare those two numbers.

 

[KRYPTON INC.]

While I do believe we have too many people in prisons in my home country... Sorry, I cannot agree to the OP's interpretaion of things.

Think about living the life you have now, your daily routine, but instead of being a citizen of the U.S.A, or Canada or the U.K. you are a citizen in Putin's Russia, Saudi Arabia, China, North Korea, Iran, Pakistan or hell, even a mild authoritative state like Singapore.

The cause of a citezen controlled government is not one that ever ends. It does require vigilance and participation by the masses, and there are abuses abd corruption, but there not a doubt in my mind that calling the United States of America "a police state" is a unmistakeable overstatement. Many, hell, most of the problems with our government are not caused by a "them" but are truly the product of "us", and there's little one could try to do to convince me that reasoning is wrong.

 

[Teelie]

The country is not a pseudo-fascist police state although there are plenty of cops who give the other law enforcement a bad name (and even more law enforcement willing to cover up their transgressions).

 

[NickNitro]

This is a classic case of radical's in a group getting hard media coverage and are then assumed to be the majority, not the minority which they actually are.

****ing media............stay classy

 

[Erzengel]

I think too many people heard Public Enemy once, got pulled over or saw a salacious news story. I always find it funny when a story comes out and someone is quick to say, "This is why I don't trust cops."

 

[Thundercrack85]

I wouldn't go that far, but the US legal system has some pretty big problems that if not addressed, will only lead to more problems down the line.

The war on drugs, has been a complete and utter disaster. The prison system is corrupt as hell.

Since 9/11, the militarization of police has gotten completely out of hand. You're now more likely to be killed by the police (accidentally) than by a terrorist attack.

So, come talk to me in 20 years, if this stuff isn't addressed.

 

[Teelie]

You've always been more likely to be killed by the police than a terror attack. Although that's not a slam against the police. The odds of being killed in a terrorist attack were already low before 9/11 and are still low today. Just like you're more likely to die in a car wreck than an airplane crashing.

 

[HauntedKnight]

Every country has its problems, some worse than others. Most of the time, certain types of people give it a bad name.

Most of the world just wants to live peacefully, but then you have the idiots. Not really much more to it than that.

 

[Thundercrack85]

Yes, but obviously before 9/11, that wasn't something people were constantly worried about, terrorism that is. But that's part of what they use to justify this militarization.

Look at the response to the Boston Bombing. They put the city under martial law. They haven't done that since... the Revolution?

All that... for two college kids.

 

[NickNitro]

Did they know it was two college kids at that time though? It was a terrorist attack. They had no idea if that was just the beginning or what. I think they responded accordingly.

I know a bunch of Cops, and a DEA agent and they are some of the nicest people I've ever met.

 

[Thundercrack85]

Did they know it was two college kids at that time though? It was a terrorist attack. They had no idea if that was just the beginning or what. I think they responded accordingly.

I know a bunch of Cops, and a DEA agent and they are some of the nicest people I've ever met.

That could be a great excuse in the future, to suspend civil liberties, don't you think?

Their two suspects were college-age, they knew that much fairly soon.

Crude IEDs and a manhunt for two jackasses, are not grounds for shutting down one of America's biggest cities. Or forcefully moving people out of their homes. This was a gross overreaction. The terrorists got exactly what they wanted. They paralyzed an entire city. It cost a billion dollars, and caused widespread panic.

I know a few cops myself (admittedly no DEA agents), and there are good ones out there, no doubt about that.

The thing is, I don't believe the people in charge were even aware of the precedent they are setting. It's very dangerous.

 

[NickNitro]

That could be a great excuse in the future, to suspend civil liberties, don't you think?

Their two suspects were college-age, they knew that much fairly soon.

Crude IEDs and a manhunt for two jackasses, are not grounds for shutting down one of America's biggest cities. Or forcefully moving people out of their homes. This was a gross overreaction. The terrorists got a better reaction than they could have imagined.

I know a few cops myself (admittedly no DEA agents), anhe terrorists got more than they could have imagined.

The thing is, I don't believe the people in charge were even aware of the precedent they are setting. It's very dangerous.

Who are you to decide though what is a proper way to handle a terrorist attack? Again.....they had no idea if they were working for someone who had bigger plans, to possibly bomb other buildings or other public places in the area....or in other cities....they had one goal, capture these men and make them talk to find out if there was anything more.

I'm pretty sure the runners who had their legs blown off laying in the middle of the streets didn't mind their government protecting the town.....

People as a whole are dumb and panicky. For them to take order, direct people, and if that meant taking some out of their homes to search ever inch of the city until they were found, I honestly have no problem with.

