----- Original Message -----
From: "keith_w"
Subject: Re: Stopped By The Police Again
, but merely inquiring into my intentions and such I do not consider
violations of my human rights.
Here, we differ in opinion.
I feel I have a right to be judged by what I do, not by what I may do.
I have no problem with a cop doing his or her job, and making inquiry into
what *I'm* doing might well be part of it.
It all depends on what the stopper does after he stops you, doesn't it.
Answering a few questions is not a serious impediment to my usually busy
day.
Hard to really know what drives any given cop, asking any bunch of
questions.
I've got no problems with having a chit chat with anyone, but as soon as the
chit chat becomes intrusive, I feel I should have the right to end it, right
then and there.
With a civilian, I have that right, and will invoke it at will, with a cop,
it is more difficult, since they tend to look suspiciously on non
cooperation, and have a sense of entitlement to have their friendly
questions answered.
I don't deny there might be a**holes out there, conducting themselves
inappropriately, but...if I am polite and hold off on the smart ass
answers, I'll probably be on my way sooner than I would have were I
belligerent, suspicious, hostile and questioning his authority to do what
he obviously thinks is his right...
The point is, if you are doing nothing wrong, there should be no reason to
detain you in the first place, and you should have the right to be either
friendly or hostile, as you choose, with no recourse from whomever is
accosting you.
At a basic level, I should have the right to tell you to fuck off and leave
me alone, and have that request respected, providing I have not broken any
rules, nor seen someone break any rules.
William Robb
