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What police state?

by Renegadeparent 30. May 2009 18:00

Spotted today:

A female PCSO (Police Community Support Officer, or Pretend Police Officer) stopping a father (naturally, what do they know?) who was pushing his baby daughter along the road in a pushchair. She demanded to know why his baby looked so hot - I suspect it was due to the HOT WEATHER, but perhaps she's still working on her investigative skills. The PCSO was so doubtful of this man's ability to parent, she even checked the child's pulse - without asking - and took a few notes. At this point the man declined to give his details and simply walked off, shaking his head.

Scary, huh?

Comments

5/30/2009 6:42:37 PM #

His response was the right one.

Longrider

5/30/2009 7:04:58 PM #

I had two PCSO's tell my daughter who was about 11 at the time that she shouldn't eat the blackberries that she was picking, because they might be poisonous. I interjected and told them they were perfectly fine and popped one in my mouth (a blackberry..not the PCSO). They both nearly fainted. I then informed them that Sainsburys sell blackberries and they said, "Oh do they? but they must be safe because they come from the supermarket". (They hadn't even heard of blackberries!)
I then thought of showing them my trick of picking nettles with my bare hands, but thought they had suffered enough excitement for one day!

Raquel

5/30/2009 7:36:24 PM #

OMG, I was going to say "how can anyone be that ignorant?!" but you know, obviously they can and I'll bet you any money at all that they weren't home educated!

Firebird

5/30/2009 8:51:30 PM #

beggars belief

tech

5/30/2009 10:39:22 PM #

Did she have a hat? I bet she had a hat. Give someone a hat and it's all over, I tell, you they get lost in their own self importance. Either that or a radio. You can buy those things in Lidls, why do they think they make them important?

Jackie

5/30/2009 11:01:31 PM #

Well done that man!

Sheila

5/31/2009 10:47:35 AM #

This is 'post tipping point' behavior. Hopefully it will spread to everybody and everything, from smoking in pubs to wearing seat belts and on. The nanny state must be destroyed, and this needs to happen via death by 1000 cuts. Absolute blanket disobedience and ignoring of anything to do with the state and its incredibly small and disproportionately powerful evil enforcers.

Every story like this should be spread around so that there is no one left that thinks its unusual to openly disobey and fob off authority.

Alexander de Large

5/31/2009 11:37:56 AM #

I don't really know what to say. It's the cult of the professional - or, in this case, the mock-professional. Does this PCSO know that to touch someone without their permission is battery?

I'm afraid if I'd been that dad I would have had the woman's guts for garters.

http://www.threedegreesoffreedom.blogspot.com

Danae

5/31/2009 11:03:24 PM #

@Longrider - I suspect that had there been two of them (there usually are) they would have attempted to stop him walking off.

@Raquel - That is shocking. Or not. It's repulsive how telling other people what to do for their own good, and being risk-averse even when there is no risk has become the norm.

@Firebird - Ignorant and yet in a position of (some) power. Scary.

@Tech - Uhuh.

@Jackie - LOL! I really don't want to disappoint you, but there was no hat (this time). Maybe it was too hot... Ordinarily, the ones I see patrolling our road tackling "the fear of crime" do wear their hats with pride though.

@Sheila - The man was very controlled. I suspect I would have got myself into a little more bother.

@Alexander - that's exactly it - post-tipping point behaviour. I see that more than one blogger today has been advocating that we all start saying NO to such nonsense.

@Danae - I think that all that PCSO knows is that she has some power to wield, and is doing so inappropriately. The Jenklett has always needed lots of carrying (less so recently) and G gets stopped regularly by people (including the police) who assume that a man with a baby in a sling must be out of control and dangerous. He has perfected his skills of deflection but has to be pretty pigheaded about things. Sigh.

RenegadeParent

9/21/2009 9:00:54 AM #

Well done that man for walking away... i personally would have been asking myself whether i had the right to SLAP that flaming PCSO in defense of my defenseless baby, against what is basically, a case of assault!... grrrrr

Raquel's story however highlights what ignorant mindless drones these 'toy coppas' actually are... and proves that they obviously have no real work to be doing, otherwise they would not have the time or inclination to be warning kids not to eat one of their five a day, for fear their parent may be encouraging them to poison themselves.... afterall thats the kind of child abusing, satanically evil act us Home Edders get up to when no-one in authority can see... isn't it!!!?!!

Lisa, to quote from one of my favourite poetic artists 'Scroobius Pip'... "Thou shalt not think that any male over the age of 30 that plays with a child that is not their own is a paedophile… Some people are just nice."...
It would seem, from your example, that the lyrics may need to be updated to 'ANY man...' & 'Any child, even his own...'

"a man with a baby in a sling must be out of control and dangerous."... isn't he?... afterall if he is busy enjoying time with & providing tangible comfort & security to his child then he is not at work where he should be, but around to shoew that child there may be more to life & might poisoin that child's mind in the direction of free thinking...

ok, thats my rant done, thank you for providing the safe space to do so.... I'm now off to encourage my kids into dangerous acts like drawing pictures with sharpened pencils & paddling in the sea in September... I may also encourage my partner to interact with them... o the shame!

Loubeeloo

10/9/2009 5:00:17 AM #

I have included part of Raquels story (with a link to this blog of course) in my hub about foraging for food... I do not know how to get hold of her to ask directly Lisa so I hope you don't mind if I leave this message here for her.... "Raquel is it ok that i have used your story about the stupidly ignorant PCSO's?"... If not I will of course remove the details but I couldn't help but mention it as it has provided me with many a chuckle since I first read it. Hope this is ok!

Loubeeloo

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Libertarian and heretic. Parent, partner and entrepreneur. Embracing autonomous learning. Leading not following. Challenging the status quo.

I do agree with being kind, considerate and generous to others.

I don't agree with compulsion, coercion or unnecessary intervention in any aspect of life - that goes for education and childbirth too.

I value autonomy, personal responsibility and informed choice.

I really am all for the freedom - are you?