Oh noes, racist cameras!

[nchopp]

Computerized cameras that target motorists in the UK if their license plates ring alarm bells on police databases are accused of being racist because nearly half the people arrested following the flags are black, according to the Times of London.

A report by the Metropolitan police says blacks account for 46 percent of all arrests generated by the new automatic numberplate recognition cameras. In the first eight months of their usage, the cameras generated 2,023 arrests. Thirty-six percent of those were white; 9 percent were Asian.

The technology automatically scans license plates and filters the number through police databases. Suspicious vehicles are then flagged and chased down by police. Police are using the cameras in high-crime areas that are disproportionately black, and the Metropolitan Police has launched an inquiry into why so many of those arrested are minorities.

[Jesda]

TONY BLAIR HATES BLACK PEOPLE.

[MinisterofDOOM]

Wierd...

[AZhitman]

Not sure how an inanimate object can be "racist".

Perhaps the community should be looking into why Blacks are disproportionately represented in the crime database...

[RB20DETodd]

Wonder if they will sue.... and sadly they will probobly win, we dont want to "offend" anyone.

[hannibal]

Good answer, Greg!

Police are using the cameras in high-crime areas that are disproportionately black, and the Metropolitan Police has launched an inquiry into why so many of those arrested are minorities.

Anybody else find the last sentences kinda amusing?!? Is an investigation really necessary?

[AZhitman]

God forbid that they find out that minorities are responsible for a disproportionate amount of crimes in that area... OH NOES!

Why is that so hard for people to say?

[Mr1der]

meh...they complain about trying to meet the stereotype...they don't come about based on lies...

[audtatious]

[RB20DETodd]

Why is that so hard for people to say?

Blame white people for that.

[AZhitman]

I do. I certainly do.

I'm offensive to people who don't know me, and that just tells me they're short-sighted.

[MinisterofDOOM]

Yeah. The way I see it: If someone is offended by something I do or say, it's THEIR choice, not mine. I choose not to let things offend me easily, because I'm wise enough to realise it's not worth it. Anyone who lets something I do or say offend them can feel free to do so. I'll make sure to remember what did it for later use...er reference.

[RB20DETodd]

Yeah. The way I see it: If someone is offended by something I do or say, it's THEIR choice, not mine. I choose not to let things offend me easily, because I'm wise enough to realise it's not worth it. Anyone who lets something I do or say offend them can feel free to do so. I'll make sure to remember what did it for later use...er reference.

Maybe they get offended because they feel guilty

[DriftingJesus]

Mr. T saysI pitty the white fool that pulls me over

!111!eleven!111111!!! ZOMG Minorities are criminals1!1!!!!eleven1!!1

[hannibal]

God forbid that they find out that minorities are responsible for a disproportionate amount of crimes in that area... OH NOES!

Why is that so hard for people to say?

If you target a predominantly black neighborhood, you'll catch more black criminals. If you target white neighborhoods, you'll catch more white criminals.

Cameras cant be racist (or can they??? )The people who decide where to put them can be...

[hannibal]

Yeah. The way I see it: If someone is offended by something I do or say, it's THEIR choice, not mine. I choose not to let things offend me easily, because I'm wise enough to realise it's not worth it. Anyone who lets something I do or say offend them can feel free to do so. I'll make sure to remember what did it for later use...er reference.

I dont know. That sounds like a cop out to me. I'm not saying you have to walk around and avoid stepping on toes. Have you considered that some things you say are actually offensive? If you say the same thing to 10 different people, and they're all offended, I wager that your comments are offensive, and its not based on the listeners perspective.

[audtatious]

Why should we constantly PC everything? If, out of a crowd, 2 out of 10 people are "offended" (which is honestly intermixed by the word "disagree" nowadays) by something you said, why should you have to cater to those people? You have people who hate blacks, whites, latino's, people who don't use deodorant, men who wear pink, people who drive rice rockets, people with big houses, etc. Regardless, people are different and going to have different opinions, likes and dislikes. I really don't know what is going on today where everyone is supposed to have the same opinions and should not say things out loud that may offend someone else.

As far as the camera issue, what's the point in putting them in places where they won't catch the majority of law breakers? Lets see. Should we spend 10 million in equipment and a mil or more a year of other costs for cameras in Beverly Hills or in downtown LA? Gee, I would say downtown LA would be the place to put it _unless_ you are afraid to catch minority law breakers at which time you choose to put them in Beverly Hills.

Breaking the law is breaking the law regardless of color, nationality or sex.

[MinisterofDOOM]

I dont know. That sounds like a cop out to me. I'm not saying you have to walk around and avoid stepping on toes. Have you considered that some things you say are actually offensive? If you say the same thing to 10 different people, and they're all offended, I wager that your comments are offensive, and its not based on the listeners perspective.

