# The ambushed cops: So, it's all Obama's fault now? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [December 22, 2014, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ambushed-cops-so-its-all-obamas-fault-now/707867 "2014-12-22T00:46:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![FuriousGeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecae2f/32.png) [@FuriousGeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FuriousGeorge)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2014, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ambushed-cops-so-its-all-obamas-fault-now/707867/101 "2014-12-22T21:44:49Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > The temptation to commit suicide-by-mod just to give certain fucking assholes a good, solid “Fuck you!” becomes harder and harder to resist… So much this. Though admittedly, I suspect our lists may be markedly different but not necessarily mutually exclusive. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2014, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ambushed-cops-so-its-all-obamas-fault-now/707867/102 "2014-12-22T21:45:47Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > He was choked. Because he was choked, he died, as the coroner ruled. He was therefore choked to death. > > . Not quite. Wiki: _On August 1, Garner’s death was found by the New York City Medical Examiner’s Office to be a result of “compression of neck (chokehold), compression of chest and prone positioning during physical restraint by police.”[24] Asthma, heart disease, and obesity were cited as contributing factors._ He was restrained. His death occured due to this. Obviously a tragedy. Perhaps a mistake made in the heat of the encounter. Do you think they meant to kill him? ---
**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2014, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ambushed-cops-so-its-all-obamas-fault-now/707867/103 "2014-12-22T21:47:59Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > He was choked. Because he was choked, he died, as the coroner ruled. The coroner did rule that he died. He did not rule that he died “because he was choked”. > [@](#): > > I understand English is not your native language, but wow. Let’s see how your understanding of English is. The coroner ruled that Garner died from “…compression of neck, compression of his chest and prone positioning during physical restraint by police… Asthma, heart disease and obesity were contributing factors…” Hm. So - 6 contrubuting factors. Choked to death? no. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2014, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ambushed-cops-so-its-all-obamas-fault-now/707867/104 "2014-12-22T21:49:33Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Not quite. > > Wiki: \*On August 1, Garner’s death was found by the New York City Medical Examiner’s Office to be a result of “compression of neck (chokehold), compression of chest and prone positioning during physical restraint by police.” Yes, that’s what I said. He was choked to death. :rolleyes: > [@](#): > > Do you think they meant to kill him? No, but I don’t think they really cared not to. He had disrespected their authoritah, after all, and needed to be punished. ---
**Author:** ![Great\_Antibob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Great\_Antibob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Antibob)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2014, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ambushed-cops-so-its-all-obamas-fault-now/707867/105 "2014-12-22T21:50:28Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Obviously a tragedy. Perhaps a mistake made in the heat of the encounter. Do you think they meant to kill him? Most people don’t seem to think they meant to kill him. Much of the outrage appears to be if they were concerned they wouldn’t kill him either, which is a subtle but important distinction. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2014, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ambushed-cops-so-its-all-obamas-fault-now/707867/106 "2014-12-22T21:50:34Z")
> [@Terr](#): > > Choked to death? no. What does “chokehold” mean in your native tongue? ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2014, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ambushed-cops-so-its-all-obamas-fault-now/707867/107 "2014-12-22T21:50:50Z")
> [@Donald\_Rump](#): > > Would Garner have gone into cardiac arrest if he hadn’t been tackled and piled upon by 5 police officers? > > Do you care to provide examples of the anti-police rhetoric that was supposedly so incendiary that it provided license for all manner of violence and mayhem directed at cops? Your guess is as good anyones. Garner would have had a better understanding of his poor health than the officers would have. Maybe Garner should have called Obama before deciding to resist arrest. Call it the SONY option. Should Obama be blamed for Garner’s poor choice? Do you remember that video of the protesters chanting “What do we want? Dead cops! When do we want it? Now!” ? Do you remember the recent media coverage of the protesting NY college professor throwing trashcans at police, from the bridge? When two officers tried to arrest the hammer-carrying protesting prof, six other protesters began to beat and kick the cops for trying to arrest criminals? Do you remember Brown’s father-in-law repeatedly screaming that protesters should, “Burn this bitch down!”? ---
**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2014, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ambushed-cops-so-its-all-obamas-fault-now/707867/108 "2014-12-22T21:52:13Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Not quite. > > Wiki: _On August 1, Garner’s death was found by the New York City Medical Examiner’s Office to be a result of “compression of neck (chokehold), compression of chest and prone positioning during physical restraint by police.”[24] Asthma, heart disease, and obesity were cited as contributing factors._ > > He was restrained. His death occured due to this. Obviously a tragedy. Perhaps a mistake made in the heat of the encounter. Do you think they meant to kill him? Well, “choked to death” sounds so much better than “prone positioned to death”, doesn’t it? Even if it is incorrect - but who cares about facts. ---
**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2014, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ambushed-cops-so-its-all-obamas-fault-now/707867/109 "2014-12-22T21:53:33Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > What does “chokehold” mean in your native tongue? What does “prone positioning” mean in English? It is there in the list of factors. Why isn’t it true that he was “prone positioned to death”? ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2014, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ambushed-cops-so-its-all-obamas-fault-now/707867/110 "2014-12-22T21:55:25Z")
Let’s make it simpler - and, sorry, this has to be in English because Google Translate doesn’t have your native Weaselese as an option - what does “I can’t breathe” mean? The longer you hold onto this nonsense, the worse you look. Just a word of advice. ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2014, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ambushed-cops-so-its-all-obamas-fault-now/707867/111 "2014-12-22T21:57:05Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > He was choked. Because he was choked, he died, as the coroner ruled. He was therefore choked to death. > > I understand English is not your native language, but wow. Because Garner chose to resist arrest, he suffered heart failure. Garner made a poor choice. Obama is golfing in Hawaii. ---
