Fun_People Archive
23 Nov
Re: Talk is cheap?

Date: Wed, 23 Nov 94 14:27:04 PST
To: Fun_People
Subject: Re: Talk is cheap?

From: <drz@shadowplay.com>

I find this tract a bit paranoid and foolish. If one is white, middle class,
and has not committed a crime, it is unlikely that police brutality or a B
movie mistaken identity scenario are in your future.  Even if you are other
than white middle class, common courtesy and respect are not only the safest
tact to take with the law, it is the minimum the police deserve for risking
their lives daily in a somewhat less than perfect working environment.

In general, a law abiding person of any class who is questioned by the
police is at little personal risk and may be in a position to help protect
the community. On the other hand, everytime an officer stops a car or knocks
on a door, they never know if they will become the target of a violent
response.

My first response to finding an officer at my door would be to check that
he/she is who they say they are and try to gauge the urgency of their visit.
I would then be as helpful as I could. This is certainly less foolish and
dangerous than stopping to help an injured person on the road, which I also
hope I have the courage to do.

© 1994 Peter Langston