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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: spunkets
show me a picture of a gun, and one that is pointed at an individual--otherwise it is imaginative conjecture.
981 posted on 10/20/2002 10:59:57 PM PDT by chadsworth
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To: Texasforever
You misunderstand me. I don't think that stopping white vans is beyond PC. It is PC but in the loosest standard.

What I find interesting is that the occupants aren't profiled. No mention of race, hair color, etc.

This situation is pushing the standard of PC but most won't have a problem with it. My problem is that the cops appear to be clueless in the standard of PC, other than the vehicle description.

982 posted on 10/20/2002 11:00:33 PM PDT by nunya bidness
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To: redrock
RIGHTS come from our Creator...and NOT from any form of Government.

Well that is what the Founders said and I believe that also however; I have never found a bill of rights in the Bible have you?

983 posted on 10/20/2002 11:01:36 PM PDT by Texasforever
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Bump for bookmark. Night all.
984 posted on 10/20/2002 11:03:06 PM PDT by justshe
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To: Texasforever
"I have never found a bill of rights in the Bible have you?"

....and I have never found a photograph of our Creator....but it has never stopped me from Believing/Knowing .

redrock

985 posted on 10/20/2002 11:04:11 PM PDT by redrock
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To: Texasforever
"There has never been a time when cops did this when in a situation such as this."

Sure there has. All cops don't follow the procedure used here, or have the attitude of those that use that as standard procedure. It's use is primarily in high density democrat areas where lawsuits from injured criminals happen and the occurrence of injured incompetant officers from hiring practice happens. Incompetant officers injure and kill innocent folks and get themselves the same. They are their, because of the politics of the chief and those who put the chief in place. Competant LEOs don't have to ground folks they can easily evaluate as not being a threat.

986 posted on 10/20/2002 11:06:52 PM PDT by spunkets
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To: nunya bidness
What I find interesting is that the occupants aren't profiled. No mention of race, hair color, etc.

I have seen everyone of those characteristics reported many times the problem is that so far witness accounts include both white and brown. Are you saying that the cops should pick one and concentrate only on brown or white? The white van and the caliber of the weapon are the only consistent facts we know of and the white van is problematical but it cannot be ignored until it is shown to be mere coincidence especially vans with ladder racks

987 posted on 10/20/2002 11:07:21 PM PDT by Texasforever
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To: justshe
WOW .. over 900 posts ..

So what's the short version of the topic??
988 posted on 10/20/2002 11:09:44 PM PDT by Mo1
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To: redrock
RIGHTS come from our Creator...and NOT from any form of Government.

right (common n. definition) -- "Something that is due to a person or governmental body by law, tradition, or nature."

Unalienable rights come from our Creator. "Rights" by definition don't have to come from our Creator.

989 posted on 10/20/2002 11:11:43 PM PDT by FreeReign
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To: Mo1
So what's the short version of the topic??

Have you tried the readers disgustjest?

990 posted on 10/20/2002 11:12:21 PM PDT by chadsworth
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To: straightbend
Thank you for the acknowledgement.
991 posted on 10/20/2002 11:13:05 PM PDT by DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet
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To: chadsworth
I can pull up someone with a shotgun pointed at him tomorrow is that what you want? Otherwise what's your point? It's the laying on the ground that we have a pic of now.
992 posted on 10/20/2002 11:13:17 PM PDT by spunkets
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To: redrock
and I have never found a photograph of our Creator....but it has never stopped me from Believing/Knowing .

There is nothing wrong with faith and I share it. I have a problem though with subjective definition of "rights" that can mean anything to anyone at all. The DOI mentions 3 inalienable rights and the BOR is the Founders best effort at codifying the tools required to secure those rights. What one person describes as a "right" bestowed by the Creator is just another "wish" to the next guy.

993 posted on 10/20/2002 11:15:07 PM PDT by Texasforever
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To: spunkets; Texasforever
Hey Mr. Spunkets, still waiting for a picture of a gun visible in the picture and pointed at one of the people on the ground or the one with his hands up!
994 posted on 10/20/2002 11:15:41 PM PDT by chadsworth
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To: Texasforever
Ok a step at a time. Do you agree that these particular 2 vans closely meet the most detailed description of the van witnesses have placed at the scene of the home Depot shootings and you concede that approaching them more seriously is warranted? Do you also not see the possibility that there could be another person secreted in the back and that before they look inside they want the driver secured?

Funny how rumours abound. I heard that an "eye witness" from the Home Depot shooting was arrested for lying.

995 posted on 10/20/2002 11:17:55 PM PDT by takenoprisoner
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To: Texasforever
BTW I just zoomed into the picture and there are not even handcuffs.

Bring up the brightness, adjust saturation, and de-speckle.

looks like handcuffs to me

996 posted on 10/20/2002 11:19:28 PM PDT by dread78645
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To: DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet
you are welcome DOAIJV- that was an article that people should be aware of instead of bickering about their hampered normal way of life during this temporary crisis!
997 posted on 10/20/2002 11:19:32 PM PDT by straightbend
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To: takenoprisoner
Funny how rumours abound. I heard that an "eye witness" from the Home Depot shooting was arrested for lying.

One of them was but not the ones that fingered the white van with ladder rack. You may want to read up on it.

998 posted on 10/20/2002 11:19:52 PM PDT by Texasforever
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To: Texasforever
Are you saying that the cops should pick one and concentrate only on brown or white?

No. What I'm saying is that the nature of the stops, felony stops, guns drawn on every occupant of a white van indicates that the police are either being politically correct (doubtful) or they don't know the race (probable).

If this is the case then they should admit that they don't know the race. What is confounding is that eyewitnesses have come forward with descriptions of the occupants but the cops aren't acting on it.

Which leads me to believe that they have conflicting information.

If I was in charge I would have a couple of gumshoes outside of every known or probable ME owned mosque or business. And that may be happening.

It's simply too little information: white van, .223 to draw a clear picture.

Governor Warner, VA, has stated that he supports gunowners and their rights and doesn't see the need for additional legislation. That is smart.

But the Maryland handlers are doing a less than stellar job.

Sending ATF out to gunowners is dumb. They are alienating people who could help.

Also if the politicians had any sense they would support the recent increase in gun sales and CCW applications by saying that citizens should seek means to defend themselves but they should also learn to support the police.

999 posted on 10/20/2002 11:20:10 PM PDT by nunya bidness
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To: dread78645
I can see something on his leafr wrist but not on his right. You could be right though.
1,000 posted on 10/20/2002 11:23:32 PM PDT by Texasforever
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