ITT, I record how fucking awful Florida is

[Buck Turgidson]

You'll have no doubt when you see the pile of garbage.

[Pterrydactyl]

Everyone should be allowed to vote.  The moment you start saying one person can't, then some other special interest group will want someone else to not be allowed.  Given the levels of incarceration in the US, you are talking about a potentially large segment of the toniculation, felon or otherwise, who are at risk of losing a basic right.

The US started the vote with only while men with something like 250 acres of land, and it took 200 years to let women and blacks have the same right.

I think children and illegal immigrants should be allowed to vote for whatever government will rule them in the land they live in.

Grilledslug, illegal Immigrants voting is just plain retarded.  What's to stop people from coming to the US and voting just to influence our elections?  Better yet, whats to stop someone from either importing people to support them?  Not to mention how much easier it would be to be fraudulent in an election.


Besides, the number of people who have committed felons is very small relative to the voting population.  But just like we don't give them the right to bear arms (felons can't own weapons), we also strip them of their right to vote.  Now, maybe we should have some sort of forgiveness program to give it back eventually, but as far as I'm concerned, if someone commits a felony, they are showing a complete disregard for the safety of others, and disrespect for the law, and should not be allowed to vote.  Simple as that.  NO EXCEPTIONS.  Now, if your wrongfully convicted, you should not only get your voting and firearms rights back, but some restitution.

[Buck Turgidson]

Well Apo, either you skew the results because too many people can vote, or you skew it because too many are disenfrachised.

In an era of globalisation, I think other countries should also have a say on what governments countries choose.  For example, I would vote out Assad.

Can you imagine how powerful democracy would be if this were the case (not saying they get an equal vote, just some sort of representation).

The world's first democracy, Athens, started will only 300 people having the vote.  Then 3000, then they extended it to all.  Then they started to roll it back.  Now look at them.

[Jenne]

Let's do an experiment.  Let's let our allies vote in our next election.  If that goes well, then we'll open it up to other diplomats.  After that, we allow our allies members to run for gov.  After that we probably won't have much say in how our gov is run, so we'll have to see how they want us to do it. 

... Now, maybe we should have some sort of forgiveness program to give it back eventually

You can get the conviction expunged, with a good lawyer, depending on the crime. 

[Kenneth Kenstar]

Everyone should be allowed to vote.  The moment you start saying one person can't, then some other special interest group will want someone else to not be allowed.  Given the levels of incarceration in the US, you are talking about a potentially large segment of the toniculation, felon or otherwise, who are at risk of losing a basic right.

The US started the vote with only while men with something like 250 acres of land, and it took 200 years to let women and blacks have the same right.

I think children and illegal immigrants should be allowed to vote for whatever government will rule them in the land they live in.

Grilledslug, illegal Immigrants voting is just plain retarded.  What's to stop people from coming to the US and voting just to influence our elections?  Better yet, whats to stop someone from either importing people to support them?  Not to mention how much easier it would be to be fraudulent in an election.


Besides, the number of people who have committed felons is very small relative to the voting toniculation.  But just like we don't give them the right to bear arms (felons can't own weapons), we also strip them of their right to vote.  Now, maybe we should have some sort of forgiveness program to give it back eventually, but as far as I'm concerned, if someone commits a felony, they are showing a complete disregard for the safety of others, and disrespect for the law, and should not be allowed to vote.  Simple as that.  NO EXCEPTIONS.  Now, if your wrongfully convicted, you should not only get your voting and firearms rights back, but some restitution.

Why stop there?

Let's take away the right to vote from people who commit misdemeanors.

Or hell

Take them away from liberals since they show a complete disregard for this country anyway

[Buck Turgidson]

I think animals should be allowed to vote, too.

[Buck Turgidson]

Here is another reason Florida is awful:  It eats cool hardware.

http://www.cnn.com/2012/06/14/us/florida-osprey-crash/index.html?hpt=hp_t1

[Kenneth Kenstar]

65 Year Old Sentenced to 20 Years Prison for Shooting into the Ground

Ronald Thompson of Keystone Heights is 65 and a 14-year Army veteran who has logged 5,000 hours of volunteer service at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Lake City.

 
Enlarge | Buy Photo
Ronald Thompson, 65, of Keystone Heights, appears in court Wednesday for a hearing on a new trial. Thompson was sentenced two years ago to 20 years in prison under Florida's 10-20-life law for firing a gun into the ground to scare a teenager who was threatening his grandmother.

Cindy Swirko/Staff
But for the crime of firing two gunshots into the ground to scare off some teenagers, he is serving 20 years in prison.

Thompson is nearly blind, diabetic and has had multiple heart surgeries. In the past few years since he was in prison, he has had surgery on his prostate and to remove tumors from his face.

Two years ago, the judge who reviewed the 20-year term required by Florida's mandatory minimum law called it "a crime in itself." He sentenced Thompson to three years instead of 20.

But that was overturned on appeal by the office of 4th Circuit State Attorney Angela Corey, the prosecutor in the case of George Zimmerman — the accused shooter of Sanford teen Trayvon Martin.

Now, in a motion that cites both mandatory sentences and Florida's "stand your ground" law, Thompson has filed for a new trial, claiming his first one was not fair and that his trial attorney's performance was ineffective.



