Ferguson Riots

[Brian]

Cops shot and killed an unarmed 18 year old, Michael Brown, in St. Louis a few days ago. Last night, a memorial turned into riots or looting and vandalism.

 

Following #FergusonRiot on twitter shows some pics.

 

I'm not dignifying the rioting but there are pics of police showing up like they were preparing for a riot during the memorial, which was peaceful at the time. Supposedly that set people off.

 

If police just let the mourn in peace, would the riots have started? Who knows?

Edited August 11, 2014 by Brian

[Brian]

I'm not familiar with the St Louis violence like I see on the news here in Chicago.

 

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/08/11/1...e-Are-To-Blame#

[EvilMonkey]

The police account was that the guy tried to take an officer's gun (bad for him if true), and the officer shot him as he was running away (bad for cop if true). That was the first story that said why the police had stopped/arrested/questioned him to begin with, since by most accounts so far he was a model kid looking to escape the craphole he was in by getting an education.

 

And still no excuse for rioting. I don't care if the cops all lined up in full gear and dared you to. The businesses that got looted did nothing to that kid. Stealing booze from the Quikmart doesn't bring 'justice' to anyone. And nice of that guy to bring up Travon at least twice in his very short screed and tries to excuse acting like animals as somehow justified.

[Y2HH]

Cops shot and killed an unarmed 18 year old, Michael Brown, in St. Louis a few days ago. Last night, a memorial turned into riots or looting and vandalism.

 

Following #FergusonRiot on twitter shows some pics.

 

I'm not dignifying the rioting but there are pics of police showing up like they were preparing for a riot during the memorial, which was peaceful at the time. Supposedly that set people off.

 

If police just let the mourn in peace, would the riots have started? Who knows?

 

Whenever someone says, I'm not doing/saying X and follows it with a BUT, they are.

Edited August 11, 2014 by Y2HH

[bmags]

I was really sad to see the town go up. Lots of peaceful protests throughout the weekend, then this happens on Sunday night late?

 

Few old classmates from Ferguson, they can't believe it went up like this. Really sad, hope this is the last of it.

 

As for the police officers story, not shocked the one size fits story of "tried to grab gun" comes out. It is almost certain this kid tried to flee arrest. It is very very uncertain that there is a scenario here that required such use of force.

[Brian]

Whenever someone says, I'm not doing/saying X and follows it with a BUT, they are.

 

You're right. I honestly meant I hope this town burns every local business and house because they're angry! Violence!

[Y2HH]

You're right. I honestly meant I hope this town burns every local business and house because they're angry! Violence!

 

Bad things happen to everyone, some more than others, but being civilized is WHY we don't loot/pillage and or use it as an excuse to break laws which are designed to protect other people (usually innocent people) when something like this happens.

 

It's what separates us from the animals. Yes, I said animals in case the thought police needed clarification.

[Jenksismyhero]

Bad things happen to everyone, some more than others, but being civilized is WHY we don't loot/pillage and or use it as an excuse to break laws which are designed to protect other people (usually innocent people) when something like this happens.

 

It's what separates us from the animals. Yes, I said animals in case the thought police needed clarification.

 

Das racist!

[Rowand44]

Continuing tonight and getting worse.

[Milkman delivers]

I think the most important thing to remember in all of this is that everyone but the people doing these things is to blame.

[zenryan]

I'm sure there will be some great deals on the St Louis Craigslist for sale section this week

[LittleHurt05]

I think the most important thing to remember in all of this is that everyone but the people doing these things is to blame.

 

When Gandhi and MLK protested the government, their first course of action was to steal shoes too right?

[Y2HH]

I think the most important thing to remember in all of this is that everyone but the people doing these things is to blame.

 

[Jenksismyhero]

It'd be great if the black communities in St. Louis, Detroit, Chicago, etc. responded with this much energy when black kids are killed senselessly by other black kids.

