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Have Boston Potheads Gone Wild or Are Cops Full of Crap?

By July 17, 2009 0

Earlier today…

I read this article, Pot law leaves cops high & dry, at the Boston Herald website. I had to admit that it sent a chill up my spine in a good way. At first I thought, finally, we’re seeing marijuana smokers light up like they would any typical tobacco user – no violence, no killing, no nonsense, no arrests.

But, the article began to sink in.

It was written from the point of view of Boston police – not exactly a group noted for being honest especially when it comes to marijuana users. Although the main point of the article speaks to the law specifically, there are some “stories” within it that I find are complete nonsense.

In short, the article is about the current marijuana laws on the books in Massachusetts. They bring the “crime” of smoking marijuana down from a sick-and-twisted arrestable “offense” to a near-common sense minor misdemeanor. The police complained from the first day that they wouldn’t be able to enforce the law as it is on the books.

If caught smoking marijuana in public, you get a $100 fine. You don’t even have to give your name so the citations aren’t even enforceable, as I understand it. So, the current statistics reflect exactly that concern.

“…83 percent of 415 tokers cited in Boston since the law took effect in January have refused to pony up the $100, a Herald review shows.”

I can believe that. But, it’s not the statistics that bother me at all. Honestly and obviously, I believe marijuana should be legal and taxed, not illegal and fined. So, that result, in my view, upsets me only because 17% of the people actually bothered to pay this twisted fine.

What bothers me are the anecdotes of police encounters which is obviously full of pure unadulterated lies. I’ll break em all down so we can see the sensationalism and outright arrogance of stupidity of the Boston Police Department.

#LiesCopsTell

  • In Arlington, a public works employee was cited by the local police chief for smoking a pot pipe as he stood next to his town-issued tractor.

    When you read this, you’re to think: “Oh no! You shouldn’t be operating that tractor – paid for by tax payers – while you’re high on marijuana!” And, we can’t know if this is true or not because the cops couldn’t get his info. However, they knew he was a “public works employee” standing next to a “town-issued tractor”. I guess his employers can’t do anything to stop him all because the cops can’t enforce a citation. Give us all a break!

  • At bustling Park Street Station, a pair of nonchalant lovers out on the town openly lit up a joint and continued toking even after confronted by off-duty Milton Chief Richard Wells.

    I love this one just for the “nonchalant lovers” part. Makes me think of good ol’ Harry Anslinger when he said, “This marijuana causes white women to seek sexual relations with Negroes, entertainers and any others.” What were they doing to make them nonchalant lovers? Smoking marijuana? I find it kind of hard to nonchalantly love a woman with a joint in my mouth. It kinda gets in the way of the whole nonchalant loving part, don’t you think?

  • In East Boston, four teens spotted in a “smoke-filled vehicle” unabashedly told a cop they were “just smoking marijuana.”

    This lie is hilarious just because they used the word unabashedly. They must have dug deep in the thesaurus for that one. Nevermind the potential DUI situation. I guess the police couldn’t address it without giving a citation.

  • A man caught near a Dorchester playground laughed when police said he faced a $100 fine – and then taunted the cops with an expletive-laced tirade.

    This is my favorite lie, yet! It’s similar to the whole tractor crap above. You’re made to think: “Oh no! They’re smoking in the playground where our children play!” And, to make matters worse, he taunts the police with an “expletive-laced tirade”. So, he’s not just a pothead at a playground around children, he’s a violent pothead at a playground around children. HILARIOUS!

Boston Potheads Haven’t Gone Wild

Granted some people are quite uncouth. Arrogance, entitlement, privilege all drive folks to do things that are generally pretty stupid and uncalled for. Most police know exactly what I am talking about as they are guilty of it most of the time. The worst of stories I’ve heard is where people are generally rude to others that don’t smoke much like tobacco smokers do regularly. It’s my only pet peeve. Ask those around you that may be affected before you light up. It’s called courtesy and respect.

But potheads in general are quite courteous, at least the ones I’ve met. And, I highly doubt Boston potheads would be as stupid or arrogant as Boston police would have us believe. The cops want their revenue stream back. They want to be able to arrest potheads so they come up with this sensationalist nonsense about marijuana smokers. I don’t believe and I’ll be on Boston soon enough to see for myself.

At the end of the day, Boston police are just trying to save their jobs. Without the ability to arrest marijuana smokers, the city will find that Boston police are generally ineffective and crime along with the cost of enforcing the old laws will fall dramatically – lower jail costs, court costs, and no more cops padding their pockets with overtime pay by spending hours long after their shift is over tending to potheads. The people of Boston win more than they realize.

