G20 Summit & the police

[Huggy]

One can hardly dispute the need for a respected inquiry but, as I observe the news each day on TV, I am impressed with the enormous job they do for us. Drug busts, porno ring arrests, on the streets/roads re horriffic accidents; keeping the streets free of drunk drivers just to name a few. It is a great pity that with such a huge manpower force there has to be some who are unsuited for the job.I have no pity for them. Some authority must weed them out and steer them to other employment; and damn their union/association's automatic grievances. In the end, the vast majority of the Canadian people must have the right to judge, convict and punish, where warranted, above all other powers and authorities.
I have personally run into the odd ugly police officer, and been abused verbally, without provocation. As a boy we had a town policeman, with an english background I believe, and if I misbehaved on the street, he courtiously, but firmly, set me straight.
Good people, as I believe most of us are, have a fear of the police. We know almost instinctively, that they have the power to take steps we would not like. None of us should have to tolerate that atmosphere.
Respectfully submitted. Hugh Fair

 

[Cliffy]

I was coming home as a teen, from a school dance one night when I noticed a car was following us with the lights off. I told my friends and three of them took off running. It was a cop and he stopped to demand why they took off. I said it was because they were afraid the driver was a pervert and didn't know it was a cop. He left and I went to join them out in a field. All of a sudden the field lit up with his head lights and he stepped out of his car and fired one shot Bang!- "Stop!" he shouted - Bang - "or I'll shoot" - Bang. I had on a yellow nylon jacket. I dove into the grass and rolled along, trying to get my jacket off. Got away but not before I soiled my pants.

 

[Unforgiven]

The Toronto Police service is just now enduring something that comes from a closed fraternal relationship of US and Them. Cops have cop friends, go to cop bars and hang out with cop families, because they have a common ground. Normal for any profession to some extent, but in this case, and it happens, I think it's gone too far. As seen on the weekend of the G20 summit in Toronto, the public that the force is mandated to serve and protect all became human garbage in the eyes of far too many of the cops working. Fired up by the wrong attitude and mob mentality, the police did what anyone would do when suffering under too much of the wrong type of pressure. They became the unruly mob. Violent crime was committed and up until now, the brotherhood of the thin blue line hid away the disgraced in the anonymity of a forest full of trees.

14 have been identified, the Chief is under heavy pressure to step aside. I am sure he will be gone before the end of this along with a number of officers which I hope will send a message to the Toronto Police Service, to remind them just who they work for.

As this climbs the rungs of the ladder of responsibility, once Chief Blair is turfed, McGuinty and the Liberals in Ontario have to face the voters next fall. This secret passing of legislation and then the exerted effort to keep it from the public until the last moment to release it into a cloud of confusion that was created by Blair and the Liberals, will come home to roost.

Eventually Harper and the Conservatives will suffer under the needless abuse they foisted on Toronto. Their contempt for Canada's largest city will hold off yet another majority government. There can only be so much time the Liberal Party of Canada fumbles around with Iggy before a leadership race puts forth a new leader that can return the party to running the government.

As the Reformicons have become every dirty think they Liberals were supposed to be, there only needs to be a credible Opposition in the House to lead to the down fall of the current government. 1 billion for security that turned fiasco. The hate on for Toronto. All those little scandals. Just another brick in the wall.

 

[earth_as_one]

I've had several unpleasant experiences with US Homeland Security at Pearson International Airport. Misinterpretations (deliberate?) of NAFTA and I was threatened with incarceration for having a corkscrew in my checked luggage. The corkscrew incident was just an attempt by a over zealous HLS agent to discourage me from trying to work in the US. It worked. I haven't been to the US since. BTW, I am aware that I have no "right" to work in the US. I just think the US and Canada should both respect NAFTA.

 

[Unforgiven]

I've had several unpleasant experiences with US Homeland Security at Pearson International Airport. Misinterpretations (deliberate?) of NAFTA and I was threatened with incarceration for having a corkscrew in my checked luggage. The corkscrew incident was just an attempt by a over zealous HLS agent to discourage me from trying to work in the US. It worked. I haven't been to the US since. BTW, I am aware that I have no "right" to work in the US. I just think the US and Canada should both respect NAFTA.

I just had a Visa customer service representative tell me I shouldn't buy American goods over the Internet. :roll:

 

[mentalfloss]

Makes you wonder if the service is so good and Toronto is so safe, why are taxpayers' money being spent on 100 more cop salaries?

I guess it's just more respect for taxpayers!

 

[DaSleeper]

I just had a Visa customer service representative tell me I shouldn't buy American goods over the Internet. :roll:

And I just received an order of electronic stuff from Tiger Direct which I thought would come from Toronto...instead it came from ADDISON, IL, US ......

 

[damngrumpy]

The G20 was a free lunch for the rich and powerful paid for by you and I so these people can
shape our destiny without any say in the matter at all. While I do not condone violence I do
understand how things got out of control. Our governments responding to terrorists and in
fact threats to their self empowerment have created a disconnect between themselves and
the people. In addition the police have been left to their own decision making powers when it
comes to security. The real problem is not in fact the demonstrations or the demonstrators
or even the police and all their issues.
The real problem is with the society itself. People have had enough, where we used to band
together to fight threats from beyond our shores, more and more people are banding together
to fight their new preceived enemy, the elite within our society itself. We are tired of the legal
profession, the lawmakers and the institutions that now protect the politicians, the bankers and
international business community. It is not that all these people are bad, it is the impression
they have left many with, and that is they are in charge and the citizens don't count. In short,
we know what is best for you and if you don't comply, there is something wrong with you.
If you look at the latest round demonstrations it makes it clear. Wiki Leaks, is a prime example.
The people behind this challenged society itself. much of the material is of little value in the
real world. The governments, business and the powerful respond with phony sex charges and
accusations of terrorism. Face it the information is embarrassing, and nothing more it shows
some diplomats watch too much Canadian television.
The response is they are now creating a martyr, and more and more people have decided to
join in a world community to put these elitists in their place. Have they gone too far? In my
view yes, but it demonstrates the level of frustration with those who manage our society and
the frustration is growing larger. I think some of the activities are illegal and radical and nuts,
but calling it terrorism is also going to far. Chaos and civil disobedience is part of democracy.
Crashing the financial system is illegal and threatens the status quo, and anything that opposes
the seat of power, is deemed a threat that can't be tolerated.
The problem is the political, financial, and international systems of economics and justice have
failed too many people, and when that happens there is a showdown ultimately.
Other occasions produced different actions. The French Revolution, the American Revolution,
The uprisings in Russia a hundred years ago and so on.
We are living in very uncertain times. and one action does not mean the beginning of the end in
and of itself, but each irresponsible action may lead to finding the match that touches of an
international powder keg that will have repercussions for societies all over the world.
I have a saying that goes like this, We can make decisions or the ultimate decision will be made
for us, and those decisions are usually never pleasant.
The G20 summit in Toronto was little more than a tempest in a teapot, compared to some of the
things that are coming right at us, and still those who hold the mantle of power are completely
blind.