# Controversial encounters between law-enforcement and civilians - the omnibus thread **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 10, 2014, 7:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942 "2014-10-10T07:35:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 296
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2015, 10:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/5901 "2015-08-10T10:43:52Z")
> [@Steophan](#): > > If they are a threat to life or limb, shooting them is proportional. Not just for cops, for anyone. Not if they unarmed. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2015, 10:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/5902 "2015-08-10T10:45:26Z")
Not if they are unarmed. ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2015, 10:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/5903 "2015-08-10T10:53:42Z")
Not if they are unarmed. ---
**Author:** ![Steophan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steophan/32/9595_2.png) [@Steophan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steophan)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2015, 11:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/5904 "2015-08-10T11:14:15Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > Not if they unarmed. Yes, if they are unarmed. Do you seriously believe that someone is required to allow an unarmed person to kill or cripple them, rather than use lethal force to defend themselves? Because if so, you are an absolute moron. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2015, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/5905 "2015-08-10T11:51:20Z")
What if they’re got a 1920’s-style death ray? And are singing “Rio” by Duran Duran? ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2015, 11:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/5906 "2015-08-10T11:53:37Z")
> [@Steophan](#): > > Yes, if they are unarmed. Do you seriously believe that someone is required to allow an unarmed person to kill or cripple them, rather than use lethal force to defend themselves? Because if so, you are an absolute moron. No, but they are allowed to use proportional force to disable their attacker. There are more than two choices, you mallethead. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2015, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/5907 "2015-08-10T12:22:30Z")
Steopan, why are you so vested in shooting off a person’s arm? ---
**Author:** ![Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hentor_the_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2015, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/5908 "2015-08-10T13:05:51Z")
> [@Muffin](#): > > Steopan, why are you so vested in shooting off a person’s arm? It’s not his genetic constitution. It’s just something about the culture that **Steophan** was raised in that makes him want to shoot off black people’s arms. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2015, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/5909 "2015-08-10T13:22:42Z")
> [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](#): > > It’s not his genetic constitution. It’s just something about the culture that **Steophan** was raised in that makes him want to shoot off black people’s arms. Because any black man with two arms is a threat to life and limb. ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2015, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/5910 "2015-08-10T14:40:37Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > Not if they unarmed. > [@Kobal2](#): > > Not if they are unarmed. Not everyone is the skilled partial-arts experts that you guys seem to be. 😃 The standard for self-defense is imminent danger of great bodily harm or death. I’ve heard rumors that some people have beaten others to death using only their fists. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2015, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/5911 "2015-08-10T14:44:50Z")
And yet, here you are. ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2015, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/5912 "2015-08-10T14:45:52Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > [Arlington, Texas this time](http://bigstory.ap.org/article/5bdef5a5da684401bca8c595032e9180/texas-college-football-player-shot-police-was-unarmed). [Anyone want to guess the skin colors of the deceased and the cop who shot him?](http://www.nydailynews.com/news/crime/unarmed-texas-college-football-player-shot-dead-article-1.2318872) This is obviously the fault of the car dealership for closing it’s doors, locking them, and turning on the burglar alarm. Don’t they understand that 18 year olds (or have they decided that this late night car shopper was 19?) often shop for cars at ONE O’CLOCK IN THE MORNING? ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2015, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/5913 "2015-08-10T14:51:03Z")
> [@doorhinge](#): > > Not everyone is the skilled partial-arts experts that you guys seem to be. 😃 > > The standard for self-defense is imminent danger of great bodily harm or death. I’ve heard rumors that some people have beaten others to death using only their fists. Do the police in your area get no training in non-lethal force? Do they not carry tasers or batons? When all you have is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail. Scary black men are not nails. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2015, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/5914 "2015-08-10T14:58:07Z")
Last week in my city, a woman drove into a hockey arena. Being Canadian, all the police did was arrest her. ---
**Author:** ![dasmoocher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dbc845/32.png) [@dasmoocher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dasmoocher)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2015, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/5915 "2015-08-10T16:37:03Z")
> [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](#): > > It’s not his genetic constitution. It’s just something about the culture that **Steophan** was raised in that makes him want to shoot off black people’s arms. Well, according to our Constitution, even black people have the right to bear arms. Maybe \*\*Steophan \*\*would like black men shot in the balls, instead. So, ya know… ---
**Author:** ![Steophan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steophan/32/9595_2.png) [@Steophan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steophan)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2015, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/5916 "2015-08-10T16:51:29Z")
> [@dasmoocher](#): > > Well, according to our Constitution, even black people have the right to bear arms. Maybe \*\*Steophan \*\*would like black men shot in the balls, instead. So, ya know… No, I support the self defence laws that are used most often (proportionally) by black people to defend themselves. But don’t let facts get in the way of your idiocy… ---
**Author:** ![dasmoocher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dbc845/32.png) [@dasmoocher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dasmoocher)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2015, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/5917 "2015-08-10T17:18:12Z")
> [@Steophan](#): > > No, I support the self defence laws that are used most often (proportionally) by black people to defend themselves. But don’t let facts get in the way of your idiocy… My idiocy? Ohhh! The sting… ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2015, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/5918 "2015-08-10T17:59:20Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > Do the police in your area get no training in non-lethal force? Do they not carry tasers or batons? When all you have is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail. Scary black men are not nails. Some asshole drove thru the wall of a car dealership at 1AM. The dealership was closed. That act, his choice, triggered the burglar alarm. The security company reported the incident to the police dept. The responding officers found some asshole inside the dealership. Why did this asshole literally drive into the dealership. Why was he still there when the police arrived. Did this asshole resist arrest, or attack the officers? Does anyone want to wait for the facts of the case to be made public, or would they prefer to condemn the police based on internet rumors? ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2015, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/5919 "2015-08-10T18:15:35Z")
> [@doorhinge](#): > > Does anyone want to wait for the facts of the case to be made public, or would they prefer to condemn the police based on internet rumors? in many of these cases the “facts of the case” are eventually proven to be lies by the police. So I’m going with uninformed condemnation of the police. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2015, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/5920 "2015-08-10T18:28:35Z")
Steophan, your wanting to shoot black people in the balls makes you not jut a racist, but a pervert racist at that. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942.md?page=295) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942.md?page=297)