"I think (the sentence) far exceeds anything that would be reasonable. That's the problem we have with minimum mandatory sentences — they sound good on paper or on the campaign trail, but they don't always work so well when applied to individual cases," said his appeal attorney, Steven Whittington. "I don't think too many people would think with what happened here, even though he technically violated the law, that a reasonable sentence is 20 years — especially when we are going to be paying for this, including some really high medical costs that he has already incurred."

More in http://www.gainesville.com/article/20120614/ARTICLES/120619789



Florida


Stand Your Ground: This is okay
Shoot Your Ground: 20 years in prison

[Ogaden]

Basically if he had shot and killed the kid he would have been ok, but because he only scared him off he's going to prison

[Fake from State Jarm]

I think stand your ground applies to people who are being physically threatened, not just people who are seeing someone having an argument. so no, if he had shot the kids it would not have been ok.

but yeah 20 years is way too much.

[Leo]

You could always try to claim that you thought the argument was escalating and that you had reason to believe that the kid was about to attack you.

[Buck Turgidson]

Especially if you made sure the shot was lethal.  Than shot the grandmother too.  No witnesses.

[Kenneth Kenstar]

You could always try to claim that you thought the argument was escalating and that you had reason to believe that the kid was about to attack you.

In Virginia, if an intruder breaks into your house and you honestly believe your life is in danger and you shoot them in the leg on purpose you will be arrested.

This is because not shooting to kill implies you didn't really believe you were in danger at all.

[Fake from State Jarm]

You could always try to claim that you thought the argument was escalating and that you had reason to believe that the kid was about to attack you.

In Virginia, if an intruder breaks into your house and you honestly believe your life is in danger and you shoot them in the leg on purpose you will be arrested.

This is because not shooting to kill implies you didn't really believe you were in danger at all.

doesn't this belong in the virginia thread

[Buck Turgidson]

Couldn't you just say you were a lousy shot, or would you have to verify the kill?

[Kenneth Kenstar]

Florida lifeguard fired for rescuing drowning man

http://now.msn.com/now/0704-florida-lifeguard-fired.aspx

Blow your whistle on this one: A Hallandale Beach, Fla., lifeguard has been fired for rushing to rescue a drowning man. Apparently the company that hired him to help patrol the beach objected to the fact that he left his appointed zone to participate in the rescue. "We have liability issues and can't go out of the protected area," his supervisor told the Sun Sentinel newspaper. "What he did was his own decision. He knew the company rules." Tomas Lopez, 21, said he doesn't regret rushing to save the struggling man, even if it cost him his job. "Someone needed my help. I wasn't going to say no," he said. A hero in red swim trunks, we say.

[Fake from State Jarm]

this doesn't make sense. Alderaan is peaceful. They have no weapons.

would make more sense if the death star was florida. or maybe a flying florida shaped imperial battle cruiser.

[Buck Turgidson]

But what about all the golf courses full of seniors?

[Kenneth Kenstar]

Male Police Captain Forces 15 Year Old Female To Strip So He Can Inspect Her Vagina To Find Out If She Was Having Sex

Male Police Captain Forces 15 Year Old Female To Strip So He Can Inspect Her Vagina To Find Out If She Was Having Sex

Male Police Captain Forces 15 Year Old Female To Strip So He Can Inspect Her Vagina To Find Out If She Was Having Sex

Male Police Captain Forces 15 Year Old Female To Strip So He Can Inspect Her Vagina To Find Out If She Was Having Sex

Male Police Captain Forces 15 Year Old Female To Strip So He Can Inspect Her Vagina To Find Out If She Was Having Sex

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/30/juan-de-los-rios-miramar-_n_1639806.html

A South Florida police officer inspected more than driver's licenses when he approached a teen couple sitting in the back of their car.

Juan De Los Rios, Miramar police captain and a 28-year police veteran, was arrested Friday on two counts of lewd and lascivious conduct after he allegedly required a 15-year-old girl to take her pants off so that he could use a flashlight to inspect whether she had sex with the 19-year-old also in the car.

The incident happened on January 18 in the parking lot of a Miramar industrial park, according to the arrest warrant.

The underage victim told police that an officer, whom she later identified as De Los Rios, approached the vehicle and asked what they were doing there.

"Well, are you having sex?" the officer asked as he leaned against the car window. The victim and witness both said "No, no, no, Officer, no," but De Los Rios told them he needed to check.

Here's the reported exchange as noted on the arrest report:

"Check what?" the victim said.

"I need to see inside."

"Inside what?"

The officer indicated between her legs and said "I need you to pull your pants down. I need you to take it all the way off," referencing her underwear. "I need you to open it," the officer said before using his flashlight to examine the victim's genitals. "No anal sex? No sex in general?," the officer continued.

"No, no."

Explaining that he needed to check for bruising, the officer then examined the victim's breasts before telling the teens, "Alright. Go home."

The victim eventually told family members about the encounter, and went to police and identified De Los Rios who has been on administrative leave since the complaint was filed in January.

After a warrant for his arrest was issued Friday, De Los Rios turned himself in.

Hours later, he posted the $30,000 bond and was released from Broward County Jail.

If convicted, the police captain faces 15 years in prison and up to a $10,000 fine.

I'm sorry this wasn't used appropriately before.

[Leo]

They gave him free burritos for doing that? Damn, Florida is weird.