HFA WP member thrown in back of police car for no reason.

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Congratulations and welcome to the real world! I assume your friend is white, otherwise it seems unlikely that she would be surprised by this. And even if she did pursue a complaint, under normal conditions it would get exactly nowhere. Though in this case maybe she could raise autism awareness among the police force.

Seriously, though, this is a completely unspectacular event. She should consider herself lucky she didn't get pepper sprayed or tazered. This country is getting more and more fascistic every day.

Not exactly. From an Anarchist FAQ:

A.2 What does anarchism stand for?

These words by Percy Bysshe Shelley gives an idea of what anarchism stands for in practice and what ideals drive it:

The man
Of virtuous soul commands not, nor obeys:
Power, like a desolating pestilence,
Pollutes whate'er it touches, and obedience,
Bane of all genius, virtue, freedom, truth,
Makes slaves of men, and, of the human frame,
A mechanised automaton.

As Shelley's lines suggest, anarchists place a high priority on liberty, desiring it both for themselves and others. They also consider individuality -- that which makes one a unique person -- to be a most important aspect of humanity. They recognise, however, that individuality does not exist in a vacuum but is a social phenomenon. Outside of society, individuality is impossible, since one needs other people in order to develop, expand, and grow.

Moreover, between individual and social development there is a reciprocal effect: individuals grow within and are shaped by a particular society, while at the same time they help shape and change aspects of that society (as well as themselves and other individuals) by their actions and thoughts. A society not based on free individuals, their hopes, dreams and ideas would be hollow and dead. Thus, "the making of a human being. . . is a collective process, a process in which both community and the individual participate." [Murray Bookchin, The Modern Crisis, p. 79] Consequently, any political theory which bases itself purely on the social or the individual is false.

... Liberty is essential for the full flowering of human intelligence, creativity, and dignity. To be dominated by another is to be denied the chance to think and act for oneself, which is the only way to grow and develop one's individuality. Domination also stifles innovation and personal responsibility, leading to conformity and mediocrity. Thus the society that maximises the growth of individuality will necessarily be based on voluntary association, not coercion and authority.

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And much more...

Never had any issues with LEO's or security.

It actually is a crime to go without ID. You have to have ID. I just found that out by my boyfriend. Even middle school and high school students have IDs. I never had ID when I was a kid but I guess it was because I lived in a small town. Only ID I had was my driver's license.

I like Britain in that it's one of the only countries in the world (besides Ireland and a very few former colonies like New Zealand) where you can go about your business without carrying identification all the time. I quite like the freedom that brings. I don't think this will last forever and some of the legislative changes are rendering this meaningless anyway.

I just ran across this:

http://29marbles.blogspot.com/2008/01/a ... ement.html


Autism and law enforcement

I've written about autism and law enforcement before, but in a time when it is becoming increasingly dangerous to be different it is worth mentioning again. The catalyst for this particular post is the NY Times article Helping Police Officers Understand Autism, which talks about the ongoing efforts of Dennis Debbaudt (who is an autism dad and, as it turns out, also provided the inspiration for my previous post on the topic).

Some key points from the article:

* People with developmental disabilities, including autism, have up to seven times more contact with law enforcement officers than others, according to an article in the F.B.I. Law Enforcement Bulletin in April 2001.
* [W]hen Mr. Debbaudt asked whether any of the police officers, from departments throughout New Jersey, had received training on autism, either at police academies or on the job, only a few raised their hands.
* Mr. Debbaudt said he had heard of 6 to 12 cases each year in which people with autism are harmed, hit with a stun gun or killed by law enforcement officials. He cited the case of Calvin Champion Jr., a 32-year-old man with autism who died in 2000 after Nashville police officers used pepper spray on him and subdued him.
* “We’ve heard from families as well as from professionals that they just need more instruction, certainly in terms of first responders understanding that a person with autism may not respond appropriately or may not respond at all when given a command,” she said.
* A bill cosponsored by [NJ] State Senator Loretta Weinberg would require autism awareness programs statewide for emergency medical technicians, police officers and firefighters. The bill was passed by the Assembly in March, and awaits action in the State Senate.

That last bullet sounds like a good idea that should be spread across the country to every state. (I'm going to see what, if anything, is being done here in Missouri.)

If you are the parent or caregiver of an autistic person, or if you work in law enforcement, you owe it to your self to check out Debbaudt's sites: Autism Risk and Safety Management and Police and Autism - Avoiding Unfortunate Situations.

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There are lots of links to click on in the linky.

Being a police officer can be its own pathology, too.

I have had several run-ins with the police, mostly when I was younger. The worst was when they handcuffed me and took me to the station for walking outside at 10:15pm. Granted there was a curfew (10pm) and I was 15 at the time, but I was right across the street from my house. I also didn't know there was a curfew at all. I tried to explain but they wouldn't listen, and they treated me very badly, even though I didn't resist them or fight (it's not in my nature). They could have just given me a warning and taken me home (across the street) but instead they detained me for 3 to 4 hours at the station with handcuffs on. They asked me nosy questions. It triggered a meltdown because the handcuffs hurt and one of my biggest fears is to lose control of my arms/legs. I was crying uncontrollably/hyperventilating and they wouldn't even let me wipe my nose or anything. It was awful.

Kittenfluffies, they deliberately hurt you, that's all there is to it. Every police department has at least a couple of sadists.

Your friend and others should probably learn their 4,5, and 6 Amendment Rights. Police hate it when you know them.

You're not required to show your ID or identify yourself to police officer that just randomly ask you to show some identification. It depends on the state though, so I guess check your state laws. It best to be polite to cops when they have stopped you or are trying to question ya, even if the cop is being belligerent. Always ask the cop why you have been stopped and if you're free to go. If they indictae that you're not under suspicion of a crime, then it's a casual stop and you should be able to terminate the cops encounter at anytime. However, if they do state that you're under suspicion of committing a crime, then they can hold you. This is when the cops attempt to get evidence on ya, so they can claim "probable cause" to arrest you.

At this point, the cop doesn't have to inform you of your rights. If the cop asks to search you, just say "NO" or something polite, like"I don't consent to searches of me or my private property." This is your 4th amendment right. Don't say anything to the police to incriminate yourself, it's best just to not say a thing (5th Amendment right). There is no reason to be scared on concerned if you don't answer the cops questions. Although, if you do answer the cops question, they can use it against you and probably will. So, just keep your mouth shut or say something like, "officer, i have nothing to say until I speak with my lawyer." (5th and 6th amendment rights). If you do decide to answer the cops question, be honest. If you know you won't answer honestly, then keep your mouth shut. Do NOT physically resist if you're being detained or something.

Cop hate it when you know your rights. Sometimes they will start acting like complete dicks and threaten you with a bunch of nonsense. They will try to trick you into waiving your rights, so beware. Also, if you have stuff on you, keep it out of view for for the cop to see. If they see it, then you're in a jam.

Feelgoodlost, if you DO get into a conversation with a cop, and he/she asks you what you're doing, etc., do you think it's a good idea to tell a cop that you have AS?

SapphoWoman, the best bet is not to tell the cops you have Aspergers. Chances are the cop has no idea what Aspergers is in the first place. It's best just to stay quiet.

I agree, many police don't even know how autism presents, let alone Asperger's, so I don't think it would do much good at that time. However, from a legal standpoint, it may do you some good to inform them so that if there's brutality or inappropriate actions taken against you, then in court it looks worse for them that they were informed of a mental disability and did not react appropriately.

I never go out. And Australia isn't like the US, thank god.

Anymore I would just as gladly take my walks on a treadmill in front of the TV.