Too bad to check: New York cop knocks bicyclist over for no apparent reason
posted at 8:51 pm on July 28, 2008 by Allahpundit
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Three weeks on the force and already stripped of his badge and gun. Even worse than the crime, the apparent cover-up:
What the video doesn’t show is Pogan arresting Long for attempted assault in the third degree, resisting arrest and disorderly conduct – charges that kept the Bloomfield, N.J. man behind bars for 26 hours before his release late Saturday…
In court papers, Pogan accused Long of purposely swerving his bicycle to block traffic and then using it as a weapon to run down the officer, knocking him off his feet and causing a “laceration” on his forearm.
Watch the clip to see who ran down whom; linebackers get paid good money to make open-field tackles as crunching as this. The only semi-exculpatory explanation I can think of would be if there was a run-in earlier with the same bicyclist such that the cops had reason to believe he was dangerous and needed to apprehend him by any means necessary. I’m skeptical, but we’ll see. Exit quotation: “If it wasn’t caught on video people would not have believed it.”
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Come on people. Look at the video closely. Slow it down if you have to. The guy on the bike was trying to run over the cop.
SoulGlo on July 29, 2008 at 12:57 AM
You’re contradicting yourself, which in this case is a good thing. You’ve repeatedly claimed that the bicyclist was clearly trying to strike the cop but now you seem to admit that it is obvious he was trying to avoid striking the cop.
FloatingRock on July 29, 2008 at 12:59 AM
This list of Critical Mass terminology is from Wikipedia:
Charming.
hillbillyjim on July 29, 2008 at 1:01 AM
You’re clearly incapable of simple reading comprehension. At first the cyclist was trying to avoid the cop, because the cop was trying to stop him. Then, once he knew he could not avoid the cop, having no intention of stopping, he decided to try to ram his way past the cop. At first his path was wide of the cop, but the cop continued to cut off his “escape” route. Instead of attempting to slow down, he continued pedaling, shifted his weight towards the cop, and tried to barrel through.
jimmy the notable on July 29, 2008 at 1:01 AM
Not to mention the fact that I have stated this argument numerous times.
jimmy the notable on July 29, 2008 at 1:03 AM
jimmy the notable, flenser,SoulGlo, don’t be such stupid idiots!
The cyclist was trying to swerve past the cop. The cop leans forward to smack him. That’s clearly shown on the video. It’s not debatable.
barry norris on July 29, 2008 at 1:04 AM
It happens quickly, and if you only watch the video once and at full-speed, I can understand where your interpretation comes from. It is absolutely debatable as far as I’m concerned.
jimmy the notable on July 29, 2008 at 1:05 AM
Yeah, I watched a couple more times, too, and the body language is interesting. The two cops both spot their target at almost the same moment, without looking at each other or communicating anything like “Let’s get that one.” This particular cyclist is who they were looking for, for whatever reason.
The cop should have put out his hand in the universal signal for “Stop,” but I do think it is pretty clear that he meant for that cyclist to stop. The other cop does not exhibit any surprise or upset at his partner’s action, either, which leads me to believe that he thought the action was justified in some way.
Same with the two cyclists who calmly stop to take the downed cyclist’s bike away. They do it quickly but without panic and without interacting with the downed cyclist (”Are you okay, man?”) or the cops (”Is there a problem, officer?” or “What the hell do you think you’re doing, pig?”). Kinda like it was planned and this was their designated role. It’s very odd that they do not check on the cyclist to make sure he’s okay, and they do not stop to confront the police, which I would think activists would do in a clear-cut case of police brutality in front of many witnesses. Perhaps that only happens in San Francisco, but I would think those cyclists would clump around the scene and start shouting about police brutality with great outrage if it were really the case.
I also find the cameraman’s perfect position near the cops to be suspicious, along with how he shifts his pov to the cops just moments before the target cyclist gets to them. He seems exceptionally anxious for other bystanders to move out of his shot too.
In other words, lots of tiny clues seem to support the theory that the whole thing was set up by the Critical Mass people to produce a scene such as this one. More facts are needed, but that’s what it looks like to me.
aero on July 29, 2008 at 1:08 AM
Oh it’s debatable.