The next step for Massachusetts is to eliminate the jobs of police isntead of teachers and counselors. They had the courage to pass this law. I hope they have the courage to address the state’s police burden.

Categories: Legacy, Prohibitionist Idiots

Budget cuts? Police first!! Episode 2

By March 11, 2009 5


Episode 1: Budget cuts? Police first!!

I thought I’d relay a comment I left on an article I’d just read: Suspension for 3 Cops in Facebook Flap. In short, a few dumb ass cops were canned from their jobs due to racist and sexist comments on their Facebook pages. Here is my response to that article:

It’s the economy people. You really think these officers would have been fired for these comments if states weren’t looking for ways to cut down on the budget. Some of the greatest costs to cities and states happens to be bad police policy, where crooked cops get slaps on the wrist for the crimes they commit while badged.

Think about it. Look at the Oscar Grant murder. The family is suing the city for $50M. Ask yourself, how many of these lawsuits exist in your city, state, and across the nation? How many of them have been settled or already judged on? How many millions are these areas losing because of police misconduct?? Finally, police are being let go left and right all of a sudden where they’d just be placed on desk duty or something like that. It should have been this way all along.

Unfortunately, it takes a bad economy for people to think straight and start making cops accountable for their actions. Why should innocent taxpayers have to fork over millions to people that should never have been hurt in the first place only to continue paying some creep who was never good at his/her job in the first place?

Truthfully speaking, I hope more terminations of police occur throughout the nation. For far too long, the police have been more of a liability than an asset. It’s time certain officials start taking this burden more seriously. In times when we can’t provide decent school books to our children or afford to keep a hospital open, there’s no reason why any county, city, or state should tolerate the arrogance and willfullness of crooked police officers. How many more millions do we taxpayers have to shell out to victims of police misconduct or outright brutality before we come to our senses??

New York City

  • $8.75 Million for brutalizing Abner Louima – 218 jobs (@ 40k/year for 1 year)
  • $3 Million for the murder of Ousman Zongo – 75 jobs
  • $3 Million for the murder of Amadou Diallo – 75 jobs
  • $3 Million for the murder of Anthony Baez – 75 jobs

Chicago

  • Loevy & Loevy, civil rights law firm, claims to have won $80 Million in settlements – 2,000 jobs

And we’re not even discussing general court costs as well as any other costs associated with incarceration.

If I was getting paid to write these posts, I’d continue looking up this information. But I think my readers get the point. This nation can save a lot of money and a lot of jobs if these “officials” do something about police brutality.

I think Harrison officials are smart for getting rid of these officers BEFORE they create greater liabilities for the town!

Related Links:

Categories: Legacy, Opinion

Tug of War over Michael Phelps

By February 3, 2009 2

Introduction

I really wanted to write about Michael Phelps but I had to hold on a minute. I knew the story was too simple to speak about. Superstar athlete gets caught smoking marijuana, supposedly. Immediately, I knew everyone would jump on that; I couldn’t. I felt the story needed some complexity before it was worth writing about. Well, the issue just got good.

Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott says he will charge Michael Phelps with a crime if he determines the Olympics hero smoked marijuana in Richland County…

“This case is no different than any other case,” Lott said Monday. “This one might be a lot easier since we have photographs of someone using drugs and a partial confession. It’s a relatively easy case once we can determine where the crime occurred.”

Possession of marijuana is a misdemeanor, punishable by up to 30 days in jail or a $570 fine, plus court costs.

– Richland sheriff could charge Phelps by Adam Beam @ The State

Two Sides

From what I am reading in comments and other articles, it seems this is good for both sides of marijuana legalization. The prohibitionists want to seem strong against drug use so demonizing Michael Phelps will be a good move. However, Michael Phelps is not just some geeky guy from the suburbs. He’s a world record holding, Olympic swimming champion. He’s a role model to millions and promoted as such. To bring down Michael Phelps is not just some typical everyday arrest. It’s the destruction of American pride. That’s a very hard thing to do and no one wants to see it happen.

While those supporting marijuana legalization don’t want to see another good person, or true role model, go down, it’s not such a bad idea that Phelps will become a victim, or martyr, of an archaic system that has gone awry from day one. People will begin to question the validity of a policy that could place an icon in prison for such a minor infraction. People will question the validity of the arguments that keep this policy in place. Finally, people will want to know, “If marijuana is so dangerous to your health, then how did this guy manage to set world records and win so many medals?”

