One Tenth-Bit: the full audiobook production · 4:06pm Mar 13th, 2021
I'm about a day late on this one. I had been waiting for a situation update for someone else (short version: I'm probably going to be ringing the bell for one of our own pretty soon), and I thought I could put those blogs together. But with no word from that party yet, I decided to get this blog posted today. Strike while the iron is hot, not that anyone in the current generation is likely to have used a hot iron.
The bottom line: once again, ObabScribbler decided to reach into my catalog and pull out a production piece. (This makes me a four-time honoree: the other three are (Jury Duty, Customer Disservice, and Five Hundred Little Murders.) And as per not-quite-usual, I found out -- well, this time, I found out a few hours before it went up, because she posted an advance alert in her YouTube community blog. Warning people as to what was coming.
Because as it turns out, this one's been in the pipe for about a year. Gradually coming together. It would have reached her channel eventually. But...
...I think she moved it up.
There's a reason for that.
This story has gone through something I never would have wished for: increasing relevance. And for those in the UK, the horror has hit home. Sarah Everard is dead and from all indications, the murderer was one of those we ask to guard us from such a fate. To, should the worst occur, avenge. But one of the protectors was the monster to be feared, and... Sarah Everard is dead.
I could wish for this story to be an artifact. A snapshot of a single, brief, horrible time in the world's history. Something we review because it hadn't happened for years, and we just need to remember why it can never happen again. But... it's like the non-joke I've made about the anger of online culture: to some degree, it's always been like this. It's just faster now. We know more than we did, because the cameras are everywhere. (At least one state is in the middle of passing a law which allows officers to potentially declare they've been threatened by a camera.) Those who wish to protect seek the profession which does it: those who long to abuse shelter in its shadows. We know more, but we can't stop it. And the deaths continue to mount.
I could also make a statement of fact: that Ms Everard's death wouldn't be drawing so much outrage if it wasn't for a certain media tendency. She may find her justice. Others won't.
...
...so, as before: this link goes to ObabScribbler's main YouTube channel, and here's one for her FIMFic page. If you like her work, remember to upvote and subscribe. If you really like her work, this link goes to her Patreon page, and this one is for her Ko-Fi tip jar. We also have to credit the voices for Rarity, Cropski, and Luna.
I'm also aware that there may be a few people who find their way to this blog from YouTube after listening to the audio production. So to those of you who may be completely new here...
...hi.
Sorry we had to meet like this.
I can hit emotional notes other than those ones, or so I'm told. There's a pretty extensive catalog to pick and choose from. If you feel up to it, you can look at your discretion, or ask anyone in/through the blog Comments (presuming we get some) for their recommendations. And If you happen to wind up really liking my work, I have my own Patreon and Ko-Fi accounts -- but you can always just, y'know, read. Or not. It's entirely your choice.
Maybe this story still means something.
I wish it didn't.
This is my bad, I wanted to warn you about it, but it looks like scribbler already did it before me
Estee, just to let you know, "One-Tenth Bit" was my gateway into your 'verse. Thank you for all you have done
And congratulations to you. Many thanks to ObabScribbler for another amazing production.
May the monsters in our respective police forces be consigned to history, sooner rather than later.
I feel obligated to write/rant that in the US (as opposed to Equestria), your conversation with normal law-abiding police when subjected to arrest or a position where it seems as if you are a suspect should be limited. Admittedly, if you're in an auto accident and you're explaining how Bozo ran a red light and sideswiped you, the conversation should not wander into the marital status of the idiot's parents before he was born, but rather be simple, direct, and slow enough for the officer to write down his notes. Likewise if you're describing the bank robber who was third ahead of you in line when he made his announcement. Or when the officer wants to know if you heard anything or saw anybody running by an hour ago when there was a shooting a few blocks away. Otherwise...
A few suggestions for real-world police encounters:
-His name is 'Officer _____' as written on his badge. Use it. Not Bozo, or You Jerk.
-Stay polite. Hold your temper. Officers have far worse days than you.
-Don't throw out random observations or try to make small talk.
