assault weapon ban again

[nolemmings]

I call 'em as I see 'em, and you earned every bit of it. You made no "point about the real Todd Schultz", as you are clueless as to anything meaningful about me. Had you asked anyone here about me, at least anyone who knows me, either then or since, you would have known that the crap you were at least implying if not stating about me had no basis. But you didn't. C'est la vie.

Leon, I appreciate your concern, shared by Barry and others, about political threads, but that really wasn't much of an issue here. I thought the dialogue on those topics here was and is mostly civil. I have no problem with debating the issues or, if you wish, letting others do so, and while I find some positions asserted by others to be unsupported, myopic or simplistic (IMHO), there was nothing personal or overly heated that I saw or posted. As for my exchanges with this "gentleman", they would have occurred whether the topic was the 1987 World Series or tough to find high-numbered 1961 Topps. I have no desire to discuss anything with him. Been there, done that. I agree that this one went afield and I sure had a hand in that, but I hope you don't throw the baby out with the bathwater, so to speak. I know you'll keep on doing a bang-up job on not letting things explode too much-- I swear I'll try my best to get along with everybody--well, almost everybody

[vintagetoppsguy]

Originally Posted by nolemmings

are clueless as to anything meaningful about me. Had you asked anyone here about me, blah, blah, blah

I said I was done, but I had to reply to this post. You really, really want to know what people think about you, Todd. Well, here you go. This is a PM I received about you. I edited most of it as to not give up the member's name, but the important part is all there. I guess I do have a clue about you, huh? Todd, I don't have to ask members about you. They PM me.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Based on my dealings with him, I would not believe Carter's Cards if he said today was Friday.

[Peter_Spaeth]

As long as we're throwing anonymous character witnesses around, I very much like Todd, even when he tries to humiliate me with prior inconsistent statements.

[teetwoohsix]

First, thank you Leon for allowing political talk in this one thread.

Thankfully, there's nothing to be alarmed about.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/09/us...ents.html?_r=1


Sincerely, Clayton

[jhs5120]

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[jandr272]

Originally Posted by jhs5120

Unfortunately it's easier to get an assault rifle than cough syrup in some states and police are the ones suffering the consequences.

Do you have any sources to back this up? The majority of police deaths are actually vehicular, followed by handguns.

No-knock warrants are Gestapo tactics, and cops in military gear with fully automatic weapons, flashbangs and armored vehicles are the sign of an overbearing government, not advances in technology. A quick search of google will come up with more incidents of cops screwing up no-knock raids than getting hurt in them. Things like throwing a flashbang in a toddler's playpen and burning 70% of his body, killing beloved family pets, etc. The justification for most no-knock warrants? The subject they are trying to serve is "known to carry weapons" or it is a drug charge.

[teetwoohsix]

Originally Posted by jhs5120

Personally, I liked your original unedited post much better

I guess I'm a little bias because I have friends in the force. I have no problem with police forces using recycled military gear (it's better than Bush selling them to Sadam Hussein). I think the best quote of the article is this:



Unfortunately it's easier to get an assault rifle than cough syrup in some states and police are the ones suffering the consequences. If I were to put my life on the line each day I'd probably push towards better gear. Wouldn't you? That's a serious question Clayton. If you were a police officer and you had the opportunity to better protect yourself, would you? I know I would. I would grab as many assault rifles, MRAPs, tanks, grenade launchers and whatever I can get my hands on.

Thanks Jason, I edited it out because after reading it over again in the morning I felt like "what's the use". I could fill up pages of what I feel is wrong with this Country, but unless people are aware of the things I'm talking about-it doesn't resonate.

To answer your question though- it is a much deeper situation than police wanting better gear. But, we are going beyond just "better gear", we are bringing the military structure to the police force-from the dress, to the vehicles, to the weapons, to the tactics.......I'm sorry, but I don't want to live in the "new war zone". I look at it this way. These police voluntarily signed up to do this job. They chose it as a career path. They are choosing to put their lives on the line for a paycheck. The same way I drove public transportation for years. Guess what? I drove through the worst areas in this city every night I worked-putting my life on the line- with NO WEAPON AT ALL. You don't think I had to deal with hostile drunks, people tweaked out on who knows what, fights, child abuse, elder abuse, gang bangers in droves? But- it's called "communication skills". I treated people with respect, and for the most part, got it in return. Sure, I had situations that I had to quell (quite often).....but it's called "reasoning" instead of "force".

I know driving a bus is not the same as being a cop, but I dealt with the public just the same. We were trained to handle situations without needing weapons.

You think a militarized police force is a ridiculous issue, but I don't think you see the whole picture here. Look up NDAA 2012 Section 1021 & 1022. Look how they are killing people who are unarmed left and right-and always getting away with it by saying " the officer was in fear of his/her life" and being put on PAID LEAVE-just to be cleared. If these cops want to be the leaders of the community, then hold them accountable when they murder an innocent victim. They should be held to a higher standard-you kill an unarmed innocent civilian, 25 to life. I bet the abuse would end quick. Independent review of the case by a body of the public they are serving. Same goes for politicians. They should be held to a higher standard, and if they abuse their power they go to prison, end of story.

Because the public sees what they get away with, police and politicians, they lose faith in the system and there's no trust. Social decay. People who don't even break the law are afraid of police. This is why militarizing them does nothing more create an atmosphere of hostility and fear-just the way the politicians want it.

End the war on drugs,,,,,,,,,that is (in my opinion) a way to start healing this nation. Let adults be adults and make their own decisions on what they want to put in their bodies. If they aren't harming anyone else, give them the freedom to choose.Prohibition does not work-proven fact. If they commit crimes because of their drug use(like burglary, robbery, car jacking, etc.), lock them up. Simple. Because, regardless, people are still and always will use drugs. And, I am NOT promoting drug use, just trying to use common sense. Locking people in cages and giving them felonies over a $20.00 bag of cocaine is absurd. That felony means that 75% of his/her job opportunities are gone. Addicts do recover and become productive- why limit their ambitions if they clean up their lives?

Lastly, I want every police officer to make it home safely every night. Just like I want every human to make it home safely every night.After all, we are all Americans, right?

Sincerely, Clayton