Michael Brown

[Essence_Smith]

Some of you are still missing the point...how many times have we seen this happen to young men of color who weren't doing anything wrong at all? At least 3-5 times a year there's a nationally publicized situation where a black person who is unarmed gets killed for one reason or another. (Those of course being the stories we hear about) The reasoning usually has to do with someone's irrational fear of non-white people and usually there's some sort of effort made to assassinate the dead person's character, rationalize the errors made by the authorities, and then of course the media usually steps in and make things worse by reporting in a biased fashion. To use a a phrase, people are quick to focus on the "shot", but they usually fail to see the slap that takes place BEFORE the shot. Michael Brown is just the latest slap in the face and of course, as with your Trayvon's, your Sean Bell's, your Amadou Diallo's nothing will happen to the police as some reasoning will be found for their actions and people will focus on things like looting and after effects that take their attention from the problem of racism.

[Juana]

Some of you are still missing the point...how many times have we seen this happen to young men of color who weren't doing anything wrong at all? At least 3-5 times a year there's a nationally publicized situation where a black person who is unarmed gets killed for one reason or another. (Those of course being the stories we hear about) The reasoning usually has to do with someone's irrational fear of non-white people and usually there's some sort of effort made to assassinate the dead person's character, rationalize the errors made by the authorities, and then of course the media usually steps in and make things worse by reporting in a biased fashion. To use a a phrase, people are quick to focus on the "shot", but they usually fail to see the slap that takes place BEFORE the shot. Michael Brown is just the latest slap in the face and of course, as with your Trayvon's, your Sean Bell's, your Amadou Diallo's nothing will happen to the police as some reasoning will be found for their actions and people will focus on things like looting and after effects that take their attention from the problem of racism.

This has been going on as long as I can remember. I vividly remember Yusef Hawkins being killed and while it was not the cops that did it, there is still that fear there even after all these years.

[Romeo]

It's the victimizing of the victim that gets me.
Like they do in rape cases buy bringing up the clothes the victim wore.

Even if he stole $50 worth of cigars, does that constitute 6 bullets?

[wally]

It's the victimizing of the victim that gets me.
Like they do in rape cases buy bringing up the clothes the victim wore.

Even if he stole $50 worth of cigars, does that constitute 6 bullets?

the cigars have nothing to do with why he was stopped, or his death. Unsure why you think they do.
the first autopsy results are in, all shots to the front. oh , and this... (warning GRAPHIC)
http://www.ijreview.com/2014/08/168698- ... -shooting/

so if he was fighting with the cop, started to run away, then decided to turn and bumrush the cop, does your opinion change?

[Romeo]

because the police Chief during their initial news conference made the whole thing about the convenience store shoplifting incident AND handed the video stills out in the packets to reporters.

THEN he comes out a day later saying that the cop didn't know about the shoplifting.
So he first victim blamed and then rescinded it. But you know the victim blaming part is what sticks in the minds of Americans who believe there isn't any racism in this country (ex Fox News watchers)

[Romeo]

It's the victimizing of the victim that gets me.
Like they do in rape cases buy bringing up the clothes the victim wore.

Even if he stole $50 worth of cigars, does that constitute 6 bullets?

the cigars have nothing to do with why he was stopped, or his death. Unsure why you think they do.
the first autopsy results are in, all shots to the front. oh , and this... (warning GRAPHIC)
http://www.ijreview.com/2014/08/168698- ... -shooting/

so if he was fighting with the cop, started to run away, then decided to turn and bumrush the cop, does your opinion change?

And no, he was still unarmed you do not just shoot someone who is coming at you without a weapon. You do not just shoot someone who resists arrest.
AND if there were any other circumstances why did it take this Police force 4 days before making a statement? Have something to hide? This police force of 54 has 2 African American cops. And they were only hired in the last few years. In a town that is 67.4% African American.

[LJF]

because the police Chief during their initial news conference made the whole thing about the convenience store shoplifting incident AND handed the video stills out in the packets to reporters.

THEN he comes out a day later saying that the cop didn't know about the shoplifting.
So he first victim blamed and then rescinded it. But you know the victim blaming part is what sticks in the minds of Americans who believe there isn't any racism in this country (ex Fox News watchers)

Are you stereotyping all Fox News watchers?

[Pandemonium]

no, he was still unarmed you do not just shoot someone who is coming at you without a weapon. You do not just shoot someone who resists arrest.[/quote]

Addressing this one point at face value, yes a cop is within his bounds to shoot a charging, violent suspect. The truth of how this incident occurred may never be fully revealed but if it did play out that Brown got into an altetcation with the cop, maybe broke free and started to run away, turned and charged back at the cop when he told Brown to "Freeze!", I think the cop had justifiable fear for his safety and reason to shoot.

One lesson from this is not to jump to conclusions before the facts are all known.

[SR]

because the police Chief during their initial news conference made the whole thing about the convenience store shoplifting incident AND handed the video stills out in the packets to reporters.

THEN he comes out a day later saying that the cop didn't know about the shoplifting.
So he first victim blamed and then rescinded it. But you know the victim blaming part is what sticks in the minds of Americans who believe there isn't any racism in this country (ex Fox News watchers)

Are you stereotyping all Fox News watchers?

