Streets of Philadelphia

[Richard Smith]

As bad as things are in the US, at least we haven't fallen to the level of "Europe."  Shameful.

What's with the "Europe" BS?

And who are you to have an opinion about a continent you've never even visited?

Are you still in "Europe" and suggesting there is a forum rule that the rest of us are unaware of about expressing opinions about it?  If so, can that rule be applied to those posters from places like "Europe" and Canada who appear to be obsessed with the US?  How about instead of deflecting yet another thread down the rabbit hole for once you address the topic?  A woman was arrested in "Europe" because she was silently praying on the street.  A condition of her bail was that she does not pray.  Do you not find this troubling?  An infringement of several basic human rights?  Or do you support the oppression of such rights?

[Martin Weidmann]

Are you still in "Europe" and suggesting there is a forum rule that the rest of us are unaware of about expressing opinions about it?  If so, can that rule be applied to those posters from places like "Europe" and Canada who appear to be obsessed with the US?  How about instead of deflecting yet another thread down the rabbit hole for once you address the topic?  A woman was arrested in "Europe" because she was silently praying on the street.  A condition of her bail was that she does not pray.  Do you not find this troubling?  An infringement of several basic human rights?  Or do you support the oppression of such rights?

Are you still in "Europe" and suggesting there is a forum rule that the rest of us are unaware of about expressing opinions about it?

Yes of course. I'm one of the lucky ones who can choose where they want to live. Life is far more pleasant and relaxed here. I'm done with leaving my house every day fearing that on every corner there is an idiot or mental case carrying a gun. I'm sick and tired of wondering if my grandkids will make it back home alive from school every day. Don't get me wrong. I love the country but for some time now it's no longer that land of the free. The righteous people of the country have been imprisoned by the gun fanatics. 

And, no there isn't such a forum rule, but opinions based on nothing but a total lack of actual knowledge by ignorant people aren't worth much.

A woman was arrested in "Europe" because she was silently praying on the street.  A condition of her bail was that she does not pray.  Do you not find this troubling?

Really? Are you sure that's what really happened? I seriously doubt it. You probably got that stuff from the same station that falsely claimed cities like Birmingham and Paris had islamic no go zones. And no, I don't find that troubling when she is charged with disturbing the peace.

Just a few days ago a woman in the Houston area was shot by police for walking on the sidewalk. Do you not find this troubling?
Three months ago in Colorado a 22 year old man who called 911 for help was shot and killed by police. Do you not find this troubling?
Two weeks ago in Texas a man was shot by Austin police when he walked on his own porch with a weapon looking for an intruder. Do you not find this troubling?

and the list goes on and on.....

[Richard Smith]

Are you still in "Europe" and suggesting there is a forum rule that the rest of us are unaware of about expressing opinions about it?

Yes of course. I'm one of the lucky ones who can choose where they want to live. Life is far more pleasant and relaxed here. I'm done with leaving my house every day fearing that on every corner there is an idiot or mental case carrying a gun. I'm sick and tired of wondering if my grandkids will make it back home alive from school every day. Don't get me wrong. I love the country but for some time now it's no longer that land of the free. The righteous people of the country have been imprisoned by the gun fanatics. 

And, no there isn't such a forum rule, but opinions based on nothing but a total lack of actual knowledge by ignorant people aren't worth much.

A woman was arrested in "Europe" because she was silently praying on the street.  A condition of her bail was that she does not pray.  Do you not find this troubling?

Really? Are you sure that's what really happened? I seriously doubt it. You probably got that stuff from the same station that falsely claimed cities like Birmingham and Paris had islamic no go zones. And no, I don't find that troubling when she is charged with disturbing the peace.

Just a few days ago a woman in the Houston area was shot by police for walking on the sidewalk. Do you not find this troubling?
Three months ago in Colorado a 22 year old man who called 911 for help was shot and killed by police. Do you not find this troubling?
Two weeks ago in Texas a man was shot by Austin police when he walked on his own porch with a weapon looking for an intruder. Do you not find this troubling?

and the list goes on and on.....

I agree that the Biden administration has ruined America.  Record crime because they allow crimes to go unpunished and release dangerous criminals back onto the streets.  Homeless encampments etc.  Every Amercian city which have all been governed by Dems for decades is overrun by crime and homelessness due to the failed policies of the leftists.  You sure know a lot about Texas for someone who lives in "Europe".  But don't be so pompous about the comparison.  "Europe" can only be a socialist utopia because the US pays for its national defense and has done so due to the corruption of our politicians for the last 70 years.  If someone had paid for the national defense of the US - who spends trillions on defense - and we could allocate that money to other purposes, the US would be the utopia.  It is only through corruption and incompetence of our politicians (both republicans and Dems) that this has resulted. 

Here is the dangerous "terrorist" arrested for silently praying.  Everyone can judge for themselves.  It is an astounding violation of human rights.  Keep in mind that leftists support allowing people to live on public streets, defecate on those streets, take drugs and harass people, and steal from businesses, just don't pray because that is verboten. 