Have you seen the comments, barry?
For something that’s not debatable, there’s sure a lot of debate going on here.
hillbillyjim on July 29, 2008 at 1:09 AM
From a Seattle-based website comments section:
hillbillyjim on July 29, 2008 at 1:25 AM
The guy is part of critical mass.
We should be thanking that cop.
Only one line comes to mind, some of you movie buffs might get it. It explains how I feel when watching this:
“Don’t shoot! Let ‘em burn!!!!”
blatantblue on July 29, 2008 at 1:25 AM
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2007/04/04/BAGF7P12RN23.DTL
blatantblue on July 29, 2008 at 1:27 AM
I had to follow an oversized load over Stevens Pass in Washington State once and there were literally several hundred cars backed up. I grew up driving over the passes and am good at passing, whereas most people seem to be afraid to, and I had to pass sometimes 20 to 30 cars at a time before, finally, I got up to the head of the line and made it around the obstruction. It cost maybe an hour overall, and I was the most aggressive passer that I can recall. I felt sorry for all of the other poor saps that were to frightened, (or “mature” as they probably saw it), to pass, although it’s probably best that they didn’t attempt it if they weren’t comfortable or experienced with the physics of the process.
FloatingRock on July 29, 2008 at 1:35 AM
Sorry, that doesn’t count. No jury would consider a cop seemingly taking a stroll to be an indication of a specific command.
FloatingRock on July 29, 2008 at 1:40 AM
Right, which would be fine except that your analysis doesn’t jibe with the video. But let’s agree to disagree on that point because we’re not going to convince each other.
FloatingRock on July 29, 2008 at 1:45 AM
I still stand by my analysis and apparently the NYC police do also.
Kini on July 29, 2008 at 1:57 AM
All that matters is what the cyclist did before he got to the cop; and that part was very carefully cut out of the video.
Watch the video carefully from the point just before it starts to pan forward. The camera man very carefully keeps the cyclist out of the shot; the camera panned around just as the cyclist would have been coming into view. He even ducked it down so you couldn’t see see what the cyclist was doing at all leading up to the collision. Then he moved the view as far forward as possible until the policeman was in the outside edge of the screen – keeping the cyclist out of the picture until the last possible second.
logis on July 29, 2008 at 2:06 AM
Oh, and after all those carefully-timed gyrations, the camera stopped and centered on the exact point of impact before the collision occurred.
Not buying it.
logis on July 29, 2008 at 2:14 AM
I’da been all like, “Close your eyes kids. This is gonna get messy.”
- The Cat
P.S. They’re Bicycle Supremacists? I thought I’ve been on the net to literally have seen/heard/dude post everything, and yet . .
MirCat on July 29, 2008 at 2:18 AM
Agreed! Brooklyn Bridge for sale kinda argument
It’s all a conspiracy…. just like 911
Kini on July 29, 2008 at 2:19 AM
…Or maybe that’s just what all the voices in your head WANT you to think!
logis on July 29, 2008 at 2:27 AM
Queue Twilight Zone theme music….
Kini on July 29, 2008 at 2:35 AM
The cop assaulted him and could have seriously hurt him. The only mitigating factor would be if the cop singled him out for something else but there was no attempt to signal the cyclist to stop.
lexhamfox on July 29, 2008 at 2:40 AM
You know this to be fact, yes?
What part of the video did YOU see that we didn’t?
Ugly on July 29, 2008 at 3:03 AM
♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ dud duh dud da ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫
hillbillyjim on July 29, 2008 at 3:05 AM
If 100% of all right thinking people cannot agree that the cop was in the wrong….we are doomed….
Unmistakable….Clear….Period.
daytrader on July 29, 2008 at 5:02 AM
Yeah, that was a forearm shiver to the chin. You can see the guy leaning into the turn when the officer takes him down. That’s 2 minutes for elbowing right there…
Granted Critical Massers are out of line and get absolutely nothing accomplished with their theatrics and end up alienating themselves further from the people they’re trying to reach out to.
liquidflorian on July 29, 2008 at 5:16 AM
That ain’t brutal. This now this is brutal.
