Philando Castile's Murderer Gets Away

[Reyaj]

Apparently you didn't read my post.

Was there a different one from the one I debunked? You know where you took mine out of context and tried to spin it into something else

 

[Reyaj]

Do what you like. You sound angry?

I am just trying to keep the thread from being derailed.

His anger and focus was on the outcome of the trial, not on how whites and blacks are treated differently. In fact, whites have nothing to do with his post. So keep the white hate and envy out of it.

You're the only one derailing it. If you can't clearly read the words from the OP then you need some reading comprehension classes.

As far as white hate and envy, I'm white you moron lol

 

[TheVirtualMind]

*Disclaimer* This post was created based on the video, personal experience as an officer, and similar situations. If you are offended by this post, do not reply. This isn't about your feelings, but about facts.*

Lets take a look at things in order:

Pre Video

Lets start off with stuff we know prior to the dashcam video going.

- There was an armed robbery in the area recently and the officer was the officer that took the report and saw video/pictures of the suspects

- Driver and passenger smoked marijuana in the vehicle with a small child present prior to being stopped

- Driver is in possession of his licensed firearm while under the influence of marijuana

- Officer pulled over driver for investigative purposes based on the armed robbery with the pretext of stopping the driver for the brake light being out

- Officer didn't get a good view of the driver prior to deciding to stop the vehicle and only had minimal things to believe it was the same person (hair style, nose style)

Opening of video: Prior to shooting (also includes stuff from testimony)

- Brake light is visibly out, stop is ok

- Officer approached on driver side, backup on passenger side but stayed behind the passenger side door, closer to the rear door and won't be able to see drivers hands when reaching for anything

- Officer smells odor of burnt marijuana

- Officer explains reason for stop and requests license and registration. Registration is handed over, but not license

- Driver maintains gaze straight ahead and mumbles to self. Keeps left arm on steering wheel while reaching with right hand

- At this point, Officer is told there is a gun in the car and tells driver "don't reach for it"

Shooting

- Officer gives several commands over several seconds to stop moving and not to reach. Officer also reaches in with left hand before removing hand and firing into the vehicle

- Back up officer isn't nearby and actually runs back when first officer draws weapon

Post Shooting

- Passenger decided this was the moment to go live on Facebook and beings streaming the aftermath

- Multiple officers arrive. Passenger is removed from vehicle and handcuffed until things can be resolved. Driver is removed and CPR is started.

Aftermath

- Passenger gets taken to police precinct and questioned and released at 5 am.

My take

There are issues with 3 people involved: The officer, the backup, and the driver. The passenger had issues afterwards with stuff, but none were a contributing factor to the shooting, aside from the marijuana use with the driver.

Officer If he thought that it was the armed robbery suspect, do a felony stop. If he was unsure if that was the suspect and had time, run the tag and get a picture of the registered owner (NOTE: I do not know if that is possible in all states. It is in mine.) and compare it with the BOLO of the armed robbery suspect(s). When informed by driver that he had a gun, should have notified back up officer.

Back up officer Positioning wasn't that good. I understand why he stayed behind the passenger side door, but should have put himself in a position to see the drivers hands from his view too. When he heard partner yelling out "don't reach!", should have moved forward to a position to see what was being reached instead of retreating. An extra set of eyes that has a different angle is always useful.

Driver Should NOT have been carrying weapon after smoking marijuana shortly prior. I firmly believe this is what led to the wrong path. The lethargic nature of being under the influence created a dangerous situation. Kept eyes straight ahead and mumbling after informing officer of weapon, which he did after already producing a document (registration.) Continued to reach near waist area even after being told not to.

When weighed, the marijuana use combined with the carrying of his firearm was the main factor. If you are going to carry your weapon legally, that means WHILE NOT UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ANYTHING! Your judgement is impaired.

