This country has just simply gone fucking nuts. There's no other way to put it (video)

[A HERETIC I AM]

Police called because this guy was walking down the street with HIS HANDS IN HIS POCKETS!!

Unfuckingbelievable.

[NoJusticeNoPeace]

1. We have to do something very very real, this must not be allowed to continue AT ALL

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

2. Lemme guess. The guy being stopped for walking with his hands in his pockets (EEK!) isn't white.

[sadoldgirl]

10. I bet that you are right. n/t

[daleanime]

71. hummmnnnn.....

could be.

[uppityperson]

3. mark to look at later

[SomethingFishy]

4. He was a lot cooler than I would have been...

And while the cop was being reasonable, that shitty attitude was still boiling beneath the surface. Probably because of the camera.. "Oh is it an inconvenience for you to have to talk to me"?

Whoever it was I debated with on the usefulness of putting a camera on every cop, I was wrong, put one on every fucking cop out there...

[uppityperson]

65. Every cop needs a camera they can't shut off that uploads to a place they can't access.

This is seriously wtf.

[logosoco]

5. Just what frame of mind is a person in who calls the police for someone walking down the street

with their hands in their pockets! OMG!!!!

I think this is the results of the whole mentality of "we have to fight them there so they don't come here" or whatever that slogan was. It has lead to people just assuming that everyone is out there out to get them.
What a sad life that must be.

[PeoViejo]

8. A Faux News Viewer

How much you wanna bet?

[logosoco]

11. Most likely!

If only we had some way to tax the paranoia that Faux et al creates. We could probably pay off the national debt!

[hifiguy]

23. If you could turn it into clean energy

we'd have enough for 100,000 years and warp drive by next Festivus.

[TeamPooka]

12. Their frame of mind is "racism". nt

[Wella]

14. Agreed. I got the impression that the cop really didn't want to be there.

He had to check the call out though.

[jwirr]

35. I got that also. When they get a call they have to check it out. It was not the fault of the cop.

Whoever, called is really in need of a psychiatrist. And the man who was the victim had every right to be angry.

The OP is correct - this country has had a mental breakdown and it is getting worse.

[Wella]

39. It means TPTB are succeeding is dividing and conquering

And that spells disaster in the long run.

[TheKentuckian]

45. Why? They have no probable cause to accost that citizen. If they want to "respond"

they can explain to the caller that they are a fucking crank that is preventing them from patrol with absurd nonsense.

[Wella]

46. They got a call from a concerned citizen. They have to check it out. That means, talking

And that's what the officer did--talk. It was clear the officer realized that the guy was not a danger to anyone, but he didn't know that before he started talking to the guy. The officer also taped the incident for his own protection. Clearly he was not feeling that he was outside the scope of his job.

Now compare that officer with this one:

[exboyfil]

61. Carrying that argument to the logical extreme

any citizen can use 911 to racially profile and harass someone anytime they want without consequences. I know lets have a call the cops on a white person day.

[Wella]

62. It's not an argument, it's a fact---cops have to check stuff out if they get a call

Now, you're suggesting that the system can be abused, and yes it could. I am sure you have heard of calls to Child Protective Services that were done out of spite. However, CPS has to check out the complaint, no matter who makes it or under what conditions.

Abusing the system is not the answer however.

[tkmorris]

66. No they don't

Where on Earth did you get such an idea?

[Wella]

78. From a police chief in the family. How about you?

[TheKentuckian]

67. Based on what law? What is it that you can articulate that the citizen that was stopped was doing?

What was generating probable cause or even "reasonable suspicion"?

That man has rights and protection from unreasonable search and seizure or is supposed to but if he pressed for them he has to take his chance with firing squad by cop and here you are defending him but stopped and searched for absolutely no reason, assumably to protect what you see as your right to have the police to harass peaceable citizens which is not enumerated.

[magical thyme]

74. the same reason the police had to come when a neighbor called to complain

about my goat grazing in my own yard.