Racial Element

Just the image of Michael Phelps with a ROOR bong to his mouth alone has brought to light much-ignored conversations regarding the racial disparity of law enforcement, especially when it comes to marijuana use. Matt Fogg, former US Marshal and LEAP speaker, probably said it best when he said, “[Black people] make up 12% of the population, but [they] make up 80% of the drug arrests….” The questions being thrown around in this debate question whether or not Phelps isn’t going to be punished at all simply because he’s white.

But, Michael Phelps is more than just white. While his skin may preclude from a lot of persecution at the hands of law enforcement, there are also other reasons he won’t be persecuted. He’s rich with endorsement deals and various other income streams. That kind of money usually frightens police officers and district attorneys alike. He’s famous. That will definitely haunt some people in the future. He has the support of Octagon. He’s still a role model. Toss in the realities of the many marijuana smokers that have already invaded our society at high levels. Take a look at Celebstoner to get a “whiff” of all the big celebs who toke on joints on a daily basis. President Barack Obama was a pothead. With that too cool and calm demeanor I believe he still gets his high from time to time.

Is Marijuana dangerous?

Is marijuana the dangerous substance it’s claimed to be by the prohibitionists? The easy answer is no. Marijuana is not dangerous. Marijuana didn’t prevent Obama from becoming president nor was it so dangerous to stop Phelps from being a world swimming champion. Should Phelps be punished for marijuana use? According to the current law, he absolutely should be. Not only was he engaged in smoking marijuana but he should also have a paraphernalia charge for having that ROOR as well. Maybe, the Richland Country sheriff should pull a Rachel Hoffman on Phelps so we can all find out the identity of his supplier.

No, No, and No

If Michael Phelps is punished, how far will it go? Will the “righteous” police sheriff arrest and charge Michael Phelps? Will the school officials opt to investigate the situation? Will the IOC be willing to strip Phelps of his medals?

But Lott seems to be the only person talking about making a case against Phelps. Both the USC and Columbia Police Departments said they would not pursue charges.

Meanwhile, on Monday, Phelps’ sponsors — from apparel company Speedo to luxury Swiss watchmaker Omega — issued statements calling the incident a “nonissue.” The International Olympic Committee accepted his apology.

“We have no reason to doubt his sincerity and his commitment to continue to act as a role model,” the IOC said in a statement.

At the University of South Carolina, where Phelps was visiting when the picture was taken, the mood was largely “who cares?”

“He’s young, and he is human. They’ll probably let him off easy because he owned up to it.”

– Richland sheriff could charge Phelps by Adam Beam @ The State

Oh well. Sorry for all of the suspense. It looks like another case where someone who’s rich or famous or white gets away with a criminal act because they’re rich or famous or white. This definitely opens the door to many more questions. If it’s such a “nonissue” and the general mood is, “who cares?”, then why is it such an issue for so many millions of others, mainly African American males?

Categories: Legacy, Opinion

How dumb can a cop get?

By February 2, 2009 1

How about…

…a police officer can so be so dumb that they’d consider a 14 year old child “savvy” to impersonate a police officer for five hours. Don’t believe me? Here’s the article: 14-year-old boy impersonates cop, police say. Now, this part of the article had me laughing and in tears, literally:

The boy identified himself as an officer from another district but was detailed for the day to Grand Crossing and also was savvy enough to sign out a police radio and a ticket book, according to a source. The source also said the boy went on traffic stops with the officer he went on the street with.

This wasn’t some kid who came just upon a uniform in some way, shape or form and went out on his own. No! He went to the damn station, greeted everyone, ate some donuts, took a dump, and even joked about O’Malley’s wife. He got partnered up with another police officer including getting a radio and ticket book and made traffic stops. And they didn’t figure out a damn thing until the “tour” was over. What tipped them off?

After his tour was over, a ranking officer became suspicious of the boy. Police said the officer discovered the teen was not a real police officer when he couldn’t produce any credentials. The boy was wearing police-issued pants, shirt, vest, sweater and skull cap, police said. He was missing his police star, but that was not discovered until after he returned from traffic patrol.

So, it took all of those clues to figure out that this child was NOT a real cop but:

Police said the 14-year-old’s partner on the traffic assignment did not recognize the boy was underage.

And, it doesn’t seem anyone knew a damn thing either. So, this child, this 14 year old baby, went truly undetected at a police station full of people who are charged with the safety of other people. I want to see a picture of this child. He’d better look like a grown man. Unfortunately, because he is a minor, we won’t get those images unless waived by the parents.

This is not surprising for me

I know sometimes on my blog it seems I keep track of police officer stupidity but I really don’t. It’s just so damn prevalent, I can’t help but come across something stupid done by police officer. In this case, it’s a whole police station. Imagine the stories we aren’t hearing in the news.

