Micheal Brown, Eric Garner dead. But I am alive...and why.

[iamwhatiseem]

About 5 years ago I was driving down a five-lane main road when I saw a cop car do a U turn across all five lanes during peak hour traffic. I thought to myself 'Damn there must be something going on somewhere for him to do that". That "something" was me. At the time I owned a pickup truck, and Indiana law had just recently included trucks into the seat belt law. I forgot to put it on. When I realized that he was after me, I thought you gotta be sh*tting me...he endangered other drivers to turn across traffic like that over a seat belt violation??
CHOICE #1 - I didn't refuse to pull over.
As much as I thought this was stupid, I pulled over into a parking lot. The officer pulls behind me, gets out for my license and registration, walks back to vehicle. A couple minutes later another cop pulls directly in front of me. The three of us now form a "T". With his lights flashing. In my face. It was like getting my picture taken non stop for ten minutes. I am getting genuinely pissed off. So then, believe it or not, a THIRD cop pulls on the passenger side of me - with his lights flashing. I am now completely surrounded. FOR A SEAT BELT VIOLATION!!!!!!
CHOICE #2 - I did not get out of my car and rightfully so complain about how ridiculous this is.
I stayed in my seat and waited (forever) for the original officer to come back to my window. WITH MY VOICE IN AN EVEN TONE - WITHOUT CURSING - I asked the officer why am I surrounded like this, do they have me mixed up with someone else, what is happening?
He says "It is just a procedure"
CHOICE # 3 - I did not start yelling. Even though his answer was bullshit, it is indeed common for a second patrol car to pull over - it is in no way common to completely surround a car like this unless their is suspicion of drugs...something!
I said, again in a calm voice, "no this is not just procedure, you have me completely surrounded on all sides, lights flashing for a seat belt violation??? No, this is not normal."
He gives me a look of basically "f*ck you" and hands me a ticket.
CHOICE #4 - I did not refuse to take the ticket, I did not yell at the cop, I did not get out of my car, I just took the f*cking ticket and waited for the assholes to get out of my way.

I am alive. I did not find myself face down on the concrete, I did not have guns drawn on me, I was not tackled.
Point? - Brown is 100% responsible for his death. Garner is not 100% responsible, but because of his acting like an idiot and pushing away an officer, and in a clearly combative mood - he is dead.
A cop can't just walk away when someone refuses to cooperate. If people know all they have to do is refuse to cooperate and you will get away with it - then everyone will do so.
Even Garner shares responsibility for his death.
Even if you are right, even when a cop is a jackass, you cannot become combative. YOU WILL LOSE.

 

[SmarterThanTheAverageBear]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO, you must be white, if you were black then would have killed you , regardless of how rational you behaved.

 

[iamwhatiseem]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO, you must be white, if you were black then would have killed you , regardless of how rational you behaved.

It was during the winter, I probably had my black Pittsburgh Steelers jacket on (it has a hood!!) - perhaps this is why I was treated that way. I really should have had a light colored jacket on. He might have seen the dark color and thought "Oh my GOD...a reckless thug..must pull him over NOOOWWW!!!"

 

[emilynghiem]

Dear iamwhatiseem
I don't disagree, I agree with the spirit of what you're saying.

But when I watch the Garner video I see a crowd of people
assuming he has just fainted or passed out.

I don't see anyone assuming he is having a heart attack or could be
and needs CPR to prevent death or brain damage.

I see BYSTANDER SYNDROME
and yes this could be made worse
by the fact people trust the police to konw what they're doing
and aren't all that comfortable about jumping up
and doing CPR on some strange black man you don't know
surrounded by police.

Even if I, myself, had been at that scene
i either would have been helplessly screaming for "someone ELSE to do CPR
who knows how to do it" or would guess that the cops had this under control.
that the man is just passed out and someone already called for back up.

I would have been just as guilty, not knowing what to do
and waiting on other people.

 

[Ravi]

I doubt a cop would notice the lack of a seat belt across five lanes of traffic driving in the opposite direction.

 

[iamwhatiseem]

I doubt a cop would notice the lack of a seat belt across five lanes of traffic driving in the opposite direction.

You would think. Only reason I can guess why he looked is like I said - they just enacted the law for pickup trucks so apparently they were told to single them out.

