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Drivers of White Vans are being treated as criminals
Vanity | Self

Posted on 10/20/2002 7:48:19 AM PDT by SamAdams76

The photos above currently on the Drudge site concern me. I followed the link and the article clearly stated that nobody was arrested last night.

Why then, do we have drivers of white vans, innocent civilians, evidently being pulled out vans at gunpoint and treated like dangerous criminals? One photo shows a man on the ground, evidently in handcuffs, with police officers standing over him as though they have just captured Whitey Bulger. When I first saw the photo, I figured the man was obviously a wanted criminal that police just so happened to come across during their search. But since there were no arrests last night, this man was obviously released and was no criminal after all.

The other photo shows a man by another white van with his hands in the air and a police officer has a gun drawn on him. Again, this was evidently just another innocent civilian who had the misfortune to be driving a white van on I-95 last night.

Now I understand the need for these roadblocks and for the police to be very thorough in their search for the sniper(s). But I cannot see the point of innocent people dragged out of their vehicles at gunpoint with no pretext other than the fact that they happen to be driving a white van.

Now maybe somebody here has an explanation why these two individuals were treated like criminals. Maybe they tried to evade the police or maybe they were driving stolen vans. But again, there were no arrests made last night. So what is the deal with our citizens being treated like Jesse James just for driving a white van?


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; US: Virginia
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To: Texasforever
In the 2 pictures posted there are no guns drawn nor are there any handcuffs on the guy on the ground.

Why are his hands behind his back and his wrists together? Could it be they are using plastic strap cuffs? Hmmmm?

921 posted on 10/20/2002 10:06:22 PM PDT by TigersEye
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To: luvtheconstitution
I wish that all you law enforcement detractors would give this a little more thought. How can you say it's OK to stop them and question them, yet not have any regard for officer safety?

When police officers pull you over and request to search your vehicle giving the probable cause of the past witnesses description of a white van leaving the scene and the recent shooting that just happened in _____. You, as the driver, at this point have been told that they ARE going to search your vehicle And you have been notified of the probable cause as to why.
You step out of the vechile, and here's where the problem lies, the officer has a need to ensure his safety and in EVERY other place in the USA I know of this is accomplished by the officer doing a "perry search" or a pat down of your exterior of clothing. This is done to ensure you are not armed with knife or gun. That SHOULD be enough, anything else is pushing the limit of not just civil rights but SAFETY. Training a weapon on someone even if it is not your intent to fire is ASKING for an accident to happen. this tactic has been proved LEATHEL in an incident where an officer's gun "misfired" and killed unarmed and cooperative 11 year old boy face down standing over him with his shotgun pointed at the boys back.

922 posted on 10/20/2002 10:06:38 PM PDT by alexandria
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To: Texasforever; spunkets
Where are the guns?

If the guns cannot be displayed, I guess the picture got tampered with. LOL

I have looked at the pictures and see no guns, not that I can see through the lady cop, but it is an assumption that she has a gun, not proven just because she is in the position that an officer takes behind the door and will (IMO) have a gun drawn in this position.

Spunkets, without you imagination getting untethered, where are the guns?

923 posted on 10/20/2002 10:06:41 PM PDT by chadsworth
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To: HairOfTheDog
Well, good night!
924 posted on 10/20/2002 10:07:05 PM PDT by Chad Fairbanks
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To: TigersEye
Very interesting reaction to that point.
925 posted on 10/20/2002 10:08:00 PM PDT by DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet
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To: Roscoe
The government hacked the website and removed the guns and the handcuffs from the pictures. It's a conspiracy!!!!

I bet Steven Speilberg was involved, then... ;0)

926 posted on 10/20/2002 10:08:05 PM PDT by Chad Fairbanks
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To: spunkets
Another interesting point about the pictures, The one on the left defiantly has a ladder rack and the one on the right also has some sort of rack on the top. Now if a picture says more than a 1000 words then the pictures show definite probable cause to approach both drivers as possible snipers given the most detailed descriptions of the suspect vans that have been made public.
927 posted on 10/20/2002 10:08:52 PM PDT by Texasforever
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To: DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet
Is it illegal for a cop to approach an individual in a vehicle with his gun drawn? Is it illegal for a cop to ask you to step out of your car? Is it illegal for a cop to physically restrain someone he or she feels may potentially be a danger? Don't answer "emotionally".

