This showed up on Hacker News today, and was soundly panned as well as flagged. Which shouldn’t surprise me, I guess.
12 Things to do Instead of Calling the Cops
Most of this seems like good advice, although the HN comments point out that 1500 women are killed by domestic partners every year, so the last point might seem too passive in light of that.
I once stood outside my apartment and asked an upstairs neighbor if she needed help, rather than call the cops, and it took me longer than I wish to admit to work up the nerve to even go outside. I didn’t want her to face her ex alone, but I didn’t want to bring armed police into the situation, either. Seeing me seemed to calm the guy down quickly, and he left immediately. Realizing there was a witness, I thought at the time, although now I wonder if he was thinking the same way I was: I could call the cops, and they might shoot him first and ask questions later.
@pwinn , wise words. I had a similar situation over the summer, potential domestic violence. I made sure they saw me watching. It shut it down. That's all it took, was witnessing the act. You only call the cops if you want someone, or their pets shot, and don't really mind if the ones shot are you and your pets.
