That’s an interesting question. I believe most police departments have guidelines for use of force. As to the specifics of the guidelines of this particular Wisconsin department - you’d have to make an official inquiry. I’m going to take a guess and say the officer in question was likely within those boundaries. But…

What exactly are you trying to refute? Are refuting that the second punch was less forceful than the first? It certainly seemed to be. Do you disagree?

Except that he wasn’t. He was free and standing when the first punch took place. Actively resisting. That’s why he was punched. The second punch was... probably unnecessary. Although he wasn’t yet cuffed for that either, and it was comparatively delicate.

Straight jackets and tranquilizers? I’d be curious what you’re referring to exactly.

Not to point out the obvious, but if you’re resisting arrest, a punch in the face is about the friendliest compliance tactic you’re going to get. It’s a perfectly acceptable use of force on the part of the police, certainly when they’re making an arrest and the man is question is actively trying to fight them off.

Familiarity breeds contempt.

Please, enlighten me. Something tells me we’re not on the same page just yet. But I’m happy to discuss it until you see what I mean.

Respectfully, I think the point of my comment may have eluded you...

Recently? A few. Although I appreciate that was rhetorical...

I’m definitely going to have to catch her show.

Much as I enjoy a blatant ad hominem fallacy, I’d be curious if anyone has a valid argument as to why Polanski might be incorrect.

Finally, someone who sees reason.

I’m not sure what the big deal is here. He’s one unpleasant person in a world full of them. That encounter was just... Tuesday for most of us.

I think you’re right on the money when you say that white America doesn’t care about racism. They truly don’t. And I don’t begrudge them that entirely. People are self-interested creatures; if something doesn’t affect them, there’s little impetus to care about it. What we’re inclined to label ‘racist’ is often just…

You bring up an excellent point about how the term ‘racist’ is defined. Everyone seems to have their own idea about what does and does not constitute racism. And that’s fine; it makes for some interesting discussion.

Well keep in mind his victim was just an Hispanic. Mitigating circumstances, right? He may not have even broken a law...

This reminds me a lot of the 1998 lawsuit against Sarah McLachlan, which also went exactly nowhere.

Well, shit. There it is.

Yes. Right on the money. And so all you’re left with are two conflicting stories that essentially negate each other as evidence. He-said/she-said. It’s confounding how that could be adequate to determine guilt.

Exactly right. Well said. So lacking any concrete evidence, one wonders exactly how Dr. Cosby could reasonably be convicted. I believe our standard of guilt is something to the effect of ‘beyond a reasonable doubt.’ It seems to me this may have been flagrantly disregarded. But, such is the subjective nature of our…