 

[Roadrunner]

About 5 years ago I was driving down a five-lane main road when I saw a cop car do a U turn across all five lanes during peak hour traffic. I thought to myself 'Damn there must be something going on somewhere for him to do that". That "something" was me. At the time I owned a pickup truck, and Indiana law had just recently included trucks into the seat belt law. I forgot to put it on. When I realized that he was after me, I thought you gotta be sh*tting me...he endangered other drivers to turn across traffic like that over a seat belt violation??
CHOICE #1 - I didn't refuse to pull over.
As much as I thought this was stupid, I pulled over into a parking lot. The officer pulls behind me, gets out for my license and registration, walks back to vehicle. A couple minutes later another cop pulls directly in front of me. The three of us now form a "T". With his lights flashing. In my face. It was like getting my picture taken non stop for ten minutes. I am getting genuinely pissed off. So then, believe it or not, a THIRD cop pulls on the passenger side of me - with his lights flashing. I am now completely surrounded. FOR A SEAT BELT VIOLATION!!!!!!
CHOICE #2 - I did not get out of my car and rightfully so complain about how ridiculous this is.
I stayed in my seat and waited (forever) for the original officer to come back to my window. WITH MY VOICE IN AN EVEN TONE - WITHOUT CURSING - I asked the officer why am I surrounded like this, do they have me mixed up with someone else, what is happening?
He says "It is just a procedure"
CHOICE # 3 - I did not start yelling. Even though his answer was bullshit, it is indeed common for a second patrol car to pull over - it is in no way common to completely surround a car like this unless their is suspicion of drugs...something!
I said, again in a calm voice, "no this is not just procedure, you have me completely surrounded on all sides, lights flashing for a seat belt violation??? No, this is not normal."
He gives me a look of basically "f*ck you" and hands me a ticket.
CHOICE #4 - I did not refuse to take the ticket, I did not yell at the cop, I did not get out of my car, I just took the f*cking ticket and waited for the assholes to get out of my way.

I am alive. I did not find myself face down on the concrete, I did not have guns drawn on me, I was not tackled.
Point? - Brown is 100% responsible for his death. Garner is not 100% responsible, but because of his acting like an idiot and pushing away an officer, and in a clearly combative mood - he is dead.
A cop can't just walk away when someone refuses to cooperate. If people know all they have to do is refuse to cooperate and you will get away with it - then everyone will do so.
Even Garner shares responsibility for his death.
Even if you are right, even when a cop is a jackass, you cannot become combative. YOU WILL LOSE.

One reason I am still here:

1973, picked up $40,000 weed money, backed out of the drive, went a block, got surrounded.

A bank had been robbed by a guy with a truck like mine.

I was scared shitless.

Cop asked why I was so nervous, I replied, Sir,I am scared my dad will find out I got a ticket in his truck.

He said, let me see your ID.

I said yes sir, here is my driver's license.

He said, hey, your dad represents our union.

Go home, tell him his truck looked like the robber's.

I learned not to stick the money in my pants that night.

Another time, 1979, same damned thing, but the money was in a brown bag on the floor.

Guy with a truck like mine had just murdered a woman a few miles down the road three hours earlier.

Sir, I said, I just drove in from Louisiana, and only have five miles to go to get home.

Would you like to see the receipt where I gassed up back in Beaumont?

He said, that's OK, we just had to check the truck.

Politeness works wonders.

 

[Roadrunner]

I doubt a cop would notice the lack of a seat belt across five lanes of traffic driving in the opposite direction.

You would think. Only reason I can guess why he looked is like I said - they just enacted the law for pickup trucks so apparently they were told to single them out.

Took one pullover while I was about to light a joint to make me a seat belt believer.

