[The KG9 Kid]

What kind of country have we got when little smartasses think they have some right not to answer a policeman's questions?

[antiRepublicrat]

What kind of country have we got when little smartasses think they have some right not to answer a policeman's questions?

I'll take a shot at this: A free one?

[TalonDJ]

What kind of country have we got when little smartasses think they have some right not to answer a policeman's questions?

A free one.

[Leftism is Mentally Deranged]

This is profiling. 19 year old kid, cop thinks drugs or alcohol. Funny how this kind of profiling is no problem, but other kinds are totally non-PC.

[sport]

Actually it was none of the officer's business.

Other than give them your name and show identification upon demand, you are under no obligation to answer any questions.

I would have probably told him that it was none of his business myself.

He had a valid driver's license, insurance, and a legal tag. He could drive up and down the street or road as long as he pleased.

We have not yet reached the point to where we need police permission to travel from one point to another, though from your post, you will be happy when we do.

[4yearlurker]

The right to remain silent. Get used to it. We are citizens of a free country.

[RobRoy]

I had no problem with what the cops did on the Rodney king video, but these cops should be imprisoned for kidnapping.

This is absolutely infuriating.

One interesting point: I think the kid set up the cops here. He knew there was a checkpoint, he had the video, and he did EXACTLY waht they tell you to do on the ACLU video a lot of us have seen.

That said, it looks like they NEEDED to be set up.

This is absolutely incredible!

[blau993]

What kind of country have we got when little smartasses think they have some right not to answer a policeman's questions?

I'd say it's a free country. How about you? The boy had done nothing wrong, and where he was going had nothing to do with the ostensible reason for stopping him.

[CORedneck]

I think the kid had a right not to answer the question. One time, the college I went to for my undergrad degree had a DPS department that was kind of power hungry. One of their officers was in a rival fraternity. One time I got into town and stopped at my fraternity house. I remembered that I made a turn around the corner and then went into the parking lot. The DPS officer was turning out but decided to make a U-turn. I was pulled into my parking spot when they pulled in behind me. The officer started to ask what I am doing here, where I was going and I basically told him I was going to visit one house before going into my own house. The officer became very flippant and started to make all sorts of threats. I basically told him off and walked away. The DPS had no arrest powers. This was on Friday night. On Sunday Night when I got home, I wrote a nice letter to the President of the University along with one of the VP's who overseen the DPS. I mentioned that is not a good way to treat their alumni. Several months later, the officer along with another officer who I also had problems with both resigned. The other officer gave me a speeding (school ticket, not gov't summons) ticket which I blew off.

Thanks to groups like MADD, we are becoming a more of a police state. Checkpoints should not be allowed. One thing forgotten thing in our politically correct society is the right to be left alone when you are not bothering anyone else.

I am currently on vacation here in New Zealand and it seems more of a live and let live attitude. I had a discussion with a Kiwi and a Oz person at the Hostel and the consensus is both in the US and OZ, there is the tendency to over-legislate such as seat-belt laws. With the coming legislative season in the states, I know groups like MADD will be pushing for primary seat-belt legislation such as in my home state of Colorado. Unfortunately, they might have the votes this year to pull it off. MADD also supports police state laws. The group has outlived their usefulness. They are kind of the sacred cow of society like 55 mph national speed limit was at one time.

[Natural Law]

"What kind of country have we got when little smartasses think they have some right not to answer a policeman's questions?"

The kind of country so many have fought and died for, a free country.

[68skylark]

What kind of country have we got when little smartasses think they have some right not to answer a policeman's questions?

We're the kind of country that puts the right against self incrimination (i.e. "some right not to answer a policeman's questions") into our constitution.

[jaime1959]

>> What kind of country have we got when little smartasses think they have some right not to answer a policeman's questions? <<

A free one?

[dljordan]

"What kind of country have we got when little smartasses think they have some right not to answer a policeman's questions?"

You have to identify yourself but you DON'T have to engage in conversation with police officers. The kid was being reasonable, the police were trying to intimidate him.

[stuck_in_new_orleans]

When Darrow asked why he was being detained, an officer explained, "If you don't stop running your mouth, we're going to find a reason to lock you up tonight."

officer should be fired on THIS statement alone

[Filo]

What kind of country have we got when little smartasses think they have some right not to answer a policeman's questions?

What kind of cops do we have that cause this kind of animosity? Oh, I know - the kind that illegally detain people at unconstitutional checkpoints in the hope of generating ill-gotten revenue.

I applaud the kid for what he did. It takes nerve to stand up to a bunch of cops who are just as likely to shoot you and make up an excuse as they are to give you the time of day.

If they weren't such a-holes all the time then people would treat them with the respect that the job (not most of the individuals) deserve.

In the end, the kid was right. It's absolutely none of the cops business where he's going. Sure, they're just sniffing for booze on the breath, but how's about "Good evening, sir, how are you doing this fine evening?" instead of starting the pre-arrest interrogation on the spot?

[oh8eleven]

What kind of country have we got when little smartasses think they have some right not to answer a policeman's questions?
Either I missed your sarcasm tag - or you don't belong on FR.

[SauronOfMordor]

What kind of country have we got when little smartasses think they have some right not to answer a policeman's questions?

A non-police-state where the Constitution still applies, at least in theory?

[ConservaTexan]

What kind of country have we got when little smartasses think they have some right not to answer a policeman's questions?

Exactly! People have the right to remain silent, but they better be prepared to do so from a jail cell. Police never know who is in the next vehicle. A preacher, a drug fiend, a single mom getting off of work at a diner, a nut on his way to his ex girlfriends house to 'win her back', an OB/Gyn on the way to the hospital to deliver a baby or a smart ass kid with a video camera looking to be 'harrassed.'

They also do not know who is being raped, robbed, beaten or in buildings when people fly airplanes into them, yet they answer those calls anyway.

I have no overhelming love or hate for good police officers. I do, however, have respect for the difficult and dangerous job they perform.

[mysterio]

What kind of country have we got when little smartasses think they have some right not to answer a policeman's questions?

Yes, how dare he question a government official when he is doing nothing wrong. Are you an American?

[Defiant]

You're joking, right? This kid is a hero in my book. He's quick-witted, too. Very impressive for a 19 year old. I appreciate the police, but I don't think they ought to give a person grief for not wanting to talk to them about their personal plans. The response should have been, "Fair enough. Have you been drinking? No, ok have a nice evening."

Lucky for the kid he had it on tape. I am curious what kind of setup he had that was able to catch all the discussion. A few years ago, some cops were taped beating a guy up pretty bad at Qualcomm Stadium, and they threatened to arrest the guy who took the video unless he gave them the tape. The guy did, and then, mysteriously, the tape vanished.

[Larry Lucido]

"I can't drive stick!"

LOL!! That dude got P3WN3D!

Or should that be "PRNDL'D"?