Crime

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Clock blocked

by Guest Blogger Gail Z. Martin

I know there are good public school teachers and good principals. My kids have had some great teachers over the years, and I have friends whom I know are fantastic teachers.

150916162853-muslim-student-arrested-clock-crop-large-169

Do you think the fact that this was a Muslim boy named Ahmed instead of a freckle-faced blonde kid named “Skippy” might have made a difference?

And then there are the paranoid idiots. We’ve had some of those through the years, too. My two oldest daughters, both straight-A, Advanced Placement students, were so excited that when they went to college, they no longer had to have an armed guard assigned to them in order to use the bathroom.

Yeah. We call it ‘partner peeing’. Even the guards seemed to be embarrassed about it, but it was school policy because…..bathrooms.

As a parent, you have to protect your kids by anticipating how idiots think. I warned my kids not to turn in any creative writing assignments that might be interpreted as violent or depressed because there’d be a teacher out there speed-dialing DSS unable to believe someone could have imagined something not real (see definition of ‘imagined’). My son wanted to wear his trench coat one day when it rained and he had to wear a suit for a presentation. I didn’t let him because I didn’t want to run into some teacher who thinks trench coats are evil (google ‘trench coat mafia’ if you don’t remember). Ditto doodling. When I was in high school, the boys used to doodle all kinds of weapons, explosives, and …ahem…anatomically correct elements on the covers of their notebooks. Now that would be a fast-track to the front office, with a paddywagon waiting.

One year, the school district banned the wearing of plain white t-shirts because….gangs. (Apparently gangs with absolutely no fashion sense.) Last year they sent home threatening letters promising to suspend any kid who didn’t wear his/her school photo ID to school (and then didn’t actually issue the photo IDs for two months, and dropped the whole thing by January). There’s plenty of crazy to go around.

The White House response

So here we have it, a smart kid who will probably end up founding the next Apple or Microsoft or inventing a break-through artificial organ or building some kind of amazing new technology, not only arrested for building a clock, but facing a police chief who made this statement: “Chief Larry Boyd said that the teen should have been ‘forthcoming’ by going beyond the description that what he made was a clock.” (CNN). HOW, exactly, can you be forthcoming about saying a clock is a clock? Perhaps a thesaurus listing of synonyms?

We need not only more money to hire better teachers and retain good teachers, but also a shift in our culture to value smart people instead of seeing them as someone to be mocked or frightened of.

I hope this kid and his parents sue the school and the cops and win a big enough settlement to send him to the best engineering schools in the country. And they’d better get that ‘arrest’ expunged from his record while they’re at it.

Gail Z. Martin is a novelist who writes thrilling fantasy and science fiction adventures. Her latest novel is the steampunk adventure “Iron Blood.” Read my recent interview with her here!

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It’s time we started profiling conservative white men

Let’s face facts, people. Other than 9/11, the greatest terrorist attacks in America have been predominately from conservative, Christian white males. You are far more likely to die from a Christian attack than a Muslim one here.  It’s time we got rid of our political correctness and admit that these people all want us dead!

Who blew up a building in Kansas City? Conservative white guys. Who flew that plane into the IRS building? o-CHARLESTON-CHURCH-SHOOTING-570A conservative white guy. Who shot up the Sikh Temple in Wisconsin? Who murdered people in that church in Knoxville? Who blew up a bomb at the Olympic park in Atlanta? Who shot up the Holocaust Museum? And who, today, killed children in a church in South Carolina?

Hint: It wasn’t Muslims.

Those are only some of the examples. Clearly, we must start treating all conservative Christian white men as terrorists. Perhaps we should start deporting them all, regardless of whether we have evidence against them or not. And it’s not like we need to worry about rights like habeas corpus — these are terrorists we’re talking about. Simply being a conservative Christian white male is enough to be a suspect.

This policy of profiling and saying that every conservative white male is a potential terrorist and therefore deserves no rights should be quite popular among the people who have for years argued against giving rights to suspected terrorists: Conservative white males.

Oh, and we also need to start profiling babies. Last year, more people in America were killed by toddlers handling guns than by Muslims committing acts of terror. Clearly, babies cannot be trusted — our only solution is to profile them all and place restrictions on where babies can be taken. (I mean, duh, we’re not going to restrict guns, are we? They have rights, you know!)

* If you can’t see the point I am making here, please refrain from the angry responses.

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We’re focusing on the wrong police officer

by Guest Blogger Tom Haswell

There’s been a lot of coverage on the McKinney pool party, from both sides. I’m generally pretty critical of police, but right now, I want to shame both sides on this one.

Why?

Because they’re all focusing on the wrong officer.

Let’s look at Officer 227, first initial E. I cannot make out last name on the footage. This is who we should be talking about.

