Brickbat: Stolen Valor

Bahamut0013

Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Mayor Eric Papenfuse says he is trying to arrange an apology from a police officer to a 75-year-old veteran the cop publicly accused of being a fraud on Memorial Day. Robert Ford had served as bugler for a Marine Corps League detachment during a wreath-laying ceremony and was wearing his uniform. An observer pointed him out to the officer, saying Ford's hat was wrinkled so he must be a fraud. The officer and the observer began following Ford around shouting "He's not a real Marine" and "Stolen valor." Ford served in the Marines from 1958 to 1964.

Comments

[Adans smith]

They must have thought he was wearing the uniform to impress women at the old folks home..

[John Galt]

The octogenarian-plus hotties are most impressed when I wear my studded leather Gestapo uniform.

[thrakkorzog]

Some of the highest rates of STD transmissions occur in nursing homes. Since there is no chance of pregnancy, the ladies are happy to go with condomless sex..

[MarkLastname]

Thanks for the tip! I'm heading over there right now with my best tweed suit on.

[SusanM]

For the sake of your funbags (as well as your faith in human nature) do not read the comments in the article.

[mr lizard]

Ummmm fun bags usually carries a different meaning...however I do have fun with mine

[SusanM]

Sorry. I gave up on new terms once I settled on "Sweater Melons". Pardon my ignorance 🙂

[mr lizard]

Nice, I've heard sweater meat before, but your's is better.

[SusanM]

😉

[Florida Man]

Ferocious sweater kittens.

[Charles Easterly]

"...do not read the comments ..."

Do you believe that we will think less of our fellow human beings?

[SusanM]

I don't know. I didn't think my estimation could sink any lower until one commenter there was morally convinced that the old guy was a hardened ex-con because he was acting shifty around the cop. Your tolerance may vary.

[Charles Easterly]

Sheesh and expletives, Susan, I'm certainly glad I took your advice.
Thanks also for killing my curiosity with your further explanation. I'll save myself elevated blood pressure.

[SusanM]

np

[SugarFree]

I wonder if stealthfighter got overtime for those posts.

[GamerFromJump]

A cop has a lot of nerve accusing a Marine of stolen valor, given that the regularly appropriate military terminology and hold the idea of separateness from the populace, such as calling non-cops "civilians", and assuming special rights not available to them.

If anyone steals volor, it's them.

[Adans smith]

+ 1 wood chipper bait

[np]

The officer and the observer began following Ford around shouting "He's not a real Marine" and "Stolen valor."

I'm mostly the same fundamentally from my HS years so I can understand shit like goofing off, but it even boggles me how grown men can act so petulant. Of course it turns out they were wrong, but if they were right, it's still childish behavior.

[The Hyperbole]

UPDATE: Harrisburg Mayor says police officers acted "appropriately."

They didn't shoot any dogs or beat up any minorities, I don't think this Mayor understands what appropriate police behavior is.

[RBS]

Don't worry, the cop did his best to escalate the situation.

[GamerFromJump]

You keep using that word, "appropriately". I don't think it means what you think it means.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Ford asked to file a complaint with the Harrisburg Police Department over the way the officer, Detective John O'Connor, treated him. Capt. Deric Moody promised an investigation.

But as of Wednesday night, no one had contacted Ford or apologized to him. Moody told PennLive he still was trying to confirm Ford's military status.

I'm not sure how Ford's service has anything to do with O'Connor's misconduct. A uniformed officer devoting time harassing a senior citizen with no real proof of a crime instead of working the event as he was being paid to do?

Moody said the officer didn't curse nor put his hands on Ford so the incident didn't rise to the level of an internal affairs investigation. Instead, Moody said he was conducting an informal review of the incident.

Moody is investigating an incident which he was part of? Sounds legit.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Burkett, who lectures FBI agents and government-fraud investigators, advises on his website how people can check their suspicions by requesting the actual military records.

"I'm just surprised at this cop," Burkett said. "Most of the time, a real vet would not do that. ... People should ask questions first, then go check things out later."

O'Connor was more cop than vet? Shooting first and asking questions later is how they go home safe at night.

[Charles Easterly]

It seems you might be right, Fist:

"The [witness] said the ordeal lasted about 10 to 15 minutes. She described the officer as being antagonistic and said she believed the officer was trying to get Ford to make a move."

As Gamer points out above, someone lacks valor, but it isn't Mr. Ford.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

How can she show so much disrespect to the officer?!

/law enforcement shwing!

[pan fried wylie]

Buglery is a serious crime, people.

[John Galt]

I believe you're thinking of buggery, and it's no longer considered a crime.

[Scarecrow & WoodChipper Repair]

It is if you do it eight to the bar.

