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Cops make surprising gesture when couple refuses to sit near them

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If the cops wanted to actually make an effort, why didn't they go try to talk to them?

I mean, maybe they freak out the couple, but I'm all-in with this paying gesture as a passive-aggressive and cowardly way or trying to mend fences. Hell, just say hi to the couple, wish them a good day.

It's a small gesture, but it would've been a more genuine and heartfel start than paying for a meal.

Just me of course, but I probably would've been offended. If they came to chat, I would've been weirded out, but not offended.

/Americafuckyeah
/:(
 
CanUKlehead said:
If the cops wanted to actually make an effort, why didn't they go try to talk to them?
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That could've made the situation a lot worse. A lot of people could've taken that as the cops wanting to intimidate the couple. Instead they took the high road and paid for the couple's meal - though the note could've been worded a bit better.
 
Maybe instead of paying random people's restaurant bill, they should stop murdering innocent people or allowing their colleagues to get away with it.
 
Nephtis said:
That could've made the situation a lot worse. A lot of people could've taken that as the cops wanting to intimidate the couple. Instead they took the high road and paid for the couple's meal - though the note could've been worded a bit better.
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I suppose you're right.

I just find the note and gesture weird and self-serving. Like, I can imagine them high-fiving each other after saying 'that showed them!' (Though I hope not)

Maybe there's nothing the cops should've done at that moment. Healing takes time, but I don't think 'buying' something for someone like this is it. I mean...are they going to go do that everytime now?
 
A Link to the Past said:
Is there a reason you ignored the content of the note? Like, I legitimately cannot understand the mindset of someone who believes that these cops were being selfless when they had a waitress refer to them as "the cops you didn't want to sit next to" with a sarcastic "Thank you for your support." (this literally cannot be sarcasm because the people didn't do anything specifically in that situation in support of the cops or the diner). It's a guilt trip.
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Well, to be fair, let's just say that they didn't give that note, would you say that the course of conversation on this thread would be changed dramatically, if any? Since the general sentiment is "it may be a nice gesture but in the end it's basically an empty one." Note or no note, I'd think the same sentiment would still persist in the discussion regardless, which is why we have people saying that seeing cops doing dances or whatever are so weird and off-puting for them, or folks posting stuff like this:

scoobidoo112 said:
Maybe instead of paying random people's restaurant bill, they should stop murdering innocent people or allowing their colleagues to get away with it.
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Anyways, it's such a sad thing to see such a harsh relationship between the public and the police in the US. If not outright hostility, it's practically a cold war out there.
 
It's almost like paying for a meal and then bragging about it dosen't actually solve or address the distrust of cops.

I bet the policemen who have commited murders in cold blood probably threw some change towards a charity once as well.

If an entire facet of a society statistically targets and harms you because of your skin color, a few representatives of it buying you dinner isn't even a drop in the bucket.
 
cchum said:
tumblr_m307wxhRdu1r556mmo2_1280.jpg
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Underrated post.

That being said, treating all cops with disdain because of the current climate is not something I think is healthy at all.
 
Laughing Banana said:
Well, to be fair, let's just say that they didn't give that note, would you say that the course of conversation on this thread would be changed dramatically, if any? Since the general sentiment is "it may be a nice gesture but in the end it's basically an empty one." Note or no note, I'd think the same sentiment would still persist in the discussion regardless, which is why we have people saying that seeing cops doing dances or whatever are so weird and off-puting for them, or folks posting stuff like this:



Anyways, it's such a sad thing to see such a harsh relationship between the public and the police in the US. If not outright hostility, it's practically a cold war out there.
Click to expand...

Aztechnology said:
Underrated post.

That being said, treating all cops with disdain because of the current climate is not something I think is healthy at all.
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Very true. Ideally cops should be protectors of the people, their friends and guardians.

It's a shame people keep supporting legislature that keeps them corrupt, and won't hold them accountable. If the average citizen would stop condoning the police's actions towards innocents, this would end much sooner.
 
It comes across as rude to me. If you've ever worked in customer service you know about killing someone with kindness. It's when the customer is being a huge asshole so to get back it then you start being nice to them, to the point of being obnoxious. Sure you're being nice, but you're not doing it with good intentions, you're doing it because it's a safe way to piss off the person on the other end of the phone. I kind of feel like that's what the cops were doing here, especially with the sarcastic and passive aggressive note. A good gesture with less than good intentions.

