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  1. #1
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    Situation in Ferguson

    Just wanted to see what everyone was thinking on this one.

    I haven't been really been paying attention until today and it concerns me a great deal now. Not only does it appear this cop really did shoot someone with his hands in the air, (and this is difficult for me to say) the militarization of the police in this town is down right asinine.

    Your $.02 .... Go ....





  2. #2
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    Re: Situation in Ferguson

    Wholeheartedly agree about the police. At this same time, what the fuck is all this protest with destruction of property going to accomplish. That's not exclusive to Ferguson, but I've never understood that.





  3. #3
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    Re: Situation in Ferguson

    I was thinking about starting this thread, as I too wanted to hear people's 2 cents.

    There is no excuse for this police officer. Michael Brown should not have been shot. During the initial confrontation (if reports are true), that there was a struggle in/at the police car door and Brown went for the officers gun, then was shot...I would say the officer would've been justified in doing so. However, that's not what happened. Multiple eye witnesses (including the other teenager who was with Brown) say Brown turned and ran, stopped, and walked with his hands up and was then shot, 35 feet away from the police car. Furthermore, why didn't police take Brown's friend into custody and question him. They let him go. They didn't canvass the area...didn't get eye witness accounts. Nothing. I can't imagine that happening in a predominate white neighborhood.

    Why was Brown and his friend even stopped to begin with? Because they were walking in the street, in a residential neighborhood. It would seem that the officer needlessly over reacted aggressively to a very benign situation.

    People wonder why Black Americans, mostly, don't trust police. This isn't the first, and I'm afraid isn't the last, time an unarmed black man was gunned down by the police. Many black communities throughout the country have to deal with police harassment on a daily basis. Growing up I did. In high school I was "detained" nine times by the police. Never arrested. Once was because I sitting on my house's front step during a school day. My Grandma kept me out that day to help her around the house. Another time was at Papa John's. I worked there part time during high school. The police saw me take out the trash, walked in, and took my away. Not once was I doing anything even remotely illegal. That's the environment most Black Americans grow up in. It's one of the things I love about Germany. Of the few times I've interacted with them (DUI checkpoints, casually talking at fests), they've always treated me with respect. I have a 2014 BMW that I am seriously concerning selling before I return to the States. I don't won't to be pulled over simply for driving a nice car and being black (this has actually happened to me).

    As far as Ferguson. The looters are a small percent of the thousands of protesters. On the first night only 37 people were arrested for looting. They leave a black mark on the whole thing. But the news isn't helping. At first focusing solely on the looters and not those peacefully protesting. The situation now has blown completely out of control. 2 reporters were arrested. The militarization of the police is disgusting. I thought this was the United States not Russia. I felt the same way after the Boston bombing, when police rolled down neighbor streets in tanks.

    However, I can't wholly blame the looters. The frustration that has been built up for decades has exploded. There are some who are being opportunistic during the situation...but what pisses me off more is those saying "black people should respond reasonably and not loot." As if they would commend us if there was no looting. BTW an unarmed black man earlier this week was shot to death by police in L.A. No riots/looting has taken place. I don't hear anyone commending the black community in L.A. for not looting.

    Best quote I've seen to describe this is
    I question a society that always sees the product of the provocation and never the provocation itself.
    Here's a very good article by a professor from Rutgers, who articulates better what I'm trying to say. Please give it a read.
    http://www.salon.com/2014/08/12/in_d...merican_dream/
    Master of 'Gifs for dummies'

    "The world called for wetwork, and we answered. No greater good. No just cause." - Kazuhira Miller





  4. #4
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    Re: Situation in Ferguson

    Quote Originally Posted by Dade View Post
    However, I can't wholly blame the looters. The frustration that has been built up for decades has exploded. There are some who are being opportunistic during the situation...but what pisses me off more is those saying "black people should respond reasonably and not loot." As if they would commend us if there was no looting. BTW an unarmed black man earlier this week was shot to death by police in L.A. No riots/looting has taken place. I don't hear anyone commending the black community in L.A. for not looting.
    There's a lot here but I wanted to respond to this since it was half of what I posted about.

    Has there been a long history of police brutality in Ferguson? Why would anyone commend someone for not looting? Is it an inherent trait in black people to loot or something??? I'm not being snarky, I just don't get that comment.





