Seattle PD vs Jaywalkers: A Case Study in Civilized Dumb-assery

Visions of the Rewilding Renaissance Grief & Praise
#1

So, I know this doesn’t directly relate to rewilding, except… well, it really does. I read this, I watched the video (several times), I read the comments and I’m just so pissed! Is this really the best our society can do to influence societal behaviour? Really? I don’t know the Seattle scene, but I keep thinking, “This would never have happened in Cincinnati (or some parts of Columbus), cuz if the cop had been dipshit enough to get into that situation, he would have gotten his ass sent to the hospital and/or morgue. I guess the girls shouldn’t have ‘tried to pull away’ so much as knee the fucker in the balls and follow up with an all out pile on and ass whuppin’…”

At the same time, the comments… I think they show the growing schism between folks who find hierarchy & domination acceptable evils and those who don’t. I’m not sure if I should feel comforted or scared, I guess both.

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/96353934.html?

#2

hmm, I find this a tough case study. What does wild behavior look like? Did this girl look like a ‘wild child’? Maybe she did in the view of civilization, but maybe wild behavior looks different from ‘I do what I want’.

Obviously the officer has a tough position, since he has a role to perform and laws to uphold…

How could he better have handled the situation?
How can we better influence societal behavior (as Jhereg asks)
Did the situation even need to occur?
Does the law need enforcement?
What about protection?

About J-Walking, When walking I love it, but I only do when I find it safe (no cars).

When driving, it scares me. I do not want to hit someone or have to brake hard because someone runs/walks out into the middle of the road. I always watch for people at the cross walks, but I do not always notice people otherwise.

Personally, I find the crowds perspective the most pathetic… like Jhereg mentions, if they found something wrong with the situation, they acted not, but just stood around. Though, I probably would have done the same.

#3

As usual, it’s the comments following the article that really make me puke in my mouth. I notice that many of them are removed by the administrators, and pretty much all the ones that are left are pro-cop/pro-authoritarian. The thing most people question is, ‘did the cop have the right to punch the girl,’ rather than the more basic question; ‘did the girl have the right to risk/manage her own well-being the first place.’ So she “jay-walked.” And then a cop began harassing her about it. Where do his rights come from, and where do hers? This gets into some of that anarchist philosophy, regarding community, individual autonomy, compassion, and personal responsibility. If you’re a statist zombie, then sure, the cop was justified. If you’re someone who is still idealistic enough (or foolish, or immature, according to most of my “friends”) to believe that humans can form healthy communities without a gun pointed at their heads, then this cop has to go.

#4

All cops have to go.

#5

This.

We have some pretty frightening cops in Joburg, too- much worse than this.

#6

…and then there’s this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kN6g57s5jdU&feature=player_embedded.

Police shoot dog dead. Dog wasn’t threatening. Dog wags tail at policeman after first bullet. Policeman then shoots dog in the head.

This made me so furious, and so sad. The sickness is both acute and widespread.

I don’t know what to say anymore.

#7

that was about the most useless thing ever. Stupid assholes. Speechless.

#8

I wasn’t thinking about it so much as the girls acting or having been raised as “wild”, so much as, if a young adult member of a wild/feral tribe “rebelled” (admit I have a hard time imagining what exactly this would look like), surely the tribe could offer a more useful response that what happened in this incident.

Some of the comments I read did criticize the cop, often following a similar train of thought, ie: an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Advice seemingly lost on too many folk I know…

#9

I don’t know what this would look like either. Does anyone have an idea? What would you do in this case? Is it time for her Journey?

#10

all things aside, resisting punishment or whatever for jaywalking NEVER deserves a punch in the head by that buff motherfucker. if a cop has to exist, there’s got to be training that would teach you how to deal with a teenager being pissy about this situation better than punching them.