[RBS]

So, the article pretty much names everyone involved except the guy who initially accused Ford of being a fraud (unless I missed it). This type of thing drives me crazy, the guy went out of his was to harass an old man minding his own business and used the force of the state to do so, he should be subject to a great deal of public ridicule.

[The Shrubber's Woodchipper]

Embarrassed, Ford slinked away, but the men followed. When Ford stopped and turned to face them, Ford said the officer waved his hand over his holstered weapon as if he were ready to draw it on Ford.

Detective John O'Connor is a fuckwad and a pussy.

[The Shrubber's Woodchipper]

Embarrassed, Ford slinked away, but the men followed. When Ford stopped and turned to face them, Ford said the officer waved his hand over his holstered weapon as if he were ready to draw it on Ford.

Detective John O'Connor is a fuckwad and a pussy.

[The Shrubber's Woodchipper]

I am very adamant in my opinion of Detective John O'Connor

[sarcasmic]

Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Mayor Eric Papenfuse says he is trying to arrange an apology from a police officer

Police officers never apologize for anything. They're always right, even when they're wrong. Besides, he was acting in good faith based upon the knowledge that he had at the time. The old man is lucky to be alive after disrespecting a cop.

[sarcasmic]

A woman working at The Patriot-News booth, who did not want her name published, confirmed Ford's account that the officer followed Ford and yelled that Ford wasn't a Marine.

The woman said the ordeal lasted about 10 to 15 minutes. She described the officer as being antagonistic and said she believed the officer was trying to get Ford to make a move.

The cop was looking for someone to kill. Yeah, there definitely will be no apology for this.

[Charles Easterly]

Heh - we posted approximately the same thing at exactly the same time.

[Fist of Etiquette]

"We should have gotten some basic information and that should have been that," [Mayor Papenfuse] said. "We could have followed up after the fact. I think it s a good lesson about handling all sorts of complaints. If you have a non-violent incident and you have a complaint, how do you deescalate that situation and do your research sort of after the fact, rather than on the spot."

Deescalation? That's what the civilian does by submitting without question to police authority. I'm guessing the problem the mayor is having is the two cops are reluctant to sincerely admit they were wrong and the victim knows it.

[sarcasmic]

Cops cannot admit that they are wrong. It goes against all their training. They're right all the time, even when they are wrong. This is with the knowledge that their superiors will always have their back, even when everyone knows that they are wrong. That's what it means to be in authority. You're always right, even when you are wrong, and you never ever ever under any circumstance admit that you were wrong. Ever.

[Rich]

Papenfuse said Tuesday he is working to arrange a "meaningful, personal apology" from his police officers to a 75-year-old veteran .... Papenfuse said Detective John O'Connor and Capt. Deric Moody want to meet with Robert Ford

With all due respect, what's this "working to arrange" stuff? If O'Connor and Moody "want" to apologize, just do it.

[Ivan Pike]

With all due respect, what's this "working to arrange" stuff? If O'Connor and Moody "want" to apologize, just do it.

They have to figure out how to apologize in a way that can't be used against them when they are sued for slander.

[Notorious G.K.C.]

"Tempers flared and that was unfortunate," Papenfuse said Tuesday. "It was not a great moment for anyone at that point."

No, it was a great moment for Ford, who did nothing wrong, in fact he showed great restraint by only cursing once at the pig.

[creech]

What next? Accusing Civil War re-enactors of not being real Civil War soldiers? Hurling accusations at the Ben Franklin and Abraham Lincoln impersonators? It is up to the Marine Corps League detachment to decide who can and can't blow Taps during ceremonies, not some fuckwad bystander and asshole cop.

[creech]

Penna.'s "Stolen Valor Law"

In order to be culpable, the person must have the intent to use the false representations to commit fraud, obtain employment or be appointed to public office. A person who violates the Act would be guilty of committing a third degree misdemeanor. Enhanced penalties will be available if a person falsely wears a Congressional Medal of Honor, Navy Cross, Air Force Cross, Silver Star or Purple Heart.

[SRVolunteer]

Next?

Chasing cosplayers around at sci-fi conventions.

"You were never at the battle of Yavin!"

"What was your starfleet service number? What captain did you serve under?"

"I bet you can't even speak Klingon, you big phony!"

[Notorious G.K.C.]

The pig certainly inspired confidence in his ability to correctly identify criminals and arrest only the right people.

[adolphowisner]

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[BuSab Agent]

So important safety tip for veterans. If you want to wear your uniform for some reason, especially if your uniform is several decades old (because it's not like uniforms ever change and how are youngins who just got out supposed to know what was correct 20-50 years ago), dig up your DD-214 from whatever place you stashed it, and put it in your pocket. I considered wearing my dress blues to my brother's funeral, but I couldn't find the lame ass tie that you're supposed to wear, so I went with a little black dress instead.