hipsterlibertarian:

An elderly woman got the last word after locking a police officer in her basement, and later suing the police.

Venus Green, who was 87 when she was handcuffed, roughed up and injured by police, will receive $95,000 as part of a settlement with Baltimore City. The city chose to settle the case instead of taking a chance in front of a jury.

In July 2009, Green’s grandson, Tallie, was shot and wounded. Tallie said he was shot at a convenience store, but police insisted it happened inside Green’s house and that the shooter was either Tallie or Green.

“Police kept questioning him. They wouldn’t let the ambulance attendant treat him,” Green said. “So, I got up and said, ‘Sir, would you please let the attendants treat him? He’s in pain,’” Green said.

Police wanted to go the basement, where Tallie lived, but Green refused on the basis that the police did not have a warrant.

“I said, ‘No, you don’t have a warrant. You don’t go down in my house like that. He wasn’t shot in here.’”

A struggle ensued between a male officer and Green.

“He dragged me, threw me across the chair, put handcuffs on me and just started calling me the ‘b’ name. He ridiculed me,” Green said.

An officer went into the basement and Green locked him inside.

“She locked the door, the basement door. She basically took matters into her own hands,” Nilson said.

“This was my private home, and if I latched it, that was my prerogative because he had no search warrant to go in my basement. So, I had to right to latch it,” Green said.

Good for her.  Click through the link to watch a video report, including an interview with Green.  Not only is her presence of mind and willing to stand up to abusive police admirable, but she looks a solid 20 years younger than she is.  Impressive.

(Source: socialismartnature)

hipsterlibertarian:

This is from an interesting (and lengthy) takedown of Rick Santorum by a man who has known him for years in the PA political scene, and it hits hard at one of my (many) objections to Santorum:  Far too often his Christianity seems more like a prop than a source of compassion.  As it turns out, Santorum gives less than 2% of his income to charity each year, and less than 1.5% is cash donations (the rest is used clothing given to Goodwill).

To me, the situation is reminiscent of the passage in Luke where Jesus decries the Pharisees with being concerned following all the details of their interpretation of the law but neglecting the great themes of mercy, justice, and caring for those in need.

hipsterlibertarian:

This is from an interesting (and lengthy) takedown of Rick Santorum by a man who has known him for years in the PA political scene, and it hits hard at one of my (many) objections to Santorum:  Far too often his Christianity seems more like a prop than a source of compassion.  As it turns out, Santorum gives less than 2% of his income to charity each year, and less than 1.5% is cash donations (the rest is used clothing given to Goodwill).

To me, the situation is reminiscent of the passage in Luke where Jesus decries the Pharisees with being concerned following all the details of their interpretation of the law but neglecting the great themes of mercy, justice, and caring for those in need.