#syabm

In response to this post, which I can't reblog because every time I try I get an "error processing your post" message.

I wasn't backpedaling. I was trying to be reasonable and give ground because I recognized that you made good points. This was a result of me trying to argue in good faith, not trying to be deceptive.

I stopped bringing up that she should have watched where she was going because I'd already brought up all the points I was trying to make about it: I already said that he wouldn't have been at risk had he not walked there, and I didn't want to repeat myself.

I didn't explicitly say "You were right, she should have looked first." When I bring up that the cop walked in front of the car on purpose, you didn't say "Oh I was wrong about him sliding by accident." You just moved straight to the next point.

And that's fine! I was also moving straight to the next point. I thought the mutual unwritten rule we were both going by was "if a good point is made, move on." But it caught me off guard that you then accused me of quietly dropping it.

Because I am genuinely trying to argue in good faith. I am not lying. I am not trying to be deceptive.

For that reason, I will give you the reasoning for the points I made prior. If they're out of order, it's because tumblr isn't saving this post and I have to keep copy-pasting:

Last fall, a terrorist shot at an ICE facility and killed people. So the idea that someone could actively try to kill ICE is not exactly unreasonable.

That is exactly why I brought that up. I was acknowledging the possibility that he could have thought that. I thought you were saying "they both slid, which is why the officer shot her." I was responding, "The only good reason for shooting at the driver was if he thought his life was in danger."

IME, gas pedals have to be actively pressed. They won’t activate with just bodyweight.

The reason I brought up that shooting her would not have stopped the car was to respond to your point that the car might have slid on the ice. My point was "If the car was sliding on the ice and therefore out of control, then shooting the driver would not change that situation."

Again, this is hilarious coming from someone who refuses to put any specific responsibility on the woman at all, and put it all on the cops. When you blame the cops alone, even for mistakes the driver made, responding with ways she’s responsible is a logical counter, and not the same as putting all the blame on her.

That isn't true. The bit where I said "You might say that the driver put herself in that situation by getting in front of ICE agents on purpose. And I would agree with that" was me putting specific responsibility on the driver. That was a mistake the driver made that I acknowledged.

You blamed the cops alone in both of these posts, and now you are backpedalling to “well, they’re both responsible!” without actually criticizing the woman, to pretend to be reasonable and fair.

I am not backpedaling because I did not blame the cops alone in the second post. I am criticizing the woman. I am criticizing her less because A) I genuinely believe based on the evidence I've seen that she was less at fault and B) she's dead. I'm not "pretending" to be reasonable and fair, I'm genuinely trying to be.

You asked why I brought up the point "You might say that the driver put herself in that situation by getting in front of ICE agents on purpose. And I would agree with that". That's the reason I brought that theoretical argument up: To acknowledge that the driver was partially at fault. I thought you might bring up that point in response because it's a reasonable point.

You accused me of not doing something that I explicitly did do. You said "You have not said a single negative thing about the driver’s actions" when I said that negative thing about the driver's actions.

And I'll do it again: The driver should not have blocked traffic. She was in the wrong for doing that. She interfered with armed officers and made the situation more dangerous for herself when she didn't need to.

At the same time, the first cop was in the wrong for reaching into the car because that created the drag risk that you mentioned. He made the situation more dangerous for himself when he didn't need to.

The second cop was in the wrong for getting in front of a car with the engine on. He made the situation more dangerous for himself when he didn't need to.

I am explicitly acknowledging fault in multiple parties. I believe that greater blame lies with the two cops than with the driver. I still acknowledge that the driver put herself in that situation to begin with when she could have easily not done that. I am acknowledging that you were correct to bring up the driver also being at fault.

responding with ways she’s responsible is a logical counter, and not the same as putting all the blame on her.

Okay, I'll admit I misinterpreted you. It looked like you were putting all the blame on her because you weren't putting any blame on the cops.

I was saying: "The cops did X wrong things."

You were saying: "The driver did Y wrong things."

I interpreted that as "only the driver did wrong things and the cops did no wrong things."

And in fairness, you interpreted what I said as "only the cops did wrong things and the driver did no wrong things" because I also did not bring up what the driver did wrong until my second post.

As for ignoring your points, the only points I could tell you were making in that post were:

-Either party could have skidded

-She should have watched where she was going (already addressed above)

-There was a drag risk.

And I genuinely thought that I was responding to all of the points you made (aside from the middle one, explained above). At no point was I lying. I misinterpreted you, and I apologize for that. I laid out what I thought you meant based on what you'd said.

I am explicitly admitting right now: I am not responding to every single point you made in your most recent post. I am responding specifically to the things you've accused me of doing to illustrate that I'm not doing them.

You have accused me of lying, accused me of refusing to put specific responsibility on the driver, and accused me of backpedaling. I did none of those things. I am genuinely trying to argue in good faith here. That's why I've admitted in this post to having gotten things wrong. That's why I've admitted that some of the points you made were correct. The specific point I am admitting that was correct was that the driver is partially responsible for the situation.

If I was incorrect, please tell me how. If you have information that contradicts what I've said, share it.

http://www.patreon.com/SYABM

This is a "soft" launch, so it’s not dressed up properly yet - I haven’t even finalized the cutesy backer level names* - but it’s…functional. if you want to see more comics from me, check it out and/or reblog and/or write your Senator.

Admittedly, I was going to keep making those anyway. But slower.

Proper announcement later, when I get the images done.