But the cops are good people. Or something

[Savannahmann]

A user posted this missive in this thread.

In the post, the user argued that excessive force and violence by the police was not nearly as big a deal as citizen on citizen violence.

I tend to think that 400 people, most of them probably violent criminals, killed by cops - is the distraction, compared to the much larger number of people - 14,800 killed by other Americans.

So excessive force, and murder by police, who lie about the situation, is a distraction. So I thought I'd ask you all the following question to help me get a feel of the users here on DU.

In this scenario, it is understood that you are innocent. You haven't don anything to anyone, you've committed no crime. You are literally minding your own business in situations like this, this, this, or this.

Now, the question. Would you rather get assaulted by a random attacker on the street in which you get a concussion, lost wallet, have to cancel credit cards and the rest from your lost wallet.

Or would you rather be beaten by the police as in the linked examples, and then be charged with a felony of assaulting a police officer, convicted, spend some time in prison, and attempt to rebuild your life afterward with a felony conviction which shuts you out of many employment opportunities.

I'm going to take it as a given that you and I would really rather not be beaten. However, of the two choices, which would you prefer? For me? I'll take random attack by the civilians for two hundred Alex.

2 votes, 0 passes | Time left: Unlimited
	I'd rather be beaten in a random attack so I only suffer for a few days.
	2 (100%)
	I'd rather be beaten by the police and suffer for the rest of my life.
	0 (0%)
	0 DU members did not wish to select any of the options provided.
Show usernames Disclaimer: This is an Internet poll

[shenmue]

1. Door number three.

Trash thread.

[Action_Patrol]

2. Yep

[Le Taz Hot]

5. I hear that.

I've had good experiences and bad experiences with cops. Putting everyone in the same bucket is simplistic and inaccurate.

[bigwillq]

9. Good post.

[hfojvt]

6. come on

call out threads are good solid fun

plus, they help to win elections, unlike this nonsense http://www.democraticunderground.com/10025697641

[MrScorpio]

3. I had a chance to do another Bad Cop, No Donut yesterday

But I decided against it.

I just looked at the graphics and a wave of despair just washed all over me.

[Savannahmann]

8. it is said.

Better a thousand guilty men go free, than one innocent man go to prison.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blackstone's_formulation

For the police, it's the other way around. Better that a thousand innocents get punished, than one guilty go free.

As for bad cops, the largest collection I've found is here. http://www.policemisconduct.net/

[B2G]

4. Well gee, when you put it that way...

[Savannahmann]

10. But that is the way it plays out.

If the police beat you, unless they are caught on video, and sometimes even then, you're convicted of the crime of resisting arrest, assaulting a police officer. Even if you are convicted of no other crime, they'll still hit you with that.

Ferguson cops beat a guy, he bled on them, and they charged him with destruction of public property because he was bleeding after the beating.

The links I provided are fairly recent. Without those videos, the accused would have been convicted, and sent to jail, for being beaten. If you know anyone who's gotten out of Prison, ask them how tough it is to get a decent job. You think it's tough for the rest of us out there, add convicted felon to the resume and see how that spices things up.

It's a tragic thing when someone is murdered. But at least if the individual doing the killing is a civilian, there is a chance they will be caught. If it's a cop, there is next to no chance that they will be held accountable, even if there is video.

[cherokeeprogressive]

7. I can't figure out which answer you think is correct. Can you give me a hint maybe?