The cop really didn't want to be in my driveway because my goat had been grazing in my own yard. But the caller exaggerated the danger (goat is "headed toward the road&quot and so they had to investigate. Cop was rolling his eyes while I apologized for my goat slipping under the gate and promised I would keep her tethered from then on.

These days, people to use the police to harass anybody they don't like for whatever reason.

In my case, because I'm a transplant. In his case, because his skin is the "wrong" color.

[TheKentuckian]

75. What reason is that? What was the probable cause for an official interaction?

[magical thyme]

79. imagined danger.

the police can't tell them they're imagining things. they have to investigate.

[TheKentuckian]

80. The situation was observed, there was no probable cause for further interaction. Don't be a crank,

doing so diverts police resources from patrol which decreases public safety.

[magical thyme]

81. why are you telling me not to be a crank? I'm not the one who called the effing cops.

When the police and animal control arrived at my home, the goat was in her pasture where she belonged and she had never left my property. There was no need for further interaction with me. There was no dangerous, 50 pound pygmy goat roaming the streets, attacking passersby. She had returned herself to her pasture.

That didn't stop the animal control officer (who never bothered to identify himself) from roaming around looking for her, waking me from a nap that I had just started (home from work very sick), and arguing with me.

And then he walked around to the front, and I followed to make sure he left. That was when I realized he was animal control -- as he went to his truck and put on his hat. And that was when I found an armed cop parked in my driveway, presumably prepared to shoot the old, diabetic, 50 pound pygmy goat in my yard.

The fact is that, black or brown or white, when people call with a suspicious report, no matter how stupid, the police have to investigate. They can't tell the caller they're imagining it or overreacting or nuts.

And then once they get where they're going, you have to cooperate fully or they'll get pissed off. Even if, as in my case, they're not wearing their uniform and you have no idea who the effing stranger is wandering around your property and scolding you about your goat.

I also had the cops called on my for a parking lot dent that I put in a neighbor's illegally parked truck in our condo complex. Private property. His brother was there and told me the owner wouldn't be back for half an hour. I told him I was just going to go to the drug store and would come right back. The brother and his stupid gf saw me return but that didn't stop them from calling the effing cops and claiming I left the scene of an accident. And that didn't stop the cop from threatening me, even though I was there when the cop arrived, the kids knew who I was, we'd been neighbors for years, and I didn't deny what happened (although I did point out that the truck was parked illegally and it was <$500 damage which at the time didn't require police involvement).

[TheKentuckian]

82. I didn't call you a crank, that is the response to the caller.

[Warpy]

77. Busybodies. There has got to be a way to fine them for frivolous cop calls

There is NO WAY a cop should have had to respond to this and I think the poor cop knows it.

A busybody called the cops on little Tamir Rice. A busybody called the cops on John Crawford, guilty of minding his own business, carrying an air rifle that Walmart sold through a Walmart.

A busybody in the convenience store called the cops on Michael Brown, the store owner didn't do it until later.

Busybodies need to be assessed responsibility in these cases and fined accordingly. In the Crawford case, the bigot flat out lied and should have done jail time for getting an innocent man killed.

If something isn't done about these busybodies, they'll keep getting more and more of us killed, especially those of us with black or brown skin.

[Mariana]

15. It's a fucked up mentality for sure.

Reminds me of the 911 call Zimmerman made - he portrayed every move Trayvon made as suspicious.

The caller probably said something like "He has his hands in his pockets and it looks like he's holding a gun" or something like that. There's no way to know if the caller really thought the guy was suspicious. It may be the caller just gets off on watching the police hassle minorities (or anyone else whose appearance they don't approve of).

[A HERETIC I AM]

17. that's pretty much what I was thinking when I posted this.

Who in their right mind would be so god damned concerned about a person walking down the street (the sidewalk of a street, to be specific) on a freezing day in November with his hands in his pockets?

I just can't fathom the thought process of the person who was looking out their window, saw this guy and their first impulse was to call the damned cops on him.

It boggles the mind.

[bulloney]

43. Part of this paranoia is because we're afraid that person is carrying a firearm.

This is a by-product of the NRA's belligerent campaign on everyone's right to own and bear a shitload of arms and the RW media's efforts to keep everyone afraid.