- The Cat
MirCat on July 29, 2008 at 6:22 AM
The video, to my mind, is inconclusive. It is a snapshot without any context.
What I do know is that the vast majority of NYPD officers that I have known have been decent, honorable, and dedicated to public safety and the job.
Another thing that I do know is that Critical Mass is a bunch of bullying jerks who think that they are entitled and the rest of us peons are just in the way.
I admit that those two pieces of information lead me to conclude that the officer was probably in the right, even though the video is inconclusive on it’s own.
gridlock2 on July 29, 2008 at 6:55 AM
Actually in slow motion I see the guy start to turn away from the cop to start and then turn back towards him, so yes like others said this video is inconclusive.
JeffinSac on July 29, 2008 at 7:49 AM
“What we’ve got here is…failure to communicate. Some men you just can’t reach. So you get what we had here last week, which is the way he wants it… well, he gets it. I don’t like it any more than you men.”
BohicaTwentyTwo on July 29, 2008 at 8:34 AM
Who cares? These “Critical Mass” cyclists enjoy harassing people, impeding traffic and being disruptive. Send more cops out with orders to tackle every one of them.
darwin on July 29, 2008 at 8:35 AM
Critical Mass, meet Intensive Care. Let’s hpe they try this stunt in a busy subway.
Coronagold on July 29, 2008 at 8:42 AM
In defense of the pedestrian cop, he was walking boldly to the sidewalk and the bicyclist rather than braking CONTINUES to move into the path of the cop who is deliberately moving in a straight line for the sidewalk. Yes, this was a confrontation. But the impact came from the bicyclist who did not give the cop the right of way as the cyclist is OBLIGATED to do for any pedestrian, particularly an officer of the law. The officer could have been responding to something happening on the sidewalk, and the cyclist interfered. Then there’s the obvious thought that this cyclist and this cop knew each other from a previous incident.
maverick muse on July 29, 2008 at 8:57 AM
Why did that cop just beat the crap out of that cyclist?
Was it for no apparent reason?
Time to strip him of his badge and lock him up in prison…he needs to be an example to the other pychopathic cops that like to assault citizens and abuse their power.
SaintOlaf on July 29, 2008 at 9:01 AM
Who is CRITICAL MASS?
How many of the cyclists were wearing backpacks?
Were helmets required of cyclists riding in NYC?
maverick muse on July 29, 2008 at 9:03 AM
There was eye contact between the cop and the cyclist. The cyclist incorrectly expected the cop to give up right of way. The body language was clearly on the cops side as he moved directly for the sidewalk and this cyclist foolishly tried to maneuver in front of an oncoming pedestrian cop rather than braking or turning the other way than the direction the cop was walking before the cyclist arrived for impact.
If a cyclist ran me down as I tried to reach a sidewalk because the cyclist figured it was his right to move wherever he wants regardless of pedestrians or anyone, I’d be plenty angry.
maverick muse on July 29, 2008 at 9:08 AM
Looks to me like the guy on the bike did something prior to coming into camera shot that caught the cops attention. Both cops picked him out of the crowd.
Or not.
Rod on July 29, 2008 at 9:12 AM
Taunting car drivers with there “We’re Not Blocking Traffic, We Are Traffic”, banging on car windows. If someone had an emergency they would be in serious trouble, seeing as the these CM protesters would let you die in your car to make their point.
Most men learned (though I believe this has been taken out of school) in the sandbox, when you are obnoxious, you get beat up.
Taunting someone when you are a child, gets you beat up…when you are an adult, taunting someone can get you beat up.
Here is a lesson, protest, but don’t taunt.
The above quote shows how frustratingly violent these people are, they are “passive” in their violence.
I assure you, if you were having a heart attack, they would not move out of your way. If your child was having a seizure, they would not move out of your way. It is their way to “taunt” society, and strike out.
