Originally Posted by Guest

Their will be a change in venue for the trial. The officers could very well be found not guilty of most of the charges. Other than Prince Georges County and the city of Baltimore most Marylanders like their police a lot.

You're correct. A logical next step would be to reduce police in PG county and Baltimore, while redeploying those resources elsewhere in Maryland. That way every body is happy

I am going to make some assumptions here:
I assume that most, if not all, the posters on here are white.
I assume that most, if not all, the posters on here are over 55.
I assume that most, if not all, the posters on here are in the middle class or above.
I assume that most, if not all, the posters on here have relatively clean, if not totally clean criminal histories.
I assume that most, if not all, the posters on here live and have lived for many years, in relatively crime-free environs.
BTW, all of those assumptions fit me.

And so, I hear many saying - just be courteous, and respectful and you will not be shot or otherwise harmed unjustly. True indeed, and easy to say, and do, for all those of us that fit the prior assumptions. In my few encounters with officers as an occasional speeder, I have been courteous and respectful and accepted my ticket without name calling or violence.

But.....what if the law officers assumed that your type fit their vision of a troublemaker? What if they treated you with disrespect and derision? What if they physically abused you without cause? What if they called you offensive names? What if you knew people who were roughed up by the law enforcers without cause? Would these things tend to make you nervous, defensive, angry? Would they possibly cause you to react in a less than courteous and respectful manner. Would they even possibly cause you to run away even though you were innocent of any wrongdoing? I don't know the answer because none of those things are in my background, but I can only guess that courtesy and respect might come a little more reluctantly. Most, if not all of us on this forum, can't even remotely relate to people who have grown up in impoverished, crime ridden, drug infested, gang dominated neighborhoods. I am not condoning bad behavior, but am simply trying to understand the problems, and am not sure I am capable. Thank you to all the great dedicated ethical devoted law enforcement officers out there who make our lives safer and easier.

Originally Posted by Guest

I am going to make some assumptions here:
I assume that most, if not all, the posters on here are white.
I assume that most, if not all, the posters on here are over 55.
I assume that most, if not all, the posters on here are in the middle class or above.
I assume that most, if not all, the posters on here have relatively clean, if not totally clean criminal histories.
I assume that most, if not all, the posters on here live and have lived for many years, in relatively crime-free environs.
BTW, all of those assumptions fit me.

And so, I hear many saying - just be courteous, and respectful and you will not be shot or otherwise harmed unjustly. True indeed, and easy to say, and do, for all those of us that fit the prior assumptions. In my few encounters with officers as an occasional speeder, I have been courteous and respectful and accepted my ticket without name calling or violence.

But.....what if the law officers assumed that your type fit their vision of a troublemaker? What if they treated you with disrespect and derision? What if they physically abused you without cause? What if they called you offensive names? What if you knew people who were roughed up by the law enforcers without cause? Would these things tend to make you nervous, defensive, angry? Would they possibly cause you to react in a less than courteous and respectful manner. Would they even possibly cause you to run away even though you were innocent of any wrongdoing? I don't know the answer because none of those things are in my background, but I can only guess that courtesy and respect might come a little more reluctantly. Most, if not all of us on this forum, can't even remotely relate to people who have grown up in impoverished, crime ridden, drug infested, gang dominated neighborhoods. I am not condoning bad behavior, but am simply trying to understand the problems, and am not sure I am capable. Thank you to all the great dedicated ethical devoted law enforcement officers out there who make our lives safer and easier.

I would still be quiet, respectful and follow the officers instructions. I would go for the jugular latter, but not during the stop. Plus, I challenge you to show evidence of that ever happening in the last 20 years. I feel, that this jerk and Rodney king got their just reward.

Oh, sorry, I also meet all the assumptions above. If doing right for 70 years is bad, then count me guilty.

Originally Posted by Guest

I would still be quiet, respectful and follow the officers instructions. I would go for the jugular latter, but not during the stop. Plus, I challenge you to show evidence of that ever happening in the last 20 years. I feel, that this jerk and Rodney king got their just reward.

You need evidence? I think any fair minded, objective, non partisan person would admit this has almost certainly happened many dozens of times. As for the jerk, he ended up dead with no medical intervention, not my idea of a just reward even for a criminal, albeit a non-violent one.

Originally Posted by Guest

Oh, sorry, I also meet all the assumptions above. If doing right for 70 years is bad, then count me guilty.

Me too, I don't know about you, but I consider my self blessed.

Originally Posted by Guest

...I feel, that this jerk and Rodney king got their just reward.

