Parents of sisters crushed by police SUV arrive from Paris

Miami Herald ^ | February 24, 2003 | KARL ROSS AND ANDREA ELLIOTT kross@herald.com

[eno_]

A good question that deserves an answer, but are you ready for the answer?

The answer is that the Constitution is a list of things the federal government may (not must, but may do), and a shorter list of things the government may not do, because it was deemed especially important that the government not do those things.

The XIVth extends the list of "may nots" to state governments.

If it's not on the list of "may dos" it is an unconstitutional usurpation of the rights of states and individuals.

Why is this a bad thing? As you say, there were about 30,000 murders last year. Police are there to solve these murders. (I hope you understand they cannot prevent these murders.) The solution rate for murders and rapes is falling. (And the solution rate for property crime just plain sucks.) The historic standard is 80% of murders are solved. Every dollar spent on an unconstitutional federal deptartment of education is a dollar taken away from states and localities to do the basic fundamental work of policing. Not to mention the politically correct pollution of the schools. So now, in some cities, you have a better than even chance of getting away with murder. Murderers (with the possible exception of drug trafficers whacking each other, which is a problem that could be solved much the same way the problem of Prohibition-era gang wars were solved) are the same as ever. The police are not as effective as before. That problem can probably be traced to too much federal fingerpoking in business of state and local authorities (e.g. DARE and other time-wasters). THAT is why good policing depends on polce being aware of the Constitution.

Police costs go up. Police effectiveness goes down. Police errors pile up. Something has to change.

[OldCorps]

"You can't mean you believe the police blatently ran these women down?"

Of course not. It was accidental. This is a clear case of vehicular manslaughter.--killing someone through a person's negligence as a vehicle operator. Police officers have to obey the law also.

[RoughDobermann]

Like I care what you think. Go back to admiring your Nazi memoribilia

Yeah, I'll do that. You go back to reminding yourself that your government is your enemy.

[shadeaud]

Simple solution is to section off a path for the cops and lifeguard and whoever else is authorized to use a motorized vehicle on the beach. I doubt if the cops purposely ran over these people,but he needs to be prosecuted as any other licensed driver would be. Let the court do it's job.

[ghostkatz]

Quite frankly, my biggest fear about being pulled over by a cop is that he/she might shoot me as I reach for my drivers license in my wallet in the next seat. "She was reaching for a weapon, sir, so I had to shoot her 15 times!" Now I have had some very unpleasant encounters with them and so has my daughter. I have never been arrested or convicted of any crime but I don't trust cops. I think they are often above the law.

[from occupied ga]

I doubt if the cops purposely ran over these people,but he needs to be prosecuted as any other licensed driver would be. Let the court do it's job.

I'm sure he didn't do it on purpose, but I agree,he still needs to be prosecuted for just the same as anyone else who runs over and kills someone. The problem is the it's extremely unlikely that he will ever come to trial for it.

[eno_]

And I don't think the police are out to get me.

I don't think they are out to get me. I DO think way too many are incompetent money-grubbing corrupt boobs on the same road as public education.

If someone gave you Chief Moose's resume and told you he was an inner-city high school principal, I bet you would believe them: lifetime of sucking at the governmetn teat, union man all his life, cheap Ph.D., and a total boob when the crunch comes.

Is that the future of policing YOU want to see?

I'm ready to be convinced: Show me the police that are supporting RKBA, opposing the Drug War and the corruption of seizure laws, opposing red light cams and random stops, and working to keep their PDs free of federal intrusion.

[AppyPappy]

You mean to tell me that you recognize there are 30,000 murders in the US along with countless assaults and robberies by criminals but you fear a policeman. Talk about gagging on a gnat and swallowing a camel. That's like fearing a plane crashing into your house so you drive all night.

[Atlas Sneezed]

''It was a pure accident,'' one said. ``I feel really sorry for the policeman.''

I don't "feel sorry" for a criminal who committed vehicular manslaughter and who will get away with it.

[AppyPappy]

I prefer the police over the criminals, that's all.