 

[RKMBrown]

About 5 years ago I was driving down a five-lane main road when I saw a cop car do a U turn across all five lanes during peak hour traffic. I thought to myself 'Damn there must be something going on somewhere for him to do that". That "something" was me. At the time I owned a pickup truck, and Indiana law had just recently included trucks into the seat belt law. I forgot to put it on. When I realized that he was after me, I thought you gotta be sh*tting me...he endangered other drivers to turn across traffic like that over a seat belt violation??
CHOICE #1 - I didn't refuse to pull over.
As much as I thought this was stupid, I pulled over into a parking lot. The officer pulls behind me, gets out for my license and registration, walks back to vehicle. A couple minutes later another cop pulls directly in front of me. The three of us now form a "T". With his lights flashing. In my face. It was like getting my picture taken non stop for ten minutes. I am getting genuinely pissed off. So then, believe it or not, a THIRD cop pulls on the passenger side of me - with his lights flashing. I am now completely surrounded. FOR A SEAT BELT VIOLATION!!!!!!
CHOICE #2 - I did not get out of my car and rightfully so complain about how ridiculous this is.
I stayed in my seat and waited (forever) for the original officer to come back to my window. WITH MY VOICE IN AN EVEN TONE - WITHOUT CURSING - I asked the officer why am I surrounded like this, do they have me mixed up with someone else, what is happening?
He says "It is just a procedure"
CHOICE # 3 - I did not start yelling. Even though his answer was bullshit, it is indeed common for a second patrol car to pull over - it is in no way common to completely surround a car like this unless their is suspicion of drugs...something!
I said, again in a calm voice, "no this is not just procedure, you have me completely surrounded on all sides, lights flashing for a seat belt violation??? No, this is not normal."
He gives me a look of basically "f*ck you" and hands me a ticket.
CHOICE #4 - I did not refuse to take the ticket, I did not yell at the cop, I did not get out of my car, I just took the f*cking ticket and waited for the assholes to get out of my way.

I am alive. I did not find myself face down on the concrete, I did not have guns drawn on me, I was not tackled.
Point? - Brown is 100% responsible for his death. Garner is not 100% responsible, but because of his acting like an idiot and pushing away an officer, and in a clearly combative mood - he is dead.
A cop can't just walk away when someone refuses to cooperate. If people know all they have to do is refuse to cooperate and you will get away with it - then everyone will do so.
Even Garner shares responsibility for his death.
Even if you are right, even when a cop is a jackass, you cannot become combative. YOU WILL LOSE.

You would be dead today if your name was Mike Brown.

When you said "no" they would have pulled you out of your car and started beating the shit out of you till you instinctively fought back then one would've put a bullet in your head to save their life.

 

[Roadrunner]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO, you must be white, if you were black then would have killed you , regardless of how rational you behaved.

1980, back up to a friend in a vacant lot, out of sight I thought.

500 lbs of weed, to go from my truck to his.

I leave, round the corner, here comes a fucking cop car.

Pants firmly in place with a belt, I ran a 12 second hundred meter dash, and got the camper shells closed with one second to spare.

Thank God I wasn't "saggin'.

 

[iamwhatiseem]

You would be dead today if your name was Mike Brown.

When you said "no" they would have pulled you out of your car and started beating the shit out of you till you instinctively fought back then one would've put a bullet in your head to save their life.

How did you know my name was Mike Brown?

 

[SmarterThanTheAverageBear]

About 5 years ago I was driving down a five-lane main road when I saw a cop car do a U turn across all five lanes during peak hour traffic. I thought to myself 'Damn there must be something going on somewhere for him to do that". That "something" was me. At the time I owned a pickup truck, and Indiana law had just recently included trucks into the seat belt law. I forgot to put it on. When I realized that he was after me, I thought you gotta be sh*tting me...he endangered other drivers to turn across traffic like that over a seat belt violation??
CHOICE #1 - I didn't refuse to pull over.
As much as I thought this was stupid, I pulled over into a parking lot. The officer pulls behind me, gets out for my license and registration, walks back to vehicle. A couple minutes later another cop pulls directly in front of me. The three of us now form a "T". With his lights flashing. In my face. It was like getting my picture taken non stop for ten minutes. I am getting genuinely pissed off. So then, believe it or not, a THIRD cop pulls on the passenger side of me - with his lights flashing. I am now completely surrounded. FOR A SEAT BELT VIOLATION!!!!!!
CHOICE #2 - I did not get out of my car and rightfully so complain about how ridiculous this is.
I stayed in my seat and waited (forever) for the original officer to come back to my window. WITH MY VOICE IN AN EVEN TONE - WITHOUT CURSING - I asked the officer why am I surrounded like this, do they have me mixed up with someone else, what is happening?
He says "It is just a procedure"
CHOICE # 3 - I did not start yelling. Even though his answer was bullshit, it is indeed common for a second patrol car to pull over - it is in no way common to completely surround a car like this unless their is suspicion of drugs...something!
I said, again in a calm voice, "no this is not just procedure, you have me completely surrounded on all sides, lights flashing for a seat belt violation??? No, this is not normal."
He gives me a look of basically "f*ck you" and hands me a ticket.
CHOICE #4 - I did not refuse to take the ticket, I did not yell at the cop, I did not get out of my car, I just took the f*cking ticket and waited for the assholes to get out of my way.

