Anthony Vigliotti — (Branford police photo)
Here’s a man who had a rather bad attack of road rage, and the target of his anger happened to be an off duty cop.
A Bradford Connecticut man was released without having to post bail after he was taken into custody at his home for pointing a handgun at an off-duty police officer on Thursday, reports WFSB.
Anthony Vigliotti, 29, faces charges of second-degree threatening, first-degree reckless endangerment, second-degree breach of peace and following too close with intent to harass during a road rage incident that was called in by the cop.
According to off-duty officer, Vigliotti had been tailgating him and blowing his horn, presumably because the officer was driving too slow.
At an intersection, police say Vigilotti pulled a black semi-automatic handgun out, pointed it at the victim before roaring away.
When police took him into custody at his home. he turned over his .45-caliber handgun as well as his pistol permit.
After being charged, Vigilotti was released with a promise to appear in court on July 19.
Okay, everyone, time for “what if” – What if this man had been black? Anyone think this scenario would have played out the same way? The difference in treatment could not possible be more stark, and yet so many people keep denying there’s any imbalance at all, let alone a race based one.
Via Raw Story.
My what-if: What if the cop is telling the truth?
It is obviously possible that the officer is truthful here. Recent events, not necessarily involving this officer or his employer, mean an increased degree of doubt about the “profession” is understandable.
What if this man had been black?
The craters from where they called in the airstrikes… They’d still be smoking.
What if the road raging driver had been black?
65% -- A chase or surrounding of his vehicle.
35% -- SWATting of his home.
His chance of survival in either scenario: 20%.
left0ver1under:
And if he survived, he would not have been granted bail, or would have an absurd amount, 1 mil or over, and if bailed, tagged for house arrest until trial.
What if there was some kind of competency and safety test one had to pass before being allowed to buy a gun? Maybe this guy wouldn’t even own a gun.
What if the police was actually trained well and made serious effort to curb racism between its ranks? Maybe the police wouldn’t escalate as quickly as it does today. Maybe they wouldn’t target people of color so disproportionately.
… What if those in charge actually gave a shit? That would be nice.
Placing bets: Road rager is probably a wife beater.
Marcus, #2
Followed by front page news about his overdue library book charges from 1992.
But then a white cop will be shown hugging a black child and white people will declare police racism to be over.
Saad
Turns out it’s easy to solve these things, like that one meme I wish would die demonstrates, about the black man who explains exactly how polite he was to the officer and got away alive, because if you’re submissive enough, you have nothing to fear. So be polite!
Or that one video about how things are just labels and if we ignore them, the world will fix itself. So be colourblind! (That one -- I understand its appeal and it seems to have this great message, but I want to kick it in the face (the video, not the people in it).)
Saad @ 8:
Gotcha covered:
Source.