You're leaving out the part where he refused to sign the ticket. An inconvenient fact, perhaps?
No, we don't live in a rule-based society - we supposedly live in a democracy, a shining light for others to follow.
At this point I'm thinking that perhaps you're not the brightest diode in the board.
A democracy is not anarchy, friend, and actually, we don't live in a democracy. It's called a Federal Republic. And if we don't live in a rule based society, why do we have so many rules written down in books, such as the Code of Federal Regulations?
The Nazis had a rule-based society and look where it got them and the world.
You're beginning to sound like a liberal. Are you gonna whip out the R word next?
but he didn't apologize and I got a moving violation for an "unsafe lane change" and I shook like a damn leaf all the way home.
Ding Ding Ding Ding!!! We finally get to the truth. I could have predicted that there was a traumatizing cop story somewhere.
Our police have a duty - a sacred duty - to respect all citizens and to protect them
You wax ad nauseum about this 'sacred duty' but you won't answer the simple question that I put to you:
What do you think the trooper should have done when the perp turned his back on him, after the trooper told him that he was under arrest, ignored the troopers command to halt, and began walking back to his car?
If you can't answer this question, don't bother to reply to me anymore.
No he didn't sign - probably because the officer was still hadn't answered any of his questions - he was apparently still under the mistaken impression that he was a full-fledged citizen. The officer did not tell him that his alternative was to be placed under arrest. An inconvenient fact back to you.
"At this point I'm thinking that perhaps you're not the brightest diode in the board. A democracy is not anarchy, friend, and actually, we don't live in a democracy. It's called a Federal Republic. And if we don't live in a rule based society, why do we have so many rules written down in books, such as the Code of Federal Regulations?"
Insults are unecessary but you seem to be more than ready to throw them around. Not classy.
Be that as it may, even a federal republic has choices on how it treats its citizens. We have the liberal democratic/mommy view that all of the citizens require careful protection from themselves and therefore government specifies everything in several layers of laws. Then we have the conservative and sometimes Republican view that this society is about freedom and that people should have as little government as possible. Since you seem to be a happy with the current state and contemptuous of people who question the need for so many laws/signs/fines, what are you doing on this site?
"What do you think the trooper should have done when the perp turned his back on him, after the trooper told him that he was under arrest, ignored the troopers command to halt, and began walking back to his car?"
I would have recommended yelling "Freeze - do not move or I will shoot!" in a loud, clear voice. Instead he gave a confusing "turn around" without telling which way he wanted him to turn and then tased him without warning. Then he related it to his fellow officer with amusement. Another inconvenient fact back to you.
Have just found out that they had two little children in that car. This cop was even more irresponsible than I first thought. You should be ashamed of blindly supporting this officer.
Last but not least, cowboys aren't my heroes. Cowboys are the heroes of little boys watching Gene Autry movies. My heroes fought the battles of an Nasaria, Baghdad, Ramadi and Falluja and secured al Anbar province. Real cowboys just tend cows.