If you are a concealed permit carrier, do NOT be under the influence of anything when carrying. If/When stopped by police, keep your hands on the steering wheel and inform the officer you have a firearm on you (or in the car, if you are transporting it somewhere like a range or shop.) DO NOT MOVE until instructed to do so. It doesn't matter if you are reaching for it, your wallet, your seatbelt, or to scratch your ass...DO...NOT...MOVE! It's not rocket science.

"He told the officer he has a weapon. Why would he do that and then reach and pull it out?"

Hell if I know. I've had people tell me they had a weapon of some sort and still reached for it. I've had people reach for a gun in their waist after telling me that while 5 other officers were there. People do stupid things. I've had people in full security uniforms and gun belts with their ID's hanging out rob a store. I've had felons openly carry.

Know why the officer wasn't convicted of manslaughter?

"The unjustifiable, inexcusable, and intentional killing of a human being without deliberation, premeditation, and malice. The unlawful killing of a human being without any deliberation, which may be involuntary, in the commission of a lawful act without due caution and circumspection."

That is the definition. The shooting was justifiable, based on the circumstances presented to the court and that has been presented based on the dashcam video, medical notes, and prior evidence. Also, an officer is trained to shoot center mass to stop the threat, which is not the same as "shoot to kill."

We are not trained to shoot the hand, the knee, the arm, the leg, shoot a gun away, ect. We are also not trained to wait until someone pulls a gun out completely so we can see it.

I had said this a few times and I'll say it again. If your local police department has some sort of "Citizens Academy" course or program, please enroll in it. Especially if they do scenario training. You will learn a bit about training officers have, what happens during situations, what can happen, ect. You will learn laws, reasons why certain things happen, ect. You may also see what happens when things go horribly wrong.

 

[sazc]

Thanks @TheVirtualMind
I figured that was all the situation here. I didn't think of the impact of the marijuana smoking and carrying a firearm, but that definitely adds a dimension.

 

[Tenacity]

*Disclaimer* This post was created based on the video, personal experience as an officer, and similar situations. If you are offended by this post, do not reply. This isn't about your feelings, but about facts.*

Lets take a look at things in order:

Pre Video

Lets start off with stuff we know prior to the dashcam video going.

- There was an armed robbery in the area recently and the officer was the officer that took the report and saw video/pictures of the suspects

- Driver and passenger smoked marijuana in the vehicle with a small child present prior to being stopped

- Driver is in possession of his licensed firearm while under the influence of marijuana

- Officer pulled over driver for investigative purposes based on the armed robbery with the pretext of stopping the driver for the brake light being out

- Officer didn't get a good view of the driver prior to deciding to stop the vehicle and only had minimal things to believe it was the same person (hair style, nose style)

Opening of video: Prior to shooting (also includes stuff from testimony)

- Brake light is visibly out, stop is ok

- Officer approached on driver side, backup on passenger side but stayed behind the passenger side door, closer to the rear door and won't be able to see drivers hands when reaching for anything

- Officer smells odor of burnt marijuana

- Officer explains reason for stop and requests license and registration. Registration is handed over, but not license

- Driver maintains gaze straight ahead and mumbles to self. Keeps left arm on steering wheel while reaching with right hand

- At this point, Officer is told there is a gun in the car and tells driver "don't reach for it"

Shooting

- Officer gives several commands over several seconds to stop moving and not to reach. Officer also reaches in with left hand before removing hand and firing into the vehicle

- Back up officer isn't nearby and actually runs back when first officer draws weapon

Post Shooting

- Passenger decided this was the moment to go live on Facebook and beings streaming the aftermath

- Multiple officers arrive. Passenger is removed from vehicle and handcuffed until things can be resolved. Driver is removed and CPR is started.

Aftermath

- Passenger gets taken to police precinct and questioned and released at 5 am.

My take

There are issues with 3 people involved: The officer, the backup, and the driver. The passenger had issues afterwards with stuff, but none were a contributing factor to the shooting, aside from the marijuana use with the driver.

