In a perfect world, yes, but in reality, no.
Police do not have to tell the truth, and if a lie gets them the upper hand, they'll often lie. Asking them to explain your rights, especially after annoying them by being obstinate and repeating to them that you know your rights, is just dumb imo. They have no obligation to teach you or to be honest about them and every incentive not to.....although it would be nice if they did.

Edit: asking for a lengthy explanation after being told 'any answer besides"yes" is considered refusal' is a point where you will be penalized for asking what your rights are....white, black, or purple.

Explain how it's ok to administer a test at any time but this time is harassment because he failed them, please, because that's contradictory.

He parked on the freeway causing suspicion,
admitted to drinking and driving requiring a field test,
didn't follow directions so failed the field test,
then obstinately repeated that with the breathalyzer by not answering yes and taking it. (After being told anything but yes legally means no).
Please, what's harassment there?....because there's definitely something more imo.

Remove race from the equation, and it's a good arrest. Adding race in does nothing to negate that imo.


Edit: I was a white punk with a long Mohawk. I got harassed far worse than this repeatedly, including being thrown to the ground at gunpoint because an officer read my plate wrong and accused me of being a car thief. Attitude usually has far more to do with the outcome than anything else in my experience. When I was polite and followed instructions I almost always walked, even when in the wrong. When I argued, I got slapped hard, like a vandalism charge for a 4" chalk line on a sidewalk or 2 hours of having my car searched in front of my friends house.

If I'm misunderstanding and you aren't claiming this was a dwb arrest, apologies. That's the part I'm debating, because it seems wrong.

The United States: "Land of the Free!"

Number three
You have the right to free speech
As long as
You're not dumb enough to actually try it
Know your rights
These are your rights
--The Clash

Aaaaand -- The Clash with their hit song "Know Your Rights":

This is a public service announcement
With guitar
Know your rights all three of them

Number 1
You have the right not to be killed
Murder is a CRIME!
Unless it was done by a
Policeman or aristocrat
Know your rights

And Number 2
You have the right to food money
Providing of course you
Don't mind a little
Investigation, humiliation
And if you cross your fingers
Rehabilitation

Know your rights
These are your rights
Wang

Know these rights

Number 3
You have the right to free
Speech as long as you're not
Dumb enough to actually try it.

Know your rights
These are your rights
All three of 'em
It has been suggested
In some quarters that this is not enough!
Well

Get off the streets
Get off the streets
Run
You don't have a home to go to
Smush

Finally then I will read you your rights

You have the right to remain silent
You are warned that anything you say
Can and will be taken down
And used as evidence against you

Listen to this
Run

don't defend the cop, none of you. Know your rights.

May or may not be cute, but knowing your rights and standing up for them is DAMN sexy.

Know Your Rights! A Student Backs Down Cop After Being Unlawfully Stopped for Carrying a Gun in Portland, Maine

>> ^Sagemind:

Psst.., That's called graphite, not lead (in pencils)


hah, you know your right. infact our pencils never used lead.. it was implied in TV shows and movies at the time for comedic value but yea, its always been graphite huh. Where was the history channel when I was 10.

Fucking cops. Part-timing as a security guard at Wal-Mart with his police uni on. Is that legal?

Anyhoo, the only state where it's illegal to video a cop, even cops in public with no expectation of privacy, is Illinois. All other states, as far as I know, even those with laws (wiretapping laws) requiring both parties (the recorder and the recorded) to be aware of said recording, recognize that police in public have no expectation of privacy and may be recorded, as long as you aren't breaking any laws (like trespassing) to do so.

Cops lie. It's just a fact. They rely on the public's ignorance. Don't be ignorant. Know your rights. This shit won't end until cops are afraid to challenge informed citizens like this. Oversight, so far, is effectively non-existant. I think the reality of police behavior in this country is untenable in today's age of camera phones and instant media. Something has got to give. Keep recording these assholes.

Dude's all salty cause he loves the chronic but can't handle the smoke. If you gonna spliff up the weed, you best know your rights.

so by that logic, we need to do whatever a police officer asks/tells us to do simply because s/he has a uniform and a badge?

Not advocating for this guy's behavior, but rote obedience is not a good response either.

Know Your Rights.

>> ^A10anis:

I am against violence, but tell me, what were the police supposed to do, just stand there whilst he flatly refuses to do as asked? Maybe if he had done as they requested he would have saved himself a lot of trouble.

I’m Walking Away
Like Dear Abby Told Me
I’m Walking Away
My Shrink Gave His O.K.
I’m Walking Away
The Self Help Book Implored Me
I’m Walking Away
Jubilation Day

I’m Walking Away
My Best Friend All Had Warned Me
I’m Walking Away
Even Your Mom Said You Were Nuts
In My Dreams
You Wear A Red Cape and A Pitchfork
I’m Walking Away
Jubilation Day

I’m Walking Away
Let Me Get My Things
I’m Walking Away
Where’d You Hide My Banjo Strings

I’m Walking Away
I’ll Be Over You by Lunch Time
I’m Walking Away
Jubilation Day

I’m Walking Away
Let’s Always Remember The Good Times
I’m Walking away
Like When You Were Out Of Town
I’m Walking Away
But The Sex Was Great
I’m Walking Away
At least Thats What My Best Friends Brother Said
I’m Walking Away
You Know Your Right We Should Always Stay In Touch
I’m Walking Away
This Is Your New E-Mail Address Right
Cheatin,pyscho,dish-throwin, hoe dot nut
Bye

@Shepppard I don't hate anyone who wears a badge, I have a great amount of disdain for the system which trains cop to manipulate citizens out of whatever rights they deem a hindrance to them discovering crimes.

