Qualified immunity

[waybomb]

A guy that rents some building space from me, and bought one of my properties threw me a good one today. He's a black guy. Strong big guy. An ex cop. Business owner.
He wanted to bring me the house payment today and asked me if i was at my building or in my home in the rich people neighborhood. (We joke around like that)
I said at home, but then jokingly said we just opened up the champaign and celebrating Trumps win. He then said he was disappointed, which surprised me. Because he truly leans conservative.
He came over and we discussed. He did not like Kumala, but is afraid of Trump because of Trumps stand on qualified immunity for cops. He says as a black man, this would open up police bullshit in regards to black people. He related a story from this past 4th of July where a cop pulled him over for something and attempted to escalate the thing. The cop was pushing for an escalation. My buddy was able to get a call to his buddy lieutenant in the state police. The cop backed off at that time. My buddy says it's always been like this with cops vs black people, even in these small towns around here. He feels Trumps stand on qualified immunity will make things much worse. I agree, if in fact that's what Trump does.
But i also think it may be something the democrats made up. And i don't see how trumps stand on this has anything to do with local cops.
What say you?

ps. No champaign, but we will be going out for margaritas!

 

[FrancSevin]

I don't get it. I have been harassed by cops since I was 15 1/2 driving whatever car I could afford. Sometimes a beater and sometimes a high end Benz. I'm part Cherokee, but white as anybody white and yet, been abusively treated by many officers. This despite never being less that curious and obligatory.

Blacks and other minorities tend to find it offensive, as do I. But they get to blame it on race.

I call foul.

I won't get in to stories. I could fill a book. But also, I could fill one or more with times I was treated with respect. A treatment I attribute to kind respect given initially to the officer for doing his or her job. When they were respectful, the episode remained so. When they weren't, it often got ugly.

That said, allow me one example. I was a volunteer firefighter in Bolingbrook Illinois. Responding to a major structure fire, I was first on the scene and stopped at the hydrant to open and charge it for the incoming pumper. Standard procedure. A young overzealous city cop ordered me to immediately move my car as I was illegally blocking a hydrant. I have the hydrant wrench in hand and a Fire Dept cap on my head.

I refused and proceeded to capture the hydrant valve, open the cap, and pump water. He pulled me away,,,, and there we are, his hand on his holstered weapon and mine holding a honking big wrench. I informed him that at a fire scene, the lowest ranking fire fighter has authority over the scene over any police. Even the chief of Police.

I proceeded to mount the hydrant open the valve, and flow the water which went right at the officer.

Things did not go well after that.

Fortunately, the pumper and five Firemen arrived, and we regained the scene. And also, fortunately, the Fire chief was there and explained the order of command to the police commander on hand.

My point is, police feel a need to take charge decisively and immediately. I absolutely understand that. However, they sometimes forget respect for citizen and other community service people. But most especially citizens.

As for citizens...; We are not their enemy. Just sometimes angry at our own stupidity. It can get ugly. So long as both sides use it as one, race cannot be the excuse. That is just plain lazy. And wrong.

 

[waybomb]

He said it was the color of his skin. Never happened to me, but it was a known fact that if you even looked sideways at a cop, you were gonna be taken to the forest preserve and have the crap beat out of you. Happened to a few of my buddies.
But he said I don't know what it is like to be black.
I have a lot of work with my black friend. We are not that far apart.

 

[jpr62902]

I second some of Franc's comment. I've been pulled over just for being a teenager in the rich part of town. I've been screamed at alongside I-75 by an asshole Tennessee state trooper because I piulled over in the wrong spot. Cops are human. Most are good people, but some (a small minority) are pricks, and will be pricks to you, no matter what your color.

 

[FrancSevin]

He said it was the color of his skin. Never happened to me, but it was a known fact that if you even looked sideways at a cop, you were gonna be taken to the forest preserve and have the crap beat out of you. Happened to a few of my buddies.
But he said I don't know what it is like to be black.
I have a lot of work with my black friend. We are not that far apart.

Being told "you don't know what it is like to be black" is a lame copout. It suggests you are too stupid or uncaring to learn and understand. Frankly, such a response is an insult. It denies your honest, heartfelt sympathy. A sympathy often gained by experience when in the company of black and Hispanic friends.

Racism and sexism is wrong by any measure. I wish people would stop assuming, because we appear white and male, we don't get it.

 

[waybomb]

Ya. I'm not as eloquent as you are in speech, but i have to get through to him; he's very smart. What is holding him back is HIS black bias. And he doesn't see it. I do. He is 20 years younger than me and he could do great things over the next 20 years.

I still do not. Understand how anyone could consider any president affecting local policing.