[from occupied ga]

I seem to recall a few years ago, when several police officers were accuited of charges that they had beaten a gentleman named Rodney King, that the double jeopardy rule was tossed, and they were tried again, convicted and sent to jail. This was 'without personal consequences'?

Good you found one instance where due to the "race warlords" getting into the act police faced personal consequences. This was one instance in what, 10 years? I'll even give you another for free. The cop who sodomized Abner Louima with a broomstick lost his job and was threatened with jail time, (I believe he didn't actually serve any time, but was on probation) but again, only because the race baiters got into it.

These are two and only two extremely scare exceptions to what is a growing problem in that a number of innocent people are killed by police every year either maliciously like in the examples of Brega and Hourichi or incompetently like the case of this boob. But, they face no consequences for their actions.

[uncbuck]

"...Chief Moose's resume ..."

Do you think that because someone's diction is not shakespearean, that they are incompetant?

What Did Chief Moose do wrong? Something that someone other than a monday morning quaterback would have done differently?

[Atlas Sneezed]

"We the PEOPLE of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish JUSTICE..."

You blew it. The preamble simply lists that REASONS why the enumerated powers of government are granted. It does not permit additional government powers or infringement of citizen liberties to do more things that happen to arguable coincide with these goals.

If your interepretation were correct, they could have stopped at the preamble, stating that they were empowering the government to do anything it wants to establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, etc.

And please also note that the proper meaning of "promote the general welfare" is "to do only those things that benefit society at large, as opposed to things that benefit only individuals or sub-groups (like aid to farmers.)" The emphasis is on "general."

[Trailerpark Badass]

I don't undersatnd this attack on our Police officers.

Oh come on...wondering why it is that police officers never seem to be held accountable for their negligence is a far cry from an "attack on our police officers."

In fact, holding police officers to the highest standards of professional conduct benefits the cause of law enforcement, and most LE professionals I've had contact with want the inept and unsuitable purged from their ranks as much as any evil anarchist libertarian.

[Atlas Sneezed]

"What Did Chief Moose do wrong?"

He let those black guys in their witness-reported dark sedan go free several times to kill more people.

His PhD was earned while he was a high government official with a large staff, at the local public university, and the dissertation covered a topic "community policing" that he was already getting paid by the taxpayers to work on.

[FirstTomato]

FEEB agents Brega and Hourouchi ... face no consequences for their acts

Not only did the FBI grant these agents a license to kill without any career consequences, their ethnic minority status protected them from much media scrutiny. (Brega is of Hispanic and Hourouchi of Asian orgin)

On another note, I find anarchists very confusing, and I suspect they themselves are confused. Anarchists always show up at protest marches with the leftists, which seems to me a complete contradiction in goals. Why would they want to support the authoritarian, statist left?

[eno_]

I have nothing to add to what other Freepers have said about Chief Moose's performance in the sniper case. If you find it was a good performance, I don't think there is much I could tell you, either.

Just read his resume and ask yourself: Good cop? Or the kind of cop that is going to bring policing to the same ruin as the public schools?

[from occupied ga]

What Did Chief Moose do wrong

Ignored black muslem men and concentrated on whites for one thing. Baltimore police had the shooters in their hands and let them go because of the overwhelming desire of Moose, the rest of the "law enforcement" community and the media for the shooter to be a white male.

Do you think that because someone's diction is not shakespearean, that they are incompetant?

Moose is supposed to have a PhD. Unless his PhD is in ebonics he damn well ought to be able to use proper grammar and diction.

[Trailerpark Badass]

You mean to tell me that you recognize there are 30,000 murders in the US along with countless assaults and robberies by criminals but you fear a policeman.

In most jurisdictions, I would be allowed to shoot and kill the criminal. I'd probably even get my gun back.

Are you saying that you are more afraid of the random criminal (most of whom are criminals because they're not very bright or motivated or courageous) than you are of a police officer backed up by the entire weight and influence of his government?

[AppyPappy]

Yes I am more afraid of a criminal. With the police, I at least get a chance with a lawyer, judge and jury. I'm almost certain that criminals don't allow that. I could be wrong.