[Ancesthntr]

So... if Rodriguez had been polite and respectful to the police than he most likely would still be alive. Sure the police over-reacted and should be punished to the full extent of the law but the situation could have easily been avoided by common sense.

How do you, I or anyone else on this thread know what happened, beyond what was reported? We don't, it is that simple.

Yes, he might have been rude. I don't recall any law against rudeness, as socially distasteful as it might be. Maybe he just objected to the manner in which his wife and/or daughter were being questioned? Maybe he voiced displeasure at being accused of "child abuse" when, in fact, he did nothing? We can't know at this stage, but there's a lot of doubt. Maybe being ultra polite would have helped, maybe not. I do agree that it is better to try that type of response first, as you can't act the part of a jerk and then suddenly expect anyone (cop or not) to believe that you are sincere if you change your tactics.a

Meanwhile, it seems more and more like if you don't get on your hands and knees and gently kiss the shoes of the local PD (after politely asking permission, of course), the you're accused of being "uncooperative" or "resisting arrest" or "using force against an officer" or similar such BS. I, for one, have lost most of my respect for the police in this country (esp. the metro variety), despite having grown up in a "law and order" household. Why? Well, it isn't because most cops are bad like these murdering jackasses - they aren't, and quite to the contrary they are mostly good eggs. It is because they remain silent at best, or automatically close ranks behind wrongdoers at worst, regardless of the merits of a particular case. That is unacceptable, and leads me to be very suspicious of their motives - especially since I am a gun owner. They appear to no longer be here to help you.

In short, we've gone from a world of "Adam 12" type cops to one in which they all seem to be wearing body armor, pointing full auto weapons in your face and acting like everyone not wearing their uniform is an immediate threat to their lives. WTF, over?!

[thejokker]

But when police arrived, they wanted to question Rodriguez. According to the Moore police department, Rodriguez was not cooperative, and cops were forced to handcuff and restrain him.

Rodriquez fought the law and the law won. I guess he never heard of Sun Tzu. The law of the jungle for thousands of years dictates that stupidity can be fatal. Don't start fights you cannot win...