The officer may have been wrong (looks like he saw something before the rider got to him), but the cyclist is wrong for being part of an unruly angry violent mob.
right2bright on July 29, 2008 at 9:12 AM
I saw the video when the thread first came up. I didn’t bother to comment because I assumed they would all be similar to mine. Today I see there are 300-plus comments, and that most are actually trying to defend the cop. Now that I think about it, I shouldn’t really be surprised at this since this site is filled with extremist sociopaths.
dave742 on July 29, 2008 at 9:19 AM
Let’s just assume the bicyclist is a commie and celebrate the cop hitting paydirt. Or we could all get all upset and act like liberals over it.
I laughed. The cop was disciplined. The guy will get a settlement.
WIN/WIN/WIN
Metro on July 29, 2008 at 9:21 AM
Define “extremist.”
Metro on July 29, 2008 at 9:23 AM
This is just, wonderful. I mean awful. I mean awfully wonderful.
Sorry, I just can’t get upset when one of these left wing a-holes gets what it deserves.
The cops have to put up with these clowns year around.
I suggest a counseling class for this officer.
And a another beat down for the “victim”. Just in case the first one didn’t take.
NoDonkey on July 29, 2008 at 9:28 AM
It’s clear to me that the cop was way out of line but, I confess I got thrill up my leg watching the video. I’m so bad.
ronsfi on July 29, 2008 at 9:31 AM
Metro:
A person whose viewpoints are far from the average. So far this morning I showed the video to 7 or 8 people at work, and every one thought the cop was a psycho who should be in jail. This is the “average” reaction.
Extremists are people who, when the subject of Iran comes up, for example, make comments like this:
And the rest of the people make similar comments or think that this is normal. You people are sociopaths. Maybe spending a lot of time conversing with similar sociopaths on sites like this helps you to feel normal, but you’re not.
dave742 on July 29, 2008 at 9:37 AM
SPLAT!
Yeah, that ought to make the SportsCenter highlight reel because….. well, just because.
hillbillyjim on July 29, 2008 at 9:40 AM
Metro:
Read the two posts following yours for good examples.
dave742 on July 29, 2008 at 9:41 AM
Better than you.
hillbillyjim on July 29, 2008 at 9:42 AM
Jeez, I cant believe people are here defending the cop…you see him clearly pick up speed as the guy on the bike is coming towards him…he moves his feet faster…then plants as the bicyclist passes by…and the cop just wails on him…totally unprovoked…just…wrong.
ernesto on July 29, 2008 at 9:43 AM
hillbillyjim
Are you 5?
dave742 on July 29, 2008 at 9:45 AM
Are you a psychiatrist? A psychologist, perhaps?
hillbillyjim on July 29, 2008 at 9:49 AM
“and the cop just wails on him…totally unprovoked…just…wrong”
Perhaps, but who are we to judge?
NoDonkey on July 29, 2008 at 9:50 AM
Somehow I don’t think there are many normal people in this gang called critical mass. In fact, they seem to be nothing more than a bunch of spoiled brats who want everyone to cater to the wants and needs. You know, libs. And the cop did the right thing. In fact, this is what should be done to these clowns more often.
thekingtut on July 29, 2008 at 9:52 AM
Who in their right mind would defend a cop beating the hell out of a citizen for no apparent reason?
SaintOlaf on July 29, 2008 at 9:54 AM
Many of us aren’t so defending the cop (we will see what the total videos show). What would you say if the biker had cut someone off, and a police officer had tried to stop him, and he didn’t stop? See we need to have all the facts, there are thousands of scenarios, that why we have a judicial system.
But, what about the obtrusive, taunting, behavior of the cyclists. As I stated, have a child with a seizure, and the cyclist would care less. Or in the story I quoted, boxed in a car trying to get out of a driveway, he backed up and hit a couple of bikes (over 100 surrounded him, trapping him), they pounded his car, broke his window and hit the back of his head with a brick. He ended up in the hospital.
You think these “kids” are just riding a bike? They are passively attacking the system. Disrupt them, and they attack, brutally. Try to steer around them and they surround you with bikes and intimidate drivers. You can’t let a mob take over the streets, no matter what they say their “purpose” is, a bully is a bully, tie die shirt or not.
They are bullies, and you can’t give into bullies or you have chaos.
