Ferguson discussion thread (FERGUDISHU)

[TCinVA]

I wonder if the local residents be satisfied with the facts? I don't think the facts were much of a concern earlier.

None of this had anything to do with facts, unfortunately.

I'm a big fan of holding police accountable for UOF, but "accountable" requires actually having facts in evidence before drawing conclusions. In general I don't see much of a proclivity in police officers to shoot people absent some sort of just cause. (Quite the opposite, in fact) It's certainly happened but those events tend to be fairly rare, at least in my recollection. When I heard the original "narrative" of this incident it sounded so utterly absurd as to beggar belief. I generally haven't found many police officers who deliberately murder surrendered individuals...especially on the street in front of a host of witnesses.

The facts, though, aren't important...the "narrative" is, and it's been a useful "narrative" for politicians with sagging poll numbers who made lots of promises, almost no deliveries, and need something to get solid voting blocks to the polls. That some cop in flyover country somewhere gets a public lynching (and yes, I use that term deliberately) in the effort is irrelevant. Omelette, eggs, bigger picture, FORWARD, etc.

I saw in the news today that our not-soon-enough-erstwhile attorney general, who has overseen breathtaking malfeasance, was complaining about the "selective leaks" coming out of the grand jury testimony. Deliberately trying to continue fanning the flames in the most cynical way imaginable.

[Kyle Reese]

I wonder if the local residents be satisfied with the facts? I don't think the facts were much of a concern earlier.

They want vengeance, facts and circumstances be damned.

[dbateman]

They want vengeance, facts and circumstances be damned.

This, and it's not even about vengeance it's just gutter trash looking for an excuse to act up.

[RoyGBiv]

This, and it's not even about vengeance it's just gutter trash looking for an excuse to act up.

Not.

Historically oppressed minority. Feeling real anger. Justifiable anger, but not necessarily in this case. Misplaced anger.
Choosing to follow folks like Sharpton for a quick dose of rage, rather than looking inward and within their community for the tougher solutions.
History, helplessness, failure of leadership...

How many of these same young men come through boot camp and turn out to be upstanding infantrymen?
Not all, granted. But enough to prove that it's about leadership, not blame.
This problem does not have an easy fix, mostly because there are so many race baiters ready to "profit" from the status quo.

YMMV

[GardoneVT]

Not.

Historically oppressed minority. Feeling real anger. Justifiable anger, but not necessarily in this case. Misplaced anger.
Choosing to follow folks like Sharpton for a quick dose of rage, rather than looking inward and within their community for the tougher solutions.
History, helplessness, failure of leadership...

How many of these same young men come through boot camp and turn out to be upstanding infantrymen?
Not all, granted. But enough to prove that it's about leadership, not blame.
This problem does not have an easy fix, mostly because there are so many race baiters ready to "profit" from the status quo.

YMMV

The problem comes down to culture.

In urban Black America, the society is a photo-negative of what we consider civilized living.There, the dope man and the drug game are considered the 'upstanding work' of the community, and the police and other instruments of proper society are considered 'the enemy' of this 'upstanding community work'. It is why dead thugs are celebrated and remembered , while slain cops are not. Much as we have third and fourth generation soldiers and factory workers, we have third and fourth generation drug dealers .So when one gets shot for doing something stupid, it becomes a cause for the community to riot because.....maybe next time they'll be the ones on the pavement.

The 'race baiters' started out as helpers during the turbulent 1960's, and as such still command respect in black society today. Speaking ill of Al Sharpton in a black home is just not done....because he walked next to MLK JR. The race baiting acts as a nice cathartic salve; if Al Sharpton, Man Who Walked With King, said its the White Man's fault, then it is! Not the drugs or the choice to break the law or the choice to have kids with ruthless criminals......it wouldnt be that at all.

Some men find this dynamic as digusting as folks outside this inversion , and make arrangements to permanently leave . It is part of why I joined the Air Force, and if nothing else, the military can act as one of the few areas a young man born into a community of kittenheads can get out and still make something of themselves.

[RoyGBiv]

The problem comes down to culture.

Culture can be changed with sufficient leadership.

All that other stuff is just excuse posing as reason.

I recently heard Dr. Alveda King (MLK's niece) speak. She has no love (or respect) for Sharpton and his ilk. LINK (skip to 1:30 if you're in a hurry)

[BaiHu]

This link fits right about here: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/...-black-enough/

[RoyGBiv]

This link fits right about here: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/...-black-enough/

Sunlight.

[Dagga Boy]

Culture can be changed with sufficient leadership.

All that other stuff is just excuse posing as reason.

I recently heard Dr. Alveda King (MLK's niece) speak. She has no love (or respect) for Sharpton and his ilk. LINK (skip to 1:30 if you're in a hurry)

The issue is fixable in one place...where there seems to be little desire to change anything. When I saw the movie Runaway Slave by the Rev. C.L. Bryant, it was a real eye opener, even for someone who has been immersed in the black community as an outsider since my teen years. The problem was that the theater was filled with 40+ year old white folks just trying to understand and have some faith. The exact audience that really didn't need to see the movie.

It seems that Dr. King's message of judging by content of character rather than color of skin is still just a long lost dream. He would probably be surprised at who is doing the judging by skin color these days.

[HCM]

Michael Brown's Mother May Face Armed Robbery Charges

http://m.nydailynews.com/news/nation...icle-1.2001373

Per the report, a group of 20-30 people lead by Brown's Mother and Grandmother assaulted and robbed anther group selling Justice For Michael Brown T shirts of $400 cash and $1500 in merchandise. The report states at least one person was beaten with a metal pipe during the incident and required hospitalization for their injuries.