Even going to the media about it makes me think they just wanted to paint the customers out as assholes. If they wanted to do a nice thing, the note was needed and neither was going to the press about it. Just tell the customer you want to pay for their meal and be done with it.
 
Who went to the news with this? If your personal politics are so strong that you refuse to sit near cops, would you be so easily won over with a small, passive aggressive, financial gesture that you would run to local media to praise them? If it was the cops that went out of their way to spread the news then it was nothing more than a cheap publicity stunt.

Posing for a photo is a bit crass too. After all, whats the point of doing a good deed if you aren't going to Instagram it?

Actually speaking to them, introducing themselves and offering to pay for their meal would have been a less patronizing way of dealing with the situation.

I did chuckle at "HOMESTEAD, Pa. -- Four Pennsylvania police officers handled an uncomfortable situation without any confrontation, CBS Pittsburgh station KDKA-TV reports". It makes it sound like praising a puppy for not shitting on the rug. Good job guys.
 
TestOfTide said:
"Oh you paid for my meal? Well I guess that makes up for you murdering my friends and oppressing my community."
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Brutal.


Last time I was in LA...went out to get some late night Taco's with a friend and had two officers sat across from us. One spent her entire meal basically staring at me for whatever reason. Maybe I fit a description, not sure, but made sure we finished our meal before they and leave though.
 
Classy gesture right there.

SolidChamp said:
"That you didn't want to sit next to" seems a little passive-aggressive, no?

In any case, the cops there seem like stand-up guys.
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Um, the bolded is a 2-way street. Don't do something that could be misconstrued as passive-aggressive ("we don't want to sit near them") if you don't want to be called out on it.
 
17 Seconds said:
it's almost as if people are expecting the police to be held to a higher standard
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What does that have to do with them calling something for what it is? How do the officers not meet the standard just because of that accurate line?

Edit: I'm not saying there aren't problem elsewhere, just that they're not here and specifically the note is not one of them, at all. Out of fear or not, the couple's behaviour could be seen that way, as it's a two way street. Non-issue.
 
CanUKlehead said:
Maybe I missed something but...why would they have given them a ticket or harrassed them?
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Given the current climate and lots of reports of officers being assholes to people just for expressing BML symapthy, a direct snub would have been more offensive to them.
 
EleventhHourSuperpower said:
What does that have to do with them calling something for what it is? How do the officers not meet the standard just because of that accurate line? Give me a fucking break...
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i don't even understand what you're arguing. the point is that cops shouldn't be congratulated for not being pricks when people don't trust them.
 
EleventhHourSuperpower said:
Classy gesture right there.



Um, the bolded is a 2-way street. Don't do something that could be misconstrued as passive-aggressive ("we don't want to sit near them") if you don't want to be called out on it.
Click to expand...

So which is it? Passive-aggressive or classy?

The people didn't want to sit near them because they have issues with the police. The police responded by trying to guilt trip them.
 
17 Seconds said:
i don't even understand what you're arguing. the point is that cops shouldn't be congratulated for not being pricks when people don't trust them.
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I don't even understand what point you're arguing. A poster said the note was passive-aggressive, when, really, the couples' behaviour ("we don't want to sit near them") could easily be seen as such as well... I'm essentially saying that is a pointless comment when the behaviour being called out could easily be seen as passive-aggressive in someone else's shoes. Not replying again, so I hope that clarifies.
 
Laughing Banana said:
Well, to be fair, let's just say that they didn't give that note, would you say that the course of conversation on this thread would be changed dramatically, if any? Since the general sentiment is "it may be a nice gesture but in the end it's basically an empty one." Note or no note, I'd think the same sentiment would still persist in the discussion regardless, which is why we have people saying that seeing cops doing dances or whatever are so weird and off-puting for them, or folks posting stuff like this:



Anyways, it's such a sad thing to see such a harsh relationship between the public and the police in the US. If not outright hostility, it's practically a cold war out there.
Click to expand...

