Not just that, but when the cop went to write him the ticket, he pulled the “I’m not giving you my ID” gambit, which is only a step above the “I pay your salary so you can’t do anything to me” gambit. Once you are getting a ticket, you can try that, but it won’t end well, and that is what he was arrested for. If he had produced ID, he’d have gotten the ticket and been on his way. I guarantee you the cop didn’t give a fuck, it was a job to him.
These stories which go viral, off complete bullshit, and then there are tons of people online supporting the wrong representation of them feel off to me. Why am I seeing this story everywhere? Why are 95% of the comments about how wrong the cop was, how this guy is great, and how if it was me, I’d have shit on the platform in front of the cop because that would have really taught him a lesson?
And why are there so many conservatives here saying he should have pissed on the platform, or the cop looks like a grifter, or something similar. This was a hippie dude who ignored a cop’s warning, got an attitude, and then basically gave the cop no choice but to haul him in to ID him. What if he wasn’t producing ID because he was wanted on a Child Molestation charge?
Very often lately I feel like 60% or more of what I am seeing online is created, as if they have unleashed some sort of AI botnet writing fake comments that are totally wrong just to see what flooding all the forums with completely wrong information will do to the public’s ability to honesty resist real tyranny.
It really feels like something strange is going on.
You have a lot of good points.
Everytime I’ve been stopped by a cop for anything, I do a lot of listening. I do not chose to argue. That can be done in the courtroom later. Years ago, I was (wrongly!) driving with an expired license and missing registration. I had other ID. I got pulled over for running a stop sign, and my status was discovered. The cop could have taken my car away from me right then and there. I remained calm and respectful. I acknowledged my error, and was preparing to walk to the nearest bus stop.
The police officer said ‘I’m going to move this car to the next street, and then I’m leaving it there. Oh..and the keys will still be in the ignition.” To my shock and relief, he was giving me a break! I took it, and said ‘Thanks!’ He pretended not to hear me as he was driven away with his partner officer.
Morale of the story: Sometimes it pays, to be calm and respectful in a stressful moment.