 

[Thundercrack85]

Looks like a scene from the Siege of Boston circa 1775.

 

[Soapy]

It's not quite there yet, but just give it a few years. Maybe a decade or two. Until we change some laws in this country, and change the way we overreact to things emotionally, and the way deal with things politically, we're most certainly headed for police state territory whether anyone wants to believe it or not.

Until then, all it will take is another terrorist attack on the same level as 9/11, and the pictures like the ones posted above will become a common sight in America instead of "just" a once or twice a year occurrence. And the truly scary thing? Most people will welcome it.

 

[Teelie]

I don't like the police militarizing either but they just use terrorism as an excuse to do so. I'm sure if there was some other excuse they could justify, we'd see the same thing with that.

And it is tiring to see how often the police raid people for nominally dangerous things as if they were a major arms dealer/drug cartel/terrorist cell all rolled into one.

 

[Thundercrack85]

Who are you to decide though what is a proper way to handle a terrorist attack? Again.....they had no idea if they were working for someone who had bigger plans, to possibly bomb other buildings or other public places in the area....or in other cities....they had one goal, capture these men and make them talk to find out if there was anything more.

I'm pretty sure the runners who had their legs blown off laying in the middle of the streets didn't mind their government protecting the town.....

People as a whole are dumb and panicky. For them to take order, direct people, and if that meant taking some out of their homes to search ever inch of the city until they were found, I honestly have no problem with.

Someone who pays taxes? Gives a damn about civil liberties?

Someone who knows a bit about history, has seen these reactions before, and knows what it could lead to?

What's the over-used quote about sacrificing liberty for safety?

 

[Thundercrack85]

It's not quite there yet, but just give it a few years. Maybe a decade or two. Until we change some laws in this country, and change the way we overreact to things emotionally, and the way deal with things politically, we're most certainly headed for police state territory whether anyone wants to believe it or not.

Until then, all it will take is another terrorist attack on the same level as 9/11, and the pictures like the ones posted above will become a common sight in America instead of "just" a once or twice a year occurrence. And the truly scary thing? Most people will welcome it.

Pretty much.

Rather depressing. The Nazis, Imperial Japan and the Soviet Union couldn't do America in, but a few jackasses can.

 

[NickNitro]

Civil Liberty? Someone made a bomb and blew up the street where there was one of the biggest US marathons. I think you are over simplifying and fear mongering.

If that attack was in your town, would you of rather had the military there or your local police handling the matter?

It's not like you see a robbery happen on COPS and they send out tanks to capture the guy. This was a serious issue that needed serious action taken. Please.

 

[Thundercrack85]

Civil Liberty? Someone made a bomb and blew up the street where there was one of the biggest US marathons. I think you are over simplifying and fear mongering.

If that attack was in your town, would you of rather had the military there or your local police handling the matter?

It's not like you see a robbery happen on COPS and they send out tanks to capture the guy. This was a serious issue that needed serious action taken. Please.

And that equates to putting a city of 4 million (including the urban area) on lockdown, and evicting people at gunpoint four days later? Yet I am the one fear mongering?

Police, obviously. Are you at all familiar with Pose Comitatus Act?

 

[NickNitro]

And that equates to putting a city of 4 million (including the urban area) on lockdown, and evicting people at gunpoint four days later? Yet I am the one fear mongering?

Police, obviously. Are you at all familiar with Pose Comitatus Act?

No, I just like to pop in and out of threads and argue. I enjoy arguing with people. It's too easy on SHH anyway

Posse Comitatus Act is to limit government forces on State affairs.....but during a terrorist attack its not a state issue its a national one. So I don't find it wrong they came in and locked down the city.

I really don't think you understood the gravity of the situation. This was one of the worst attacks in the past 20-30 years.

There was no way they weren't going to lock down the city. They knew there were 2 men on the run but had no idea if there were more people behind the bombing or if more bombings were going to happen. (Which if memories serve they were planning on bombing a library and other places in Boston as well)

I honestly do not see the issue with that action they took. So what how big the city is? If they attacked a city in Idaho with 200 people I would hope they'd lock down the town until they had a handle of the matter.

 

[Soapy]

And the truly scary thing? Most people will welcome it.

I would hope they'd lock down the town until they had a handle of the matter.

Case in point.

 

[NickNitro]

Please, I love Government consipracy theories more than the next guy, but to think they wouldn't come in and take control of a terrorist attack is just stupid. Whether they have "a master plan" or not.

If your town got bombed/attacked in a terroristic act you'd like to feel a sense of safety. You're delusional if you think otherwise.