[TheKentuckian]

47. So what? There is a right to keep and bear arms in this country, if you are afraid that is on you.

If that citizen walking down the street happens to have a firearm it is no more your affair than any other contents of the pockets.

There is no probable cause nor even bullshit ass "reasonable suspicion" here. What you have is harassment from both the crank and the cop and unreasonable stop and search by making an inquiry into the citizen's actions and agenda which he has ZERO cause to make his affair.

[Eleanors38]

55. Some here advocate calling in OC demonstrators in hopes

of teaching them a lesson. Well, we have a few of those "lessons" tuition-paid in blood. And this guy wasn't showing a thing. I think there are some folks who have a lurid interest in something blowing up.

[Marrah_G]

6. this is just nuts

[Rex]

7. And what is worse than that? Seems many 'liberals' support a police state NP.

Watching them carry water for the local PDs in St. Louis is pathetic.

[hifiguy]

24. There are far too many cop-apologists around DU

for my liking. But there are more cool, straight-thinking people.

[Rex]

30. I agree, there are a lot of critical thinkers on DU.

Thankfully.

[Eleanors38]

56. The cop here did the right thing. No apologies necessary.

It worked out well. The onus is on the warm, insulated wannabe fuck-up phoning in.

[KansDem]

9. Meanwhile, bankers and brokers can walk down Wall Street...

...with their hands in our pockets and it's business as usual. No need to call the police!

[ScreamingMeemie]

16. Great post!

[A HERETIC I AM]

20. I had thought of putting up a thread.....

titled "What will happen when a black cop shoots a white guy wearing a suit?"

[ejbr]

36. +1n/t

[cantbeserious]

42. The Misplaced Priorities Of A Too Stupid Populace

om

[Eleanors38]

57. HA! ^^^ If that bankster finds anything, I'll split it.

[Wella]

13. The dueling video cameras are interesting.

It says a lot about the mutual distrust in our society.

[AsahinaKimi]

18. I don't think this would ever happen in

San Francisco.. It is nuts.

[yuiyoshida]

21. I hope not, but you never know...

Its only cold here at night, when the fog comes in.. and I don't own any gloves.

[0rganism]

19. this makes me very sad

nothing more to say, just sad

[hifiguy]

22. Jebus, what kind of shrieking paranoid idjit

calls the fucking cops to report a guy walking down the street with his hands in his pockets when it's cold enough to fucking snow??

This kind of shit has to stop, and NOW.

[A HERETIC I AM]

25. I'm about to head out, walk across a parking lot to my truck.....

and go and get dinner. A portion of that will be with my hands in my pockets.

I sure as hell hope no one sees me. BTW, I am in the Pontiac/Auburn Hills area!

Maybe I should just go back to bed.

[indepat]

26. police have to respond to every call, you know, even if it's just about someone with his hands in

his pockets.

[A HERETIC I AM]

27. The reason I put this up with the title I did....

wasn't because the cop responded to a call, rather that some dicksnot asshole thought it was necessary to call them in the first place.

THAT'S what is making this country look fucking nuts.

It seems as if entirely too many Americans are afraid of their own shadow, for fucks sake

[hifiguy]

28. That is EXACTLY the point.

WTF is WRONG with people??

[A HERETIC I AM]

33. ...

[Moostache]

72. Arrrrrggghhhhh!!!!! EEEEEEEEKKKKK!!!! A terrorist fist jab?!?!?!?!

(Sarcasm)

People in this country that live in constant fear are a big problem.
They have been living in abject terror since 9/11 and if they had been in Britain in '43 and '44, history would have a much different trajectory.

Yes, terrorism is a real thing.
Yes, crime exists.

But for Christ's sake, you can die at any minute of any day of your entire life - and eventually you WILL. If you live your life fearing others and fearing everything about the world around you, then you have a wasted life.

