My How things have changed.

Nothing's really changed, has it?

They were probably harrassed for putting the sign up

ACAB

Does anyone else find it disturbing that so many people (including myself) are sitting around waiting to watch a man being beaten to death by 5 policemen? Like a goddamn movie premiere. I wonder what effects experiencing this collective trauma has on us as a populace. It's a weird, sad, day.

Such a tall order

Watching it can seriously not make me think any less of police than I already do. I'll be avoiding that one. RIP.

I want to (avoid it). But in my heart of hearts I know I won't. And I don't know what that means.

I got pulled over on 279 a few weeks ago. I was heading to work and going with the flow of traffic (there were 2 cars in front of me safely spaced out).

Some guy comes speeding up on me, getting real close, and turning on high beams. It goes on for about 3 miles so I got out of the passing to get away from him. He follows me into the right lane so I sped up to pass the car that was in front of me and get out of his way again.

As soon as I sped up a bit, he hit his lights and pulled me over for speeding. It was a cop the entire time.

Found it!

​

https://www.google.com/maps/@40.4686393,-79.9337384,3a,75y,163.99h,88.69t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sEkidBsYqYEorkqqKTakQ2g!2e0!5s20201101T000000!7i16384!8i8192!5m1!1e4

Neat! thank you

And 53 years later we still don't have it.

I mean this in a completely non-judgmental way, but it’s as simple as exercising self control and not watching it. I think it’s important to ask ourselves why we want to see it. If the answer is anything remotely close to watching out of morbid curiosity, then I think we should give Tyre respect and treat him with the dignity that the cops denied him by avoiding the video.

Your response implies that you have no choice in the manner other than to consume a viral piece of media, and I find that disheartening. Personally, I think the brutal description is enough. Where the situation murkier, watching to make an informed decision on the matter is one thing, but I think we need to be discerning in the media we consume if all we’re looking for is a thrill and to be outraged.

i dont watch videos such as these (never watched any of the beheading videos either) nor did i ever watch any of the Phases of Death vhs series back when video tape rental was a thing.

consuming these videos both desensitises and anesthetises people to the point of acceptance. it doesnt happen all at once, but eventually one's compassion, sympathy, and potential empathy is eroded away.

i think the same people who watch these videos should ask themselves if they would buy tickets to an execution without knowing the context of why and how.

I appreciate that. I do understand it's a choice. However I also understand for me it's not out of morbid curiosity. With me, I feel it's more the need to bear witness. There are plenty of horrible viral things to view just to satisfy morbid curiosity. I feel like indifference and/or the desire to simply not confront horrible things play a big role in why nothing ever changes. When I say I wish to avoid it but I know I won't, it's because I don't want to turn a blind eye to it. Not saying those who choose not to watch like yourself are doing that, but for me it feels like not viewing is ignoring the problem. Kind of like making the German citizens walk through the concentration camps. When I say I'm not sure what that means about myself ( the fact I know I will watch), I wonder why I feel I have to be that witness? When in fact I know that simple act alone won't initiate change.

I appreciate your thoughtful response and am glad that you clarified. I can’t answer why you feel that way, but I think it’s up to all of us to bear that weight together, to deal kindly with each other, and push for change here in Pittsburgh where we can. We can’t do much about Memphis beyond mourn with them, but we can do our best to make it better here.

Yes actually - it has

Woah dude your so cool and edgy

Yes. I find it disturbing that that is what you are sitting around waiting to watch.

Yes we do lol

Thanks! Have a great day :-)

Yeah the photos are in color now

> I wonder why I feel I have to be that witness?

That's what morbid curiosity is lol

This happened to me a few years ago. It was 4AM, we were the only 2 cars on the road, and they were tailgating me in the right hand lane of a 4 lane road. I switched lanes to let them pass and they followed me, so I sped up a bit and immediately got got. Still so fucking pissed over that one.

Now we have video

I don't agree in this instance. I see morbid curiosity more or less as something like viewing a car accident. The act of watching is solely because you want to see. Whereas when it comes to videos such as police brutality, I feel like my need to see is connected to my desire to not ignore the issue. There are plenty of things that I come across that I choose not to look at. But I feel like I can't look away from these things . If so, I become part of the problem. The indifference. Trust there are many a time when I wish I can be like others and just say that's awful, not watch and move on.

