I don't know Gates either personally or (as you do) by secondhand reputation. I've seen some people assert that he's very courtly and mild-mannered, but again, how he behaves toward those he considers his peers might differ vastly from how he behaves toward those he... doesn't.
You certainly don't have to convince me that academia in general has some serious issues with raging egos. I've got a few professors on my list who could tell you more stories. Plus, the Boston area in general, and places therein like Cambridge in particular, have some nasty problems with class and snobbery as well as with race.
I've seen another blogger remark how recruiting cops from the ranks of the military probably contributes to the problem of hotheadedness and the bunker mentality. It's got to be worse now that their recruits are more likely to have been in combat.
That is, to be an effective police officer, you have to have an ego the size of a small mountain, an almost obsessive need for others to "respect mah authoritay!", and an unswerving sense that you're always right, no matter what the other person is saying or how much sense it makes.
If you don't have those, you don't make a very effective cop.
But if you do have those, you're a #1 Grade-A prick
( ... )
I wonder... I don't hear a lot of stories about Tulsa's cops powertripping like happened with Gates.
However, Tulsa requires a bachelor's degree to even apply for the police academy. I always thought that was kind of excessive, but perhaps they are on to something.
Could be. Bachelor's degree, even though many of them aren't worth what people think they're worth, at least shows that the recipient has demonstrated a certain level of cluefulness and self-restraint. Just jumping through four years' worth of hoops demonstrates that, really.
Now, there are asshole Mounties out there. (Google "Robert Dziekanski" for an example.) But in my experience, the rough hierarchy in terms of how reasonable Canadian police officers are has been something like:
RCMP > OPP > Sûreté du Québec > Average big-city police > average small-town police > average tiny-town bylaw enforcement officers
There are exceptions. For ex., in BC, Vancouver city police are generally seen as more assholish, on average, than Delta municipal police (city sizes 550k vs. 80k). But you get the idea.
I think I saw it mentioned on a blog last night that a judge in Canada decided for Dziekanski (well, his survivors, anyway) and against the Mountie who tased him.
I thought all the asshole cops were here in Texas. Learn something new every day.
Actually, It looks to me that Gates probably did go all "WTF you're racist! I'm not going anywhere, go talk to your mama!" and Crowley whipped out the "Well, whatev, cuffs!"
Two egos; one just has the "You're under arrest" trump card. In my opinion, as soon as Gates pulled out his ID, the cops should have given a shrug and piggie eyeroll and GTFO. But then I've gotten plenty of "Son, you need to calm down" warnings for, ahem, mentioning cop cars parked in handicap spots, so...yeah. A few "Fuck you's" are not work a night in jail, assholes. Suck it up.
I think the turning point in the US was when local jurisdictions were given the right to make you do whatever the police ask, whether you know that it's a legal request or not. So, now they can put you in cuffs just to "calm you down", make laws against you "mouthing off", and take you to jail for questioning or suspicion of a crime when no charges are ever brought against you. Due process, how quaint.
Is it any wonder police often have a superior attitude?
That doesn't make sense. The problem isn't with the existence or number of police; it's with their culture. Better-patrolled areas tend to have fewer problems with random street crime (vs. crimes committed against intimates, which is a whole other subject).
Except in cities where "community policing" is more than a buzzword, poor neighborhoods aren't well-patrolled, which is a sore point for residents. Quite a few would like more cops around regularly, getting to know the residents and earning their trust, versus just swooping in when something happens and treating everyone at the scene like they've already been tried and convicted.
Keeping the peace Vs just being a badge protected thug is one aspect.capybyraJuly 28 2009, 06:53:46 UTC
Like it or not- we've been conditioned to presumptive logics. We presume that some situations are simply as we are told. Which is often made of pure wrongness in so many dimensions. There's not often a clearly defined angelic innocent victim or irrefutably damnable force originator.. Life would be different if suchlike were accepted. Yeah, we've got shiteheaded folks both civilian and authority cloaked
( ... )
Re: Keeping the peace Vs just being a badge protected thug is one aspect.arthur_sc_kingJuly 29 2009, 05:40:37 UTC
The redneck went apeshit but froze dead solid seeing the aiming dot of that taser-on his junk... and was meeekly cuffed to go to jail for several missed court dates as we later read in the paper's blotter log..
Comments 26
(The comment has been removed)
You certainly don't have to convince me that academia in general has some serious issues with raging egos. I've got a few professors on my list who could tell you more stories. Plus, the Boston area in general, and places therein like Cambridge in particular, have some nasty problems with class and snobbery as well as with race.
I've seen another blogger remark how recruiting cops from the ranks of the military probably contributes to the problem of hotheadedness and the bunker mentality. It's got to be worse now that their recruits are more likely to have been in combat.
Reply
Reply
(The comment has been removed)
That is, to be an effective police officer, you have to have an ego the size of a small mountain, an almost obsessive need for others to "respect mah authoritay!", and an unswerving sense that you're always right, no matter what the other person is saying or how much sense it makes.
If you don't have those, you don't make a very effective cop.
But if you do have those, you're a #1 Grade-A prick ( ... )
Reply
However, Tulsa requires a bachelor's degree to even apply for the police academy. I always thought that was kind of excessive, but perhaps they are on to something.
Reply
Now, there are asshole Mounties out there. (Google "Robert Dziekanski" for an example.) But in my experience, the rough hierarchy in terms of how reasonable Canadian police officers are has been something like:
RCMP > OPP > Sûreté du Québec > Average big-city police > average small-town police > average tiny-town bylaw enforcement officers
There are exceptions. For ex., in BC, Vancouver city police are generally seen as more assholish, on average, than Delta municipal police (city sizes 550k vs. 80k). But you get the idea.
Reply
I think I saw it mentioned on a blog last night that a judge in Canada decided for Dziekanski (well, his survivors, anyway) and against the Mountie who tased him.
Reply
Actually, It looks to me that Gates probably did go all "WTF you're racist! I'm not going anywhere, go talk to your mama!" and Crowley whipped out the "Well, whatev, cuffs!"
Two egos; one just has the "You're under arrest" trump card. In my opinion, as soon as Gates pulled out his ID, the cops should have given a shrug and piggie eyeroll and GTFO. But then I've gotten plenty of "Son, you need to calm down" warnings for, ahem, mentioning cop cars parked in handicap spots, so...yeah. A few "Fuck you's" are not work a night in jail, assholes. Suck it up.
Reply
Reply
Is it any wonder police often have a superior attitude?
Reply
Except in cities where "community policing" is more than a buzzword, poor neighborhoods aren't well-patrolled, which is a sore point for residents. Quite a few would like more cops around regularly, getting to know the residents and earning their trust, versus just swooping in when something happens and treating everyone at the scene like they've already been tried and convicted.
Reply
I think what we really need is a serious shakeup of the police culture. Something like real accountability for doing illegal shit, for instance.
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Ah, was that cop a thug or a master of psych?
Like I said above, it's a fine line....
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