Officer If he thought that it was the armed robbery suspect, do a felony stop. If he was unsure if that was the suspect and had time, run the tag and get a picture of the registered owner (NOTE: I do not know if that is possible in all states. It is in mine.) and compare it with the BOLO of the armed robbery suspect(s). When informed by driver that he had a gun, should have notified back up officer.

Back up officer Positioning wasn't that good. I understand why he stayed behind the passenger side door, but should have put himself in a position to see the drivers hands from his view too. When he heard partner yelling out "don't reach!", should have moved forward to a position to see what was being reached instead of retreating. An extra set of eyes that has a different angle is always useful.

Driver Should NOT have been carrying weapon after smoking marijuana shortly prior. I firmly believe this is what led to the wrong path. The lethargic nature of being under the influence created a dangerous situation. Kept eyes straight ahead and mumbling after informing officer of weapon, which he did after already producing a document (registration.) Continued to reach near waist area even after being told not to.

When weighed, the marijuana use combined with the carrying of his firearm was the main factor. If you are going to carry your weapon legally, that means WHILE NOT UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ANYTHING! Your judgement is impaired.

If you are a concealed permit carrier, do NOT be under the influence of anything when carrying. If/When stopped by police, keep your hands on the steering wheel and inform the officer you have a firearm on you (or in the car, if you are transporting it somewhere like a range or shop.) DO NOT MOVE until instructed to do so. It doesn't matter if you are reaching for it, your wallet, your seatbelt, or to scratch your ass...DO...NOT...MOVE! It's not rocket science.

"He told the officer he has a weapon. Why would he do that and then reach and pull it out?"

Hell if I know. I've had people tell me they had a weapon of some sort and still reached for it. I've had people reach for a gun in their waist after telling me that while 5 other officers were there. People do stupid things. I've had people in full security uniforms and gun belts with their ID's hanging out rob a store. I've had felons openly carry.

Know why the officer wasn't convicted of manslaughter?

"The unjustifiable, inexcusable, and intentional killing of a human being without deliberation, premeditation, and malice. The unlawful killing of a human being without any deliberation, which may be involuntary, in the commission of a lawful act without due caution and circumspection."

That is the definition. The shooting was justifiable, based on the circumstances presented to the court and that has been presented based on the dashcam video, medical notes, and prior evidence. Also, an officer is trained to shoot center mass to stop the threat, which is not the same as "shoot to kill."

We are not trained to shoot the hand, the knee, the arm, the leg, shoot a gun away, ect. We are also not trained to wait until someone pulls a gun out completely so we can see it.

I had said this a few times and I'll say it again. If your local police department has some sort of "Citizens Academy" course or program, please enroll in it. Especially if they do scenario training. You will learn a bit about training officers have, what happens during situations, what can happen, ect. You will learn laws, reasons why certain things happen, ect. You may also see what happens when things go horribly wrong.

Virtual we can go through the list of things Castile didn't follow in the "75 Steps To Follow When Pulled Over" handbook a million times. The bottom line is that if SAZC were in this same beat up car, with a weed smell, and announced she had a gun......she would have been afforded more time to go through the series of "comply commands" you guys are listing out.

Because Castile was stereotyped as being a black thug, in the hood, who potentially just did a robbery.......who also has a gun......that right there was the reason for the immediate reaction to shoot.

That could have EASILY been me in that car. No I don't smoke weed, No I don't carry guns, and I also don't drive beat up cars. But if I mistakenly skip a step in the "75 Steps To Follow When Pulled Over" handbook......and this now means it's okay to shoot me 7 times in the chest......then IDK what country we are living in anymore.

 

[sazc]

@Tenacity I disagree with you that I would be allowed more time to Rifle through my pockets when the police was in fear that I was pulling out a gun.
Your stance on this issue is understandably emotionally driven and therefore your argument is based on emotions rather than logic and fact.

 

[Tenacity]

@Tenacity I disagree with you that I would be allowed more time to Rifle through my pockets when the police was in fear that I was pulling out a gun.
Your stance on this issue is understandably emotionally driven and therefore your argument is based on emotions rather than logic and fact.