I do agree there is a degree of desensitization that comes along with regular viewing of such things. However, it's not as black and white as that. I viewed many of those things over the years, whether for curiosity sake or to just be informed. While there's a sense of the shock value being lost, my compassion has not waned. Nor has my desire for change. Those who refuse to watch any of the things you reference, including police brutality videos, are no more likely to initiate change or to feel more compassion for victims of violence. I'm 45. I've seen a lot. A whole lot. I have yet to become numb.

You can be outraged by police behavior and not have to watch every single new video of them killing someone in cold blood. Watching to see just exactly how bad this one was is in fact morbid curiosity. Like I said, I can't possibly think any less of police without watching but now one who doesn't watch it is part of the problem because they're ignoring it and indifferent to police violence? This is some serious self righteousness here

i'm a year younger than you and our experiences are clearly very different.

> those who refuse to watch...are no more likely to initiate change or feel more compassion for victims of violence.

nice job there thinking i sit on my hands with my head in the sand while the world burns.

Wasn't looking for a reddit argument today. How did I imply that you sit around on your hands? I said people who don't watch or no "more" likely to act or have compassion. Not less likely.

The news has been reporting that this tape is extra gruesome. And that's saying something given how many of these we've seen over the past 20 years. So sad. There are going to be lots of protests this weekend all over the country (and perhaps the world) and I don't blame anyone protesting.

And no, I wouldn't buy a ticket to an execution. Especially since I'm against the death penalty

I just won't be able to do it. I know that news will show some stills and that will be too much for me. Empathy for his family and friends. So sad.

i quoted you verbatim and stated in my post i dont watch these videos. by stating i'm no more likely to have compassion or act you inherently imply less likely.

i dont have any desire to argue with anyone on reddit either.

Sorry you took it that way. I in no way meant to imply that. I know plenty of people, compassionate and active in social justice, who would not choose to watch. I don't hold that against them. I meant to say that for myself, I am an example of somebody who has not become less compassionate or empathetic for watching those things. In fact, I believe in some instances it has made me more so.

> does anyone else find it disturbing we are sitting around waiting to watch like a goddamn movie premiere

> i wonder what affects...this has on the populance

> what a weird, sad day

I'm not sure what you're saying here?

Plus they were immediately fired and are being charged with all kinds of things including murder and kidnapping. There’s no reason to watch video unless they’re found not guilty.

Quick unrelated question, but how do you get the taste of that boot out of your mouth?

I only assume you have some well tested method.

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I swear people on here don't read. I never said that people who don't watch are less compassionate or indifferent. I said for me. For me. Has nothing to do with no one else.

Wtf? Time for front and rear cameras, I guess :/ jeez

You’re*

Sorry Mr. Ive never missed a key before

It’s almost like cops instigate most of the interactions they have with normal people? So weird. Must be a coincidence.

There are plenty of people who are not outrage already that absolutely need to see it.

My god, fuck these people. We won’t be free til police are abolished.

They go around looking for trouble and altercations.

>Why we want to see it

It's kinda important to confront what they do in real, concrete terms. I'm going to watch it and I'm going to share it because that will prevent complacency. We all agree that this is a problem, but people are also perfectly capable of going "Yeah, that's awful. Well, anyway..." and they need to be confronted with what they fail to oppose directly. So yeah, I am kinda looking to be outraged and I'm looking for other people to be outraged as well, but to make this equivalent to the outrage bait of Obama's tan suit, for example, is to say that people shouldn't be outraged when the police murder people. They should. It's not just reasonable, it's a moral obligation to not let the firehose effect convince you to just knowingly ignore this shit.

I had this happen to me on the ohio turnpike years ago. Guy rode next to me for over a mile in the left lane. I just wanted to get away so I sped up and he pulled me over because he said he was pacing me with his speedometer.

Luckily I was a white middle aged guy in a suit going to a wedding, so guy gave me a warning... Asshole.

Faces of Death, right? Not phases.

I honestly dont remember. It's been years since west coast video existed and i just remember being disgusted by the packaging alone.