I have a grandmother with Alzheimers, she wanders occasionally. My mom, foolishly, called the police on one such occasion. I found my grandmother snd brought her home, the cops show up again after she's home and want to see her. They asked if they could come in, I chuckled a bit because I thought it was presumptuous of them to come inside my home, being the strangers that they are. I tell them no, they can't, but I'll go get grandma if you'd like to speak to her.

Then I try and close my door only to realize this cop put his boots on my door frame making me unable to close my door, it was a bit of a mindfuck tbh, as I was nervous, I was just like, wtf door won't close. I guess I was too intimidated to push the issue far enough to ask the cop to remove his boot. So whatever, I go get my grandmother and when I return they're right inside my house, imposing and uninvited. Probably having used some "door is ajar" rule letting them enter. What a joke.

So whatever they talk to my grandmother, all is well. I couldn't shut my mouth though, I had to ask don't I have the right to refuse you to enter my house? And they said, yes you do but it usually means you have something to hide(the, like, 25 y/o chick cop tells me). Which is bullshit. Exercising your rights doesn't mean you have something to hide, it means you know your rights, appreciate them and wish to make use of them.

This anecdotal evidence is worthless, though, in the grand scheme of things. The videos speak much louder. Using your figure of 250 videos a year, how many abusive interactions with police officers go unrecorded? Given how strongly opposed the police are to being recorded, probably a lot more. Why are they fighting the right to record them? What do they have to hide?

I worked as a drug deliveryman for about a year, good times, at least back then when my interactions with police were adversarial, it was justified. Funny thing, never had any problems with police while driving on the street with a dashboard full of weed. Was stopped multiple times, was fun/intense. Had to keep my cool and jump through their hoops.

As for your story of being let go while driving without a license, pretty surprising, was this in a big city or small town? Also, it's not the best example because honestly, you should've been given a ticket at the minimum. Normally, they tow your car and impound for 30 days which is pretty expensive. Letting someone come take the car is really nice of a cop, but I wouldn't have a problem taking a ticket for driving w/o a license. That's never been my problem, I've always been respectful of cops when stopped for a traffic violation where I'm actually in the wrong.

Anyhow, tl;dr cops aren't serving the citizenry, they're serving the government who's orders are to control the citizenry by any means necessary.

This is a long post, but I wanted to add that the lack of accountability for a cops actions are just disgusting. Cops have murdered citizens with barely a slap on the wrist.

Actually after a supreme court ruling as of last month I believe. To invoke your right to remain silent you must invoke it by stating you are invoking in no uncertain terms, and I am not sure what happens if you decide to speak after this...if it cancels the invocation or not. There is also now a time limit on getting a lawyer, although Im a little unclear on how they proceed if you don't meet the time limit.


Some states have laws where you must provide identification/info when asked charged or not (name, address, etc), so the answer to the question is going to vary on a state to state basis. But if a cop isn't telling you what you're charged with, then ask if you're free to go. If they say no, then I believe they have to have a charge to hold you on. If they can't come up with one, then know your rights related to your state and invoke them appropriately and respectfully. Hell inconvenience the cop a bit and ask for him to request a ranking officer come out to clear it up, he isn't going to punch you in the face over it.

>> ^Stormsinger:
Didn't anyone ever tell this moron that it's not smart to tease wild animals? What he's done here is essentially equivalent. Bait them until they do something he can get attention with...
I fail to see the value in his moronic attempts to (at best) waste people's time.


You fail to see the problem? Along with all others who are morosely inept at seeing systemic failure and a growing problem.

The problem is that the TSA is not primed with the peoples best interest, they are primed with their best interest. To capture and detain terrorists. In which they can do what ever they like. Detain you for however long they like, with out a warrant and without legal precedent.

The whole point of this was for the man to make a scene to reinforce his point. His point was that the TSA does not have the Peoples', or in this case prospective passengers best interests at hand. He also calls them into focus for the fact that all it takes to become a "person of interest" is knowing your rights. Specifically, in this case the right to videotape them.

They sent a behaviorist to talk to him? She failed on a massive scale and then she failed again thinking he was a security risk. When in fact she should have recognized him as a person who was out to make a scene. They played perfectly into his hands. That shows their gross incompetence in successfully judging based on evidence whether a person is or is not a security risk.

They will run rampant until the people put them in their place, or the people stop flying and the Plutocracy puts them in their place.

The point is, stormsinger, they are there to serve us, the People. If they cannot, then it is the Peoples' job to sort them out. To use the analogy that he is baiting wild animals could very well prove your lack of understanding as to how a supposed democracy is supposed to work. You call it baiting, I call it dissidence.

A dissident, broadly defined, is a person who actively challenges an established doctrine, policy, or institution. When dissidents unite for a common cause they often effect a dissident movement.

The noun was first used in the political sense in 1940, with the rise of such totalitarian systems as the Soviet Union.[1][2]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dissident