[Goober]

It'd be great if the black communities in St. Louis, Detroit, Chicago, etc. responded with this much energy when black kids are killed senselessly by other black kids.

wat, that doesn't happen. it's only whiteys killing ma babies

[Balta1701]

wat, that doesn't happen. it's only whiteys killing ma babies

Are you African American?

[bmags]

It'd be great if the black communities in St. Louis, Detroit, Chicago, etc. responded with this much energy when black kids are killed senselessly by other black kids.

 

This is such a stupid, stupid post.

[Jenksismyhero]

This is such a stupid, stupid post.

 

I don't see why. The black community in Chicago is pretty apathetic these days about the violence going on (as is every other group). I'm not saying EVERYONE, but as a whole there seems to be a general shrug of the shoulder when it happens here.

 

I understand it's different when a cop shoots an innocent kid (allegedly). But a dead kid is a dead kid. It shouldn't happen, no matter who the shooter is. And they should be getting just as pissed off at the kids taking over their streets as they are at the cops.

[bmags]

I don't see why. The black community in Chicago is pretty apathetic these days about the violence going on (as is every other group). I'm not saying EVERYONE, but as a whole there seems to be a general shrug of the shoulder when it happens here.

 

I understand it's different when a cop shoots an innocent kid (allegedly). But a dead kid is a dead kid. It shouldn't happen, no matter who the shooter is. And they should be getting just as pissed off at the kids taking over their streets as they are at the cops.

You are putting impossible standards on people that you don't put on yourself. For one,

 

"I don't see why. The black community in Chicago is pretty apathetic these days about the violence going on (as is every other group)."

 

This is ridiculous. There are many non-violence marches. There are many groups that are organized trying to help. These neighborhoods very much care, they are living it. There was a huge stop the violence rally that I only knew about because that same weekend an organizer was shot on her porch, for whatever reason, coverage of these is not a big deal, but it is there. You don't really seem to have your finger on the pulse of these communities, so to take a swipe at them for no real reason in something that doesn't have anything to do with them is silly.

 

An instrument of the state killing a citizen without due process undermines the rule of law. If people can't believe in that then everything disintegrates. It should be a very big deal, especially when so few policeman in these cases ever get charged. But, to your standards, nobody can be outraged lest they live in a violence free neighborhood.

 

When I was in college, cops were trying to break up a party, so the people who lived there locked everyone in. When it seems like they had left, people started leaving. The guy who lived there opened up the door and saw police, and tried to rush out past them. It was a situation that very easily could have been wrapped up as assault of an officer. He was obnoxious, he had shouldered one and fell over, taking one with.

 

I've thought about that a lot. What if the cops had responded with huge force, choke holds, gun shots. They very well could have said a police officer was assaulted, he reached for their gun.

 

But it also could have been , as it was, diffused. He was a white stoner kid. You'd see drunk bros talk back to cops, fights broken up that all could have seen this happen, and be "justified". And just thinking about how I would have reacted to see deadly force used, I wouldn't be looting but most all aren't looting. But they are pissed and they should be.

 

[Jenksismyhero]

You are putting impossible standards on people that you don't put on yourself. For one,

 

I don't live in those areas. I've never been shot at. I've never lost a family member or friend to that kind of violence. I'm in a completely different world from them. So in a sense, you're right, I shouldn't judge them. But it's also not really "my" problem to solve.

 

"I don't see why. The black community in Chicago is pretty apathetic these days about the violence going on (as is every other group)."

 

This is ridiculous. There are many non-violence marches. There are many groups that are organized trying to help. These neighborhoods very much care, they are living it. There was a huge stop the violence rally that I only knew about because that same weekend an organizer was shot on her porch, for whatever reason, coverage of these is not a big deal, but it is there. You don't really seem to have your finger on the pulse of these communities, so to take a swipe at them for no real reason in something that doesn't have anything to do with them is silly.

 

I didn't say that everyone was apathetic, but if entire neighborhoods rioted because of the ongoing violence and non-response from the City/State, maybe something more would get done. Yes, people meet and marches are held and all that, but never to this level. Why does it take a cop killing a kid in a very rare occurrence to cause that kind of reaction when seeing dead kids near playgrounds on a weekly basis doesn't?

