Which, once more, re-enforces in my mind the notion that almost everything a cop does is some form of rape- or worse.
"Blow me, Citizen!"
And, just imagine, some people still think of these parasites as the "good guys"!
(Sorry that this one is a bit less "family friendly" than usual, but seriously- the title...)
.
Authority and Domination do strange things to people.
ReplyDeleteI generally agree with you about cops, Kent. Too many of them let the power they can wield (can, but don't have to) go to their heads. At the same time, I believe that no one has the inalienable right to immediately and directly endanger the lives and property of other people. Drunk driving does just that. If all the roads were privately owned toll roads, the owners would have the right to stop suspected drunk drivers and test them and, if found to be impaired, impound their cars, maybe detain them somewhere until sober, and charge them for the trouble.
ReplyDeleteThey would have the right, but I would refuse to do business with any road owner who treated drivers like cops do. And, that road owner would also be liable for mistakes and overstepping his rights- or allowing his hired people to do it.
DeleteThere are right ways to combat actual drunk driving, and there are wrong ways. The State always chooses the wrong way.
I believe this is part (not all, obviously) of the government's reluctance to "legalize" self-driving cars. You can't legitimately kidnap someone for "drunk driving" if they aren't driving. Not that they wouldn't do it anyway, but more people would see through the BS. The anti-alcohol squad would still justify it because they just don't want anyone to drink anywhere under any circumstances, but rational people would find it a lot harder to support the kidnapping of drunks who sleep it off while their car takes them home just as safely as it would if they were totally sober.
About 15 years ago I used to hang out overnight with my (at-the-time) wife at the convenience store where she worked. It was educational.
ReplyDeleteI witnessed- with my own two eyes- the despicable behavior of the cops trying to entrap people in "drunk driving" accusations.
One occasion I remember in particular the cop gave a college kid "sobriety test" after "sobriety test"- and the kid easily passed them all. For over 45 minutes. Finally the kid stumbled slightly (probably from exhaustion- he was looking worn out by this time) and was immediately cuffed and "arrested".
I have never looked at "drunk driving laws" the same since then.
The most abusive cop was then involved in a lawsuit when he stopped a guy and couldn't prove he was "impaired" but kept trying to pull the same stunt on him with "test" after "test". The driver finally said "You know where I live. I am walking home. Come get me if you want me" and started walking. The cop whipped out his tazer and tazed him a few dozen times. (Do they even hold a charge for that many electrocutions?) The driver sued and, if I remember correctly, he won.
I'm sure the dedication of the local cops to enforcing "drunk driving laws" had nothing to do with the fact the town had sent them all to "special training" just before that.
Have you ever lost a loved one to a drunk driver. It hurts, Kent. It hurts a lot. How do you propose to keep drunk drivers off the road? How do you propose to keep families from feeling that pain from some idiot drunk deciding to drive? I know. They can't stop them all. The hardcore alcoholics, even those with suspended licenses, will drive drunk. But, the thought of the problems incurred by driving drunk keeps most of the more rational people from doing so. Or, how about this, In Helsinki, Finland, if you get caught driving drunk you do six months on the island--just for drunk drivers. A second offense is eighteen months. Be you a banker or a lawyer or just a day-laborer, you go to the island. And, if someone kills anyone due to his drunk driving, how about the death sentence, or at the very least, life in prison? No, still to governmental. Then how about branding his forehead with "DDK", drunk driver killer. Or how about this, the relatives and close friends of the victim get a pass if they find and shoot the bastard down. Yes many cops are asshole bastards because they abuse the power they have been given. That's why we must fight the efforts by the police to stop us from recording their illegal actions. We must, since we are still under this screwed up government system, tell the politicians in no uncertain terms that "The People" must not be stopped from recording the bad behavior of the police.
ReplyDeleteNo, I haven't lost a loved one to a drunk driver. I realize it hurts a lot. It's an emotional thing- which means that people don't think rationally about it.
DeleteI don't have all the answers. But, here are several ways I can think of to keep drunk drivers off the road without violating everyone else:
-End zoning "laws" that keep bars out of neighborhoods so that drunk people don't need to drive.
-Allow home delivery of booze.
-As I have said in the past, don't penalize people for realizing they are too drunk to drive and deciding to sleep it off in their car or walk home.
-Don't ration "taxi licenses" and let anyone drive people around and compete for business.
-Set up a charity that rewards known drunks for not driving when they have drunk anything (the drunks could even blow into a breathalyzer to "prove" they haven't drank anything if that's what your charity required for evidence).
-Remove the incentives for cops to arrest every drunk instead of simply driving them home (without their car, obviously).
-If anyone harms anyone else, then restitution (or self defense if harm is imminent) becomes appropriate (which is an after-the-fact "solution" just like your "license to kill" would be).
I can't go for revenge killings of people who aren't currently harming anyone- just like I can't support a "death penalty" carried out by any government for any reason.
Can you possibly set aside the hurt and anger long enough to join me in coming up with solutions that wouldn't violate innocent people while keeping more drunks off the road? I'll bet you could think of some great solutions if you gave yourself a chance.
My twin brother was killed when driving drunk. No one else was injured.
ReplyDeleteNo stinking "drunk driving laws" saved him. He made a bad choice and paid the price. He was responsible for his own action.
However, one of Kent's PEACEFUL, VOLUNTAR, suggested solutions may very well have saved him.