Thread: (USA) Civil Rights Moving Backwards? Violent Cops, Racism and Hate?

Originally Posted by Darkmatters

In the 60's racism was much stronger and institutionalized

You're right. I didn't mean to say that we are in the 60's, what I mean is, I feel as if we are MOVING backwards in civil rights, rather than moving forward. For one thing, why's it taking so damn long to legalize gay marriage? That should have been a thing of the past.

How do the police scare you? What have they done that's wrong?

I'm a bit busy at the moment to make a long post, but something happened recently with my family that's made me really anxious around any officer. My sister was arrested for an unpaid parking ticket. Now that's her fault. The problem was what happened during the arrest.

Now sis totally forgot about this unpaid speeding ticket because it was from years back and she had moved from city to city. When the cops pulled her over she asked "why". They do NOT explain why. They ask for her ID. Sis, upset that they aren't explaining why, felt as though she was being harassed. She asks "Why do you need to see my ID?".

Just about everywhere on the internet tells me that American citizens have the right to ask why an officer needs to see their ID. However, the officer took this as REFUSING to show ID. If you have a warrant out for your arrest, then refusing to show ID is a felony. But my sister did NOT refuse to show ID. She only asked "why". After the officer explains that she has an unpaid speeding ticket - she shows her ID.

And then they arrest her, for the unpaid speeding ticket AND for refusing to show ID.Which is a lie.

She gets arrested, we pay a lot of money. They try to slap a felony charge on her. Which is really bad considering at the time she was job hunting and felonies don't look good. After months of going in and out of court (for even stupider BS reasons) the felony charge was finally dropped.

Short story is, the cop lied. Which caused us to pay a lot of money and months of headaches. You can argue that my sister could have just showed ID without making a fuss, and that's true. But its supposed to be our right to ask "why". Or so I thought.

Sis told me that this was a lesson on what our rights as americans really are. She found out officers are under no obligation to tell you why you are being stopped or why you are being arrested! Both me and sis assumed the opposite was true....

Anyways, the reason why cops make me anxious, is because they can say whatever shit they want. Who can prove them wrong? A camera right? Well not everything gets caught on camera. Sis' arrest wasn't on camera. And apparently these days, recording officers gets you arrested. And apparently, officers can arrest you without telling you why.

And if that's how they handle something petty, an unpaid speeding ticket, then imagine how they handle "big" things. "OH NO! A black man is walking towards my vehicle, this MUST be a life threatening situation! SHOOT SHOOT SHOOT"......