However, it does surprise me that police officers, well the smart ones at least, don’t do more for the integrity of their own profession. They should be out there pointing out police officer stupidity, writing up these guys, and helping the community promote better policies for handling corrupt police officers. But, I guess if any police officers were smart, police stupidity wouldn’t be so prevalent. If it was up to me, these guys would have those bright orange leashes for children attached to their backs and permanently lead around by people in the community.

Why would you listen to a police officer?

One thing I take issue with in the news is when they interview police officers about anything, especially marijuana. They all point out how marijuana is dangerous with flubbed statistics, outright lies, pseudoscience, and pure bullshit. But, if you didn’t know anything about the topic at hand, you’d think they were an expert at something. Truth is, they aren’t experts at anything. The smart cops (they do exist) know and understand topics better, present themselves more professionally, and do the job much better. The problem is that they’re usually disrespected by the police officers because of their education and intelligence (see: $815,000 settlement for fired Mountlake Terrace cop). It’s like that thug “friend” who tells you, “school is for fools” or some other ignorant anti-education cliche.

All I realize is that the policy on how police are treated and allowed to interact with the community needs a severe adjustment. Police need heavier restraints and real penalties to counter this Judge Dredd attitude and vigilante tactics. I’d like to, at one point in my life, have some respect for law enforcement officers these days. But, with frequent stories in the news only showing the tip of the iceberg of police stupidity, corruption, and malfeasance, I don’t think I’ll ever have that privilege. Maybe we need another grand disaster for the humanity in any police department to show itself.

Categories: Legacy, Opinion

Police Corruption: Victims R Us

By January 23, 2009 3

Are Black and Hispanic folks safe?


White folks have it easy?


What about news reporters, women, children???


Things are much easier around the world, I bet.


The Cost of Bad Police Policy

This just really shows that it’s never going to matter how much money is involved or the training given, police are bad for one reason: they’re allowed to get away with it. And, even if they don’t fully get away with it, very few actually will do any time in jail for the crimes they commit against innocent people. As long as they’re protected, the people remain unprotected and we all deserve equal protection under the law.

And, who gets the bill when police officers get a slap on the wrist? Do you think police departments have “Oops We Hurt/Killed Another Citizen” insurance plan? Yes they do actually. That’s what the tax payers are for, you and me. Every time you hear about a court case against a police officer, think about the funds it takes to prosecute/defend that criminal cop. That’s some number of potholes the streets could fill. Think about all of the cases settled for five- and six-figures. That money represents the teachers we could hire, in quality and quantity, books for school, and music and arts programs. Now think about all of the seven- and eight-figure settlements. Cities could easily support new infrastructure programs, create more jobs, help strengthen the economy. Think about the toll on society as even decent law abiding citizens are more frightened of police than the criminals they’re supposed to catch because they’re one and the same.

Categories: Legacy, Opinion

Police Corruption: Protecting Yourself Part 2

By January 22, 2009 0
…continued from Police Corruption: Protecting Yourself Part 1

GUNS, GUNS, and more GUNS

Do not be afraid to own more than one gun which should include a shotgun. Don’t expect to go to war with the DEA or the local police. You will lose. However, you want to make them think twice about coming into your apartment without any resistance. This will give you time to TALK to them so that you can come to a peaceful, non-fatal conclusion for the night. And, be sure to practice extreme safety when storing your guns especially if you have children.

Media Planning

Do not be afraid to gain media coverage of your particular incident. The worst thing for a police department is to have their criminal cops plastered all over the evening news. On the other side be prepared for someone to drag your name through the mud

One guy that does this, and whom I hate with a passion, is this NYPD clown, Pat Lynch. He’s the Police BullSh*t Association president for these corrupt officers in New York City. No matter what happens in the news, regardless of who’s right or wrong, Pat Lynch is out there doing his best to sway public opinion against victims of police brutality. This guy openly supports the WORST of the NYPD. While the lawyers may keep their mouths shut and the officers charged with crimes have a court-issued gag order, this animal comes out to “Lynch” anybody who speaks truthfully about police officers.

This is why you, as a private citizen, ought to know who to contact in your community when racist animals like Pat Lynch attack! These criminal advocates will drag your name through the streets in support of corrupt police. So, you need a potent mouth piece, not to speak badly about police as that’s not needed, but simply to tell the truth to protect your name and image. Don’t get “Lynched” in the media.

