This video shows a guy admirably standing up to “heroes” demanding to ID him as he tries to get to his home. Apparently, there is a sinkhole somewhere nearby – but it’s obviously not in the immediate vicinity.
There’s no “danger” to anyone’s “safety.”
What’s particularly admirable about this interchange is the way the man calls out the “heroes” – points out that they are creating problems and that he will not accept their blame-gaming, double-thinkian double-talk.
These arrogant “heroes” take any lack of servility/deference to their authority as creating problems for them. It reveals the occupying army attitude of these people toward citizens, whom they treat with condescension at best and bullying at worst.
It is the inevitable result of elevating law enforcers to godhead – or at least, to the status of praetorians.
And – more deeply – of this business of law enforcement itself.
Words matter. Law enforcement means enforcing laws – any laws; all laws. Whether a given law is ridiculous or abusive is irrelevant. The only relevant consideration to a law enforcer is that he is enforcing the law.
To deal with this problem, we must deal first with mindless veneration of laws; the idea that people have a duty to submit and obey simply because “it’s the law.” Crap on that. If a law is ridiculous or abusive, it is deserving of contempt and evasion whenever possible.
And the same goes for those who enforce such laws.
Sinkhole
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bmi-Jc5sOgk
Pasco County Sheriffs Retaliation For Exercising My Rights – Call (727) 847-5878 Ask Why
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yiLdFitvjag
The Heroes retaliated big time
Pasco County Courthouse – Pasco County Sheriff Retaliation Follow Up
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3VnIVkKswA
Two horrid fraus… there are always such fraus when dealing with the government.
I would rather be ticketed for speeding in Montana (again), than to try to hold an intelligent conversation with any LEO east of the Missouri River. I don’t trust any East Coast LEO any farther than I can throw them.
After getting pissed off in the car, he made an honest attempt to walk back and find someone to reason with. If you notice, the people in the red minivan were not getting the “show me your license, and prove” anything garbage. The Sherriffs also have to deal with ding-dongs that see the news-chopper video, and want to go in and gawk at a sink-hole, possibly to make a hit on YouTube, but they gave this guy way too much crap from the get-go. They could, as he pointed out, simply advise motorists of the hazzard, and leave it at that. The adult public need not be “policed” for this crap unless they are trespassing on other people’s property, or blocking emergency access to actual victims. In this case, there was apparently no evidence of either, and I would have had much the same reaction. Blacksburg has the same “alarmist authoritarian reaction” to just about any minor situation, and it is overkill, plain and simple.
I don’t know about this one, Eric. I think the dude with the camera was more of a dick than the cops. I have zero respect for cops, mind you, and I think the way he handled the initial encounter was superb. He asserted his rights, and didn’t accept the “copsplaining” BS. Well done. That said, once he got home, it was extremely stupid and dangerous to go back there, pretty much looking for trouble. You don’t poke the hornets nest, and you should NEVER interact with a cop if you don’t have to. “Larry” wasn’t overly aggressive and really seemed to be actively avoiding a confrontation. Our cameraman was very fortunate. Even though we know it isn’t justifiable, a lot of other cops would have cuffed and stuffed him pretty quick. Why get involved in that shit when you don’t have to?
Hi Vz,
I suspect the guy taking the vid was just fed up – as many of us are – with these “heroes” and their ways. I myself am at the point of feeling the loathing rise in my throat every time I see one of them. The stormtrooper dark sunglasses and Officer 82nd Airborne attitude.
Let them chew on week-old fish heads.
Couldn’t agree more, Eric. I loathe them as much as anybody, and I suspect that someday soon a lot of people will be fed up to the point of fighting back. Unfortunately, I’m too old (or maybe my balls just aren’t big enough) to go that route. I’d rather just stay as far the fuck away from them as possible. I sure as shit don’t ever see myself going back to the “scene of the crime” after getting away!
VZ, I’m the same way. If I get by the assholes, I’m not going back to stir the pot. The guy was taking a chance by going back, but, to quote Al Swearingen in “Deadwood”, Some guys just can’t go near a cliff without jumping off.