No we aren’t sociopaths, we will save that name for you, we want order and we don’t want to be intimidated by bullies.
right2bright on July 29, 2008 at 9:59 AM
The most logical explanation is this: the cop moved quickly for the sidewalk. The bicyclist swerved to the left (i.e. across the cop’s path) rather to the right (i.e. behind the cop). The cop interpreted that as provocation and reacted accordingly. You can argue about whether the cop overreacted, but this was not some cop randomly deciding to attack protestors.
On another note. I live in an area where we have a few liberal-leaning suburbs with boulevard style commuting arteries (i.e. two lanes each direction, separated by a median). Many mornings and evenings, bicyclists go out on those roads and obstruct the flow of traffic. At one point, I had to slam on my brakes and nearly got rear-ended as a result because a bicyclist (probably traveling 15 mph) abruptly changed lanes from the right lane to the left lane (where I was traveling at 40mph in a 35mph zone) less than two carlengths ahead of me, because he wanted to make a left hand turn. I hollered at the guy “hey, watch it!” and he told me to go f- myself because I was killing the earth with my car. I bet he would be singing a different tune if I ran square into him and propelled him about 40 feet through the air with my car. There’s gratitude for you.
Outlander on July 29, 2008 at 9:59 AM
hillbillyjim:
No. My wife is a researcher in social psychology. She is fascinated when I tell her what the people on this site say. She would love to do some testing on you people. It pays about $25 per hour if you’re interested.
dave742 on July 29, 2008 at 9:59 AM
How the hell do you know if the cop had no reason to tackle this clown? Critical mass has a record of criminal behavior. All you see is what’s on the video, not what happened before.
thekingtut on July 29, 2008 at 10:00 AM
You had me until the last two sentences. There is just not enough there on the video to know exactly what happened.
My knee-jerk reaction was that this cop has GOT to go to jail, but after watching the video several times and doing some background, I realized that I was making a rush to judgment.
Unless and until more information is available, it is premature to say with reasonable certainty where the fickle finger of blame should point.
hillbillyjim on July 29, 2008 at 10:00 AM
Nobody…but who would defend a cyclist (motorist) that breaks the law and does not stop when requested?
right2bright on July 29, 2008 at 10:01 AM
You want to study sociopaths? Why don’t you have your wife do a study as to why all the liberal blogs overtly cheer at the death or suffering of conservatives (Novak, Snow, etc.), but why the conservative blogs do not respond in kind when bad things happen to liberals (i.e. Kennedy)?
Outlander on July 29, 2008 at 10:02 AM
But Hillbillyjim, these guys have been known to engage in destruction of private property and assault. I’m tired of the police being forced to put people in danger because they are afraid to do what is needed to stop these criminals.
thekingtut on July 29, 2008 at 10:04 AM
These CM guys and gals, use the bikes and roads as their weapon against the people who have jobs.
If you ran into him, you would be in jail, if he runs into you, you end up in jail. They will have dozens of “witnesses” stating you are the one who caused the incident.
right2bright on July 29, 2008 at 10:05 AM
Actually the most logical explanation is that the cop is a pychopathic power drunk nutcase.
Do you really think there are not many many cops out there exactly like him?
I for one am outraged.
To defend him is to encourage such behaviour and advocate a police state.
Put him in prison and let him defend himself…other lunatic cops will get the message.
SaintOlaf on July 29, 2008 at 10:05 AM
There should be no debate. The cop clearly speeds up his step in order to make contact with the biker. What a jerk. He has no business being a cop.
Defense Guy on July 29, 2008 at 10:07 AM
Sold.
(She’ll have to sign a waiver absolving me from any incidental brain damage to her as a result of the “Brainal Probing” the dark recesses of my twisted, evil conservative mind.)
hillbillyjim on July 29, 2008 at 10:08 AM
Ans Saint Olaf, I say put the two wheeled terrorist in prison. I’ll side with the cops any day over these self-indulgent libs.
thekingtut on July 29, 2008 at 10:09 AM
361 Comments? Was the cyclist an atheist?
eeyore on July 29, 2008 at 10:10 AM
Actually in this country we don’t put people in prison for this and then let him “defend” himself.
