I don't know Keith. While I'd not seen or heard anything about the taser issue with Walter Scott, the fact remains he was running away from Slager when Slager shot him 7 times. I think charging him with murder in that case is appropriate.
On Monday, July 11, 2016 at 3:05:51 PM UTC-4, KeithInTampa wrote: > > Watching the uniformed speculate over false narratives is always amusing! > > > https://theconservativetreehouse.com/2016/01/04/walter-scott-shooting-case-update-officer-michael-slager-bonded-from-jail-judge-and-prosecutor-deny-speedy-trial/ > > > https://theconservativetreehouse.com/2015/04/12/game-changer-or-paradigm-shift-walter-scott-shooting-enhanced-video-shows-officer-slager-with-taser-darts/ > > On Mon, Jul 11, 2016 at 1:34 PM, plainolamerican <[email protected] > <javascript:>> wrote: > >> According to the FBI there were 27 murdered on the job in 2014 and 51 >> (yes, FIFTY-ONE) murdered on the job in 2015. >> There have been at least 26 police officers killed on the job using guns >> so far this year. That means we will no doubt lose at least 50 by the end >> of the year >> --- >> so there must also have been a war on police last year also, right? >> >> there needs to be a war on policemen who shoot unarmed civilians in the >> back. >> >> >> On Saturday, July 9, 2016 at 9:21:12 PM UTC-5, Perplexed wrote: >>> >>> >>> The data cited in your article is quite outdated. Most of it only goes >>> through 2012 and this is 2016. The militant black movements didn't start >>> getting support from the mainstream media, NFL players, celebrities, and >>> every dumbass democrat in the House of Representatives until late 2014 >>> after months of the "hands up don't shoot" bs lies they all pushed to the >>> mobs. >>> >>> According to the FBI there were 27 murdered on the job in 2014 and 51 >>> (yes, FIFTY-ONE) murdered on the job in 2015. >>> >>> There have been at least 26 police officers killed on the job using guns >>> so far this year. That means we will no doubt lose at least 50 by the end >>> of the year even if it doesn't get any worse. That's more than TWICE - and >>> almost THREE TIMES the number of blacks who were killed by cops who weren't >>> doing something to warrant being killed. >>> >>> So what there isn't is a war or open season on black people. THAT is the >>> lie that needs to stop being told. There IS, however, an ALARMING increase >>> in the number of cops being shot by murderous thugs doing so based on the >>> PACK OF LIES being fed to them by disgusting democrats, a dishonest media, >>> and black activists. >>> >>> >>> >>> On Saturday, July 9, 2016 at 5:45:37 PM UTC-4, MJ wrote: >>>> >>>> >>>> Karen DeCoster >>>> >>>> *"Let Radley Balko's article shut up all of the hyperventilating >>>> diptards. Facts are more powerful than your state-worship and >>>> ignorance-based cliché recitals. " *September 10, 2015 >>>> >>>> *Once again: There is no ‘war on cops.’ And those who claim otherwise >>>> are playing a dangerous game. *By Radley Balko >>>> >>>> Here’s Fox News earlier this week, shamelessly exploiting a tragedy to >>>> gin up outrage. >>>> http://youtu.be/x9uJHbXpMoU >>>> >>>> >>>> They certainly aren’t the only ones. Here are some more examples of >>>> media outlets and politicians spreading the hysteria: >>>> >>>> - “War On Police Sparks National Crime Wave” >>>> >>>> <http://news.investors.com/ibd-editorials/090315-769630-war-on-police-fuels-national-crime-wave.htm> >>>> >>>> - “Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick: There’s A War On Cops And Media ‘Are Not >>>> In Police Officers’ Corner'” >>>> >>>> <http://keranews.org/post/lt-gov-dan-patrick-there-s-war-cops-and-media-are-not-police-officers-corner> >>>> >>>> - “Police face recruiting shortage due to war on cops” >>>> >>>> <http://nypost.com/2015/09/07/police-face-recruiting-shortage-due-to-war-on-cops/> >>>> >>>> - “Do Cops’ Lives Matter to Obama?” >>>> >>>> <http://www.creators.com/opinion/pat-buchanan/do-cops-lives-matter-to-obama.html> >>>> >>>> - “[New York Police Chief] Bratton warns of tough times ahead due >>>> to ‘war on cops'” >>>> >>>> <http://nypost.com/2015/09/01/bratton-warns-tough-times-ahead-due-to-war-on-cops/> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> As I’ve noted here before, we’re seeing similar rhetoric from >>>> politicians, particularly from GOP presidential hopefuls, including Donald >>>> Trump >>>> <https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CB8QFjAAahUKEwiluonVntvHAhWMGj4KHVH4DEE&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonpost.com%2Fnews%2Fpost-politics%2Fwp%2F2015%2F08%2F29%2Ftrump-in-tennessee-downplays-police-brutality-promises-to-get-rid-of-gangs%2F&usg=AFQjCNGui_Bt4Y3H6WAqTfDAYsjwb6Xwbw&sig2=yxNyOcv5Baxu3zBZMH_cMA>, >>>> >>>> Ted Cruz >>>> <https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CB8QqQIwAGoVChMIutzS3p7bxwIVgnE-Ch1K6g2N&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.msnbc.com%2Frachel-maddow-show%2Fted-cruz-shows-how-not-respond-police-killings&usg=AFQjCNE4qkak84teylpnfVZ2njiLAsbBIg&sig2=Om0suqndg5UpN_fgSH_puw&bvm=bv.101800829,d.cWw>, >>>> >>>> and Scott Walker. >>>> <https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-watch/wp/2015/09/03/scott-walker-couldnt-be-more-wrong-about-the-threat-to-police-officers/> >>>> >>>> All of this fact-free fearmongering is having an effect. A Rasmussen >>>> poll taken last week >>>> <http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/lifestyle/general_lifestyle/august_2015/58_think_there_s_a_war_on_police_in_america_today>found >>>> >>>> that 58 percent of respondents now believe there is now a “war on police.” >>>> Just 27 percent disagreed. >>>> >>>> So let’s go through the numbers. Again >>>> <https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-watch/wp/2014/10/02/once-again-police-work-is-not-getting-more-dangerous/>. >>>> >>>> So far, 2015 is on pace to see 35 felonious killings of police officers. >>>> If >>>> that pace holds, this year would end with the second lowest number of >>>> murdered cops in decades. Here’s a graph depicting annual killings of cops >>>> with firearms from Mark A. Perry at the American Enterprise Institute: >>>> <https://www.aei.org/publication/is-there-really-a-war-on-cops-the-data-show-that-2015-will-likely-be-one-of-the-safest-years-in-history-for-police/> >>>> [image: PerryAEI] >>>> >>>> But these are just the raw numbers. If we look at the *rate* of >>>> killings of cops, the trend is more pronounced. There are two ways examine >>>> the rate of police killings. The first is to look at the rate of killings >>>> of cops per 100K cops on the street. This figure is somewhat difficult to >>>> calculate because there are widely varying estimates of how many cops are >>>> on the street. It depends on how you define “police officer,” who is doing >>>> the estimating, and various other factors. But if you use consistent >>>> sources, the number of police has generally gone up, while the number of >>>> officers killed has generally gone down. So your graph looks something >>>> like >>>> this one, from Dan Wang >>>> <http://danwang.co/statistics-on-police-fatalities/>: >>>> [image: FKPer100KCops] >>>> >>>> The other way you could measure the rate of killings of police officers >>>> is to look at the number with respect to the overall population. Here’s >>>> another graph from Perry that plots those figures: >>>> [image: police1] >>>> >>>> As you can see, by this measure 2015 is shaping up to be the second >>>> safest year for police *ever, *after 2013. >>>> >>>> Speaking of which, it’s important to note again here that 2013 was an >>>> abnormally and historically low year for police fatalities, as this graph >>>> from University of South Carolina law professor (and former police >>>> officer) >>>> Seth Stoughton shows. >>>> >>>> [Tweets @ link] >>>> >>>> So when police advocates say that 2014 saw an 80+ percent increase in >>>> homicides of cops over 2013, remember a few things: First, 2013 wasn’t >>>> just >>>> an all-time low, it was an all-time low by a significant margin. Second, >>>> the 2013 figure was so low that even a small increase will look large when >>>> expressed as a percentage. Third, the figure for the following year, 2014, >>>> (51 officers killed) was essentially consistent with the average for the >>>> previous five years (50 killed), and still lower than any five-year >>>> average >>>> going back to 1960. ( See this graph >>>> <http://i1.wp.com/danwang.co/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/average-police-fatalities-decade.png>, >>>> >>>> also from Wang.) Fourth, again, 2015 is on pace (35 killings) to be lower >>>> than any year but 2013. Another common response from police organizations >>>> and their advocates is that the reduction in fatalities is due to better >>>> medical care and improvements in protective gear such as bulletproof >>>> vests. >>>> Both things are undoubtedly true. But *assaults* on police officers >>>> are in decline as well. That is, not only are fewer people killing police >>>> officers, fewer people are trying to harm them. These graphs from >>>> Stoughton >>>> show the raw numbers of assaults on police: >>>> [image: AssaultGraph] >>>> >>>> >>>> [image: WeaponGraph] >>>> >>>> As you can see, at best you could argue that assaults on police with >>>> firearms are about even with where they’ve been for most of the last >>>> decade, save for a dip in 2009 and 2010. But these too are raw figures. >>>> When we look at the rate of assault on cops, from either the perspective >>>> of >>>> total cops or total population, the downward trend once again becomes more >>>> pronounced. From Daniel Bier >>>> <http://blog.skepticallibertarian.com/2014/08/21/methodological-notes-on-police-fatalities-and-assaults/>, >>>> >>>> here are two graphs looking at the assault *rates* on police officers. >>>> [image: 20150320_assaultandinjuryrates1] >>>> >>>> Any murder of a police officer is a tragedy. (As is any murder of a >>>> non-police officer.) But media outlets, politicians, and police advocates >>>> do real damage when they push this false narrative about a rising threat >>>> to >>>> law enforcement. First, this sort of propaganda weights the public debate >>>> and discourse. When there’s a fictional “war on cops” blaring in the >>>> background, it becomes much more difficult to have an honest discussion >>>> about police cameras, police militarization, use of lethal force policies, >>>> police discipline, police transparency >>>> <https://twitter.com/romenesko/status/639220767553626112>, training, >>>> police accountability, and a host of other issues. Of course, that’s >>>> precisely the point. >>>> >>>> But there’s also a much more pernicious effect of