Legal Team

You and your lawyer are your legal team. If you don’t have a lawyer that knows you, you don’t have a lawyer. If you don’t have a lawyer, you don’t have a legal team. Get a lawyer on retainer as you would have a cell phone in your pocket. By keeping your mouth shut and collecting as much evidence as possible, you are doing yourself the biggest favor in court. It’s because the police absolutely rely on the fact that there are no witnesses or anything recording their activities that they are able to get away with the crimes they commit against innocent people.

Get Political

Get to know your local politicians and their views on specific issues. They may be the problem as opposed to the solution. They may be the very ones advocating, promoting, or just ignoring these type of do-anything, harm anyone police tactics. At the end of the day, they speak for the people. If the people aren’t talking, then who is being heard? Keep in contact with your local assemblyman on up to state senators and so on. You may find out the worst is true and may need to put your support behind the other person come election time.

Protect Yourself

An encounter with a police officer can be the most life changing event you’ll ever experience. And, it won’t be because you committed some serious crime. It will be because you were walking down the street and they were bored. It might even be a bet between two partners. It might be because they just wanted to play SWAT team. But, when they’ve decided to focus their attention on you, it will be the scariest rollercoaster of your life. They’ll abuse you physically, emotionally, and mentally. And, it can last for months or years. The best way to see to it that this not be a bad situation for you is to put yourself in a position to have the police on defense.

Categories: Legacy, Opinion

Police Corruption: Protecting Yourself Part 1

By January 21, 2009 1
Intro

The police have so many tactics and little tricks they use against innocent people that it becomes difficult for an ordinary person to come out on top in the end. Back in the day, police departments practiced torture and coercion to get their way. Tens of thousands of people were forced to admit to thing they never did. This practice continues as police officers lob threats against you and your family. They’re allowed to get on camera and make their case against you so that even if you do win, you’re still guilty or tainted. It’s because of these tactics that I wanted to discuss some ways to protect yourself against corrupt police officers.

Shut Up. Keep your cool.

Police officers like to provoke and escalate situations. They’ll say and do anything to get that rise out of you. Don’t fall for it. They want the altercation. They want a reason to fight with you. Think about it. They already have the upper hand – semi-automatic gun, baton, pepper spray, tazer and a walkie talkie so they can call their friends to join in on the fun of destroying your life.

Don’t be the man that falls for this trick. Not only will they “knock your teeth in” but you’ll end up going to prison for protecting yourself against harassment and abuse. Even worse, they may end up killing you and be treated as heroes for cold-blooded murder. This is why these police murders are so prevalent in society.

Personal Surveillance

As an African American male living in New York City, it becomes necessary to go the extra mile to protect yourself. While it is illegal for us to wear bullet proof vests although we’re the ones mostly in need of such protection from police, we can at least maintain some sort of recording device on our person in the event that we are stopped by the police for any reason. I’ve been looking into mostly spy devices which are pretty costly. But, if I can wear something that will definitely record audio and video of police harassment at the time it’s occurring, I’ll at least feel that I can come out on top in the end.

Never expect a situation in which a police officer won’t find a way to harm you. So, don’t worry about trying to prevent it. Your best bet is to simply minimize it and use the evidence gathered from your personal surveillance to defend yourself in the future.

We all can’t afford personal surveillance. It gets quite expensive, especially if you want to use devices in your car or property. However, we can afford stickers for our cars or pins on our chests that will allude to it. One thing police are afraid of is being caught on tape as is the nature of any criminal. If enough people can afford surveillance devices, it will play enough of a deterrent to police officers seeking to harm innocent people. I remember years ago a tenant set up a camera and a motion detector in front of the door to his apartment. He’d be alerted when anyone was near and could simply check the camera. It was big and bulky and very obvious but it worked and that’s how he felt safe.

Reinforce your life

Many times police officers lie to get search warrants (and the judges know). Other times, it be a mistaken no-knock raid. Either way, they will bust in your door and destroy your life by either outright murdering you or splitting up your family – put your children in foster homes and try to get your spouse to turn against you.

  • In case of Kathryn Johnston [link], a grandmother in Atlanta, she was mudered in her own home by police officers. And, they planted evidence in a botched cover up attempt.
  • In the case of Alberta Spruill [link], a church going woman in Harlem, she was simply scared to death by no-knock raiding police officers.

And there are many more cases of these situations where the police or DEA may simply come into your home and ruin your life. These are things you want to prevent in your life because these women were elderly grandmothers just enjoying the rest of their days. And, they could be any one of us.

