Norm Stamper - wasn't he a character in Ken Kesey's "Sometimes a Great Notion"?

A TruthSpeaker! Seize him!

They need to stick with Stamper, yah!

So, ignoring the laws and pandering to dirty lazy dip shiats is heavy handed?

Well yeah.

Come on! Militarization of the police predates the Department of Homeland Security by at least 30 years

Voiceofreason01: Come on! Militarization of the police predates the Department of Homeland Security by at least 30 years

True, but it's been accelerating since the DHS sugardaddy got involved.

Voiceofreason01: Come on! Militarization of the police predates the Department of Homeland Security by at least 30 years

I'd say not really, it was one thing to have a swat team in a major city but now it seems we keep getting reports of smaller towns having swat teams

A friend of mine went down to Seattle during the WTO protests just as it was turning into the "Battle in Seattle". He just meant to get some pictures. He ended up getting tear-gassed.

He also had a tablespoon of The Man at Dixie's.

He's kind of a moron. He works for Apple now. It kind of figures.

Voiceofreason01: Come on! Militarization of the police predates the Department of Homeland Security by at least 30 years

1972?

Somebody needs to check on how well Norm Stamper 'handled' those protests before pointing to him as an 'Expert' on the subject.

InOmnibusCaritas: Police officer critiquing other police officers does not equal ironic. Just interesting.

In the "Alanis Morissette" definition, no, but in the classic dictionary definition "Happening in the opposite way to what is expected, thus typically causing wry amusement" then yes, this may actually be ironic. It's like 10,000 police chiefs telling you you're too heavy handed when all you need is a Fox Newser in a skirt.

Joe Blowme: So, ignoring the laws and pandering to dirty lazy dip shiats is heavy handed?

Well if the cops would rather shoot tear gas bombs then try other tactics, you could call them lazy.

/yes I know
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\\\\something witty should go somewhere but I'm feeling lazy

MFAWG: Somebody needs to check on how well Norm Stamper 'handled' those protests before pointing to him as an 'Expert' on the subject.

Did you read all of the article?

MFAWG
Somebody needs to check on how well Norm Stamper 'handled' those protests before pointing to him as an 'Expert' on the subject.

Since then Stamper has said publicly and repeatedly that he was wrong.

patrick767: MFAWG
Somebody needs to check on how well Norm Stamper 'handled' those protests before pointing to him as an 'Expert' on the subject.

Since then Stamper has said publicly and repeatedly that he was wrong.

Faint solace to those whose lives he took that week.

Nice how its always former or retired cops who are free to discuss how bad police militarization or the War on Drugs has become, but never did a damn thing about it when the were in uniform and could do a bit of good.

Alex Sanders: Nice how its always former or retired cops who are free to discuss how bad police militarization or the War on Drugs has become, but never did a damn thing about it when the were in uniform and could do a bit of good.

Same as when retired or former gangsters are free to discuss how their gangs were.
Why would this street gang be any different?

moops: Norm Stamper - wasn't he a character in Ken Kesey's "Sometimes a Great Notion"?

Awesome reference.

Stamper's one of the good ones now. At least he learned from his actions and regrets what he did, unlike the standard "we did everything right" cop response.

(and as an aside, he's also become a rather vehement and vocal critic of the drug war)

Alex Sanders: Nice how its always former or retired cops who are free to discuss how bad police militarization or the War on Drugs has become, but never did a damn thing about it when the were in uniform and could do a bit of good.

Because the slightest bit of dissent -- just signing a petition in favor of marijuana legalization -- can cost them their jobs (PDF Warning)

So he's been guilt tripped enough over the decision to cave and reverse his thinking?

Alex Sanders: Nice how its always former or retired cops who are free to discuss how bad police militarization or the War on Drugs has become, but never did a damn thing about it when the were in uniform and could do a bit of good.

So, it's a bad thing that people learn from their mistakes and try to help others avoid them in the future? Sometimes you don't see how bad things have gotten until after something serious goes tits up.

Ed Grubermann: Alex Sanders: Nice how its always former or retired cops who are free to discuss how bad police militarization or the War on Drugs has become, but never did a damn thing about it when the were in uniform and could do a bit of good.

So, it's a bad thing that people learn from their mistakes and try to help others avoid them in the future? Sometimes you don't see how bad things have gotten until after something serious goes tits up.

What are you, some kinda whiny, libtard, flip-flopper pussy?

Alex Sanders: Nice how its always former or retired cops who are free to discuss how bad police militarization or the War on Drugs has become, but never did a damn thing about it when the were in uniform and could do a bit of good.



That's a firing son

Alex Sanders: "Nice how its always former or retired cops who are free to discuss how bad police militarization or the War on Drugs has become"

Well, yeah, almost by definition.
If an active-duty policeman were to publicly talk shiat about the department, he'd be a former or retired cop by the time it hit the papers.

LordZorch
Stamper is a lying douchebag. He deliberately messed up the response to the WTO riots in order to spite the mayor who had given him crap previously.