exaggerating the >>>> threats faced by law enforcement. When cops are constantly told that >>>> they’re under constant fire, or that every interaction with a citizen >>>> could >>>> be their last, or that they’re fortunate each time they come home from the >>>> job in one piece, it’s absolute poison for police-community relations. >>>> That >>>> kind of reminder on a regular basis would put *anyone* on edge. We’re >>>> putting police officers in a perpetually combative mindset that >>>> psychologically isolates them from the communities they serve. Incessantly >>>> telling cops that they’re under fire can condition them to see the people >>>> with whom they interact not as citizens with rights, but as potential >>>> threats. That not only means more animosity, anger and confrontation, it >>>> can also be a barrier to building relationships with people in the >>>> community the sorts of relationships that help police officers solve >>>> crimes and keep communities safe. >>>> >>>> It also just makes for a miserable work life. If you’ve been trained to >>>> think your job is getting progressively more dangerous, and that a >>>> significant percentage of the people you encounter on a daily basis want >>>> to >>>> do you harm, you’re going to be less tolerant of dissent. You’re going to >>>> constantly be on-guard, on-edge, and jumpy. That isn’t a state of mind >>>> that’s conducive to de-escalation, that opts for persuasion over brute >>>> force, or seeks out peaceful conflict resolution. It’s a state of mind >>>> ruled by the limbic system, not the frontal lobe. And yes, it’s a state of >>>> mind that makes an officer more likely to reach for his gun >>>> <https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-watch/wp/2014/09/26/a-sort-of-defense-of-south-carolina-state-trooper-sean-groubert/>. >>>> >>>> Again, this isn’t a comment on cops. It’s a comment on human beings in >>>> general. >>>> >>>> An over-emphasis on and obsession with a “war on cops” would be >>>> dangerous and counterproductive even if it were true. But by every >>>> imaginable measure, it *just isn’t true*. When this false narrative >>>> comes from police organizations and their supporters, it’s at least >>>> somewhat understandable. When it comes from politicians, it’s >>>> grandstanding >>>> and demagoguery. When it comes from media organizations, it’s journalistic >>>> malpractice. And it’s almost certainly getting people killed. >>>> >>>> One last point: I’ve seen some police officials and their advocates >>>> respond to these statistics by pointing out that even if assaults and >>>> killings of cops are down, anti-police *rhetoric* is increasing. >>>> Therefore, they say, they’re justified in proclaiming that there’s a war >>>> on >>>> the police. This is nonsense. Police agencies are government agencies. >>>> They’re government agencies in whom we entrust the power to detain, >>>> arrest, >>>> and kill. Yes, it’s true that some people are demanding more of those >>>> agencies. It’s true that personal technology is enabling people to create >>>> an independent video narrative of their interactions with police. It’s >>>> true >>>> that those videos have sometimes revealed police misconduct and brutality, >>>> and that police officers, like all people, sometimes mis-remember, >>>> misstate, and outright lie when recounting contentious, traumatic, >>>> high-stakes incidents. And it’s true that because of all of this, the >>>> public as a whole today finds police officers as a whole less >>>> trustworthy than in the past >>>> <http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/aug/26/public-trust-police-low-poll-finds/>. >>>> >>>> It’s also true that some activists, pundits, and politicians are demanding >>>> more accountability, transparency, and training for police. >>>> >>>> None of these things are indicative of a “war.” On the contrary, all of >>>> this new skepticism, criticism, forced transparency, and mistrust of the >>>> police is again coming even as violence against police officers is >>>> reaching historic lows. This is how a democracy is supposed to work. It’s >>>> something worth celebrating. >>>> >>>> Instead, police groups and their advocates are claiming that the mere >>>> act of criticizing a government entity is akin to declaring war on it, and >>>> that therefore, police critics are culpable every time a police officer is >>>> murdered. (And given the way they ignore and abuse statistics, those >>>> critics are also apparently culpable for a lot of murders that never >>>> happened.) They’re essentially saying that exercising constitutional >>>> rights >>>> and participating in democracy are in and of themselves acts of violence. >>>> And in many cases, this is coming from the very people that the government >>>> empowers to use actual violence. >>>> >>>> *That* is something worth worrying about. >>>> >>>> >>>> https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-watch/wp/2015/09/10/once-again-there-is-no-war-on-cops-and-those-who-claim-otherwise-are-playing-a-dangerous-game/ >>>> >>>> >>> -- >> -- >> Thanks for being part of "PoliticalForum" at Google Groups. >> For options & help see http://groups.google.com/group/PoliticalForum >> >> * Visit our other community at http://www.PoliticalForum.com/ >> * It's active and moderated. 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