Qasim Rashid, Esq.Jan 13, 2023

I'm sharing this as an actual solution to empower civilians.

Please check out TurnSignl, an app founded by Black civil rights lawyers. It lets you video call a lawyer asap through voice activation or single touch when police pull you over. The lawyer manages & records the entire convo w/police & works to get you home safe.

It's like $7/mo and free for low income people. It's in a few dozen states & will be nationwide shortly. I have it myself.

See it here:

https://m.turnsignl.com/get_app/NbAW

TurnSignl

TurnSignl Admin Dashboard

Show threadJohn CarlsenJan 13, 2023

@QasimRashid

One of my pet peeves is when "civilians" is used to refer to "non-police".

In the USA, aside from MPs, all police officers are civilians too, not military, and should be reminded often that they are part of the body of people they serve.

Show threadSpaceLifeFormJan 13, 2023

@johnlogic @QasimRashid

50 Years ago, it was not like this.

The police would try to keep people out of trouble.

Show threadGodless DocJan 14, 2023
@SpaceLifeForm @johnlogic @QasimRashid what planet were you living on?
Show threadJohn CarlsenJan 14, 2023

@GodlessDoc @SpaceLifeForm @QasimRashid

Take a look at LAPD Chief Parker, who started in 1950 and tried to change the image of his force from a bunch of thugs to professionals. (He had a good speech writer, a second-generation officer named Gene Roddenberry.) His department became a model for the nation, but still racist and brutal.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_H._Parker_(police_officer)

William H. Parker (police officer) - Wikipedia

Show threadGodless DocJan 14, 2023
@johnlogic @SpaceLifeForm @QasimRashid I was referring to the “50 years ago it wasn’t like this.” When it actually was, we just didn’t all have cellphones.
Show threadSpaceLifeForm

@GodlessDoc @johnlogic @QasimRashid

I've never been to LA, so I've not experienced that.

In my neck of the woods, it was better than it is today. Not saying it was great, just saying over time it has gotten worse. YMMV.

Jan 14, 2023 at 8:27pmWeb
Show threadGodless DocJan 14, 2023
@SpaceLifeForm @johnlogic @QasimRashid do you remember the civil rights movement from the 1950’s and the 1960’s? It was a barrel of laughs for POC.
Show threadSpaceLifeFormJan 14, 2023

@GodlessDoc @johnlogic @QasimRashid

Yes I remember. I am just saying it is even worse today. Fascists want to remain in power.

If one does not agree with them, they will attack you financially. If you are poor, they want to make sure that it stays that way. The fascists always have a bogeyman.

Show threadGodless DocJan 14, 2023
@SpaceLifeForm @johnlogic @QasimRashid when you say it’s “worse today”, what specifically are you referring to?
Show threadJohn CarlsenJan 14, 2023

@GodlessDoc @SpaceLifeForm @QasimRashid

Obviously I can't speak for SpaceLifeForm, but nearly 100 years of militarization of police in the USA seems to be an ongoing trend.

As this piece points out, it started as an unintended consequence of prohibition:

https://fee.org/articles/the-militarization-of-americas-police-a-brief-history/

Within recent decades, I've seen police get retired military equipment and given exceptions to gun control laws. So, to get the good guns, gangs now just steal their SWAT vans.

The Militarization of America's Police: A Brief History

Thanks to the Pentagon's 1033 program, which allows law enforcement agencies to get their hands on DOD technology, and the Bush-era War on Terror, American police have received a startling amount of heavy-duty, military-grade hardware.

Foundation for Economic Education
Show threadGodless DocJan 14, 2023
@johnlogic @SpaceLifeForm @QasimRashid I think they started out as slave patrols.