No, I agree there. My point is that most of the time, people get offended because they WANT to be offended. People love to feel picked on. I'm sure I do say things that are actually offensive, but I like to think it's a rare occurance. I'm simply not content to follow the rest of the world in modifying my behavior to fit the complaints of the "I need to feel picked on" minority. It seems like you have to disguise everything you say anymore. You can't even say "waitress" without being considered offensive. People are so insecure, it's almost depressing. You can't call anything what it is, because everyone takes everything as a personal insult.

I'm flat out sick of padding around. Political correctness is for p******.

[nchopp]

Well said, both of you.

[AZhitman]

+2.

Again, I reiterate: Anyone who's offended by my words and ignores my actions has a smaller mind than I do.

My words may be "offensive", but my actions show love to all my brothers and sisters, regardless of the stupid choices people can sometimes make.

[Gold Digger]

No, I agree there. My point is that most of the time, people get offended because they WANT to be offended. People love to feel picked on. I'm sure I do say things that are actually offensive, but I like to think it's a rare occurance. I'm simply not content to follow the rest of the world in modifying my behavior to fit the complaints of the "I need to feel picked on" minority. It seems like you have to disguise everything you say anymore. You can't even say "waitress" without being considered offensive. People are so insecure, it's almost depressing. You can't call anything what it is, because everyone takes everything as a personal insult.

I'm flat out sick of padding around. Political correctness is for p******.

You know, I couldn't have said it better myself. I wish I had a gift like that to word things so simply but still be so effective.

MOD...my hat's off to you my man, I am the same way.

Try working at a school full of females and try to understand how hard it is to not act myself so I don't offend anyone. 2 years into my job, and the people there know me well enough now to know that I don't mean anything towards them if I say something that might offend others. That's just the way I am.

If you don't like the way I act, it's simple, don't talk to me, it would be the least of my worries.

[RB20DETodd]

No, I agree there. My point is that most of the time, people get offended because they WANT to be offended. People love to feel picked on. I'm sure I do say things that are actually offensive, but I like to think it's a rare occurance. I'm simply not content to follow the rest of the world in modifying my behavior to fit the complaints of the "I need to feel picked on" minority. It seems like you have to disguise everything you say anymore. You can't even say "waitress" without being considered offensive. People are so insecure, it's almost depressing. You can't call anything what it is, because everyone takes everything as a personal insult.

I'm flat out sick of padding around. Political correctness is for p******.

Seems like political correctness is used as a cop-out now days for people that fail to perform in life, its easy to blame others " if you dont like it get off your LAZY *** and do somthing about it, you have EVERY opertuinity if not MORE than the other guy"

[AZhitman]

I'm offended by seeing some guy's a$$ hangin out of his pants because he can't pull up his "draws".

I'm offended by 14-year-old girls who think they can dress like 21-year-olds and then get all butt-hurt when they get noticed.

I'm offended by people using foul language in front of my kids in public.

I'm offended by extreme PDA, whether it's male/female or male/male or female/female.

No, I'm pretty sure Chris (MOD) has nailed it.

If I have to put up with all that BS and can't say anything about it, you can bet your sweet A I'm not gonna worry about "offending" someone with my words.

[audtatious]

Seems like political correctness is used as a cop-out now days for people that fail to perform in life, its easy to blame others " if you dont like it get off your LAZY *** and do somthing about it, you have EVERY opertuinity if not MORE than the other guy"

You see that a lot these days. Parents point to the schools for failing to teach their kids, the schools point to the parents because their kids are uncontrollable and too may kids in the classroom. The parents are not doing their job and neither is the schools (the amount of homework they send home starting with the 1st grade is insane compared to when I went to school). Kids learn quickly that it is easier to deny everything and that they are "owed" something in life. What this alludes to is a society where nobody is responsible for their own actions and they feel their needs and wants should be catered to. When they are caught "red handed" doing something they should not, they try and deflect blame. In the case of the camera's, the blame was due to racism or feeling "picked on", not the fact that they were actually breaking the law. Breaking the law was justifiable in their eyes, but getting caught is not.

[HashiriyaS14]

Cameras cant be racist (or can they??? )The people who decide where to put them can be...

Unless, for some reason, they are issuing license plate numbers vis-a-vis some ethnic criteria. Is ethnicity a "checked box" in a UK license exam? That data might be in the system, imagine the scandal that would result if certain races were being issued plate numbers that somehow contained their ethnic identity in the number?

[Nick240sx]

wow you guys have reallly reallly opened my eyes and ears, thanks! your experience and wisdom is greatly appreciated. and NO im not being sarcastic or a suckup.

[DriftingJesus]

NO im not being sarcastic or a suckup.

Why not?Its so much fun

[Mr1der]

I never get tired of seeing that pic in any variation.

[audtatious]

Sorry, but that is inappropriate even for Others. DJ, go sit in the corner

[DriftingJesus]

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