-When leaving a traffic stop, DRIVE CAREFUL. Spray gravel on the officer and get another stop.
-Remember that the officer will make notes in case they are in court later. Control your mouth.
-Thank the officer when your encounter is over. Yeah, you don't mean it. So what? It's polite.
At your house: May we come inside? should be responded to by "No, officer. I'll come outside."
May we look around your house/car? -- No, I do not consent to a search.
Why not? Do you have something to hide? -- No, I simply do not consent to a search.
Wait here -- Of course, officer. Do you know how long this is going to take?
We have a few questions -- I'm more than happy to help the police with this inquiry. If you'll leave your card, I'll have my lawyer contact you. Will there be anything else, officer?
There's no need to get a lawyer involved (This means the exact opposite) -- It's no trouble, officer. Do you need anything else?
And last but not least (and don't use it casually) "Am I being detained?"
No -- "Am I free to go?" (Normally, "no" because of paperwork. Be patient and don't be a jerk)
Yes -- "I want my lawyer. I'm invoking my right to remain silent." (At this point, those two lines are the *only* thing you will say to the police, over and over, for hours on end, possibly interleafed with "I need to have a lawyer appointed for me, because I can't afford one." When you *do* meet with your lawyer, tell him that's what you did. He will smile. That's a good smile.
- Don't discuss the events with your lawyer in the police station *unless* he officially accepts your case and requests the discussion. Otherwise, you will give your deposition at his office, away from prying ears.
- EVERY discussion from this point onward will go through your lawyer. Every officer/detective who asks you about it should be given your lawyer's card. When your cousin Bob calls you and asks what happened, tell him you can't talk about it until after the case is over, and you'll fill him in on the details then. Sorry Bob, and the police officer who asked him to call. Your lawyer is known as a 'Mouthpiece' for a reason after all.
- Shut the (censored) up. It's your right. Real world police encounters are not like TV, or the shows would be much less interesting.
Two critical videos that everybody should watch regarding police interactions:
Regent School of Law's lecture by Professor James Duane Don't Talk to the Police
The Chris Rock show's video on police/public interactions
5474506
This is all good advice.
Know that even if you follow all of it, sometimes none of it will help, and that will not be your fault.
I'm sure we've all met 'nice' police officers. Nice ≠ good. Remember that the good police officers turn in the corrupt police, and then are hounded out, or killed, or find that somehow backup never reaches them... I don't say there's never been a good cop, I say look at what's happened to them, and judge the rest thereby. Walk carefully.
Congrats on the entry (it's one of my favorite stories) but I'm a bit confused. You say Sarah is dead, but the newspaper article you linked just says she's missing. Why are you so sure she's dead?
5474527
The corpse tends to prove that.
5474527 They found and identified her body yesterday. The police seem to have been fairly quiet on details, for some reason.
5474522 I'd say the number of good police officers are up in the high 90s of any force. ('good' being relative). There are cruel (censoreds) in the bunch, some of which hide it from fellow officers for years, and some of which are so bad that you can't make a movie out of the details because nobody would believe it. Still, it's a career in which you respond to welfare checks, not knowing if you'll find a cheerful old lady who has a broken phone or somebody who fell in their kitchen several days ago and nobody noticed. You respond to burglaries in which you know the victims will never get their stuff back, murders where the killer will never be caught, property crime committed by random hoodlums in the neighborhood, smash-and-grab robberies with tearful shopkeepers, and domestic violence calls where both drunken parties will turn on you with knives and broken bottles where just moments ago they were trying to kill each other by sheer volume. Every traffic stop could be your last, every shadow in an alley some thug with a gun, every call on the radio an attack on somebody you care about, and yet we still have good people who are willing to do the job right and protect us all. God bless them.
>>Georg
The reason the cops are quiet on the details is because a cop killed her.
I realize that you don't have my experiences. I will never willing call a police officer. Per the Supreme Court, their mission is to protect property, not people, and I have found that to be true. I don't suppose you've ever had the experience of being a homeless disabled person, let alone one who is queer, but cops aren't there to help you, even when you're doing nothing wrong or illegal.