[Martin Weidmann]

I agree that the Biden administration has ruined America.  Record crime because they allow crimes to go unpunished and release dangerous criminals back onto the streets.  Homeless encampments etc.  Every Amercian city which have all been governed by Dems for decades is overrun by crime and homelessness due to the failed policies of the leftists.  You sure know a lot about Texas for someone who lives in "Europe".  But don't be so pompous about the comparison.  "Europe" can only be a socialist utopia because the US pays for its national defense and has done so due to the corruption of our politicians for the last 70 years.  If someone had paid for the national defense of the US - who spends trillions on defense - and we could allocate that money to other purposes, the US would be the utopia.  It is only through corruption and incompetence of our politicians (both republicans and Dems) that this has resulted. 

I agree that the Biden administration has ruined America.

BS... People like you ruined America a long time ago. It just keeps getting worse because there are two parties who fight eachother more than they try to do something good for the country.

Record crime because they allow crimes to go unpunished and release dangerous criminals back onto the streets.

And yet, America has by far the highest number of prisoners per capita in the world. Go figure.... Maybe crime would go down if guns weren't so easily available for those criminals to get hold of.

Every Amercian city which have all been governed by Dems for decades is overrun by crime and homelessness due to the failed policies of the leftists.

It has nothing to do with failed policies of the left. It simply is a fact that more people live in cities and that has consequences.

You sure know a lot about Texas for someone who lives in "Europe".

Yeah, I've got this thing called "internet". It's very handy, and this thing called YouTube will show you far more videos about police brutality than I care to watch. Give it a try.
Btw you haven't answered my question. You get all upset about a woman in Birmingham, England being arrested by unarmed police officers, but you don't care when highly strung cops in the USA kill innocent civilians who walk on sidewalks or ask for help. Is that your position?

But don't be so pompous about the comparison.  "Europe" can only be a socialist utopia because the US pays for its national defense

Yes, that's one of the many lies Americans are told about Europe. And those people actually believe it until they go the Europe and see for themselves that they have been told a lot of BS. Europe is not socialist continent. Some countries have left wing governments, others have right wing governments. Unlike America, Europe hasn't got gestapo-like cops, militias, regular mass murders and school shootings. It also has a far more superior healthcare system at a fraction of the cost in the US. Is it perfect? No it isn't. There are people living there, which means there will always be some idiot who screws things up.

If someone had paid for the national defense of the US - who spends trillions on defense - and we could allocate that money to other purposes, the US would be the utopia.  It is only through corruption and incompetence of our politicians (both republicans and Dems) that this has resulted. 

Finally we agree on something.

Here is the dangerous "terrorist" arrested for silently praying.  Everyone can judge for themselves.  It is an astounding violation of human rights.  Keep in mind that leftists support allowing people to live on public streets, defecate on those streets, take drugs and harass people, and steal from businesses, just don't pray because that is verboten. 

She wasn't arrest for silently praying. The video shows there is a history there and on previous occassions complaints have been made about her behavior which resulting in a court issueing a so-called Public Spaces Protection order against her. The police asked her is she would come volutary to the station to answer questions about possible violations of the order and when she refused they arrested her. There was no human rights violation. When she is suspected of violating a lawful order the police have every right to arrest her.

But leave it to Fox (and you) to completely misrepresent the story just as they did when they falsely claimed that there was an Islamic no go zone in Birmingham (and Paris).

[Richard Smith]

She wasn't arrest for silently praying. The video shows there is a history there and on previous occassions complaints have been made about her behavior which resulting in a court issueing a so-called Public Spaces Protection order against her. The police asked her is she would come volutary to the station to answer questions about possible violations of the order and when she refused they arrested her. There was no human rights violation. When she is suspected of violating a lawful order the police have every right to arrest her.

But leave it to Fox (and you) to completely misrepresent the story just as they did when they falsely claimed that there was an Islamic no go zone in Birmingham (and Paris).

Why did they ask "Are you praying?" if that was not a factor in her arrest?  LOL.  You can't be for real.  Let me get this one straight.  You are concerned about American police - who have to deal with record violent crime due to leftist policies - but not British police arresting an unarmed woman standing quietly by herself.  That is your comparison.   Her "behavior" is standing peacefully on a public street.  And you support a "Public Space Protection" that is imposed on individuals who exercise peaceful protest and religious prayer?  In contrast, to leftist policies that allow homeless people to take drugs, defecate, and engage in all manner of objectionable behavior in a public space.   They asked her to come "voluntarily" to the station but then arrested her when she refused?  That is a tortured interpretation of voluntary and police powers.  All the more ironic since you and your contrarian sidekick have criticized the DPD for approaching Oswald (a double murderer who had snuck into a movie theatre) to ask him questions claiming that was a violation of his rights.  Unreal.