Notice around the fifty second mark. Officer 227 calmly speaks to people on the scene, explaining why they shouldn’t “take off running” when the police arrive — no abusive language, no demeaning tone … he could be talking to a family member. He politely thanks the boys that return police property to him. He not only backs up his fellow officer who drew, but tells him “you stay here, I’ll get him” regarding the person he drew on — who is returned to the scene cuffed but apparently unharmed.

“To Serve and Protect” is to control a situation in a method that diffuses it, not escalates it. He diffused the situation (as well as his fellow officer) in a manner which did not embarrass or shame either one. In fact, he do so in such a flawless manner that no one is talking about it. Which is a shame.

The left needs to hold this man up as an example of how officers should act, and the right needs to portray him as an example of how officers do act … and neither side wants to acknowledge him, because escalation sells airtime.

The term “Good Cop” gets used on a lot of people who, in my opinion, don’t deserve it. Officer 227 does. Whoever you are … thank you.

Tom Haswell is a freelance writer and rules designer in the Wargaming Industry, currently working for such titles as Ravage Magazine, CTC MAgazine, Prodos Games, Crushpop Productions and Skullduggery Press.

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Non-consensual child molestation is OK; it’s not like it was consensual gay sex after all

Guy-who-will-never-be-President Mike Huckabee knows exactly what God wants. God wants him to run for President. Not only that, God forgives his big supporters, the Duggars, who knew about child molestation going on in their family and prayed away the crime. Case closed!huck

Yes, for everyone else, the law would come down hard on them but these are Mike’s pals and he made sure the judge he appointed had ordered the police to destroy the report.

After all, it’s not like we’re talking about that icky gay stuff now, are we? The Duggars, on their TV show, argued that we can’t have gay rights because those gays molest children. They were saying that, without a hint of irony, while their son was molesting their very young daughters.

Huckabee doesn’t think that this is such a big deal. He agrees it was a bad “mistake” (his words, not mine) but thinks that God has forgiven the molester and so we should too.

And the victims? Well, too bad. Huckabee doesn’t care about victims. Michael Brown, a victim, was, after all, a “thug” in Huckabee’s words. Coincidentally, so were the peaceful Ferguson protestors who, unlike the Duggars, could never be forgiven. I wonder what made those people different in his eyes?

The good news is that conservatives who actually stand for something are abandoning Huckabee in droves. “You’ve lost my support,” say many Christians who had previously stood behind the rabid preacher.

Not that it matters much anyway. He has no chance of winning the nomination, much less the Presidency. But it is important to see how many of these people think — consensual sex between two loving adults is a bad, unforgivable sin and should be illegal; nonconsensual sex with a minor is forgivable and the law should ignore it.

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Nebraska gets rid of the death penalty

Nebraska just became the 19th state to get rid of the death penalty.

This is notable for two big reasons. First, Nebraska is not known as a hotbed of liberal views. Second: this was done by the legislature and not by one governor declaring that there would be no more death penalty in his state (like Pennsylvania’s new Governor Wolf did soon after taking office). And it wasn’t just a simple majority vote — The legislature passed this with enough votes to override a veto.death

More and more, people are realizing that it is time America joined the rest of the civilized world in getting rid of uncivilized punishment.

There is absolutely no doubt that innocent people have been killed by this penalty. Those who insist on keeping it are basically saying they don’t care — that it’s better to kill one innocent person than it is to imprison a guilty one for the rest of his life.

Our system of justice is not perfect. Until we have a system that is 100% free from error we should not have a penalty that is 100% irreversible.

Right now, America shares the death penalty with such great democracies as China, Iran, North Korea, Pakistan, and Sudan. It’s time we distanced ourselves from the bad guys.

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Zimmerman is this decade’s OJ

“But he was the victim this time!” the conservative apologists for George Zimmerman whine when confronted with his latest shooting incident. This ignores the fact that this was not some random isolated incident but an ongoing fight he has been having with the shooter. 120320-martin-zimmerman-combo-224p.photoblog600-e1334592826597

So! How many shootings have you been involved in? I don’t know know about you, but my total is creeping up to zero, just like the vast majority of people. How many shootings does Zimmerman need before you think that maybe it’s him? By my count, there have been about six that we know of.

For those of you who say “Leave the guy alone” you have to realize that to many of us, Zimmerman is this decade’s OJ Simpson: A murderer who, for some unfathomable reason, got away with it and yet still goes around acting like a thug criminal.

Ironically, many conservatives who are defending Zimmerman are the same ones who attacked OJ whenever he did something wrong, despite the similarities between the two.

I mean, they’re so similar yet these people treat them so differently like it’s a simple case of black and white!

Oh, wait. Maybe that explains it.

