Rules of the Game When You're Busted

From Portable 205

This little how-to guide on being approached/questioned/arrested by the police is an interesting look into the life of an active countercultural hippie. It was obviously printed before the Miranda Law (anyone who watches Cops can recite it from beginning to end)-- I almost forgot that there was a time when cops could arrest people without reading them rights or informing them of the reason of arrest. This how-to also promotes a calm response to arrest: cooperate, politely refuse searches, and, if you are arrest, DO NOT RESIST. I do think that people are often needlessly arrested by mistaken, dumb, or power-hungry cops, but the bottom line is that they have the power, and you only hurt your chances of getting off by acting out. Plus, most of the time, the cop is just doing their job, even if he is being an ass; just be polite and refuse to commit to tests, searches, or statements. In a civilized world, these matters are solved with logic and debate between you, the DA, lawyers, and Judges-- the way it should be. Anyone who decides to make the issue physical deserves being punished-- including the police, if physical intervention is warantless.