You see, we have a judicial system that protects citizens from people like you. It is called innocent before proven guilty, I know it seems strange to someone like you, but it seems to work.
To do otherwise would place you as a psychopathic power drunk nutcase.
right2bright on July 29, 2008 at 10:12 AM
Nonsense – the police office was clearly protecting the city from lawbreakers.
He should be promoted. It’s about time a few lefties got busted in the chops, in the 60’s we broke skulls all the time and now the hippies have tearful reunions over how much fun it was.
It’s called the DNC.
NoDonkey on July 29, 2008 at 10:12 AM
There just isn’t enough information to know what the sequence of events was and what was or was not justifiable.
hillbillyjim on July 29, 2008 at 10:13 AM
The weak defend these bullies…they are afraid that they will have to confront them, so they just give in.
Let it get out of control, and these “kids” would smash every car they come in contact with. Their objective is to get as many cars of the road as possible…and be damned if you have a business appointment or if you are going to the doctors.
right2bright on July 29, 2008 at 10:15 AM
And Let’s hope they have a reason to look back on the fun they had in Denver!
thekingtut on July 29, 2008 at 10:17 AM
You’re right..the “two wheeled terrorist” was obviously a danger to the public safety…(not all the other hundreds of bikers riding by..just him). Who knows what he may have done if that cop wouldn’t have beaten the crap out of him…he may have GASP ridden further down the street on his bicycle.
I say he needed to be stopped..this is definitely a situation where deadly force was warranted.
Frankly that cop was a generous and gracious man for not shooting him dead…he had every right.
i/sarc
SaintOlaf on July 29, 2008 at 10:18 AM
I was right with you until i/sarc
NoDonkey on July 29, 2008 at 10:24 AM
Also noticed that after Kent State, left wing protestors grabbed a big ol’ cup of STFU. By ‘76, they were into disco, not destruction.
Given what SDS etc. were building up to, Kent State probably ended up saving lives.
NoDonkey on July 29, 2008 at 10:27 AM
Ooops…kingtut comes to New York and they think he and his wife is a self-indulgent libs.
As a New Yorker I can promise you you may eat your words after visiting here and the cops suspect you of something asinine and as far fetched as one can reach, they beat you or worse, shoot you and yours….you’ll change your tune right quick.
AprilOrit on July 29, 2008 at 10:27 AM
Whoops meant to say are self-indulgent libs…
And most of the time they think but actually they aren’t really thinking….
AprilOrit on July 29, 2008 at 10:29 AM
Rudy Giuliani.
AprilOrit on July 29, 2008 at 10:29 AM
My dad had a sick sort of humor.
He told me when I was growing up that he got the plastic St. Christopher that he had on his dashboard for running over 5 idiot bicyclists. He got the plastic Jesus for running over 5 Baptists and he got the plastic glow in the dark Virgin Mary for running over 5 Lutherans.
Nahanni on July 29, 2008 at 10:31 AM
Please, I’ve spent time in Manhattan numerous times, one time during a rowdy beer fest and never had a single problem.
The NYPD has enough problems to deal with, without going looking for trouble.
NoDonkey on July 29, 2008 at 10:32 AM
AprilOrit, you’ve really got a thing about the NYPD and prosecutors. What gives?
hillbillyjim on July 29, 2008 at 10:38 AM
But it’s the Protestants that are the bigots. . . . On to 500 comments!
- The Cat
P.S. It amazes me that people actually think this Cop was like, “Hmmm I think I’ll plow into someone. Hey that guy looks spindly.” and that girl cop was all, “Hmmm what’s he doing, I think I’ll watch.”
MirCat on July 29, 2008 at 10:38 AM
right2bright:
You are trying to get at the context of the situation. Why don’t you do this routinely? You read a mangled 5 word quote from Ahmadinejad, and immediately want to nuke Iran because of it. What if you tried to find the context in that situation as well? What if you sought out an accurate translation of entire speech before you support invading countries that will kill hundreds of thousands, if not millions? Why can’t you read something from a point of view other than your own? Because you have no concept of the word objectivity, and you are completely closed-minded. As for your scenario above, even if it was the case, I could easily have stopped that cyclist at the speed he was moving using far less force than the cop did. The cop did what he did because he is an asshole.