**Author:** ![magellan01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@magellan01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magellan01)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2014, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ambushed-cops-so-its-all-obamas-fault-now/707867/112 "2014-12-22T21:57:50Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > Let’s make it simpler - and, sorry, this has to be in English because Google Translate doesn’t have your native Weaselese as an option - what does “I can’t breathe” mean? > > The longer you hold onto this nonsense, the worse you look. Just a word of advice. Give it up. He was not choked to death by the cops. ---
**Author:** ![Donald\_Rump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9fc29f/32.png) [@Donald\_Rump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Donald_Rump)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2014, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ambushed-cops-so-its-all-obamas-fault-now/707867/113 "2014-12-22T21:59:53Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Do you think they meant to kill him? Do you think they had a reason to restrain him? No and no. IMO. ---
**Author:** ![magellan01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@magellan01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magellan01)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2014, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ambushed-cops-so-its-all-obamas-fault-now/707867/114 "2014-12-22T22:03:06Z")
> [@Donald\_Rump](#): > > No and no. IMO. What should the cops do when someone refuses to submit to arrest? ---
**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2014, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ambushed-cops-so-its-all-obamas-fault-now/707867/115 "2014-12-22T22:04:18Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > Let’s make it simpler - and, sorry, this has to be in English because Google Translate doesn’t have your native Weaselese as an option - what does “I can’t breathe” mean? It meant he can’t breathe. Which could be (and likely was) the result of that aforementioned combination of “prone positioning”, obesity, and asthma - because at the time he is saying “I can’t breathe”, there is no chokehold on him, and there was no damage found to his throat. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2014, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ambushed-cops-so-its-all-obamas-fault-now/707867/116 "2014-12-22T22:18:46Z")
All right then, how do you say “\*\*Terr \*\*is a fucking tool” in your language? ---
**Author:** ![Donald\_Rump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9fc29f/32.png) [@Donald\_Rump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Donald_Rump)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2014, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ambushed-cops-so-its-all-obamas-fault-now/707867/117 "2014-12-22T22:20:36Z")
> [@doorhinge](#): > > Do you remember that video of the protesters chanting “What do we want? Dead cops! When do we want it? Now!” ? They were reprehensible morons spouting disgusting nonsense, much like other individuals I can think of in our very immediate context, but I defend their right to have said it. > [@](#): > > Do you remember the recent media coverage of the protesting NY college professor throwing trashcans at police, from the bridge? When two officers tried to arrest the hammer-carrying protesting prof, six other protesters began to beat and kick the cops for trying to arrest criminals? All of these people were way out of line and deserved to be arrested. Those that were not, should have been. I do not endorse violence against cops. > [@](#): > > Do you remember Brown’s father-in-law repeatedly screaming that protesters should, “Burn this bitch down!”? Brown’s stepfather is clearly either morally retrograde or someone who wasn’t in his right frame of mind emoting in a way that is neither admirable nor productive but who [apologized](http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/michael-brown-stepdad-apologizes-ferguson-comments-article-1.2031486) afterward and IMO should be cut some slack. (As an aside, his comments diverge quite sharply from those of Michael Brown’s [parents](http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=3&ved=0CCgQFjAC&url=http%3A%2F%2Ftime.com%2F3600260%2Fferguson-michael-brown-family-grand-jury%2F&ei=TpeYVILnOvCTsQS_hoKoDw&usg=AFQjCNEKYeV8URWSRt9XQ4vKPCT9AoflXg&sig2=USQcxKFTXjg79nj_0Vdu3A&bvm=bv.82001339,d.cWc)and the Brown family’s [recent comments](http://pix11.com/2014/12/21/michael-browns-family-condemns-shootings-of-nyc-officers/) on the vile murder of the two police officers contradict your narrative of anti-cop rhetoric coming from House Brown.) When you mentioned anti-police rhetoric in post [#36](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=17996760&postcount=36), I assumed you were echoing comments made by Patrick Lynch, Mayor Giuliani, and Governor Pataki critical of supposed rhetoric by President Obama, Attorney General Holder, and Mayor de Blasio. If you were not, then I apologize for underestimating your good sense. So, from your latest post, I will assume that by “anti-police rhetoric” you really meant the depraved words and wantonly violent acts of a handful of losers constituting a fringe minority in the recent spate of protests, in other words, a few bad apples whose relevance to the discussion is virtually nil. Nice to have cleared that up. ---
**Author:** ![magellan01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@magellan01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magellan01)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2014, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ambushed-cops-so-its-all-obamas-fault-now/707867/118 "2014-12-22T22:23:51Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > All right then, how do you say “\*\*Terr \*\*is a fucking tool” in your language? “He’s only ten times smarter than ElvisL1ves.” ---
**Author:** ![andros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2014, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ambushed-cops-so-its-all-obamas-fault-now/707867/119 "2014-12-22T22:26:40Z")
> [@magellan01](#): > > “He’s only ten times smarter than ElvisL1ves.” Sick burn, brah. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2014, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ambushed-cops-so-its-all-obamas-fault-now/707867/120 "2014-12-22T22:50:27Z")
> [@magellan01](#): > > What should the cops do when someone refuses to submit to arrest? Use just enough force to complete the task. Choking people to death and shooting unarmed civilians is not acceptable. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ambushed-cops-so-its-all-obamas-fault-now/707867.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ambushed-cops-so-its-all-obamas-fault-now/707867.md?page=7)