I am alive. I did not find myself face down on the concrete, I did not have guns drawn on me, I was not tackled.
Point? - Brown is 100% responsible for his death. Garner is not 100% responsible, but because of his acting like an idiot and pushing away an officer, and in a clearly combative mood - he is dead.
A cop can't just walk away when someone refuses to cooperate. If people know all they have to do is refuse to cooperate and you will get away with it - then everyone will do so.
Even Garner shares responsibility for his death.
Even if you are right, even when a cop is a jackass, you cannot become combative. YOU WILL LOSE.

You would be dead today if your name was Mike Brown.

When you said "no" they would have pulled you out of your car and started beating the shit out of you till you instinctively fought back then one would've put a bullet in your head to save their life.

You should be writing for Disney

 

[Roadrunner]

I doubt a cop would notice the lack of a seat belt across five lanes of traffic driving in the opposite direction.

Don't.

Certain quotas have to be met.

Like certain quotas of loosie peddlers have to be arrested.

Part of the statistics game that continues funding.

 

[SmarterThanTheAverageBear]

One time, I came late for curfew.

My dad took away my Visa for a week. It was rough going guy's. I thought my life was over.

 

[RKMBrown]

About 5 years ago I was driving down a five-lane main road when I saw a cop car do a U turn across all five lanes during peak hour traffic. I thought to myself 'Damn there must be something going on somewhere for him to do that". That "something" was me. At the time I owned a pickup truck, and Indiana law had just recently included trucks into the seat belt law. I forgot to put it on. When I realized that he was after me, I thought you gotta be sh*tting me...he endangered other drivers to turn across traffic like that over a seat belt violation??
CHOICE #1 - I didn't refuse to pull over.
As much as I thought this was stupid, I pulled over into a parking lot. The officer pulls behind me, gets out for my license and registration, walks back to vehicle. A couple minutes later another cop pulls directly in front of me. The three of us now form a "T". With his lights flashing. In my face. It was like getting my picture taken non stop for ten minutes. I am getting genuinely pissed off. So then, believe it or not, a THIRD cop pulls on the passenger side of me - with his lights flashing. I am now completely surrounded. FOR A SEAT BELT VIOLATION!!!!!!
CHOICE #2 - I did not get out of my car and rightfully so complain about how ridiculous this is.
I stayed in my seat and waited (forever) for the original officer to come back to my window. WITH MY VOICE IN AN EVEN TONE - WITHOUT CURSING - I asked the officer why am I surrounded like this, do they have me mixed up with someone else, what is happening?
He says "It is just a procedure"
CHOICE # 3 - I did not start yelling. Even though his answer was bullshit, it is indeed common for a second patrol car to pull over - it is in no way common to completely surround a car like this unless their is suspicion of drugs...something!
I said, again in a calm voice, "no this is not just procedure, you have me completely surrounded on all sides, lights flashing for a seat belt violation??? No, this is not normal."
He gives me a look of basically "f*ck you" and hands me a ticket.
CHOICE #4 - I did not refuse to take the ticket, I did not yell at the cop, I did not get out of my car, I just took the f*cking ticket and waited for the assholes to get out of my way.

I am alive. I did not find myself face down on the concrete, I did not have guns drawn on me, I was not tackled.
Point? - Brown is 100% responsible for his death. Garner is not 100% responsible, but because of his acting like an idiot and pushing away an officer, and in a clearly combative mood - he is dead.
A cop can't just walk away when someone refuses to cooperate. If people know all they have to do is refuse to cooperate and you will get away with it - then everyone will do so.
Even Garner shares responsibility for his death.
Even if you are right, even when a cop is a jackass, you cannot become combative. YOU WILL LOSE.

You would be dead today if your name was Mike Brown.

When you said "no" they would have pulled you out of your car and started beating the shit out of you till you instinctively fought back then one would've put a bullet in your head to save their life.