 

An instrument of the state killing a citizen without due process undermines the rule of law. If people can't believe in that then everything disintegrates. It should be a very big deal, especially when so few policeman in these cases ever get charged. But, to your standards, nobody can be outraged lest they live in a violence free neighborhood.

 

I acknowledged the different situation, but again the end result is the same - someone dies for no good reason. So IMO, regardless of the violence in the neighborhood, there should be an equal "we won't stand for this s***" response. Not from a few, but from the majority in the neighborhood.

Edited August 12, 2014 by Jenksismybitch

[Milkman delivers]

There are protests and demonstrations, but they're always very small. The activists are not coming out in large numbers, at least in their home neighborhoods.

[bmags]

I don't live in those areas. I've never been shot at. I've never lost a family member or friend to that kind of violence. I'm in a completely different world from them. So in a sense, you're right, I shouldn't judge them. But it's also not really "my" problem to solve.

 

Okay, so...why bring it up in this thread? Have their been sympathy riots in Detroit and Chicago over this?

[southsider2k5]

The post might have been absurd, but the meaning is there. The black community would benefit way more from solving black on black crime, versus police brutality. The numbers aren't even close. If this much "effort" was put into that, way more young black lives would be saved.

[bmags]

The post might have been absurd, but the meaning is there. The black community would benefit way more from solving black on black crime, versus police brutality. The numbers aren't even close. If this much "effort" was put into that, way more young black lives would be saved.

 

If police brutality (which is more than murder cases) were removed, community trust in police would probably help solve the crime rates.

 

But, again, if police brutality is wrong, than people can object to it. I think we all agree police brutality is wrong...

 

but sorry, St. Louis, you can't complain about police brutality and murdering of people until these people who are black in Detroit and Chicago solve their violence problem. Why? Because, they too are black, and so you are also black, and must answer for the violence of the predominantly black neighborhoods. You can't have the dessert of protesting police brutality until you eat your vegetables of solving crime. Want help? Just ask the police? Oh they are harassing you? Perhaps you should solve your communities crime!

[Jenksismyhero]

If police brutality (which is more than murder cases) were removed, community trust in police would probably help solve the crime rates.

 

But, again, if police brutality is wrong, than people can object to it. I think we all agree police brutality is wrong...

 

but sorry, St. Louis, you can't complain about police brutality and murdering of people until these people who are black in Detroit and Chicago solve their violence problem. Why? Because, they too are black, and so you are also black, and must answer for the violence of the predominantly black neighborhoods. You can't have the dessert of protesting police brutality until you eat your vegetables of solving crime. Want help? Just ask the police? Oh they are harassing you? Perhaps you should solve your communities crime!

 

I've never said they can't complain. They have every right to be upset. I'll all for them being upset. All i'm asking is why don't they respond similarly to other dead kids who die from unnecessary violence. It just seems like there's more of an uproar when there's a cop/non-black person involved.

 

Also, I read an AP story that the gun went off inside the police car.

 

THE SHOOTING: Authorities have been vague about what led the officer to open fire, saying only that Saturday's shooting was preceded by some kind of scuffle between the officer and a man. At some point during that altercation, the officer's weapon discharged inside a patrol car. Two witnesses who said they saw the shooting reported that 18-year-old Michael Brown was on the street with his hands raised when the officer fired at him repeatedly.

 

Ferguson police confirmed that Brown was shot multiple times. They say there's no video footage of the shooting from any nearby buildings or any police dashboard cameras.

 

The officer who fired on Brown has not been publicly identified. One of the witnesses said he was white.

 

http://bigstory.ap.org/article/guide-devel...police-shooting

 

Obviously not much is known yet about what actually happened, but if that's true, that probably supports the cops story that there was a fight first and the kid then fled. Still gotta wonder if shooting was an appropriate response though.