[Martin Weidmann]

Why did they ask "Are you praying?" if that was not a factor in her arrest?  LOL.  You can't be for real.  Let me get this one straight.  You are concerned about American police - who have to deal with record violent crime due to leftist policies - but not British police arresting an unarmed woman standing quietly by herself.  That is your comparison.   Her "behavior" is standing peacefully on a public street.  And you support a "Public Space Protection" that is imposed on individuals who exercise peaceful protest and religious prayer?  In contrast, to leftist policies that allow homeless people to take drugs, defecate, and engage in all manner of objectionable behavior in a public space.   They asked her to come "voluntarily" to the station but then arrested her when she refused?  That is a tortured interpretation of voluntary and police powers.  All the more ironic since you and your contrarian sidekick have criticized the DPD for approaching Oswald (a double murderer who had snuck into a movie theatre) to ask him questions claiming that was a violation of his rights.  Unreal.

Why did they ask "Are you praying?" if that was not a factor in her arrest?  LOL.  You can't be for real.

No, it was not a factor in her arrest. The video clearly shows that police wanted to talk to here about events on other days and the complaints that resulted in a Public Spaces Protection order. That's what she was arrested for. She most likely created a nuisance on other occassions and was told not to return to the area. As soon as she refused to go to the police station she was arrested regardless of what she was doing.

You are concerned about American police - who have to deal with record violent crime due to leftist policies -

No. I am concerned about the excess violence of highly strung American police who assume that every person they meet could be carrying a weapon. The crime rate is not recent. It's consistent and has been so for a while.

but not British police arresting an unarmed woman standing quietly by herself.  That is your comparison. 

For the record, it's unarmed police officers (Bobbies don't normally carry guns) arresting a women for violating a lawful order. Consider it similar to a trespass. When a trespasser is told to leave and later returns, even if he is not doing anything, he will get arrested!

Her "behavior" is standing peacefully on a public street.  And you support a "Public Space Protection" that is imposed on individuals who exercise peaceful protest and religious prayer?

Educate yourself before you make stupid comments. She was charged with four counts of failing to comply with a Public Space Protection Order and will appear in court in February 2023.

https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/isabel-vaughan-spruce-45-charged-25794626

I'll gladly support an Public Space Protection Order that is intended to keep an area safe. For crying out loud, you support that every man, woman and child has easy access to leathel weapons. If I have to choose I'll pick the Public Space Protection Order every time.

They asked her to come "voluntarily" to the station but then arrested her when she refused?  That is a tortured interpretation of voluntary and police powers.

No it isn't. Police was going to take her to the police station one way or the other. They gave her the option to go voluntary. If she had done so, she wouldn't have been arrested.

Why is it that the far extreme right in the US are the only ones who are blowing this thing out of all proportions with a complete misrepresentation of the facts. Are guys like you really that naive to believe that it's not easy to find out what really happened.

All the more ironic since you and your contrarian sidekick have criticized the DPD for approaching Oswald (a double murderer who had snuck into a movie theatre) to ask him questions claiming that was a violation of his rights.  Unreal.

What's really unreal is the number of times you claim I have said something which I have never said. But I will say something now; the DPD did not approach Oswald to ask him questions. They were there in force to arrest him without being able to specify for what he was being arrested.

[Richard Smith]

Why did they ask "Are you praying?" if that was not a factor in her arrest?  LOL.  You can't be for real.

No, it was not a factor in her arrest. The video clearly shows that police wanted to talk to here about events on other days and the complaints that resulted in a Public Spaces Protection order. That's what she was arrested for. She most likely created a nuisance on other occassions and was told not to return to the area. As soon as she refused to go to the police station she was arrested regardless of what she was doing.

The policeman asked her "ARE YOU PRAYING?" just before arresting her.  Again "ARE YOU PRAYING?"  But that was not a factor in her arrest?  Then why ask her?  And she "most likely created a nuisance on other occasions"?  It's grounds to arrest someone based on their prior behavior?  And how is she creating a "nuisance" by standing alone praying to herself in this instance?  Is that how they define a nuisance in "Europe"?  It's Orwellian.  And to think the leftist are actually on the side of Big Brother in this age.  If she had been told not to this on a prior occasion, then more power to her.  She is a hero.  Her religious freedom and right to peacefully protest were not only infringed but she had the courage to stand up for them in the face of authoritarian persecution. 

[Richard Smith]

All the more ironic since you and your contrarian sidekick have criticized the DPD for approaching Oswald (a double murderer who had snuck into a movie theatre) to ask him questions claiming that was a violation of his rights.  Unreal.

What's really unreal is the number of times you claim I have said something which I have never said. But I will say something now; the DPD did not approach Oswald to ask him questions. They were there in force to arrest him without being able to specify for what he was being arrested.

LOL.  And you can read the minds of the DPD as well as the British police?  Psychic despite lecturing others endlessly on "assumptions".  The DPD approached Oswald in the same manner as the person being seen running into the library.  As a potential suspect in the murder of a police officer.  A potentially dangerous person.  They had grounds to be cautious about approaching a person who may have just killed another police officer.  If Oswald had simply stood there and answered their questions, as the reasonable person at the library did in identical circumstances, then he could have explained himself if innocent.  Instead he reached for his gun and engaged in a struggle before the police had a chance to start questioning him.  And even if they were going to make an "unjust" arrest without bothering to question him first in your idiotic contrarian scenario, the thing to do is go peacefully as this woman did in England.  Not try to kill the police officer.