Do you believe that the cyclist will have a chance in court of getting a fair trial? Let’s not be naïve.
I do agree, however, that the law should rule, and not force. Are you saying the same? If so, why not in all situations? In international disputes, there is international law, treaties, etc. that apply. For the case of Iran, for example, it is very clear from the NPT (which the US signed and ratified) that Iran is allowed to enrich uranium, and should be aided in doing so. In this case, however, you do not want to follow the law. In this case, force should be the rule, right? Why? Why should the law apply in domestic matters, but force should apply in international matters?
A hypothetical situation cannot justify force. If you think it can, you are a sociopath.
Did the cyclist in the video do this? Is there any evidence that the cyclist in the video was responsible for the incident that you describe? I don’t think so. The cyclists who committed the crime you speak of are responsible for that crime. Not ALL cyclists. If you cannot understand that, you are a sociopath. Rockemronnie, a fellow sociopath of yours on this site, says on page 1 of this thread that he is a bicyclist. Does that mean he is also responsible for the crime you describe, because he also rides a bike? Does that mean if the cop laid out Rockemronnie, it would be justified, because he rides a bike and some other people who also ride bikes committed a crime? By that reasoning, all guns should be outlawed, because some people commit crimes with them. Right?
It is this cop who is the bully. Actually, every bully I knew in high school who wanted nothing else to do but get into fights ended up either becoming cops or joining the army. They are looking for a justification for their behavior. They want to be allowed to hurt or kill people. As a group, they are assholes. Of course this is not true of every individual, but much more than the general public.
dave742 on July 29, 2008 at 10:40 AM
Actually our crime rate is so low they do not have the same things to deal with as their fathers, uncles did in the 1960s and 1970s.
That’s half of the problem as to why these incidents happen.
AprilOrit on July 29, 2008 at 10:44 AM
They’re board, but the bigger problem is they are under stress to make quota.
So they cheat to make it.
AprilOrit on July 29, 2008 at 10:45 AM
“every bully I knew in high school who wanted nothing else to do but get into fights ended up either becoming cops or joining the army”
Let me guess – who was their favorite punching bag?
So it’s wrong for a policeman to (maybe) to do this, but it’s OK for entire regimes to do this, in your mind.
I mean dave742, you’re a tireless defender of Chavez, Ahmadinejad, Il Jong, etc. Ahmadinejad presides over a country that hangs 15 year old girls for the “crime” of getting raped.
But you’re the first one here to defend Ahmadinejad and his vile regime every time. Very curious.
NoDonkey on July 29, 2008 at 10:46 AM
With his bike?
Nice theory, but you contradict yourself. As you said, if they had planned this, surely they would have made a scene and asked if the guy was OK.
The cop RAN to the cyclist and lunged at him.
Exactly. It’s not as though the cop was walking his normal pace and would have been run over. The cop actually sped up on his way to rail on the guy.
Maybe. I mean maybe the cyclist gave him a funny look, but I really want to know why the cop singled that guy out. If he was just power hungry, you’d think he’d knock several of them down just for fun, sticking his foot out to trip them or claim “assault.”
Why’d he single that one out?
Esthier on July 29, 2008 at 10:47 AM
My grandfather was a prosecutor, my father is an attorney. I grew up here, know the system well. My father and my grandfather seldom agreed with Rudy with regrads to the way he ran the Police Dept.
AprilOrit on July 29, 2008 at 10:48 AM
“Actually our crime rate is so low they do not have the same things to deal with as their fathers, uncles did in the 1960s and 1970s.”
Maybe they can vacation here in DC. They’ll see plenty of action. We have neighborhoods with green zone type security checkpoints because of all of the dead bodies that keep piling up.
But then, DC is a hopeless quagmire.
Elect another mayor like Dinkins and business will pick up for the cops, I would think.