I've completely laid out the logic and facts on this case. The man already HAD his hand in his pocket when he told the Officer he had a gun, he wasn't allowed the opportunity nor time to pull his hand back out of his pocket.

Castile missed step #24 in the 75 Steps To Follow When Pulled Over handbook, which is that if you are riding with a licensed gun, you should keep your hands visible at all times. And for that reason (along with being stereotyped as a black thug and smoking weed) he was shot 7 DAMN TIMES in the chest.

Unbelievable.

 

[TheVirtualMind]

Virtual we can go through the list of things Castile didn't follow in the "75 Steps To Follow When Pulled Over" handbook a million times. The bottom line is that if SAZC were in this same beat up car, with a weed smell, and announced she had a gun......she would have been afforded more time to go through the series of "comply commands" you guys are listing out.

Because Castile was stereotyped as being a black thug, in the hood, who potentially just did a robbery.......who also has a gun......that right there was the reason for the immediate reaction to shoot.

That could have EASILY been me in that car. No I don't smoke weed, No I don't carry guns, and I also don't drive beat up cars. But if I mistakenly skip a step in the "75 Steps To Follow When Pulled Over" handbook......and this now means it's okay to shoot me 7 times in the chest......then IDK what country we are living in anymore.

No, Tenacity, the "bottom line" is that you are choosing to play the "this guy was black, so he was profiled" card, instead of the "this guy ignored orders and continued to reach towards his waist after saying he had a gun" card. If the same thing had happened with SZAC as the driver, it would of never made the news because that's not what is convenient for the media now a day.

Want to know what steps 1-75 of the "what to do when pulled over" handbook cover?

1-75: LISTEN TO THE OFFICER!

The reason for the "immediate reaction to shoot" was because he said he had a gun and was reaching, while ignoring the police officers commands to stop reaching. This isn't Call of Duty, Grand Theft Auto, or some other video game where you get to respawn. Want to know what the top 2 most dangerous situations are for a cop? Domestic Violence calls and traffic stops.

"That could have easily been me." No, Tenacity, not if you LISTEN TO THE FREAKING OFFICER. Don't smoke weed? Good. Don't carry a gun? Up to you, it is your legal right to do so if you pass your states background and training.

Before you continue to try and spin this as a "well, a white person would have been able to..." thread, let me cut to the chase.

Want to know what the big, main connection has been to *nearly* all the police shootings on video that have had people so riled up? The person that got shot resisted, or ignored commands.

Is it that had to understand "don't move?" "Stop reaching?" "Keep your hands where I can see them?" If you want to keep going on the "well, based on his race..." route, then please get out of this thread as you are only here for 1 thing, to stir up race. No matter what is said, you will just go back to "but if it was a white person...." or "well, because he was black..."

Go on a ride along with your local police agency if they offer them (some agencies have stopped, given the recent ambush attacks.) See how things are during a shift. Ask questions (but not stupid ones) and see what you learn. Just don't bring your pedestal with you.

 

[Tenacity]

No, Tenacity, the "bottom line" is that you are choosing to play the "this guy was black, so he was profiled" card, instead of the "this guy ignored orders and continued to reach towards his waist after saying he had a gun" card.

Virtual we already established that one of the reasons the Cop pulled over Castile, was because he thought he was a black robbery suspect. You know what we call black robbers? We call them black thugs. That's why I say that the Officer already had it in his mind that Castile was a potential black thug upon pulling him over. When he got to the car and smelled weed that further imprinted the "thug" label in the Officer's mind. Once Castile said he had a gun, that was it.......5 seconds later Castile is dead.

And the gun was never out of Castile's pocket, it was deep down in his pocket. Officers and firefighter witnesses on the scene confirmed this.

Castile was already in the ACT of reaching for the rest of his documents when he told the Officer he had a gun, the Officer said, "Well, don't reach for it"......Castile says, "I'm not reaching for it" while pulling his hand back out of his pocket and the Officer lets off 7 shots.