I actually think the note being different or more sincere could have changed it, but that note made the whole thing insincere as fuck
 
A Link to the Past said:
So which is it? Passive-aggressive or classy?

The people didn't want to sit near them because they have issues with the police. The police responded by trying to guilt trip them.
Click to expand...

I mean when you have cases like this
Homestead cop received oral sex after arresting prostitute

And the town having racial problems for decades
History of Homestead

And other issues with the police there I don't think it's too hard to see why there is mistrust.

Homestead has had problems for years this is not new for us who live in PA.
 
Great gesture. An even more awesome gesture would be to stand with citizens on the topic of police reform.
 
hipbabboom said:
Great gesture. An even more awesome gesture would be to stand with citizens on the topic of police reform.
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Honestly, I think that's the only way to relieve some of the issues we're facing right now.

Paying for my food is nice and all but until we're walking together in protest this rings hollow cause it doesn't make the problem go away.
 
Via Purifico said:
Honestly, I think that's the only way to relieve some of the issues we're facing right now.

Paying for my food is nice and all but until we're walking together in protest this rings hollow cause it doesn't make the problem go away.
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Again, personal opinion and I could be wrong, please tell me if I am.

I got called out a bunch of times in this thread for saying it was a nice gesture. And also in the DPD thread for saying that DPD should be held as an example and praised because they do do things like work with protestors, fire shitty cops, and praise whistleblowers.

It seems like the current sentiment is that nothing short of miraculous change will make people okay with praising any cop, while I'm over here like 'Let's shine a light on the ones that aren't assholes to further shame and maybe change those that are!'

I think though I am just too naive on many things. Shit on the news makes me cry like a baby and I can't stand people being ugly to each other.

Something in my brain is broken or some shit.
 
EleventhHourSuperpower said:
I don't even understand what point you're arguing. A poster said the note was passive-aggressive, when, really, the couples' behaviour ("we don't want to sit near them") could easily be seen as such as well... I'm essentially saying that is a pointless comment when the behaviour being called out could easily be seen as passive-aggressive in someone else's shoes. Not replying again, so I hope that clarifies.
Click to expand...

and my original post remains. law enforcement has given people reason to be weary of them. if people are afraid of them and choose to not be near them, and the cops think that gives them a right to do something passive aggressive towards them, that's fucking stupid.
 
FlowersisBritish said:
Like that's nice but saying "they left a ten dollar tip too" is kinda shit because there are four of them so really they each left $2.50 each, which is kinda a shitty tip to be proud of(coming from a shitty tipper himself)
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How so? Do you know what they ordered? If they got a 10$ combo or some each that is a 25% tip.

Actually the tip was on the civilians bill, so it is even harder to judge the tip amount. Dumb thing for you to try and point out lol
 
EleventhHourSuperpower said:
I don't even understand what point you're arguing. A poster said the note was passive-aggressive, when, really, the couples' behaviour ("we don't want to sit near them") could easily be seen as such as well... I'm essentially saying that is a pointless comment when the behaviour being called out could easily be seen as passive-aggressive in someone else's shoes. Not replying again, so I hope that clarifies.
Click to expand...

The couple wasn't passive aggressive. They were direct.

The police are the ones who saw the couple didn't want to sit near them, paid for their food, and shamed them with a note that literally said "thanks for your support."
 
Jesus, this thread.

A Link to the Past said:
It's not opening up when you're only doing so because people are calling you reverse racists and threatening to not support your movement if you don't let them in.
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Did you seriously just refer to black on white racists as reverse racists?
As if the "normal" definition of racism was "prejudice against black people"?

Media said:
I think though I am just too naive on many things. Shit on the news makes me cry like a baby and I can't stand people being ugly to each other.

Something in my brain is broken or some shit.
Click to expand...

No, you've got the right ideas... but as you noted, everyone's being ugly to each other, so you either join the fray or get shit on. I'd say you're not broken because you realize that.
 
Valjean Lafitte said:
Jesus, this thread.


Did you seriously just refer to black on white racists as reverse racists?
As if the "normal" definition of racism was "prejudice against black people"?



No, you've got the right ideas... but as you noted, everyone's being ugly to each other, so you either join the fray or get shit on. I'd say you're not broken because you realize that.
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He said "people are calling you 'reverse racists'" meaning he's referring to people who use that term. He is not using it himself.


