Traffic cameras, yellow lights, and speeding tickets

[glenn kangiser]

Let me tell you where I am on this stereotype thing.  

I am a Lithuanian.  What is that you might ask.  It is simple.  A Lithuanian is a Pollock with his brains kicked out.

I don't see Polish people as being dumb, in fact to the contrary, the ones I know of are exceptionally smart (speaking of a painter - master  craftsman who redid our old house and the ones who mined and built the salt mine in Poland).  I also have Polish relatives.

Police - I respect the good ones such as our member who held his men to the highest standards of protecting and serving from what I know of him, and he is one of the friendliest most helpful people on the forum... still serving.  I respect the Sheriffs who helped me with an eviction and the ones who helped evacuate for the fire here without overstepping their bounds.  I respect the CHP who held a flashlight so I could fix my shorted out truck lights.  I respect the CHP who let me readjust my load rather than ticket me for snow and ice causing an overweight condition on my reefer.

Radar gun cops are marginal.   The speed laws are made - they zealously enforce them partly for safety but in my opinion mostly because it is a big revenue generator for the state and the insurance companies who raise your rates after you are caught. The insurance companies donate many of the radar guns to catch you.   A conflict of interest since you pay both of them and the judge who will convict you.  I have no respect for the Sheriffs who tailgate to get citizens to speed in the dark and then identify themselves and issue a citation.  I know of at least 2 cases of this.

I have no respect for the cops who would not show up when I tailed a whore and 2 pimps with her for 1/2 hour or so, who stole our bandsaw from our truck as we were eating lunch.

I have no respect for our Sheriffs who murdered their own men for trying to stop major drug running (that went to the federal level ) in the department.  Even if it was for Ollie and the boys.

I have no respect for the CHP who strutted around my truck boasting that he could write me for the bugs on my windshield.  A few "Yes Sirs" to boost his ego and he was out of there - no ticket but I still don't respect him.

I have no respect for the police brutality and the department running their own auto theft ring and chop shop in Fresno.

I think the numbers may be around 75% good to 25% bad.

The 25% get the stereotype.  The good ones, I think will understand the kidding about the donuts just as the Lithuanians with their brains kicked out.  I am not saying all of my fellow countrymen or police will agree with me, but if you are a good person or cop, rest assured that you have my respect.

If we can't laugh at ourselves we are in pretty sad shape.  

[MountainDon]

A danger in stereotyping, like the donut poster, is that there really are people who believe it, placing all police in the same basket.  Stereotyping removes individuality from the assessment. Blonds are dumb. Blonds have more fun. Muslims are terrorists. Guns are evil. Drunken Indian. Corrupt politicians. Some may be able to be pigeonholed into several stereotypes at once.

None of those are completely true as grouped. Certain individuals of the groups may be dumb, be a terrorist or a drunk.

I'll admit it is difficult to not fall into the trap of stereotyping.

At least that's what I think.

[glenn kangiser]

That would be the 95% of the people who are dumb as dirt? ...and of course we would never be one of that group - it does not apply to me... it's those other guys...

Yeah, Don.  I agree that there are a few cases where people may believe that the stereotype applies to all but more likely the 95% of the people actually know it dies not apply to all and still have a sense of humor. 

If like me, a fine normal upstanding intelligent individual, they will be able to see the humor in it, laugh at themselves, and take it in stride, enjoying the absurdity of the implication that it applies to all.

I think stereotypes exist to express a dissatisfaction with aspects of dealing with masses of unknown people and larger quantities of seemingly related happenings or traits. 

"I can't stand the masses of people in the cities blindly moving like masses of cattle with their only concern being their immediate goal...."

In reality individually most of them are great people and many are my friends. 

Grouping them together is not fair to any of them as in my above statement but it expresses my dislike of living elbow to elbow with masses of people.  Working with a group of them on a building project is usually a great enjoyable experience.

I see stereotypes as an attempt at humor in many cases and I suppose we will all have to clam up like frigid old maids to be politically correct, eh?
 

[RainDog]

 Stereotyping and generalization about groups gets a bad rap nowadays. Mental categorizing is important and basic to logic and rational thought.

"One theory as to why people stereotype is that it is too difficult to take in all of the complexities of other people as individuals. Even though stereotyping is inexact, it is an efficient way to mentally organize large blocks of information. Categorization is an essential human capability because it enables us to simplify, predict, and organize our world."

It's when you apply your generalization or stereotype to a subgroup or individual that you run into trouble.

Cops are stereotyped as having certain behavior patterns and attitudes, but one can't safely assume that Officer John Doe shares these traits.

Stereotype can, of course, be simply incorrect, but still serves the same purpose of mental efficiency to the person holding the belief.

Oh, and how many Lithuanians does it take to screw in a lightbulb? 

[MountainDon]

"One theory as to why people stereotype is that it is too difficult to take in all of the complexities of other people as individuals. Even though stereotyping is inexact, it is an efficient way to mentally organize large blocks of information. Categorization is an essential human capability because it enables us to simplify, predict, and organize our world."

That is right on.

[glenn kangiser]

Oh, and how many Lithuanians does it take to screw in a lightbulb? 

Humpffff..... Like they could get in there....   

[pagan]

Peter,

I work with three cops, and in the past have lifted weights with several others. All of them were ok guys. What you're missing is that was a joke. Most of us only come in contact with law enforcement personnel when they're doing their jobs; enforcing the law. I got pulled over for speeding in West Virginia back in 1989 and the cop was the classic "Buford T. Justice" sheriff with a big fat gut hanging over his belt, mirrored sunglasses, and that slow, southern drawl. Does that make me believe all West Virginian cops are like him? Of course not, but I still tell the story and people laugh, because it's funny.

Are we becoming SO politically correct that we're not even able to laugh at the ubiquitous cop with a donut joke without first prefacing the joke as a stereotype and that we understand not every cop likes donuts? I remember exiting the subway in NYC and there were three or four cops in front of me. One of them had his ticket booklet in his back pocket. On the booklet was a sticker: "Bad Cop....No Donut." Wish I had a camera. Doesn't help me though, I still want a jelly donut.

[RainDog]

Oh, and how many Lithuanians does it take to screw in a lightbulb? 

Humpffff..... Like they could get in there....   

[glenn kangiser]

Took you a long time to get that one, RainDog.