That's what happened. That's not my opinion, that's not me playing any type of "cards"....that's exactly what happened in this case. The Officer didn't give the man time to PULL his hand back out of his pocket.

You guys make it seem as though Castile was sitting there, with both hands already in his lap, announces to the Officer he has a gun, then starts reaching in his pocket. That's not what happened at all. I will say it again....

Castile was ALREADY in the ACT of reaching into his pocket, his hand was already IN his pocket when he told the Officer he had a gun. The Officer then looks inside the car and tells Castile not to reach for it, as the Officer said he had his hand IN HIS POCKET with a grip size that appeared to be BIGGER than a wallet.

That's the facts of the case Virtual. It was a bad shoot.

 

[sazc]

@Tenacity None of what you just said changes anything. Instead of listening you keep reiterating the same thing over and over and over again.

Everything you have said, countered, etc, people keep addressing rationally. You continue to ignore the rationalizations and repeat the same thing again.

This proves that you're not here to learn you're here to argue.

 

[TheVirtualMind]

Who is this "we?" You know what I call a black robber? The same thing as a white robber. Same thing as an Asian robber.

A robber.

Smelling weed doesn't make him a "thug." It means there might be more in the car. There might be other drugs in the car.

Do you realize how long 5 seconds is. Go ahead, set a timer and put your hand in your pocket. How long does it take to remove you hand from your pocket? Go ahead, I'll wait.

Also, why have your hand in your pocket and then announce you have a gun?

 

[sazc]

5 seconds is DEFINITELY enough time to STOP moving and say "what would you like me to do officer?"

 

[Tenacity]

Do you realize how long 5 seconds is. Go ahead, set a timer and put your hand in your pocket. How long does it take to remove you hand from your pocket? Go ahead, I'll wait.

If I'm high.....it will take me anywhere from 5 - 10 seconds. But the POINT I'm making to you Virtual, is Castile already had his hand IN his pocket when he announced to the Officer he had a gun. Castile was in the process of pulling his hand BACK OUT of his pocket and that's when the Officer shot him, because the Officer said Castile's "grip size" appeared to be larger than a wallet.

So as Castile was pulling his hand back out of his pocket, the Officer assumed he was pulling out the gun and shot Castile.

Also, why have your hand in your pocket and then announce you have a gun?

Because that was another one of Castile's idiotic mistakes, missing #38 in the 75 Steps To Follow When Pulled Over.

5 seconds is DEFINITELY enough time to STOP moving and say "what would you like me to do officer?"

Great point, that was another one of Castile's idiotic mistakes, missing #47 in the 75 Steps To Follow When Pulled Over.

NONE of that justified shooting the man 7 times in the chest.

 

[TheVirtualMind]

If I'm high.....it will take me anywhere from 5 - 10 seconds. But the POINT I'm making to you Virtual, is Castile already had his hand IN his pocket when he announced to the Officer he had a gun. Castile was in the process of pulling his hand BACK OUT of his pocket and that's when the Officer shot him, because the Officer said Castile's "grip size" appeared to be larger than a wallet.

So as Castile was pulling his hand back out of his wallet, the Officer assumed he was pulling out the gun and shot Castile.



Because that was another one of Castile's idiotic mistakes, missing #38 in the 75 Steps To Follow When Pulled Over.

If you are high, DO NOT CARRY YOUR GUN!

There is a reason why. This is why. You are too slow to pull your hand out of your pocket after telling me you have a gun? You know who's fault that is? Hint: Not mine. 5 seconds is a LONG time.

Even as an officer, we can not carry if we drink while off duty, if we are medication for an injury, ect.

I'm done, Tenacity. Nothing I say, or anyone else, will get thru to you. You already have your "he was killed for being black" mentality in your head and rational explanations and reasonings are only met with "well, because he was black!"

If anyone has any thoughtful pieces to add in, great. If not, don't expect this open much longer because the dead horse that was getting beaten the last two pages has since been hauled away.