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NY Cops don’t arrest, city does not turn into anarchy

The police in New York city are upset that their boss (the Mayor) said that he warned his black son about racism that he may encounter when dealing with police.  They are having a “work stoppage” where they vow only to arrest “when they have to.”

When they have to.NYC Mayor Police Graduation

Let’s pause there for a minute.  “When they have to” clearly means that previously, they had been arresting people who didn’t have to be arrested — People who could have been given a warning or perhaps not even stopped and searched in the first place.

And what has been the result of this work stoppage? Well, nothing really, although if you live in East New York (which is predominately black) you probably aren’t getting arrested for smoking a joint and now you’re on the same level as Park Slope (which is predominately white), which saw 13 marijuana arrests last year as opposed to over 500 in East New York.  And no, it’s not because the yuppies and hipsters who live in Park Slope smoke 500% less marijuana.

People who got arrested for dancing in the subway has gone down from over 240 to zero, and so far, we have not had an overrun of spontaneous dance break-outs disrupting rush hour.

New York’s famous “Broken Windows” policy held that the police needed to enforce and punish even the smallest infraction because it helped to prevent the bigger crimes.  This is the policy that led to illegal random searches of young black and hispanic men and made some police think it was perfectly fine to take someone who illegally sold individual cigarettes and strangle them.  Treating every person who littered as if they were major criminals only made the average citizen in New York fear and distrust their police force — the exact opposite of what we should think of when we consider the police.

Did crime drop once the “Broken Windows” policy went into effect?  Yep.  Just like it dropped in every other city that didn’t have that same policy.  Studies have found no correlation between the two.  And now, with the police force refusing to make arrests for “Broken Windows” crimes, and it having no apparent change to the city, we have even more evidence that it doesn’t work.

So thanks, police!  You’ve made some sociologists very happy by confirming their data.

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Italian, eh? Must be with the mob.

One of the most disturbing things people have said about Mario Cuomo after his death was that he didn’t run for President because he didn’t want to expose his mob connections.

Right. All Italians who are successful have mob connections.  Just like all blacks have gang connections, and all Irish are alcoholics. Everybody knows that.Mario_Cuomo

The fact that there are no “mob connections” with Cuomo doesn’t stop the rumors. As governor of one of the largest states in the country, he was under much scrutiny, especially once he was seen as a possible Presidential candidate. (And let me say as an aside, I really wanted him to run. He would have been a great President.) He came from an immigrant family and got where he was by working hard and graduating at the top of his law school class. Even as the valedictorian, he had trouble finding a job because he was Italian and had no connections, mob or otherwise. Nothing of the sort ever turned up other than rumors. The press loves a good scandal, so it’s not like they didn’t look.

But let’s discuss what led to those rumors, which were completely unfounded. Why did they surround him and not other candidates?

Solely because he was Italian.

Now, I’m half Italian and I’ve even gotten a few comments like that over the years. My father came to America when he was a baby and he ended up in an orphanage so he didn’t have much of an Italian upbringing. My mother is of “Pennsylvania Dutch” stock. We were raised as Methodists. Mom knew nothing about Italian cooking, we had no huge extended Italian family visiting us, and to this day, I don’t know anyone in “the mob.” I have no more knowledge of Italian culture than any other kid raised in Richmond, Virginia. But the stereotype persists.

And that’s why rumors of those sorts are hurtful. People who would never think of saying that all blacks are gangsters apparently have no problem assuming all Italians know or are mobsters.

 

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Advice for the drunk driver

It’s New Year’s Eve, and for me, that means one thing:  An increase of new clients charged with drunk driving.

I was never a drinker, and in fact, didn’t have my first sip of alcohol until way into my twenties. Even now, the most you get me to drink is a “girly drink” (as my wife calls them), and never that much. If I know I am driving, I don’t have any alcohol to drink, because I have seen too many lives ruined from drunk driving.police car

Sometimes the “ruin” is merely losing your license and paying lots of fines, fees, and lawyers costs, but I’ve also had clients who got into accidents that killed their passenger friends or others. It’s just not worth it.

But enough lecturing. Let’s say you don’t follow my advice, you have too much to drink, and you get pulled over by the cops. What legal advice can I give you?

First let me emphasize that I am not telling you how to get out of a drunk driving conviction. If you really are over the limit, face the penalty you deserve. You know better. But I have represented innocent people before who may have showed some signs but really were not intoxicated. I just won a trial this summer because the police could not meet their burden. So let me once more give this overall advice: don’t drink and drive, stupid. But if you do, don’t make it worse on yourself. Follow this advice.

Pull over as soon and as safely as possible. Make sure you park straight. Parking on a weird angle allows the officer to use that against you. (“He was obviously drunk because he parked at an angle to the curb.”)