"Jesus," indeed.
 
Valjean Lafitte said:
And this demonstrates that he doesn't believe in using the term how? At no point in the context of this thread was the use of the term called for: http://www.neogaf.com/forum/search.php?searchid=17459265
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If you're adamant about believing that user uses that term themselves and that they consider "black on white racism," to be "reverse racism," then go for it. They don't, but whatever.

Sulik2 said:
This absolutely hits the nail on the head. Doing something friendly like paying a bill is nice, but it has nothing to do with solving the actual problems within the police in the USA.
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I don't think there's any way for the gesture to not be patronizing in context. Even if it wasn't done in a defensive, passive-aggressive way, it would still not address the real issue.
 
Sulik2 said:
This absolutely hits the nail on the head. Doing something friendly like paying a bill is nice, but it has nothing to do with solving the actual problems within the police in the USA.
Click to expand...

Putting bandages on open wounds, casts on broken legs, and giving antibiotics to flu sufferers are all pointless endeavors because they do nothing to cure cancer. Anybody who is not actively looking for a cure to cancer can go fuck themselves because they are self-serving pricks who can't see the bigger picture.

Sometimes I wonder if people actually want better relations.
 
I'm from Pittsburgh, PA, and I've met quite a few cops, as I work in corporate security. They're good people, for the most part. This kind of stuff doesn't surprise me.


hipbabboom said:
Great gesture. An even more awesome gesture would be to stand with citizens on the topic of police reform.
Click to expand...
No Good Deed Goes Unpunished, The Thread.
 
creatchee said:
Putting bandages on open wounds, casts on broken legs, and giving antibiotics to flu sufferers are all pointless endeavors because they do nothing to cure cancer. Anybody who is not actively looking for a cure to cancer can go fuck themselves because they are self-serving pricks who can't see the bigger picture.

Sometimes I wonder if people actually want better relations.
Click to expand...

A more accurate parallel would be someone using bandages and casts to treat someone with cancer, and then getting indignant when criticized for it.

wesleyshark said:
I'm from Pittsburgh, PA, and I've met quite a few cops, as I work in corporate security. They're good people, for the most part. This kind of stuff doesn't surprise me.
Click to expand...

And none of this excuses or even makes up for killings of unarmed people.
 
Spring-Loaded said:
A more accurate parallel would be someone using bandages and casts to treat someone with cancer, and then getting indignant when criticized for it.

And none of this excuses or even makes up for killings of unarmed people.
Click to expand...

No, your parallel is flawed. These cops never said they were trying to make up for the unarmed people that other cops killed or to apologize for other forms of mistreatment by cops. They simply paid for the meal of people who refused to sit by them.
 
For the record, my first/second post after the OP indicated that it SEEMED a little passive-aggressive, but the cops seemed to be okay guys and I never suggested they were murdering scumbags.

It would not have been passive aggressive in the slightest if they had simply picked up the tab and left without a note/saying a word and left it to the waitress to say "Oh, they picked up the check for you."
 
Yeah, that note is passive-aggressive as fuck. Maybe they meant well, but they undid a lot of their goodwill with that. Should have just picked up the tab without needing to shame the people.
 
TheOfficeMut said:
This broad brush bullshit is so god damn annoying because it makes people like you incapable of appreciating any kind gesture.
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Because kind gestures don't mean jack shit to the stark reality of race relations and the abuse of power by cops in America. People don't want their tired ass nice gestures, they want them to do something more than just be "good cops". If they were "good cops" they wouldn't have let the system get as bad as it is. People want something better than a passive aggressive note and a meal at Dennys. Maybe listening to the black community decades ago and caring about their wealth fare instead of waiting for them to start standing in the street screaming to be heard because of the daily insults and abuses they deal with or worse.
 
HStallion said:
Because kind gestures don't mean jack shit to the stark reality of race relations and the abuse of power by cops in America. People don't want their tired ass nice gestures, they want them to do something more than just be "good cops". If they were "good cops" they wouldn't have let the system get as bad as it is.
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Yes, because these four particular cops should be held responsible and accountable for decades of history they had no part in, personally. Huh?
 
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