Another Type of SWATTING?

[paperburn1]

Common sense would dictate that before you go charging through the door on somebodies home you do routine background checks on all occupants and at least 3 days worth of surveillance. You definitely make sure you have the right address, and if there's kids living there wait until they're at school. Ideally you wait until nobodies home and you detain people on the street where its safe. Noise and confusion in the dark are a recipe for tragedy, especially with guns.

I was told it is common practice for cali dispensary of medical marijuana to send to an address with a false name to prevent the person from being busted. they started this practice when John Denver (Gilligan of Gilligan's island fame ) got Maryann busted by sending pot though the UPS people. (if not true it is a great story at least the part about Gilligan is true)

[rjaypeters]

John Denver: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000135/

Bob Denver: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001134/

[MSimon]

What kind of State does China have? A police state. How did they get it? They legalized drugs.

Nuff said.

What kind of state does America have? A police state. How did they get it? They illegalized drugs.

I didn't think you would give a serious answer. Of course your answer implies an obvious conclusion. You prefer their version of the police state over "ours."

Their police state outlawed drugs too, and with much stiffer penalties.

Well had you been following the comments here you would know that more that a few people think America is a police state. It is not an all or nothing deal. It is a continuum.

Seriously - when the government can tell you what you can and cannot eat, drink, smoke etc. backed by the police power what exactly would you call such a state? Liberty? To do what you are told.

Coming next you will be forced to buy government mandated products. You object? Why? You are fine with other restrictions on your liberty that encompass neither criminality nor fraud.

Let me explain how the softening up is done. They first go after people who are not well liked - dopers say - to establish the rule. Then - having established the rule they apply it to every one.

Try buying a supersized beverage in NY. It is illegal (I believe the law has passed or is about to pass) - for your own good. The principle was established for dope. Now there are no limits. As long as the justification is preserving your health from yourself.

A certain pastor noticed this trend in another police state.

First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out--
Because I was not a Socialist.

Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out--
Because I was not a Trade Unionist.

Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out--
Because I was not a Jew.

Then they came for me--and there was no one left to speak for me.

[paperburn1]

John Denver: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000135/

Bob Denver: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001134/

I stand corrected

[GIThruster]

Well had you been following the comments here you would know that more that a few people think America is a police state. It is not an all or nothing deal. It is a continuum.

Seriously - when the government can tell you what you can and cannot eat, drink, smoke etc. backed by the police power what exactly would you call such a state?

By your definition, all states in all the world are police states. Definitions that don't draw distinctions are useless.

You need to get out more. Leave the pot and the 'puter behind and meet some people who are not part of your private, twisted existence. There are not many people who think the US is a police state, and odds are, every last one who does is an unemployed druggie living off the backs of others and whining constantly because that's how they justify their miserable existence.

Go get a job, earn a little self respect and see how that alters your twisted world view.

[palladin9479]

The USA is slowly becoming a police state due to there being no negative consequences for Police Officers violating the law.

Just recently a police officer shot and killed a double amputee in a wheel chair for wielding a suspicious metal object that turned out to be a pen. Chances are absolutely nothing will happen to the police officers involved, even though they killed an unarmed disabled, mentally impaired man in a wheel chair armed with a pen.

Think about that long and hard. There is a huge problem right now with the police because there is no check to their power. Internal Affairs works for the same people the police do, and no DA will indite a police officer for fear of pissing off the unions. Ultimately we got a force of officers who have no check or limits on their ability to kill, as long as they can say they felt "threatened".

[Stubby]

The USA is slowly becoming a police state due to there being no negative consequences for Police Officers violating the law.

Just recently a police officer shot and killed a double amputee in a wheel chair for wielding a suspicious metal object that turned out to be a pen. Chances are absolutely nothing will happen to the police officers involved, even though they killed an unarmed disabled, mentally impaired man in a wheel chair armed with a pen.

Think about that long and hard. There is a huge problem right now with the police because there is no check to their power. Internal Affairs works for the same people the police do, and no DA will indite a police officer for fear of pissing off the unions. Ultimately we got a force of officers who have no check or limits on their ability to kill, as long as they can say they felt "threatened".

Your border patrol has absolute power as well. They have the power to bar you for 5 years from entering the US. No judge, no jury and no trial.
Contesting it is almost impossible. Having said that, the ones I come across are quite nice. But there are stories...

[palladin9479]

The USA is slowly becoming a police state due to there being no negative consequences for Police Officers violating the law.

Just recently a police officer shot and killed a double amputee in a wheel chair for wielding a suspicious metal object that turned out to be a pen. Chances are absolutely nothing will happen to the police officers involved, even though they killed an unarmed disabled, mentally impaired man in a wheel chair armed with a pen.

Think about that long and hard. There is a huge problem right now with the police because there is no check to their power. Internal Affairs works for the same people the police do, and no DA will indite a police officer for fear of pissing off the unions. Ultimately we got a force of officers who have no check or limits on their ability to kill, as long as they can say they felt "threatened".

Your border patrol has absolute power as well. They have the power to bar you for 5 years from entering the US. No judge, no jury and no trial.
Contesting it is almost impossible. Having said that, the ones I come across are quite nice. But there are stories...

That is such a big issue. Due process has been removed via bureaucratic procedures. In no way should a citizen of the USA ever be denied entrance to their home country, it reeks of a fascist government. It's almost better to be a criminal, at least then your guaranteed due process and trial by jury. Regular working citizens have almost no rights now.

[GIThruster]

That is such a big issue. Due process has been removed via bureaucratic procedures. In no way should a citizen of the USA ever be denied entrance to their home country, it reeks of a fascist government. It's almost better to be a criminal, at least then your guaranteed due process and trial by jury. Regular working citizens have almost no rights now.

You're a little confused. The boarder patrol doesn't have the power to deny American citizens the right to enter the country. They have the authority to extend someone's place in the INS line by five years if they're caught crossing illegally.

I see no signs that police brutality and abuse of power are on the rise. This problem has always existed and will always exist because people with power abuse it. Cops never drive the speed limit. Never have, never will. It's a problem that needs to have an eye on, but it's the same problem we've had for as long as we've had law enforcement. This perspective that we're on a downward spiral has no evidence and if anything, now that literally everyone above the age of 10 carries a video camera in their pocket, these abuses of power are likely to reduce over time.

There are entire web sites dedicated to telling people how to film the police while doing their job. No one would have conceived of such a thing 10 years ago.

[Betruger]

The USA is slowly becoming a police state due to there being no negative consequences for Police Officers violating the law.

Just recently a police officer shot and killed a double amputee in a wheel chair for wielding a suspicious metal object that turned out to be a pen. Chances are absolutely nothing will happen to the police officers involved, even though they killed an unarmed disabled, mentally impaired man in a wheel chair armed with a pen.

Think about that long and hard. There is a huge problem right now with the police because there is no check to their power.

An electorate that does not know and does not care.

This problem has always existed and will always exist because people with power abuse it. Cops never drive the speed limit. Never have, never will.

As above...

if anything, now that literally everyone above the age of 10 carries a video camera in their pocket, these abuses of power are likely to reduce over time.

There are entire web sites dedicated to telling people how to film the police while doing their job. No one would have conceived of such a thing 10 years ago.

... and this too, consistent with an apathetic electorate: the multiplicative effect of electronics is the only change - people are still as complacent; except now there's something that's within their microscopic tolerance for making an effort: they point their iPhone at the problem.