Get a heavy metal door that is reinforced into the house or apartment. Another good idea is to set up a double door situation in which they may break into the first one and be met with another much stronger door. Do not be afraid to put full-sized bars across all of your windows as well. None of this will stop the police from coming into your house. But, they will provide you enough time to protect yourself.

to be continued…

Categories: Legacy, Opinion

Police Corruption Tactics

By January 19, 2009 3
Intro

It’s always been a wonder exactly what ways the corrupt police officers charge and get people convicted of crimes they didn’t commit. While I can’t imagine to know every single way they spread their dirt, I can definitely point out some things that people in general should watch out for in the event they’re confronted with a typical police officer.

Lying

Of course this is the most common of police tactics. Police officers lie big and they lie small. It’s the small lies that do the most damage. For example, when I was arrested for witnessing police brutality on a young Black man, the police officer who arrested me was not the officer who wrote up the report. Instead, they got a Puerto Rican officer to lie on the report saying that he arrested me when in fact, he wasn’t even actually there!

Bait & Switch

I confronted the officer because I didn’t get a chance to see the real arresting officer’s name or number. The guy that arrested me was some short, fat white guy with beedy eyes. He’s the same officer I witnessed pepper spray that young Black man AFTER he was already beaten and in the back of the cruiser on two separate occasions. The Puerto Rican officer explained to me that the arresting officer is not always the one to write the report and I’d be dealing with him, instead.

Padding

I asked the officer what I am being charged with and I find out the charges are disorderly conduct and inciting a riot. This is amazing being that I was in my bedroom, 2nd floor, in my underwear watching from the window. Finally, when I get to arraignment the prosecutor reads off the report and the officer claimed that I was hanging out of the window, yelling obscenities, and I threw something at them that “nearly missed him”. Basically, they were trying to paint me as a crazy person in this report. The judge really homed in on the throwing incident because he wanted to know if it missed or it hit. The prosecutor couldn’t explain it because the officer never showed up to the arraignment, obviously. Why would the fake cop show up when he wasn’t even there?

It’s funny because if I did throw something or did hit a police officer, why wasn’t I charged with that “crime”? It’s because they wanted the disorderly conduct and inciting a riot to stick to me without the blow out of a real trial and case in court. Imagine what it would be if I really did hit that officer! Come on! It would have to come out as to why I would do all of that. They don’t want “the whole truth and nothing but the truth” to come out in court especially when they’re busy fabricating reports.

To conclude

This is not anything new folks. This is not isolated to my situation. Simply look at the articles and links posted above. Police officers from coast to coast, north and south, are typically liars. They need to lie because that’s the only way they’ll ever get their “shits and giggles”. As dumb and ignorant as most police officers are, especially the ones who think this doesn’t apply to them, it’s impossible for them to actually do their job.

They’re simply too stupid.

Categories: Legacy, Opinion

Aha! Oakland Cops Getting Canned for Lying

By January 17, 2009 0
Oakland to fire 11 cops in search warrant case [SF Gate via Drug Law Blog]

Let’s keep this one short and sweet. Simply put, these dirty cops were caught falsifying evidence to judges to get search warrants so they could play SWAT on innocent people. Because these idiots were caught lying the city of Oakland has to suck up not one but TWO class-action lawsuits. For the record, when you see “class-action”, it means a lot of people’s lives have been negatively affected by these 11 dirty bastards.

Police are their own problem

What’s really sad about this case is that although these police were caught red handed, the other officers and attorneys are bringing out every excuse in the book to support these animals. First there’s some crap about not training the officers by the attorneys for the lying cops. I have to wonder, what kind of training is required to teach ADULTS to not lie? Is that not something you learn as a child from your parents? Did these animals grow up without any morals? With the way these police officers act around the nations, it’s totally possible they did grow up without morals or home training. I wouldn’t be surprised if they lift their hind legs to use the bathroom.

And don’t think this is just Oakland. Remember Michael Mineo? He’s the guy that was sodomized by an NYPD officer in the daytime in a train stration. Even two other police officers corroborate the story told by Michael Mineo. Let me rephrase, other police officers supported the victim’s story. So, how do other NYPD officers react to this dirty cop sodomizing another man? They come to the court to taunt Mineo and call him a faggot!
And here’s that article: Police taunt subway accuser

Seriously, how in the hell am I to have respect for police officers when they do things like taunt a victim who was raped. And, the very few that do actually have the balls to be REAL cops and tell the truth end up being drummed out of the force in some way shape or form. So, even when REAL cops do exist, they don’t last long in the department.

The Real Reason They’re Being Fired

Let’s be honest people. How often do we ever get a chance to see police officers actually be reprimanded for the willful abuse of their authority. The NYPD still consists of cold blooded murderers among the typical liars, thieves, pimps, addicts, and so on. This is because the NYPD protects themselves along with the judges and attorneys that also help protect the crooked cops. So, upon reading…

“These terminations are difficult for the city, but they show that honesty and integrity are non-negotiable for officers in the Oakland Police Department,” Russo said. “The terminations demonstrate that the Oakland Police Department’s internal review systems and reform measures are operating soundly and in the interests of justice.”