  5. #5
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    Re: Situation in Ferguson

    Quote Originally Posted by NCRAVEN View Post
    There's a lot here but I wanted to respond to this since it was half of what I posted about.

    Has there been a long history of police brutality in Ferguson?
    Yes St. Louis and the surrounding areas have a long history of police brutality. Think of it as the L.A. of the Midwest.

    Quote Originally Posted by NCRAVEN View Post
    Why would anyone commend someone for not looting? Is it an inherent trait in black people to loot or something??? I'm not being snarky, I just don't get that comment.
    Of course it's not an inherent trait in Black Americans to loot. I was basically saying it's the absurdity of it all. People are focusing solely on the looters. Without addressing the reasons behind such an act. Think about it...what would cause people to act in such a way. Sure they are some "opportunist" in every crowd, but what would make people loot, throw bottles and rocks at police. Or is there a history that has made tempers boil over decades, that is now spilling over. If you don't believe that, than maybe the point being made is that Black Americans are inherently violent, and this is a typical response from them? No...I hope people wouldn't make that conclusion. Or maybe the Black Americans in Ferguson have felt ignored by the national media for far too long. They have responded peacefully in the past and nothing has changed apparently. How long must a group of people be pushed before they respond violently?

    Basically, it's not as black and white as "Don't ever loot/riot." The world is full of grey. Nothing will ever change if we continue to view the world as black and white...and examine the reasons why things happen.

    As I posted before:
    "I question a society that always sees the product of the provocation and never the provocation itself."
    Master of 'Gifs for dummies'

    "The world called for wetwork, and we answered. No greater good. No just cause." - Kazuhira Miller





  6. #6
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    Re: Situation in Ferguson

    Does anyone else find it strange that there is no video of this? I feel like any time something major like this happens there is some sort of video or audio recording of the happenings. We just don't know what happened. On one hand you have the cop's side that says the kid was reaching for his weapon. On the other hand you have some witnesses claiming that the cop basically did Michael Brown execution style.

    1. One part of me wants to think that a white cop, who regularly patrols that area, would not be dumb enough to shoot a black kid without a justified reason (in broad daylight no less); and the only reason that could justify that is if Mike Brown legitimately was attempting to do serious bodily harm to the police officer.

    2. The other part of me knows that there are a lot of dumbass cops who don't think before they act. To reference The Wire, the Pryzbylewski's of the world.


    3. Unfortunately, the President and folks like Al Sharpton are going to turn this into another race war and the fact that an 18 year old is no longer here is going to completely get pushed to the side.

    4. Dems and other liberals are going to use this as another platform for gun control, even though all cops across the country carry guns...so not sure how that applies here, but damn if it hasn't started...

    5. Looters, even if it is a small percentage, fuck it up for the rest of the non-violent protestors.

    6. People acting like local municipality police departments are para-military are full of shit and don't know what they're talking about. Unless a cop is in a special unit (SWAT, anti-riot, bomb squad) then they aren't getting access to the types of weapons that many folks would have the rest of the public believe.
    Disclaimer: The content posted is of my own opinion.





  7. #7
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    Re: Situation in Ferguson

    Quote Originally Posted by Dade View Post
    Yes St. Louis and the surrounding areas have a long history of police brutality. Think of it as the L.A. of the Midwest.



    Of course it's not an inherent trait in Black Americans to loot. I was basically saying it's the absurdity of it all. People are focusing solely on the looters. Without addressing the reasons behind such an act. Think about it...what would cause people to act in such a way. Sure they are some "opportunist" in every crowd, but what would make people loot, throw bottles and rocks at police. Or is there a history that has made tempers boil over decades, that is now spilling over. If you don't believe that, than maybe the point being made is that Black Americans are inherently violent, and this is a typical response from them? No...I hope people wouldn't make that conclusion. Or maybe the Black Americans in Ferguson have felt ignored by the national media for far too long. They have responded peacefully in the past and nothing has changed apparently. How long must a group of people be pushed before they respond violently?

    Basically, it's not as black and white as "Don't ever loot/riot." The world is full of grey. Nothing will ever change if we continue to view the world as black and white...and examine the reasons why things happen.

    As I posted before:
    "I question a society that always sees the product of the provocation and never the provocation itself."
    I hear ya. As I posted earlier. I just don't get looting, setting off Molotov Cocktails etc. And that is more a general comment than about this situation.