"I think cops are bad I'm so edgy and cool - maybe girls will talk to me now"

-You

here we go. I remember talking about this in my dorm room but I've never seen it, luckily. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faces_of_Death

Teenie Harris preserved a lot of important visual history that becomes an imperative keystone to a more complete reality of PA - both then and now.

I understand where you’re coming from and I think it’s a legitimate position to argue why people should watch it. We do not disagree there. What I was trying to get across was that if you’re going to watch it solely out of curiosity and being nosey, probably don’t watch it then if that’s your only motivation. It’s like stopping and staring at a car accident; if you aren’t stopping to help then be respectful and be on your way. I misunderstood the intentions of the comment I was replying to and they gave a thoughtful reply, so being nosey is neither how they’re approaching it nor how they intended the comment to come off.

We both agree that people should be outraged when the police do everything from abuse people to murder them. Some people need to see it happen because they don’t think cops are capable of that level of brutality for whatever reason. Others because they feel they have a moral obligation to bear witness. If that’s the case, do it. All I was saying earlier was if your motivation of watching is solely to be outraged and then do nothing else, perhaps consider where that’s coming from.

I will say, I’m curious why you brought up rage bait media like the tan suit and implied that I was treating them the same. Personally I feel that my original comment was treating this as a serious matter, but if I in any way made that seem otherwise it was not my intent.

I disagree with the desensitization angle purely based on the national reaction to the murder of George Floyd and the subsequent protests across the country and even internationally. I'd go so far as to suggest that people were/are very sensitive about it when they see these videos of violence against innocent people.

Even the supreme court ruled that police don't have to protect you. The only thing that's changed from them is that they just made it official.

“I enjoy the taste of yummy boot and am absolutely racist”

-you

You shouldn't have been in the left lane.... Drive right, pass left. If someone comes up behind you while your in the left lane move to the right and just let them pass.

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I was in the right lane. The cop in an unmarked car was in the left. If I slowed down he slowed down, if I sped up he sped up. It was unnerving.

I apologize, I misread. That's ridiculous.

They have zero arguments they just get triggered when you start talking shit about cops.

Since when? 1968? I would bet neither of us were able to experience police back then, but by all accounts things are much better than they were during the Civil Rights Era. To suggest otherwise really undermines the sacrifice and brutality civil rights leaders like MLK, John Lewis, and countless others went through. Even with improvement over the past 50 years, accountability is not full and things aren't perfect - neither here in Pittsburgh nor around the nation - but things have changed

*I've

No prob! I wasn't clear in my description.

Nah, cops are pretty terrible. There is science to back this from the significantly higher statistics of domestic abuse compared to the general public and that certain authoritative personality types are drawn to police work. Please stop pretending police have remotely good intentions so that we can actually move forward as a society.

Nah, they pretty much aren't.

I mean if you're a criminal yeah they're totally terrible. I get it

Please stop pretending you actually care about moving forward as a society while bitching about cops lol. You're people are a fucking joke. The dregs of society

I mean - they do. I'm not pretending. Just a fact

Lol I hope you’re a troll and not actually that stupid. Either way, best of luck with that!

get a camera and next time post the shit outta that pig.

Nothing I said is stupid. Now you on the other hand lol

I mean thanks I guess but I don't really need luck. I just don't commit crimes so I'm good to go

Fight it, bet you he has zero evidence you were speeding and doesn’t show up

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💯🫡

Yeah it’s like a classic move. Act super strange driving and influence behavior of someone on the road because of your weirdness then pull them over for that. I once got pulled over by a cop sitting in a parking lot at the end of my street when I simply turned around to get on the right side of my street. He pulled me over in front of my own house.

Teenie Harris’ photography is so brilliant

even better I was driving a 2009 Honda Fit. You know how long it takes for those things to accelerate?

Just reading about how he screams for his mom had me sobbing. It won't change my view on police so I'm not going to watch a human being beat and pleading for his life.

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Hahaha, of course you commit crimes! But if you think that police only hurt criminals then you are stupid.

Can you prove that statistically?

Maybe there's a problem with his apostrophe key?

Wow! You're so cool and moral and sycophantic!