Again with the police brutality this time with a little girl

[Dirk McLargeHuge]

Look, I understand the skateboard ordinances and they are fine, as long as the city provides locations for them to go in return. Here is where the problem comes in, for example, in Nebraska they had to close the skateparks on public land because some bitch tripped and broke her ankle in a hole in city park some where and the supreme court found the city liable for not filling the hole. This overturned a liability law in the state and sent muni's scrambling to fix every minor thing and enact ordinances and close skateparks. SO, unfortunately Miester that argument doesn't hold up because, if you hadn't noticed, you aren't responsible for your own actions anymore, it is always someone else's fault.

Look, I get the potential threat and I understand the cops position, I am speaking purely Utopian here, it would be nice if the cops showed as much respect for us as they demand from us. I think things would work soooo much better. Like I said, Utopian, but I can dream.

Well said. Respect is a two way street. And it sucks people don't take responsibility for their own actions. I've always had a problem with people being so quick to sue someone over nothing, or just a quick buck I suppose.

Amen, brother.

[Dirk McLargeHuge]

Look, I understand the skateboard ordinances and they are fine, as long as the city provides locations for them to go in return. Here is where the problem comes in, for example, in Nebraska they had to close the skateparks on public land because some bitch tripped and broke her ankle in a hole in city park some where and the supreme court found the city liable for not filling the hole. This overturned a liability law in the state and sent muni's scrambling to fix every minor thing and enact ordinances and close skateparks. SO, unfortunately Miester that argument doesn't hold up because, if you hadn't noticed, you aren't responsible for your own actions anymore, it is always someone else's fault.

Look, I get the potential threat and I understand the cops position, I am speaking purely Utopian here, it would be nice if the cops showed as much respect for us as they demand from us. I think things would work soooo much better. Like I said, Utopian, but I can dream.

A couple of years ago I was playing golf at the municipal course, and broke my ankle. I had no insurance and racked up several thousand dollars of medical bills which I am still paying off, including a city EMS bill. I suppose I should have sued the pants off the city for not requiring golf spikes (I own them now), but it was my decision not to wear them.

Maybe I'm an aberration in this day and age.

[BrewBum]

Look, I understand the skateboard ordinances and they are fine, as long as the city provides locations for them to go in return. Here is where the problem comes in, for example, in Nebraska they had to close the skateparks on public land because some bitch tripped and broke her ankle in a hole in city park some where and the supreme court found the city liable for not filling the hole. This overturned a liability law in the state and sent muni's scrambling to fix every minor thing and enact ordinances and close skateparks. SO, unfortunately Miester that argument doesn't hold up because, if you hadn't noticed, you aren't responsible for your own actions anymore, it is always someone else's fault.

Look, I get the potential threat and I understand the cops position, I am speaking purely Utopian here, it would be nice if the cops showed as much respect for us as they demand from us. I think things would work soooo much better. Like I said, Utopian, but I can dream.

A couple of years ago I was playing golf at the municipal course, and broke my ankle. I had no insurance and racked up several thousand dollars of medical bills which I am still paying off, including a city EMS bill. I suppose I should have sued the pants off the city for not requiring golf spikes (I own them now), but it was my decision not to wear them.

Maybe I'm an aberration in this day and age.

There is no MAYBE about it...

[meisterofpuppets]

Sadly, the law is just another case of government scapegoating, but who cares? If it's popular and gets them votes then that is what they should do right? Who cares if they are wrongly misleading the public by creating a scapegoat, it gets them votes, doesn't it?

Isn't the government supposed to be working FOR THE PEOPLE. If the majority of people think that an ordinance is needed, are legislators using "authoritarian" power by enacting one. I'm sorry that skateboarding kids are in the minority, but they are. If I open a brewpub, I don't want any skaters making my storefront their personal skatepark.

You could make the same argument with Hitler. Hitler was very popular, but it was because he mislead the people through scapegoats to gain popularity. Now, I'm not accusing the legislators of being mini-Hitlers, but it is a common political practice to get votes by creating a scapegoat. Unfortunately many people can't see through this.

