The Star Tribune has stated that it received confirmation that Philando Castile had a carry permit. Being a permit holder added a unique element to his death because it necessarily means that he had a clean record (no felonies, no history of domestic abuse, etc.). Having a clean record means the boot lickers couldn’t justify the shooting by citing the victim’s history. Instead many of them are claiming that Castile didn’t put his hands on the steering wheel when he was pulled over which in combination with being armed justified the officer’s supposed fear for his life. What’s funny is that many of the people making this argument also claim to be pro-gun.
This is one of my favorite instances of cognitive dissonance. Gun rights advocates usually argue that being armed isn’t threatening in of itself. In fact they often scoff whenever an anti-gunners claims to be in fear for their lives when they see somebody who is armed. These gun rights advocates usually also argue that being armed should be a cultural norm. I agree with both sentiments. However, where I diverge from many supposed gun rights advocates is that my belief doesn’t give an exception to anybody wearing a badge.
Does somebody have grounds to be afraid for their life just because the see somebody else who is armed? If you don’t believe they do then why should an officer be justified in fearing for their life just because they’re interacting with somebody who is armed? It can’t be both ways, which is something a lot of supposedly pro-gun people fail to realize.
As I said, I personally believe being armed in of itself is not threatening behavior and I believe being armed should be a cultural norm. This also means that I don’t believe police officers have grounds to get all “Officer safety! My life is on the line!” just because they’re interacting with somebody who is armed.
You shouldn’t have to expect an officer to treat you any differently if you’re armed than if you’re unarmed. Being armed and not immediately taking a submissive position when being pulled over also shouldn’t justification for an officer to shoot you. People who claim to be supporters of gun rights and also believe that officers are justified in being afraid for their lives just because they’re interacting with somebody who are really anti-gunners who don’t realize it.
Phil had been pulled over 50 times for moving violations over a decade.
I find it hard to believe that with so much experience he didn’t know how to handle being pulled over by Police.
It seems a lot more likely that the Police officer didn’t know how to handle someone who was armed. So, I would definitely agree with you that more people being armed would have probably stopped this tragic event from happening.
I think that cops have a guilty conscience under it all. They know that they’re assholes enforcing bullshit laws. They project their own self-loathing onto others. And of course, there’s plenty of loathing toward cops really out there.
Your point about societal expectations (presence of a gun shouldn’t cause ANYBODY to freak out) is right on target.
Cops are so used to interacting with jock-sniffing ass-kissing spineless jellyfish that anybody who doesn’t immediately kowtow alerts them.
JDT is right. Cops (the vast majority that I have met and interacted with) are part of the culture that puts them against normal people, and they are justifiably inclined to suspect that people hate them.
That is a good reason not to hire recent combat veterans as policemen.
But by now, people are accustomed to the concept of police as a military force, with armor, automatic weapons, grenades and massive organized force.
It’s a shame that the men in this country allowed this to happen, but that’s where we are.
Carrying should be the norm and cops should be volunteers with a limited term of service. That way, ‘they’ would be part of us, the way it was intended.