Keep your hands on the steering wheel until the officer gets there. Don’t go for your wallet or open the glove compartment to get your registration. The officer will see “furtive movements” and may think that you’re hiding marijuana or going for a gun. You don’t want that. Not only will that put the officer on the defense, but it may give him or her a reason to ask to search the vehicle. Even if you have nothing to hide, you don’t want to be standing around for hours while they tear your car apart looking for nothing.

Once the officer arrives, open your window and let him or her know that you’re reaching for your registration and license and so on.

Be polite. Duh. Don’t argue with the officer ever. If you think you were pulled over for fake reasons, don’t bring it up. Let your lawyer do the arguing later; that’s what all that money you’re paying them is for. Say as little as possible about the situation (you can discuss the weather all you want).

Find out if you are being recorded. Many police cars have dashboard cameras these days. Those can help you. One of the reasons I won my case last summer is because of the camera. The officer said my client was slurring his words, stumbling, and acting intoxicated, but the video showed that he was not. (On the other hand, those videos have also helped the police to convict my clients as well. They’re useful because I can show them to clients who insist they were sober. “There’s no way you were,” I’d say as I show them the video. “We can’t win;  let me make a deal for you.”)

Let the officer know of any physical limitations you have. If you have a glass eye, make sure the officer knows you won’t be able to do that eye test they make you do. If you have a bad back, it could affect your ability to stand on one leg.

Always tell the truth! I shouldn’t have to say this, but people think if they lie, it will help them. It never does. “I only had one drink” when your Blood Alcohol Count comes out to .30% is an obvious lie, and when you try to take the stand to defend yourself later, the District Attorney is sure to say to the jury, “He lied about how much he had to drink so don’t believe anything else he said, either.”

That doesn’t mean you have to tell the truth. You have the right to remain silent. Do so!  Seriously, there is nothing you can say that will make things better. The officer has smelled alcohol on your breath, has watched you drive erratically, and otherwise has a good suspicion that you may be drunk. Don’t bargain, try to explain yourself, or offer sexual favors (Yes, I have had clients do that).

A quick aside: Remaining silent refers to incriminating yourself. You don’t have the right to remain silent when asked what your name is or where you live or basic questions having to do with identifying who you are. Cooperate fully with the officer for those purposes.

Agree to take the blood test. At least here in Pennsylvania, you don’t get to say, “No, I’d rather take a breath test.” You can refuse the blood test but then you will lose your license for a year even if you are completely sober. Almost every other state has similar laws. And almost every state is part of the “interstate compact” meaning if you lose your license in one state, all the others will enforce it in their state as well. It’s not worth it. Take the test. It may even help you if you really aren’t over the limit.

(EDIT UPDATE June 2017: The law has changed thanks to a recent Supreme Court decision. If this is your second or third DUI especially, you may be better off not taking the blood test. Refusal may mean you will lose your license for a longer time but it also means you may not have as much jail time. Find out what your local state laws are, or, better yet, don’t drink and drive and then you won’t have to even worry about this advice.)

Wait for the paperwork. Unless this is your third DUI or you have outstanding warrants, you will be allowed to go home afterwards. The paperwork will be coming in the mail. It may take weeks, and sometimes it has taken months. Don’t call the police and ask where it is — it’s not your job to bring yourself to trial. Feel free to call a lawyer, but most of us will say, “Wait until you get your paperwork” because we need to read the police officer’s version of what happened as well as to which charges were filed in order to best give you advice on what to do.

Remember: Just because you think you are sober doesn’t mean you are. Most drunks think they are perfectly fine. That’s why it is best that you don’t drink anything alcoholic if you are planning to drive.

Stay safe and have a happy new year!

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#Not All Cops

I deal with the police every day. The vast majority of them are good people who are trying to do good things.

But it’s important for these good cops to speak out against the bad ones and not protect them, else they all get painted with the same brush.  Police-Officer

The same goes for lawyers, judges, preachers, Muslims, Christians, bikers, smokers, vegetarians, blacks, latinos, asians, men, women, dogs, cats, and every other group — remaining silent when members of your group do bad things only helps people to say, “They’re all alike.”

As my friend Carl Davies said, “When I was an investigative reporter I met many police officers who performed their jobs in an extremely professional manner. They knewhow to diffuse difficult and dangerous situations without having to summarily execute anyone. Many of them got though an entire year without even firing a gun. Officers who take seriously their obligation ‘to protect and serve’ are in the majority. We need to thank them for their service. And they need to speak out against the murderous minority of police thugs who are killing innocent civilians — mostly blacks — for no legitimate reason.”

In the two most recent cases, the problem was the DAs who refused to get an indictment — protecting your own only fosters distrust of the good cops.

One of the hardest things to do is to stand up to your friends and to risk the anger of your peers.  We need to encourage good people to do that, and realize that by remaining silent, they are also harming their own reputations.