Hurrrrrrrrrr. Thanks for another moronic comment from your strange alternate reality. Oh wait, you're just a pathetic troll.

LordZorch: Stamper is a lying douchebag. He deliberately messed up the response to the WTO riots in order to spite the mayor who had given him crap previously.

It's widely held that if Stamper had been doing his job and not doing his best to play politics with the city council, the WTO debacle wouldn't have gotten anywhere near as bad as they did.

Setting dumpsters on fire, then pushing them into the streets while dressed as a sea turtle, or kicking out Niketown signs while wearing Nike shoes makes for long days on the job trying to deal with and explain things to city council.

StopLurkListen: InOmnibusCaritas: Police officer critiquing other police officers does not equal ironic. Just interesting.

In the "Alanis Morissette" definition, no, but in the classic dictionary definition "Happening in the opposite way to what is expected, thus typically causing wry amusement" then yes, this may actually be ironic. It's like 10,000 police chiefs telling you you're too heavy handed when all you need is a Fox Newser in a skirt.

I think Alanis Morissette was being ironic when she wrote the song.

Joe Blowme: So, ignoring the laws and pandering to dirty lazy dip shiats is heavy handed?

Do you ever have anything legitimate to say? I mean, how old must it get to troll, get some people (who are having real discussions) pissed off, then I dunno...what do you do? Feel good about yourself? Look around the house and think "oh HELL yeah", I caused a ruckus on the internet! What gives? If there were people figuring things out (regardless of what 'things' would be), would you just fark things up for the sheer hell of it?

We gave up many of our basic rights and freedoms after September 11th.

"Those who desire to give up freedom in order to gain security will not have, nor do they deserve, either one."

A forward thinking "hippie" of his time. Benjamin Franklin

I'll just leave this here

Man, I bet they can't wait for that sound riot control device to be 100% effective in the field and has all the bugs worked out.

It's going to be really hard to rally sympathies from outsiders. As where before you'd have a photo of a crowd getting tear gassed, and you see the smoke and hear the hissing of the canisters.

Now, you just have a weird looking device and people on the ground. Easy to blow it off on news saying they are over reacting, ect it's all for drama.

Mark my words, this is a scary device for protesters everywhere and if it successfully implemented into use it might be GG for protest everywhere.

Main problem: It's a totally accepted standard procedure for cops to use pain (in the form of pepper spray, tazers, nightsticks, and other "less-lethal" measures) to force compliance instead of reserving those for self defense or violent suspects (actually violent, not "disagreeing with cop" violent).

Cop: "Do what I say."

Citizen: "No."

Cop: *ZAAAP*

AverageAmericanGuy:
He also had a tablespoon of The Man at Dixie's.


We didn't warn our young, annoying, and brash co-worker about The Man, and let him have a full tablespoon, which he assured us he could handle. When he was vomiting in the bushes Gene chewed us out and said he could be sued for such a thing.

A good time was had by all.

m2313: Voiceofreason01: Come on! Militarization of the police predates the Department of Homeland Security by at least 30 years

1972?

Haven't you ever watched Dirty Harry? Clint Eastwood started it all.

Police chiefs in big cities tend to be left leaning liberals because it's a politically appointed job. Norm was all over the lefty talk shows last week.

Allen. The end.: Joe Blowme: So, ignoring the laws and pandering to dirty lazy dip shiats is heavy handed?

Do you ever have anything legitimate to say? I mean, how old must it get to troll, get some people (who are having real discussions) pissed off, then I dunno...what do you do? Feel good about yourself? Look around the house and think "oh HELL yeah", I caused a ruckus on the internet! What gives? If there were people figuring things out (regardless of what 'things' would be), would you just fark things up for the sheer hell of it?

Wow, truth hurts. Why is every opinion that is not in line with yours trolling? Is there anything that does not outrage you? Do you get mad at chestnuts for being lazy as well?

squidgod2000: Main problem: It's a totally accepted standard procedure for cops to use pain (in the form of pepper spray, tazers, nightsticks, and other "less-lethal" measures) to force compliance instead of reserving those for self defense or violent suspects (actually violent, not "disagreeing with cop" violent).

Cop: "Do what I say."

Citizen: "No."

Cop: *ZAAAP*

Here's an idea:
Don't break the law if you don't want to get f*cked up by the police.
It's been working out pretty well for me so far.

Could someone please explain to me why we have to allow people to disrupt everybody's lives just because they want to do so? Protesting is fine, but why do people think that protestors should be allowed to stop traffic and conferences and disrupt cities? For instance, when they disrupted the WTO meeting, aren't they interfering with someone's free speech (the people seeking to attend the conference)? Why is it OK for that to happen?

If it is not OK for people to do that, shouldn't the police use tactics to end unlawful conduct? I'd be curious to here an OWS supporter explain to me why people should be allowed to camp out in a park and disrupt businesses and people going to work so they can protest. Why isn't it enough to simply protest and have signs and say what you want to say? What makes it OK to interfere with other people's lives?