…I called BULLSHIT! Police departments do not FIRE police officers. It simply doesn’t happen. They will do their best to protect their members. Paid leave is the WORST thing a police officer will ever face even after cold blooded murder.

So, you want to know why the city of Oakland is really firing these dirty liars? Hey, even I don’t know but, I can take an educated guess. How about the economy? Cities and states are looking for any way to cut down on their expenditures. The worst expenditure any city or state can have is a class-action lawuit which can, and most likely will, amount to multi-million dollar pay outs. And Oakland has TWO of them right now.

And you know what, they just had another case in which the city had to pay out $10.5 million. Another bad expenditure is to keep proven dirty cops on the force. Beyond that, it’s costly to send the message to other police officers that their risky behavior will be protected by the city in the future. That’s 11 paychecks the city of Oakland won’t have to cut to these mongrel dogs which is money that can be used for more important things around the city.

Last Call

And, that’s hopefully a message to other police officers around the US to actually do their jobs PROPERLY for once! I hope that other cities in the US follow suit, especially here in NYC where a good portion of police officers need to be pink slipped starting with the 48th precinct in the Bronx. The memory of that 18yo beaten by five officers while already handcuffed on the ground as other officers stand around and watch will NEVER escape my memory simply because they arrested me for being a witness to their crime.

Categories: Legacy, LOL

Legal Marijuana Industry: From Seed to Ash

By January 5, 2009 1
Old ideas die as new ideas are born

As many more people come to their senses in regards to marijuana policy, states run into problems with how to handle and manage marijuana through cultivation, harvesting, distribution, taxation, and usage. For example, in Massachusetts, the police are actually crying about how to proceed with the change in laws mostly because they don’t want to enforce common sense drug policy [link]. Therefore, I wanted to basically develop a simple framework that may help states now and the whole US in the future in developing common sense business model for a lucrative marijuana industry.

FYI: Medical Marijuana
I won’t be saying much on how to pursue a business model in regards to medical marijuana. I think it’s just a small speed bump in the way of total legalization. The problem with medical marijuana is that doctors don’t fully understand marijuana nor do they know how to prescribe it. They may prescribe too much or not enough.

On top of that, medical marijuana does not do anything to address the criminal/black market aspect that the USA’s prohibition has created. As long as marijuana isn’t free to purchase legally, it will always be a thorn in the side of this nation, placed by Uncle Sam. It needs to be eliminated from the Controlled Substances Act altogether. As long as the arrogance and ignorance of the baby boomer generation have a strangle hold on American society, we won’t see that happen anytime soon.

So, I continue this model with the idea in mind that marijuana is 100% legal much like the more fatally harmful alcohol and tobacco industry.

Let’s Go: Supply and “Manufacturing”

Every industry needs suppliers. The Marijuana Industry is no different, obviously. So, who will be our suppliers. Well, in the marijuana world, we call them growers. But, in the regular world, they’d be considered farmers. Just as much of the great lands of America is used for farming, it can be used for growing marijuana. If farmers don’t want to grow good marijuana, there are many nations around the globe that are very much willing to take their place. South Africa, Mexico, and Vietnam are just a few places that can grow good marijuana although Mexican quality tends to be lacking. However, when competition becomes an issue, I would easily bet that Mexico will step their game up in a big way.

Regulations
We really don’t want another meat packing industry fiasco of so many decades ago. And, we definitely don’t want the “1,001” chemicals the tobacco industry uses to cure their goods either. Look what’s happening in China – lead in toys, melamine in milk, antifreeze in toothpaste. So, I think it’d be intelligent to have common sense regulations on how marijuana is grown, harvested, dried, cured, and packaged in the safest way possible for people in general and the environment. That is, stay away from unnecessary chemicals AND allow for warnings on the package is chemicals were used.

We marijuana smokers appreciate the safety of marijuana. We’d like to keep it that way.

Distribution: Planes, Trains, Boats, Automobiles

Distribution is simple. We’ve just got to figure out how to get prepared marijuana into the hands of the consumers demanding it. Honestly, there’s really no need for any special consideration outside of what’s already in place for the distribution of alcohol and tobacco.

Consumers can go to their favorite stores, or head shops. Buy what you want much like going to a liquor store or “ye olde smoke shoppe” and so on. Honestly, we don’t really need to devise any new plans. Take a stroll in the village and visit the many head shops that already exist. All they would need to do is clear out some inventory to make room for all the marijuana that store will buy.

