General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Should citizens always be submissive to law enforcement officers? [View all]TeddyR
(2,493 posts)That this "often" occurs? Sure, we've all seen the stories in the news of shootings, but "often bullied and abused" when respectful isn't something I've seen reports of. And was does "often" even mean? It sounds like you are saying more often than not, and I find that hard to believe.
Asking if we should be "submissive" is a loaded question. Nobody should be "submissive" but you certainly should be respectful. There are definitely bad actors in the police field, and I grew up with one of them, but even the good ones are in danger of being shot during a routine traffic stop so all are probably on edge. I'm a white guy and was pulled over for speeding a few weeks ago in Virginia. I was polite to the cop (state patrol) and careful not to do anything that would make him antsy. My wallet was in my backpack so when he got to the car I told him I needed to reach into my backpack to get my wallet. He said ok and moved to a position where he could see what I was doing. He certainly wasn't friendly and ticketed me but he wasn't overly aggressive.