 

[sazc]

If I'm high.....it will take me anywhere from 5 - 10 seconds. But the POINT I'm making to you Virtual, is Castile already had his hand IN his pocket when he announced to the Officer he had a gun. Castile was in the process of pulling his hand BACK OUT of his pocket and that's when the Officer shot him, because the Officer said Castile's "grip size" appeared to be larger than a wallet.

So as Castile was pulling his hand back out of his pocket, the Officer assumed he was pulling out the gun and shot Castile.



Because that was another one of Castile's idiotic mistakes, missing #38 in the 75 Steps To Follow When Pulled Over.



Great point, that was another one of Castile's idiotic mistakes, missing #47 in the 75 Steps To Follow When Pulled Over.

NONE of that justified shooting the man 7 times in the chest.

If you are a police officer, and as assessing the situation, all of the topics we continually address in this thread justify the officers response to the situation.

Do we like it? No. Are we upset about it? yes. Do we wish it hadn't have happened? absolutely.

I used to smoke pot. I'm now wondering if Castille simply was too baked to really process the scene, process WTF was really going down, what the officer was saying and where his hand was, etc, and that is why it went down the way it did.
It's a damn shame.

 

[Tenacity]

I'm done, Tenacity. Nothing I say, or anyone else, will get thru to you. You already have your "he was killed for being black" mentality in your head and rational explanations and reasonings are only met with "well, because he was black!"

I have not at ANYTIME carried on a "race card" argument throughout this discussion. I have provided various statements and other FACTS around this case that you, @sazc, and @Danger refuse to listen to because the TRUTH of the matter is......it's you guys that are the extremists. If a Police Officer says X, you just take his word for it, without examining if the Police Officer had merit.

If anyone has any thoughtful pieces to add in, great. If not, don't expect this open much longer because the dead horse that was getting beaten the last two pages has since been hauled away.

Oh, now you want to close the thread? Based on what? The TRUTH being exposed? Because no RACE CARD argument has come from Tenacity, this is an argument based on a stupid a.ss Police Officer that should have been convicted of Manslaughter.

Another case of a Sosuave Moderator abusing his Power. Go ahead and BAN me next Virtual, use the made up fvcking excuse that I'm using the RACE CARD. I'm done with this fvcking website anyway.

 

[Tenacity]

It is absolutely a terrible tragedy, and I feel for his family and their awful loss....

You don't feel sorry for SHYT........You already labeled him GUILTY before you even researched the god damn case. The other black dudes were right, you guys are clearly fvcking racist.

Ban me from this fvcking website. I'm not contributing SHYT else on this piece of fvcking shyt.

 

[TheVirtualMind]

I have not at ANYTIME carried on a "race card" argument throughout this discussion. I have provided various statements and other FACTS around this case that you, @sazc, and @Danger refuse to listen to because the TRUTH of the matter is......it's you guys that are the extremists. If a Police Officer says X, you just take his word for it, without examining if the Police Officer had merit.

I have not at ANYTIME carried on a "race card" argument throughout this discussion. I have provided various statements and other FACTS around this case that you, @sazc, and @Danger refuse to listen to because the TRUTH of the matter is......it's you guys that are the extremists. If a Police Officer says X, you just take his word for it, without examining if the Police Officer had merit.

Hmm...

WTF was he shooting for other than the notion of there's an N-word with a gun? Assuming that because it's an N-word, the gun isn't registered and the N-word has no business carrying it?

The only reason the Officer "feared for his life" was because he feared Castile for being a black man in general. The whole "he looked like a robbery suspect" is some made up bullshyt to help make excuses for the Officer.