NoDonkey on July 29, 2008 at 10:49 AM
Dave, you are a damn fool. Go to any recruiting office, police or military and tell them you want to join to hurt or kill people and they’ll tell you to get the hell out. You damn libs have no concept of what kind of people enter the military and law enforcement. What kind of whacked out upbringing did you receive that has caused you to have such a warped view of the world?
thekingtut on July 29, 2008 at 10:58 AM
I term these thugists as ‘criminal mass’ for their punk ass it’s-all-about-me-get-outta-my-way tactics, so I can’t blame the cop for his actions.
At normal frame, the thugist appeared to be aiming right at the cop with no intent on slowing down or changing course to avoid the cop.
Important safety tip, thugists. Stay clear of cops.
locomotivebreath1901 on July 29, 2008 at 11:01 AM
Both cops could have waited for all the cyclists to pass. If an emergency existed on the sidewalk they would have been running not walking in that direction.
All the blather is moot. Their superiors reviewed the tape and interviewed the cops. Now that cop is on his way out. Good riddance to bad trash.
dogsoldier on July 29, 2008 at 11:02 AM
Come on. Do you actually believe that those who as children are bullies and enjoy hurting people actually want into recruiting offices and say, “I like to hurt people”?
That’s a serious strawman.
I think dave is exaggerating a bit, but I wouldn’t be surprised if we have soldiers and cops who are bullies. I think the vast majority of our men and women in uniform are honorable, but we have photographic evidence that some are just sick.
It’s OK to admit that not all of them are perfect. We can defend them and still admit that.
Esthier on July 29, 2008 at 11:06 AM
It happened way way before Dinkins.
AprilOrit on July 29, 2008 at 11:12 AM
NoDonkey:
No, it is not OK with me.
Show me the evidence for this. If the story is credible (was it covered by a human rights organization, or a far right wing blog?), then of course I am against it. I would never support Iran or Ahmadinejad for an act such as this, if it is true. I defend Iran’s right to enrich uranium, because the NPT grants that right to Iran. If Iran does something that is morally reprehensible, then I will denounce it, but doing something morally wrong does not forfeit the right to enrich uranium. IMO, the US is accountable for much more morally despicable behavior than any other nation in the world, but that does not forfeit our right to enrich uranium, either. If my attitude was “Iran did something morally wrong, so they can’t enrich uranium, and if they do, we will bomb them, either conventionally or with nukes, and kill tens of thousand of them”, then I would be a complete psychopath. I am not.
dave742 on July 29, 2008 at 11:12 AM
It goes back to the days when the Mob and the crime families ran this city with an iron hand.
Dinkins was only a useless speck in the scheme of things.
AprilOrit on July 29, 2008 at 11:14 AM
Critical Mess is not an organization of bicyclists, it is an anarchist organization. Their purpose is to disrupt traffic flow in the heart of the city for hours at a time. They’ve been at this for at least a dozen years. They mass on the first friday of each month and there are several hundred of them. They never bother with getting a permit so it is an illegal demonstration. They have blocked emergency vehicles, parent trying to pick up their children, and people just trying to go home after a long work week. They’ve engaged in property damage and intimidation of motorist. Because they run in such large packs they get away with it. I can understand that cop’s frustration and taking a pot shot at this scum.
oldvannes on July 29, 2008 at 11:14 AM
dave742,
Here’s the story and it’s on the beeb website (can’t get any more journalistic professionalism as that):
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/5217424.stm
“On 15 August, 2004, Atefah Sahaaleh was hanged in a public square in the Iranian city of Neka.
Her death sentence was imposed for “crimes against chastity”.
The state-run newspaper accused her of adultery and described her as 22 years old.
But she was not married – and she was just 16.”
The man who raped her was 51 – he didn’t get prosecuted.
But by all means, allow people who would do this, to produce nukes.
Because I’m sure they won’t use them irresponsibly.
NoDonkey on July 29, 2008 at 11:19 AM
“Dinkins was only a useless speck in the scheme of things.”
When it comes to crappy Mayors, DC has NYC beat.
We had the king of all kings, Mayor Barry. Beat that.
And he’s still on city council.
NoDonkey on July 29, 2008 at 11:22 AM
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