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Schutze: A Man Crush

January 12, 2011 By Trey Garrison 1 Comment

He and I will never see eye to eye on so much, but this is why I can’t quit him:

Two things. First, I would like for people to quit bitching about my photo. One guy wrote in that he found it “disturbing.” Well, WTF, Einstein. It’s not meant to be a sympathy card.

Second: Another guy wrote in with a really good idea yesterday. I had written about how the city is persecuting Robert Groden, the Kennedy assassination guy, because he’s selling his books and magazines in Dealey Plaza without a Dealey Plaza Literature Sales Permit or DPLSP, which, I should mention, is a term I made up. And here is why I made up such a term:

The city has taken Groden to court on a charge of selling literature in Dealey Plaza without a permit allowing him to sell literature in Dealey Plaza. But there is no such thing as a permit to allow anybody to sell literature in Dealey Plaza.

I was pointing out that this is the kind of Kafkaesque/Soviet bullshit that Dallas City Hall thinks is clever. Fine the guy for not having a permit. But then when he tries to go get one, tell him that no such permits exist.

I had written before about City Hall security and the requirement that members of the press present credentials at certain types of events. But in Dallas there is no such thing as an official press credential. So I said I just make mine on the copying machine with some cheap laminating sheets you can buy by the box.

Filed Under Civil Wrongs, Politics, Your Papers Please

Cracked.com’s Six Ways the Cops Can Screw You

July 12, 2010 By Trey Garrison 1 Comment

The criticism here is aimed at powers given police, not police officers themselves.

But it’s awesome. Scary awesome.

Civil asset forfeiture is just the tip of the iceberg; filming a cop in a public place is a crime in most places, they can bust you for drinking in a bar, and cops have the right to steal your identity and use it in undercover operations.

Land o’ the free, baby.

Filed Under Civil Wrongs, Your Papers Please

Friday Morning Finger

August 28, 2009 By Trey Garrison 9 Comments

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Here’s your sample confession form. Check all that apply, submit so you can be re-educated.

I, [STATE YOUR NAME], denounce myself for being a thought criminal and surrender into the hands of progressive justice at flag@whitehouse.gov. My crimes include:

[ ] In a private conversation with my spousal unit I expressed doubts about the appropriateness of a one-party rule.
[ ] I was hesitant in repeating the party directive: American health care is worse than any other western democracy.
[ ] At the time of this year’s inauguration I hesitated to grovel at the feet of the Supreme Leader Obama.
[ ] I worried that Leader is trying to take too much power.
[ ] I once worried that “getting past bipartisanship” might mean more than just the expected re-education camps.
[ ] I worried that there might be more in the ObamaCare bill than I was told.
[ ] I had a moment’s doubt about whether it’s appropriate for the arts to become a tool of state propaganda.

I confess to my crimes and ask the mercy of the state and Leader.

Filed Under Culture Jamming, Friendly Police State, Your Papers Please

Guess Who’s Committing Less Crime? Yep, “Illegal” Immigrants

July 12, 2009 By Trey Garrison 12 Comments

Bud Kennedy over at the Startlegram refers to my buddy Radley Balko‘s research at Reason Magazine to point out — hey, guess what, places where there are more illegal immigrants have less violent crime.

Exhibit A: El Paso.

The West Texas twin city to drug-riddled Juarez is about one-fourth foreign-born. Yet it’s usually ranked as the nation’s No. 2 or No. 3 safest city.

(San Antonio is No. 9. Fort Worth is No. 10.)

“It just always seemed remarkable to me that El Paso has such a low crime rate,” said Radley Balko, a Reason senior editor and writer on law enforcement and criminal-justice issues.

“All the academic evidence concludes that immigrants are much less prone to violence than the native population.”

Radley’s full piece here.

More on crime and immigration here.

Filed Under Immigration, Your Papers Please

Thursday Roundup: Does This Look Infected?

May 14, 2009 By Trey Garrison 9 Comments
  • Dallas is going to be losing one of its better watchdogs when city hall reporter Dave Levinthal decamps for Washington, DC this summer. The worn cliche in our business is that if all sides are mad at you, you’re doing your job right. (Though I don’t think anyone in our business ever stops to think, “Maybe I’m just an a-hole.”) Well, Dave did his job right, and kept an eye on the horseshoe for everyone. So it’s our loss. Oh, and Dave? The Bills suck.
  • “To do nothing is to turn our back on the problem,” Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Dwaine Caraway said. Every time there’s a really bad piece of legislation, someone says this or a variation, “To do nothing is not an option.” Yes, doing nothing IS an option, if the “something” you want to do is stupid, unneeded, or downright oppressive. This kind of statement is a blank check that draws on your wallet and your rights. A pol needs a metaphoric kick in the teeth when he says this.
  • Robert Guest has a gem of a find: Even cops are told to get an attorney when they talk to cops. If you’re the subject of an investigation, the person asking the questions does not have your interests in mind. Even police know this. So follow their example — don’t ever, ever, ever speak to the police without an attorney.
  • So Texas is the second youngest state, with a median age of 33.2 (thank you for the decimal, Mr. Spock), which should be justification enough to RIF Steve Blow.
  • And it doesn’t explain the Six Flags mascot, which SWAIM rightly notes is like being kicked in the eyes with AIDS. Seriously — could this look any more like a child molester?

mister61

Filed Under Friendly Police State, Police, Politics, The DFW, Your Papers Please

Daytime Curfew: Just Say No

May 13, 2009 By Trey Garrison 11 Comments

img_4298_2Love the Kunkle. So what I’m about to say is with all due respect to the points he articulated for Unfair Park.

Dallas doesn’t need a daytime curfew for juveniles. And there are five reasons.

1) It. Is. Not. Necessary. Police already have the power to stop, detain, and deliver truants back to schools. We don’t need to criminalize truancy, and we don’t need to stack $500 fines that will fall disproportionately on the people who can’t afford them, just adding to their cycle of poverty and being in dutch with the law. (Yeah, I know, I’m not supposed to care much about the poor — smell like old milk and they don’t buy ads — but I certainly do care when it’s government piling on them.)

2) We are given a list of “defenses” to the fine — With permission of the student’s school subject to confirmation, medical excuse subject to confirmation, etc. Key words there are “subject to confirmation.” Meaning the police will be able to detain the kid (or an adult who looks young), issue the citation, and put people through the headache of the legal process even when they shouldn’t be. As a negative bonus, this sends a great message to kids — you are not a citizen, but a subject. Which brings me to…

3) Children are not the property of the city of Dallas, the school district, Texas, or the United States. The first two full sentences I taught my daughter were “I am not the property of the state. My life is my own.” (Ask my wife; I ain’t kidding you.) Kids are wards of their parents, in whose trust their rights are placed until they are of legal age.

4) This is a feel-good, do-nothing-but-harass-people initiative backed by clueless elected officials who want to look like they’re doing something.

5) Show of hands — who thinks this $500 fine part has nothing to do with the city’s $100 million budget deficit? Anyone? Anyone?

Filed Under DISD, Liberty, Politics, The DFW, Your Papers Please