[Aesaar]

Which doesn't mean **** because thinking groups of minority people are suspicious happens all the time and most of those result in absolutely nothing.

So sure, you've go someone who, in hindsight, says "yeah they were acting suspiciously", but what he doesn't mention is that group of black guys he thought was suspicious last week, which ended up being nothing.

[Bobboau]

so you have someone who has effectively trained themselves not to report any suspicious activity at all.

[zookeeper]

Details of this case aside, I do sometimes think how it would be really awkward to end up in a situation where you think someone of a minority/ethnicity/whatever which usually gets treated as suspicious is acting suspicious. It's pretty much impossible at that point to start quickly deep-analyzing your own thought patterns on the spot and know whether you found them suspious only because of their behavior or not, unless it's actually not just suspicious but more like obvious. If you do something, it might be due to their minority/ethnicity/whatever because you're being a prejudiced ass, and if you don't do anything, it'll be due to their minority/ethnicity/whatever because you don't want to risk being a prejudiced ass.

[NGTM-1R]

I guess that makes the Democratic Teenage dream: video games, virtual relationships and never have to break a sweat?

Probably.

(Actually I suspect it's Guns, Money, and Blowing **** Up, because teenagers are pretty unified in their belief in these things, and also why Klaustrophobia is wrong.)

[Phantom Hoover]

I guess that makes the Democratic Teenage dream: video games, virtual relationships and never have to break a sweat?

this is a horrible ad hominem, spardason isn't a democrat

[Goober5000]

Livin' the American Dream, as defined by teenage Republicans: Guns, God, and Blowing Things Up.

That statement is every bit as valid as "muslims are terrorists."

Seriously, ENOUGH with the "republicans are crazy racist gun fanatics" lines.

this is a horrible ad hominem, spardason isn't a teenager

Klaustrophobia and Phantom Hoover have a good point.  NGTM-1R's comment was indirect whereas Phantom Hoover's (earlier) comment was direct, but both were cheap shots.

If you don't want this thread to devolve into rhetoric vs. rhetoric, then don't use rhetoric yourself.

[SpardaSon21]

I just think its hilarious that he's saying I worship God, when in fact I'm pretty resolutely agnostic, inasmuch as one can devoutly adhere to "I just don't know enough one way or the other to be sure."

[Goober5000]

I just think its hilarious that he's saying I worship God, when in fact I'm pretty resolutely agnostic, inasmuch as one can devoutly adhere to "I just don't know enough one way or the other to be sure."

That's actually the rational position.  Faith is not a theorem, it's a postulate.

[karajorma]

so you have someone who has effectively trained themselves not to report any suspicious activity at all.

From the article, from the man who said he didn't want to racially profile:

“We sat around lunch thinking, ‘What were they doing around the neighborhood?'” he said.  “We’d see them leave where they’re raiding the apartment.”

Once again. What suspicious activity? Being Middle-Eastern?


It's possible that they were doing something suspicious that wasn't mentioned in the article and in that case he should have reported it regardless of what ethnicity they were. But there are no facts in evidence that they were doing anything suspicious other than being a bunch of Middle-Eastern men he didn't know. You can't report someone for that. And frankly it's really ****ing disturbing to hear you repeatedly claim that he should have.

[Goober5000]

And frankly it's really ****ing disturbing to hear you repeatedly claim that he should have.

You're being tendentious.  SpardaSon21 made his position perfectly clear in his previous post:

Because apparently I didn't communicate my statement clearly, let me rephrase it.  When there's suspicious activity happening in your area, I think worrying about being racist should be secondary to worrying about the suspicious activity.

[Phantom Hoover]

Yes, and Karajorma is pointing out that nobody can apparently articulate what this 'suspicious activity' was, beyond the race of the men involved.

[WeatherOp]

I guess that makes the Democratic Teenage dream: video games, virtual relationships and never have to break a sweat?

this is a horrible ad hominem, spardason isn't a democrat

Went right over your head.  NGTM-1R said Conservative teenagers are all about guns and blowing stuff up so I jested back that liberal teenagers are all about being weenies who are scared to break a sweat. Everyone loves sterotypes.

Some of y'all need to lighten up and laugh a bit.

[AdmiralRalwood]

I guess that makes the Democratic Teenage dream: video games, virtual relationships and never have to break a sweat?

this is a horrible ad hominem, spardason isn't a democrat

Went right over your head.  NGTM-1R said Conservative teenagers are all about guns and blowing stuff up so I jested back that liberal teenagers are all about being weenies who are scared to break a sweat. Everyone loves sterotypes.

Some of y'all need to lighten up and laugh a bit.

I think you might want to double-check that your sarcasm detector is functioning properly.

[WeatherOp]

I guess that makes the Democratic Teenage dream: video games, virtual relationships and never have to break a sweat?

this is a horrible ad hominem, spardason isn't a democrat

Went right over your head.  NGTM-1R said Conservative teenagers are all about guns and blowing stuff up so I jested back that liberal teenagers are all about being weenies who are scared to break a sweat. Everyone loves sterotypes.

Some of y'all need to lighten up and laugh a bit.

I think you might want to double-check that your sarcasm detector is functioning properly.

Dude, it never functions.....

I lost that years ago underneath all the junk that multiplies in my house

[Grizzly]

Is it still drive by posting when it's FACTS!? (And an attempt to steer the topic back to something politically relevant)

[The E]

If you post something with the intent of shaping the discussion in some way, but at the same time declare openly that you won't stay around to participate further, only then are you guilty of drive-by posting. At least that's my definition of actionable drive-by posting.

[Bobboau]

Ok, so we are done talking about the Islamic terrorist atack in calafornia? That's what I thought this topic was about.

[karajorma]

Yes, and Karajorma is pointing out that nobody can apparently articulate what this 'suspicious activity' was, beyond the race of the men involved.

Exactly.

[Bobboau]

ok, well if we are shifting the topic can I ask a question I haven't heard asked. What has changed in the last few years that has suddenly made this a problem? We have more gun legislation now than ever, not a sudden increase, but every few years some more legislation get passed. Guns have not changed significantly in the last 50ish years. Why now all of a sudden? what changed? I don't remember there being any major regulations that have been repealed recently, maybe I just missed it, was there something? is it just the media fanning the flames? is it fluoridated water?

[NGTM-1R]

I just think its hilarious that he's saying I worship God, when in fact I'm pretty resolutely agnostic, inasmuch as one can devoutly adhere to "I just don't know enough one way or the other to be sure."

Help help I'm being oppressed by commentary not directed at me. Return your ability to detect sarcasm, and possibly to read at all considering the followup postings, in its original packaging to the manufacturer.

Goober, you too. Actually, you moreso, considering your eagerness to jump on the issue as though you had something useful there.