Ferguson discussion thread (FERGUDISHU)

[ssb]

I will wait until all facts and testimony are available before assessing guilt, if any. There are a hundred different "what-if's".
My concern is related to the Grand Jury and the Prosecutor. If no indictment, then the impartiality of the Prosecutor's office will be called into question, whether he is impartial or not. An independent prosecutor would help to restore confidence in the process. This prosecutor has too much history with that community for THEM to consider him impartial.
Cody

You're not going to be able to please both sides here. Do what you suggest and then Team Wilson considers the process to be railroading (see: Angela Corey/Zimmerman). Look at the skepticism that resulted from some when DOJ stuck their nose into this mess for an example of how an ostensibly detached/impartial agency isn't perceived as so. Who do you want to please more? Even without a special prosecutor, any indictment is still "justice" to one side and "railroading" to the other; alternately, a failure to indict is "justice" to one side, and "systematic racial bias and a lack of police accountability" to the other. Such is life.

@Mr. Haggard

I never stated that the assault at the car and the following seconds are unrelated. I'm really not sure where you're getting that from. I did say that the state of mind that Wilson was likely in ("this guy wants to kill/seriously injure me -- he just tried to do so") alone is not enough to justify what happened later. It will certainly play into how reasonable Wilson's perception of an act by Brown may have been, but there's still that requirement that Brown acted -- which, despite the trickle of information that appears calculated to influence public opinion, hasn't been conclusively spoken for in the public sphere thus far.

[HCM]

My take on it is that the issue is really about a pattern of excessive use of force as they perceive it.

This ^^^ is exactly what I was talking about in my earlier post regarding how witness's perceptions of an event can differ based on their frame of reference. Even when they "see"the same thing from the same vantage point.

[45dotACP]

I'll bet they whole community would feel stupid for rioting if it came out that Brown was killed because he assaulted an armed police officer and tried to take his gun...

Or they'll just throw another riot and the media will try to whitewash it as a "failure of the justice system".

Chrissakes, I don't understand why we pay news outlets anymore. No other job would allow their employees to get the facts so wrong and still keep their job.

[cclaxton]

The State Senator who was protesting and arrested last night was carrying a loaded handgun, and has a concealed permit.

http://www.kmov.com/special-coverage...279860142.html

Cody

[Kyle Reese]

I'll bet they whole community would feel stupid for rioting if it came out that Brown was killed because he assaulted an armed police officer and tried to take his gun...

No they wouldn't. Facts and logic take a backseat to looting and destroying businesses.

[Alpha Sierra]

The State Senator who was protesting and arrested last night was carrying a loaded handgun, and has a concealed permit.

http://www.kmov.com/special-coverage...279860142.html

Cody

How is that of any importance?

[TCinVA]

If policy and behavioral changes are made, and better transparency and better public messaging...and if the policing pattern changes, that would go further to reduce the protests and the discontent. That will not satisfy everyone, but that is my take on what is going on with Ferguson protests.
Cody

The agitators want the police to not police.

When the police stop policing, (because who is going to be proactive when the reward is having people demand your head for shooting somdood who was trying to bash your skull in?) the same agitators will complain that the police are doing nothing about crime.

This pattern has been seen before and will be seen again.

[cclaxton]

How is that of any importance?

No matter what your race or politics or side you are on, when your safety is threatened, people don't want to feel defenseless. The 2nd is for everyone. (With some obvious exceptions).
Cody

[cclaxton]

The agitators want the police to not police.

When the police stop policing, (because who is going to be proactive when the reward is having people demand your head for shooting somdood who was trying to bash your skull in?) the same agitators will complain that the police are doing nothing about crime.

This pattern has been seen before and will be seen again.

Is it possible the Ferguson community wants policing to be different instead of discontinued?
Cody

[KeeFus]

Is it possible the Ferguson community wants policing to be different instead of discontinued?
Cody

Different? As in let them loot the town? They're already doing that which means policing has been momentarily discontinued. Nothing left now but to let the LEO's step away from town for awhile and let the dummies have at it. Maybe that's exactly what should happen. I watched a video from last weeks protests and I can honestly say that without a doubt I'd quit that joint tomorrow if I had to work in those conditions.

Do you honestly think they can police themselves? If they could wouldn't Rev Al et al already have them in check? It's no longer about facts in this case. It's about wrecking the town. When no true bill is delivered by the grand jury the shit will really hit the fan.