Well, Rodney King was awarded $3,800,000 in his civil suit against the City of Los Angeles. The family of Freddie Gray will receive at least 10 times that amount in an award from Baltimore City. Remember, that is tax free money!

Is that the just reward to which you refer?

Originally Posted by Guest

Well, Rodney King was awarded $3,800,000 in his civil suit against the City of Los Angeles. The family of Freddie Gray will receive at least 10 times that amount in an award from Baltimore City. Remember, that is tax free money!

Is that the just reward to which you refer?

If left alive, he would cost more than that due to his criminal activity over the next few years.
I wonder how may tax dollars he has contributed to the city or this country. It's time to get past being politically correct and think what is best for all, black and white.

Originally Posted by Guest

I am going to make some assumptions here:
I assume that most, if not all, the posters on here are white.
I assume that most, if not all, the posters on here are over 55.
I assume that most, if not all, the posters on here are in the middle class or above.
I assume that most, if not all, the posters on here have relatively clean, if not totally clean criminal histories.
I assume that most, if not all, the posters on here live and have lived for many years, in relatively crime-free environs.
BTW, all of those assumptions fit me.

And so, I hear many saying - just be courteous, and respectful and you will not be shot or otherwise harmed unjustly. True indeed, and easy to say, and do, for all those of us that fit the prior assumptions. In my few encounters with officers as an occasional speeder, I have been courteous and respectful and accepted my ticket without name calling or violence.

But.....what if the law officers assumed that your type fit their vision of a troublemaker? What if they treated you with disrespect and derision? What if they physically abused you without cause? What if they called you offensive names? What if you knew people who were roughed up by the law enforcers without cause? Would these things tend to make you nervous, defensive, angry? Would they possibly cause you to react in a less than courteous and respectful manner. Would they even possibly cause you to run away even though you were innocent of any wrongdoing? I don't know the answer because none of those things are in my background, but I can only guess that courtesy and respect might come a little more reluctantly. Most, if not all of us on this forum, can't even remotely relate to people who have grown up in impoverished, crime ridden, drug infested, gang dominated neighborhoods. I am not condoning bad behavior, but am simply trying to understand the problems, and am not sure I am capable. Thank you to all the great dedicated ethical devoted law enforcement officers out there who make our lives safer and easier.

Very thoughtful post and it has caused me to think about some things.

To your point … your assumptions fit me as well.

You’re essentially asking us to look at it from the perspective of an inner city kid. I think I can imagine the level of hopelessness those kids feel. Maybe not perfectly, but close enough to know that it’s a miserable life.

Then I ask myself two more questions:

First, how come I did well in life (along with most of the people on TOTV) and the Baltimore kids did not?

• We were all lucky to “inherit” the benefits of Western Civilization … respect for the individual, political liberty coupled with economic and religious freedom (without that, most of us would have been serfs or cannon fodder somewhere)
• We were lucky to be born in mid-20th century America
• We were lucky to, by and large, have intact two parent families that instilled basic values in us
• At that point, it was up to each of us to get an education, work hard and succeed in life.

Second, so WHAT do we do about the inner city kids so they can benefit like we did? We all know plenty of successful black people so I argue it is not a race issue but rather a class issue. I know one thing that has proven not to work … the stuff we’ve been doing for the past 50 years aka applied liberalism.

So, again, what do you think we should do about it? Even after we understand how these kids feel the way they do, there’s no way we can simply accept the anti-civilized and criminal behavior. Plus, the only people they really hurt by the rioting, looting and burning are themselves. Ironic.

"If left alive, he would cost more than that due to his criminal activity over the next few years."

Freddie Gray was a petty criminal with mostly selling drug paraphanalia and weed. He did have a few more serioius offenses but nothing that deserved death.

Perhaps you did not read the dollar amount right. I am guessing that Gray's family will get in excess of $38,000,000 in tax free money. That guess is based on another Baltimore prisoner who was given the rough ride and won an award for $39,000,000. He wound up a parapalgic. Gray died.

...and the cops are not responsible in any way?

Originally Posted by Guest

Was a toxicology exam done to determine if there were drugs in his system at the time of the arrest? I can't seem to find an answer to this question.

I believe that it was Don Lemon on CNN who reported that Mr. Gray had both heroin and pot in his system at 8:30 AM no less .

Anyone hear if Freddie left behind any babies and Baby-Mamas for the taxpayers to support ?

Originally Posted by Guest

I believe that it was Don Lemon on CNN who reported that Mr. Gray had both heroin and pot in his system at 8:30 AM no less .

Freddie Gray's death: What we know and don't know - CNN.com


This report from CNN is a few days old, but it says that the toxicology report could take weeks.