You should be writing for Disney

Why thank you.. hopefully the sarcasm wasn't lost in the wind.

 

[RKMBrown]

This one time I beat this guy in a drag race, I thought he was trying to kill me by tailgating and flashing his lights, so I hit my brake lights, he must have skidded for like 100'... he kept chasing so I stop get out to beat the shit out of him in front of his date... That's when I found out he was an off duty cop out on a double date. I can still feel the bruise on my chest from that guy's forefinger as he read me the riot act. Course... nothing happened cause I'm a white guy.

 

[RKMBrown]

You would be dead today if your name was Mike Brown.

When you said "no" they would have pulled you out of your car and started beating the shit out of you till you instinctively fought back then one would've put a bullet in your head to save their life.

How did you know my name was Mike Brown?

It's a small world.

 

[Cecilie1200]

About 5 years ago I was driving down a five-lane main road when I saw a cop car do a U turn across all five lanes during peak hour traffic. I thought to myself 'Damn there must be something going on somewhere for him to do that". That "something" was me. At the time I owned a pickup truck, and Indiana law had just recently included trucks into the seat belt law. I forgot to put it on. When I realized that he was after me, I thought you gotta be sh*tting me...he endangered other drivers to turn across traffic like that over a seat belt violation??
CHOICE #1 - I didn't refuse to pull over.
As much as I thought this was stupid, I pulled over into a parking lot. The officer pulls behind me, gets out for my license and registration, walks back to vehicle. A couple minutes later another cop pulls directly in front of me. The three of us now form a "T". With his lights flashing. In my face. It was like getting my picture taken non stop for ten minutes. I am getting genuinely pissed off. So then, believe it or not, a THIRD cop pulls on the passenger side of me - with his lights flashing. I am now completely surrounded. FOR A SEAT BELT VIOLATION!!!!!!
CHOICE #2 - I did not get out of my car and rightfully so complain about how ridiculous this is.
I stayed in my seat and waited (forever) for the original officer to come back to my window. WITH MY VOICE IN AN EVEN TONE - WITHOUT CURSING - I asked the officer why am I surrounded like this, do they have me mixed up with someone else, what is happening?
He says "It is just a procedure"
CHOICE # 3 - I did not start yelling. Even though his answer was bullshit, it is indeed common for a second patrol car to pull over - it is in no way common to completely surround a car like this unless their is suspicion of drugs...something!
I said, again in a calm voice, "no this is not just procedure, you have me completely surrounded on all sides, lights flashing for a seat belt violation??? No, this is not normal."
He gives me a look of basically "f*ck you" and hands me a ticket.
CHOICE #4 - I did not refuse to take the ticket, I did not yell at the cop, I did not get out of my car, I just took the f*cking ticket and waited for the assholes to get out of my way.

I am alive. I did not find myself face down on the concrete, I did not have guns drawn on me, I was not tackled.
Point? - Brown is 100% responsible for his death. Garner is not 100% responsible, but because of his acting like an idiot and pushing away an officer, and in a clearly combative mood - he is dead.
A cop can't just walk away when someone refuses to cooperate. If people know all they have to do is refuse to cooperate and you will get away with it - then everyone will do so.
Even Garner shares responsibility for his death.
Even if you are right, even when a cop is a jackass, you cannot become combative. YOU WILL LOSE.

One reason I am still here:

1973, picked up $40,000 weed money, backed out of the drive, went a block, got surrounded.

A bank had been robbed by a guy with a truck like mine.

I was scared shitless.

Cop asked why I was so nervous, I replied, Sir,I am scared my dad will find out I got a ticket in his truck.

He said, let me see your ID.

I said yes sir, here is my driver's license.

He said, hey, your dad represents our union.

Go home, tell him his truck looked like the robber's.

I learned not to stick the money in my pants that night.

Another time, 1979, same damned thing, but the money was in a brown bag on the floor.

Guy with a truck like mine had just murdered a woman a few miles down the road three hours earlier.

Sir, I said, I just drove in from Louisiana, and only have five miles to go to get home.

Would you like to see the receipt where I gassed up back in Beaumont?

He said, that's OK, we just had to check the truck.

Politeness works wonders.

Thomas Sowell has said the same thing. Driving While Black by Thomas Sowell on Creators.com - A Syndicate Of Talent