Nat Sherman [link]
If you’re in NYC, check out Nat Sherman on the corner of 42nd Street and 6th Ave across from the NY Public Library and Bryant Park. It’s a very nice tobacco shop. They sell cigars , special cigarettes, and loose tobacco in large jars among other things. They have very good items in stock for the tobacco fan (and marijuana connoisseur). In my opinion, Nat Sherman is very classy, somewhat upscale, yet very inviting. If marijuana were legal, I’d model my head shop after Nat Sherman.

Law Enforcement: Shut Up and Do Your Damn Job

Hey, laws are changing everyday. The burden on police officers is real. However, with marijuana legalization and regulation, the police have a burden lifted off of their shoulders much like the activist group, Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP) prefers. Unfortunately, too many police officers complain about the changing laws. Why complain about a change in the law that will alleviate problems all around? It really all comes down to the psyche of those that are police officers. They like raiding homes, beating up “bad guys”, and having free reign of the city.

Marijuana is one of those substances that easy to find on a person, especially those who don’t hide it well. Most importantly, marijuana users are too stoned to put up a fight. That’s why police officers target marijuana users. Ask any officer willing to be honest. They’ll tell you, they prefer to pick up potheads because potheads don’t walk around with weapons and don’t act crazy like drunks and meth/coke/heroin addicts. Also, it looks good as far as numbers are concerned. Officers quickly say how many people they arrested but we never know the details of that arrest.

Let’s be honest, would you have more respect for a police officer who caught 5 rapists and 10 murderers or the guy that arrested 200 potheads? What’s sad is the time it takes to book 1 pothead is the same time it takes to book 1 rapist. Police are racking up massive overtime hours on meaningless small time marijuana possession arrests, a burden on taxpayers to say the least. Now that the law has changed, they can’t go crazy on an adrenaline rush, much like a heroin rush, busting down doors and arresting people for simple possession. Furthermore, they have to deal with REAL criminals now.

“We Card” [link]
That’s the program that was put into place dictating to people buying alcohol or tobacco that the establishment expects to see identification regardless of what you look like. So, just as a 5yo child is supposed to be carded, so would a 105yo adult. There are already regulations in place for that.

It’s much better than Billy selling to your child in the cul-de-sac. And, there are a million Billies out there selling all kinds of drugs and they don’t even offer the promise that they’ll card your kid. Which program would you prefer, in the interest of protecting the community, of course?

Pricing and Taxation: Be Easy

First of all, marijuana is cheap.. well.. cheap if it were legal. The prices attached to marijuana today are severely inflated due to prohibition. There is more of a risk to providing marijuana, therefore the price has gone up considerably. However, the prices would drop tremendously once legalized as marijuana coming from other nations around the world already carry incredibly low prices direct from the grower. Let’s be honest, the only reason to keep marijuana illegal is the enormously inflated profit margin. At any rate, I could easily see marijuana having prices equal to that of cigarettes.

Unfortunately, I also see marijuana being taxed heavily. I’d advise against very high taxes. There is still a very strong underground marijuana market. If the United States continues this policy of prohibition, the future of marijuana will become small personal grows in millions of households in the United States making it unnecessary for the many large farms that pop up and more difficult for the justice system to handle. If taxes are so high that it creates a defacto prohibition, the United States will create another black market and not meet the income tax potential of a legal marijuana industry.

Case Study: NYC and cigarette taxes
Mayor after mayor has seen it fit to tax cigarettes viciously. While sales have gone down, a black market was created and their sales have gone up. Walk around the streets of NYC and listen. There are guys selling packs of cigarettes for about $4 to $5. And, it’s very much illegal to do so. People have friends or family in other states buy cartons of cigarettes and mail them to addreses in NYC.

There’s a whole supply/demand and distrubution system in place for low cost cigarettes and NYC loses out on that potential tax revenue. Furthermore, the cost to the city is increased due to arresting and detaining these individuals. So, any benefit created from higher taxes on cigarettes is immediately nullified.

Conclusion: Society won’t change in the long run

The truth of the situation is that marijuana can be legal tomorrow and the only problem it would cause is possibly a few months of joyful smoking in public. I know that’s what I will be doing. And, I won’t say that marijuana will heal the economy or do something epic. But, it will relieve a lot of the problems caused by prohibition, introduce a safer alternative to alcohol and tobacco, and support a hemp-based industry that can provide raw materials to many other industries.

And, that is a lot better than what we’re doing now.

I look forward to a greener future.

Categories: Guide, Legacy
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