I keep using the word because your arguments, and others, are completely based on your feelings and your feelings seem to be more important to you than the rule of law. If you don't want to be called on it then start using logic instead. As to your questions all three answers are no.

928 posted on 10/20/2002 10:11:12 PM PDT by TigersEye
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To: TigersEye
Let's see... if the answers to all three of her questions is 'No.' then it seems to me she has used 'the rule of law', rather than emotion, in arriving at an opinion...


What exactly is your problem with that?
929 posted on 10/20/2002 10:12:56 PM PDT by Chad Fairbanks
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To: justshe
1) Total martial law and suspension of all civil rights....at which point the cop-bashers will scream, literally, bloody murder.

So you still wouldn't be upset under martial law? Interesting. But not surprising.

930 posted on 10/20/2002 10:14:14 PM PDT by Sir Gawain
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To: DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet
I assume there was a legitimate reason. You assume there wasn't.

No I didn't. I question whether there was a legitimate reason. I don't assume things. That can only be done on the basis of emotion. I try to analyze things.

Nice talking to you. I have to go to bed.

931 posted on 10/20/2002 10:15:11 PM PDT by TigersEye
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To: TigersEye
Why are his hands behind his back and his wrists together? Could it be they are using plastic strap cuffs? Hmmmm?

So you are determined to see handcuffs of some sort. Tell ya what download the picture and enlarge his wrist area if you can see any evidence of any type of handcuff then I will retract my statement. That position is used all the time to avoid ease of movement and does not always involve cuffs. I assumed that same position in my wild and reckless early days.

932 posted on 10/20/2002 10:16:20 PM PDT by Texasforever
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To: alexandria
Your grammar and spelling problems alone told me you weren't worth responding to. Get smart, then we'll talk.
933 posted on 10/20/2002 10:18:42 PM PDT by luvtheconstitution
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To: Roscoe
Look at both pictures one has a ladder rack and the other has a partial view of a rack of some type.
934 posted on 10/20/2002 10:19:23 PM PDT by Texasforever
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To: DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet
Very interesting reaction to that point.

Very evasive reply to my point. There is no reasonable basis to believe any lawmaker is in danger given the facts to date other than 1. the killings are near D.C. and 2. lawmakers are in D.C.. That's thin. Got more? Explain it.

935 posted on 10/20/2002 10:21:13 PM PDT by TigersEye
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To: COB1
we have to give up some individual rights for the good of the whole

We?! You can give up whatever rights you so choose, but forcing me to give up any of my rights is an initiation of force. You can do the paranoid thing. I'm sticking to principle.

936 posted on 10/20/2002 10:21:13 PM PDT by realpatriot71
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To: DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet
I have read the article you are referring to. That probably will start happening in the near future, along with other things identified in the article.
937 posted on 10/20/2002 10:22:05 PM PDT by straightbend
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To: DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet
There is no "this situation" to be upset about.

Honestly, we don't know if that statement is true or not either.

938 posted on 10/20/2002 10:22:37 PM PDT by realpatriot71
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To: TigersEye
If you don't want to be called on it then start using logic instead. As to your questions all three answers are no.

Sheesh.

You know, it's been kind of fun talking with you - but I'm getting the idea, after being called "emotional" four times, that you really aren't interested in my legitimate, factual points at all. You concede I'm correct that none of those things is illegal, and you turn around and admonish me for not looking at the rule of law or being logical.

You're not even making sense now. Good night.

939 posted on 10/20/2002 10:22:54 PM PDT by DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet
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To: realpatriot71
but forcing me to give up any of my rights is an initiation of force

Then by all means if you are stopped in a roadblock just wave your rights around and I am sure you will be given a police escort out of the area along with an abject apology for your inconvenience. Better yet quote Ayn Rand to the cops they really like that stuff.

940 posted on 10/20/2002 10:24:07 PM PDT by Texasforever
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