Per the US Dept of Justice:
Five minutes brought these stories, which illustrated my point about good cops:
https://ctmirror.org/2021/01/17/no-one-took-us-seriously-black-cops-warned-about-racist-capitol-police-officers-for-years/
https://www.wrtv.com/news/fired-cop-says-she-tried-to-stop-another-from-choking-suspect
https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/breaking/ct-met-chicago-cop-retaliated-lawsuit-20190304-story.html
Well, congratulations on the audiobook.
I'm sorry it's topical, though, aye...
5474760 The self-policing of large institutional groups ever since the formation of large institutional groups has been remarkably poor. A quick look at the early/middle/late Catholic church can provide reams of data, as well as every government formed, every military, every company, every school, every Cub Scout troop, et al... The police only appear worse because they are the police, and "Quis custodiet ipsos custodes." We don't have a reliable Vimes to put in charge of the police, unfortunately, but in the US we do have local Internal Affairs, and above them various State agencies to watch, and above them the FBI... Maybe it's better if we don't mention the FBI. They haven't exactly glowed over the last few years either. The Watchers were not able to keep Sarah Everard from dying, but hopefully they can accurately find and securely put away the wolves who killed her.
5474760
I see your point, and its right that cops are often horrible but we do need to call them sometimes. Am I supposed to not call in a rape/robbery/assault/murder, or call the police to try and stop one? I know theres a good chance nothing will get done or that the accused might be killed by the officer on my word alone without need. Its horrible, and I still have to call the police if I am in such a situation.
5476266
There's no point in doing so. They have no legal reason to help you. If they do, it's completely at their own discretion, again, per the United States Supreme Court. The police are to protect property, not people. It's from their very founding, our 'well-regimented militias', the police.
I've been there. I've had police walk away, after I've been attacked, and they've known I have been. They heard other people say it, they could see & smell the evidence.
The Supreme Court ruled on Monday that the police did not have a constitutional duty to protect a person from harm, even a woman who had obtained a court-issued protective order against a violent husband making an arrest mandatory for a violation.
You can have your own opinions. You can't have your own facts.
5476361
I hear what your saying, and I am not dismissing the facts and I hope I am not dismissing your exprience. But what I am saying is that all you say is true and what choice do I have? Not call the police and allow the crime to happen uncaught? Try and do vigilante justice? What are you supposed to do when its such a broken system? I think the answer is act within it and pray that you happen to get someone who cares.
5476406
If you want to dice being the next James Smith (who was only trying to do the right thing, calling a non-emergency line, and who I have tremendous sympathy for), that's an option. My neighbors and team know to not make any wellness OR emergency calls for me, it's simply too dangerous.
After all, disabled people account for fully half of the people police kill, usually for wellness calls. Sometimes just for not knowing to or being able to respond (deafness, seizure, low blood sugar, stroke, heart attack...).
As for rape? "Rape is the easiest violent crime to get away with in the United States. On average, less than 1% of sexual assaults ever lead to conviction."
From this NBC article: "One detective told The Atlantic that he thought 8 out of every 10 cases he investigated were false."
If you decide to try to beat the odds, deal with being treated like *you're* the criminal, and report, there's the rape kit. Everyone knows about the rape kit backlog. As the NIJ put it, in their report on Detroit & Houston pilot programs to reduce it:
All that for a 1% chance of conviction? And he'll be out on bail, & the cops won't enforce the restraining order? It's just a piece of paper (I've been told that, by the police).
If stuff gets stolen, the police won't give it back. It's evidence. Is someone hurt? Bring them to the hospital!
What we need is a system where more money goes to EMTs and such, so they could have mental health teams & enough people to do meaningful wellness checks. These are not enforcement-type jobs, anyway.
1. As of 2017, they've found nearly 800 probable serial rapists.
5476481
Can you link all of your sources? I know you linked some but in the unlikely event where I am in such a situation of rape/robbery/murder, G-d forbid, I want to have my mind made up on whether is right to call the police or not.