    But specific to this situation, I really don't get why people are still protesting. The police chief is having the State Police investigate from the beginning. The FBI is looking into ti. The Gov. has asked the DOJ to look in it. Why/What is actively being protested?





  8. #8
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    Re: Situation in Ferguson

    Quote Originally Posted by wickedsolo View Post
    1. One part of me wants to think that a white cop, who regularly patrols that area, would not be dumb enough to shoot a black kid without a justified reason (in broad daylight no less); and the only reason that could justify that is if Mike Brown legitimately was attempting to do serious bodily harm to the police officer.
    .
    In almost every major story that's been reported that has made major headlines over the past few years, what is initially reported is not the case. I'm reserving judgement till I hear all the facts, much like the other cases.





  9. #9
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    Re: Situation in Ferguson

    Quote Originally Posted by wickedsolo View Post
    Does anyone else find it strange that there is no video of this? I feel like any time something major like this happens there is some sort of video or audio recording of the happenings. We just don't know what happened. On one hand you have the cop's side that says the kid was reaching for his weapon. On the other hand you have some witnesses claiming that the cop basically did Michael Brown execution style.
    Apparently cops in Ferguson do not have dashboard cameras. The only video I've seen is the aftermath, taken by an eyewitness. Disturbing video. I've only seen it on Facebook. This forum is letting me copy the embed code into my post.

    Quote Originally Posted by wickedsolo View Post
    3. Unfortunately, the President and folks like Al Sharpton are going to turn this into another race war and the fact that an 18 year old is no longer here is going to completely get pushed to the side.
    So the President is never supposed to comment on a situation that literally has the attention of the entire Nation and most of the Western world. An area that has a long history of police brutality against a Black American community is what makes it a racial issue. Not anything Al Sharpton has to say about. IMO people who always bring up what Obama, Sharpton, or Jackon does/says are detracting from the event and the ramifications thereof.

    Quote Originally Posted by wickedsolo View Post
    4. Dems and other liberals are going to use this as another platform for gun control, even though all cops across the country carry guns...so not sure how that applies here, but damn if it hasn't started...
    What liberals are using this as another platform for gun control? I haven't seen any.
    Master of 'Gifs for dummies'

    "The world called for wetwork, and we answered. No greater good. No just cause." - Kazuhira Miller





  10. #10
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    Re: Situation in Ferguson

    Quote Originally Posted by NCRAVEN View Post
    I hear ya. As I posted earlier. I just don't get looting, setting off Molotov Cocktails etc. And that is more a general comment than about this situation.

    But specific to this situation, I really don't get why people are still protesting. The police chief is having the State Police investigate from the beginning. The FBI is looking into ti. The Gov. has asked the DOJ to look in it. Why/What is actively being protested?
    I get ya. I largely feel the same.

    As what is protested right now...it would seem people want the officer arrested. That's not going to happen until all the investigations are done, or enough evidence is found to justify an arrest. But, then again, Black Americans have seen that song and dance before. Where no one is held responsible, sometimes legitimately, sometimes less than so.
    Master of 'Gifs for dummies'

    "The world called for wetwork, and we answered. No greater good. No just cause." - Kazuhira Miller





  11. #11
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    Re: Situation in Ferguson

    Quote Originally Posted by Dade View Post
    IMO people who always bring up what Obama, Sharpton, or Jackon does/says are detracting from the event and the ramifications thereof.
    I would think Sharpton and Jackson showing up doing their normal thing do that themselves.

    On another note. I was just reading a story. Does thie kid who ot shot have a name, or was he always referred to as an "unarmed black teenager who was shot by the police"?? I fucking hate the media.





  12. #12
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    Re: Situation in Ferguson

    On another note...

    Sorry to post so much, but I feel very strongly about race relations.

    I hate the media's usage of photos of the victim. Liberal media will always use the most lest threatening pics they can find. Like Brown in his cap and gown. While conservative media will always use the most threatening pic they can find. Like Brown in a basketball jersey holding up 3 fingers and wondering if it's a gang sign (side note its not...it means peace. Be honest the 2 finger peace salute is kinda corny. Some Black Americans have taken to using 3 fingers to mean peace). Both are disgusting and are only used to further the agenda of the right or the left.

    Go to twitter and search #iftheygunnedmedown. Many Black Americans are posting photos of themselves in a positive light and a negative and asking which would the media use if they were killed. Very interesting.
    Master of 'Gifs for dummies'

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