[indepat]

68. Some thirty+ years ago, we lived in a large midwestern capital city and some neighbor saw some

suspicious activity at our house late in the evening and called the police: furniture was being taken into our house from a large delivery-style truck by an auctioneer delivering three large chairs we had won at his auction earlier in the day. As he was leaving, four city police officers, with revolvers drawn, were on the porch and kept repeating "don't make any suspicious moves." I told them repeatedly that I lived here and after some 20- to 30-seconds, my wife appeared at the door with my Federal credentials in hand. I never got scared but had fully realized I might be killed should any officer get an itchy finger. The officers were most gracious and cordial once realizing the neighbor had overacted to what was going on before his eyes.

[LiberalElite]

29. Where did this happen? nt

[MrScorpio]

31. Pontiac, Michigan

Not too far away from me.

[A HERETIC I AM]

34. And as it turns out, not far from where I am at the moment.

Typing this about a mile north of the Silverdome.

[marym625]

32. I had a similar post a few months ago

And you wouldn't believe the backlash.

We have. Our country has gone insane

[Spitfire of ATJ]

37. I wonder if the WHITE person who made that call was hoping the cops would shoot him on sight.

[sadoldgirl]

38. No, the country has not gone insane,

it has been very cleverly manipulated to fear anyone and anything.
The media play a big part of this, and - I think - at the order of the
corporations to make people feel paranoid .

If you don't trust anyone, you will not join any kind of "rebellious"
group. It is a nice precaution against an angry populace.

[Eleanors38]

59. Take note ^^^.

[Voice for Peace]

40. I think we have an example of a decent cop, or at least one who's being very careful.

And he is smart to have his own camera. We are slowly,
slowly, slowly, gonna get there.

[TheKentuckian]

48. What is decent about harassing and stopping peaceable citizens?

[Voice for Peace]

52. I'm presuming he was sent out on the call, not out looking for trouble.

He acted professionally, in my opinion, and filming was
probably for his own legal protection which isn't a bad idea
when you don't know how something is going to go.

There is nothing decent about calling the police on the guy
in the first place. But is not indecent that the policeman came
to check it out.

[TheKentuckian]

53. Check what out? What was his probable cause for stopping this peaceable citizen?

[Voice for Peace]

54. I'm sorry, you're right and I suppose he might have just driven by.

Maybe my bar for "decent police" has gotten too low.

[alcibiades_mystery]

58. I'm completely flumoxed by the notion that this cop is acting respectfully

He seems totally aggravated by the guy's utterly justified outrage and resistance.

Cops have to field every call? What a fucking joke. Has anyone ever lived in a low-income neighborhood? Field every call?

The cop did not have to stop or interrogate this person, as there was zero probable cause to do so. Somebody else's suspicion does not constitute probable cause. Oh, I know cops can now even search anyone they damn well please, and that may be legal, but it is certainly not proper, and definitely not admirable.

[world wide wally]

41. Another slice of life in "the home of the brave"

[hedgehog]

44. I wonder if anyone can identify the neghborhood - it looks more like a case

of a citizen calling in someone for WWB - Walking while Black.

[Eleanors38]

60. What is the guy's race?

[hfojvt]

49. well back in 1989

a cop questioned me - because I was wearing headphones.

Plus, I was standing by the library on Sunday.

I guess if he ever used the library, he would know it was open on Sunday.

[noiretextatique]

70. oh, that's o much worse: poor you

[damnedifIknow]

50. Gladys Kravitz and Barney Fife teamed up for this one

[BlueJazz]

51. ...or are you just glad to see me?

[Derek V]

63. Walking While Black

And the wimp-assed cop didn't even point his gun! What kind of lawlless country have we become???

[abelenkpe]

64. This country has been nuts since 2001

It's just getting crazier. Agree with poster above who blamed media for broadcasting fear and misinformation non stop.

Whoever called the cops on that guy was pathetic.

[Rhiannon12866]

69. Judging by their outerwear - I'm guessing it was cold out!

[MFM008]

73. called in by

Someone who just voted for this inbred gop congress, I'd bet on it.

[RKP5637]

76. Police should start investigating those making insane and stupid calls like this to police. n/t