I think there are three parties at fault. First is the legislature. The skateboard law shouldn't be there in the first place. I think property rights should be upheld, so if someone is trespassing on a business owner's property, they can be arrested for trespassing.

Second, the skateboarders should have been more respectful to the cop. You don't want to mess with the cops.

Third, the cop is at fault here too. Nothing that the kids said justified the use of that kind of excessive force. Words don't justify violence. Two wrongs don't make a right.

[dresselbrew]

I think property rights should be upheld, so if someone is trespassing on a business owner's property, they can be arrested for trespassing.

Second, the skateboarders should have been more respectful to the cop. You don't want to mess with the cops.

Words don't justify violence. Two wrongs don't make a right.

Good points Meister. Especially the last one. If someone can provoke you to violence with words then at the very least you shouldn't be in a position of power like a police officer. I'll leave it at that.

The main issue is people having respect for others. As the great Rodney King said "Can't we all get along". hahaha Damn, did I just say that out loud. Oh well...OUT!!

[Dirk McLargeHuge]

You could make the same argument with Hitler. Hitler was very popular, but it was because he mislead the people through scapegoats to gain popularity. Now, I'm not accusing the legislators of being mini-Hitlers, but it is a common political practice to get votes by creating a scapegoat. Unfortunately many people can't see through this.

I think there are three parties at fault. First is the legislature. The skateboard law shouldn't be there in the first place. I think property rights should be upheld, so if someone is trespassing on a business owner's property, they can be arrested for trespassing.

Second, the skateboarders should have been more respectful to the cop. You don't want to mess with the cops.

Third, the cop is at fault here too. Nothing that the kids said justified the use of that kind of excessive force. Words don't justify violence. Two wrongs don't make a right.

Here's the problem I have with the whole "Hitler" argument you posit: Anytime a minority doesn't get what they want they can scream "That's what Hitler said, too!" We either have majority rule or we don't. Who decides what the majority can rule on? You?

If the skaters were merely rolling along at the same speed as the pedestrian traffic then I have no problem with them. I'm sure they weren't. There are skaters in my neighborhood, and the jump curbs, try to flip their boards, etc. That's why you get a skateboard, after all. If they are trying to do tricks and fall and injure someone, the city is civilly liable for the injuries and any medical bills. So the city decides it doesn't want that legal risk and bans skating from public sidewalks. Public sidewalks. Not private property. Public sidewalks. Not all human activity is legal on public sidewalks. Personally, I think the seatbelt laws in the country are asinine and designed to benefit the insurance companies. Do I buckle up when I drive? Oh yeah! I can do without the ticket.

Regarding the last two comments, I didn't see what happened before the guy came running up with the camera. Did the skater tell the cop to fuck off? Property rights rule? Hitler hated skaters too? Did the kids overreact? Probably. Did the cop overreact? Probably. I saw one cop surrounded by four or five kids with what could be dangerous weapons in their hands screaming at him. But, if the kids had been walking on the sidewalk with their boards in their hands, we might not be watching the video.

With respect, I don't see this issue as on a par with civil rights. The risk to non-skating public is high enough to restrict that activity on the sidewalk. Similarly, the risk to public health was high enough that most cities now ban smoking in public places. Or can the minority of people who smoke say "Hitler banned smoking, too!"

[dresselbrew]

Or can the minority of people who smoke say "Hitler banned smoking, too!"

I don't think Hitler banned smoking. He smoked a lot people in showers. This is where a sense of humor comes in. Sorry that was a bad one.

[meisterofpuppets]

Here's the problem I have with the whole "Hitler" argument you posit: Anytime a minority doesn't get what they want they can scream "That's what Hitler said, too!" We either have majority rule or we don't. Who decides what the majority can rule on? You?

You're missing my point. The majority was convinced and mislead by the politicians, so the politician could look like he is doing stuff. I don't blame that the majority wants these things, but I blame the politicians and special interest groups who scream and whine and convince mislead the majority.