It's clearly a situation of Officer Jack-Ass-Onimo Yanez seen a black man (N-word) with a GUN, assumed he wasn't supposed to have it, supposed he was about to use it, and used his gun first. So the "he was in fear of his life" argument was strictly due to racial stereotyping, NOT anything that Castile was doing. It's not MY FAULT nor Castile's fault that we are black and all black men are stereotyped as one way. Some of us are NOT Ray Ray and Pookie's dumb a.ss

This is a very simple case. There's a stereotype of Black Men, it's that we are all Ray Ray and Pookie's dumb a.ss. The Officer thought Castile was another "Ray Ray" with an unregistered gun, riding around smoking weed/high, and could potentially USE it on the Cop. So when the Cop heard "I have a gun" he immediately thinks this "N-Word/Thug" is about to use it illegally.

He went immediately into panic mode, where you have two "N-words" riding in a car that smells like weed, one of the "N-words" has a gun, so they MUST be up to no good (as Zimmerman's fat ugly a.ss would say)

No, he was a black man that lived in the hood, that had a gun on him. THAT right there in and of itself was the "threat" that the jack a.ss Officer felt.

I've already detailed to you guys why the Cop felt "threatened". Castile was a black guy, in the hood, with a beat up car, that smelled like weed. At THAT moment the Officer labeled him as "one of those thug N-Words" that was most likely up to "no good". Then once Castile says he had a gun, the Cop now has an image of a "thug N-Word with a gun" and immediately starts letting off rounds..

Alrighty then...

Oh, now you want to close the thread? Based on what? The TRUTH being exposed? Because no RACE CARD argument has come from Tenacity, this is an argument based on a stupid a.ss Police Officer that should have been convicted of Manslaughter.

Another case of a Sosuave Moderator abusing his Power. Go ahead and BAN me next Virtual, use the made up fvcking excuse that I'm using the RACE CARD. I'm done with this fvcking website anyway.

No, the thread would be closed eventually because it is spiraling from a "discussion" that you originally started to a big "debate" now where people made their points and now those points are just being posted again and again and again. If new information is introduced, then so be it. But with posters on here being on two apparent polar opposites and no progress being made...

No Tenacity, I'm not going to ban you. I have no reason to, nor no need to. But please, take a few days, breathe, and compose yourself. If a discussion/debate on a website gets you that worked up and that angry, take some time away from it. Log on and read the Health and Fitness or something, go to Google and look up your favorite activities or something and then come back refreshed and in a better mood.

 

[EyeBRollin]

I'll just chime in quickly. Both "sides" have merit to their arguments.

The point @Tenacity and other black men on the forum (and America) make is that there is zero margin for error if you are pulled over while black, where as white men can curse out and even point weapons in the direction of cops and receive nothing but rational, calm verbal requests.

If Castile was a white man, there is no way he is dead today. If you can't see that reality, you're choosing to stay in your bubble. America's "justice" system is highly racialized. Different rules exist for black men and white men. If a black man makes a single mistake, or if the cop is just scared of / prejudiced against blacks, he's dead.

@Danger don't derail this post. This is not an attack on whites, it's just vocalizing a perspective most Americans are finally recognizing - cops don't react the same towards black man as they do towards white men. Period, full stop.

Now, are you going to acknowledge this reality or continue to deflect?

 

[EyeBRollin]

I am not deflecting, I am just pointing out that there is nothing "white" about this incident and to bring it in as an arbitrary baseline seems ridiculous and only fuels racial antagonism.

Racial antagonism has been directed at blacks for 400 years. "Bringing it in as an arbitrary baseline" is to achieve everyone in this country regardless of skin color being treated equally under the law. We both agree with everyone getting fair treatment, right? If that's the case, why can't you acknowledge that police treat black men differently than white men?

What is the purpose or goal in comparing this experience to a race that has nothing to do with this incident?

Because the truth is Castile's skin color got him killed. Black men get bullets in their chest every time a cop gets scared, whether it's justified or not. For some reason, a white man with a gun is not scary like a black man with a gun.

For me, it's ludicrous that a guy high on weed with his girlfriend and daughter in the car, who made a conscious effort to be transparent about his legal carrying status, can be so threatening so quickly to a cop that he had to put 7 bullets in the guy's chest in just a few seconds.