I will. you are fucking morons

and despicable fools. you might, next to failures in religion in the mid east, be the worst human beings on the planet. so there

[chaos]

Among the people arrested today, 90 year old Hedy Epstein. The people of Ferguson must feel so safe now.

[chaos]

Some highlights from the President's press conference earlier this afternoon.

“Let me also be clear that our constitutional rights to speak freely, to assemble, and to report in the press must be vigilantly safeguarded. Especially in moments like these. There’s no excuse for excessive force by police or any action that denies people the right to protest peacefully.”

"I think one of the great things about the United States has been our ability to maintain a distinction between our military and domestic law enforcement," said the president. "That helps preserve our civil liberties. That helps ensure that the military is accountable to civilian direction."

"...you can do a better job as a law enforcement official if you have built up credibility and trust."

Well, now that that's settled . . .

(I'll just keep away from twitter and pretend that everything is all cupcakes and kittens.)

[creep]

"I think one of the great things about the United States has been our ability to maintain a distinction between our military and domestic law enforcement,

[LJF]

because the police Chief during their initial news conference made the whole thing about the convenience store shoplifting incident AND handed the video stills out in the packets to reporters.

THEN he comes out a day later saying that the cop didn't know about the shoplifting.
So he first victim blamed and then rescinded it. But you know the victim blaming part is what sticks in the minds of Americans who believe there isn't any racism in this country (ex Fox News watchers)

Are you stereotyping all Fox News watchers?

I will. you are fucking morons

and despicable fools. you might, next to failures in religion in the mid east, be the worst human beings on the planet. so there

If the you was directed at me I don't watch Fox News. Now explain how your stereotyping is ok, but what other people do isn't? Stereotyping is stereotyping no? One can't be allowed if the other isn't. Sorry you just can't have it both ways.

[Essence_Smith]

Among the people arrested today, 90 year old Hedy Epstein. The people of Ferguson must feel so safe now.

I saw an elderly woman get the crap beat out of her at a protest once because she hopped a barricade...she was literally trying to shield herself with a bible. Protests can get out of hand REALLY quickly and all it takes is one guy in the crowd for the police to basically attack the entire crowd. If you can wrap your head around the chaos that can occur you can understand how the police don't tend to individualize the situation all the time and deal with the one or two rowdy people and then in turn the peaceful people get enraged and start to react in different ways as well. I'm not going to condone anything negative, but I've seen it enough times to know when you start to see people you were marching with a moment ago getting their asses beat it can be enough to get you to do something irrational yourself, whether you intended to or not. I've seen one guy throw a bottle and hit a cop at a peaceful protest...next thing you know cops are wailing on everything in sight...

One lesson from this is not to jump to conclusions before the facts are all known.

Easier said then done, especially when many have the stereotype of black people being violent by nature in their heads...

As Romeo pointed out people are bound to take issue with being policed by group of people that clearly aren't from or have no connection to the communities they serve. The other day I was in my old neighborhood in Brooklyn. I saw a arabic, white looking guy who was clearly having some psychological issues having an episode...he was pounding his head and walking around screaming around a group of elderly people. I saw a NYPD squad car and stopped to let an officer know there was an issue...he goes "oh that's Harold...he's alright". I got worried that he wasn't going to do anything because he was very nonchalant. He then got out the car, walked over to the guy and addressing him by name asked him if he was ok...and the guy calmed down a bit and sat talking to the cop. I had to admire that at the very least he was familiar with the people in the area which was NOT the case when I was coming up around there. We had the Abner Louima precinct...google him if you don't know who he is or what happened to him...but a little goes a long way and while some are focused on people's REACTION to a situation, we need to also pay attention to what the prior situation with the police in that area has been. Imo it says something that people are so angry over there...probably this has been a problem in the making for a long time ala the L.A. riots, etc. I won't condemn either side, but people focus on the rioting as if a riot just happens everytime people get mad at the police and decide to tear shit up...it's NEVER that simple...

[Essence_Smith]

If the you was directed at me I don't watch Fox News. Now explain how your stereotyping is ok, but what other people do isn't? Stereotyping is stereotyping no? One can't be allowed if the other isn't. Sorry you just can't have it both ways.

Pretty sure SR was being facetious there...

[Essence_Smith]

If the you was directed at me I don't watch Fox News. Now explain how your stereotyping is ok, but what other people do isn't? Stereotyping is stereotyping no? One can't be allowed if the other isn't. Sorry you just can't have it both ways.

Pretty sure SR was being facetious there...

[Xizen47]

Can anyone explain to me why the looting? How does that help the community that you live in? It shows a complete lack of respect for your community. Protesting I get, but looting never made any sense to me.

Looting= Free Shit,,, The protest sets a perfect enviornment to get away with it. These people don't give a shit about community

[Essence_Smith]

Skip to about the 1:00 mark...he's completely on point about a lot of this situation

And I dig this link:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... shtag.html

[Romeo]

because the police Chief during their initial news conference made the whole thing about the convenience store shoplifting incident AND handed the video stills out in the packets to reporters.

THEN he comes out a day later saying that the cop didn't know about the shoplifting.
So he first victim blamed and then rescinded it. But you know the victim blaming part is what sticks in the minds of Americans who believe there isn't any racism in this country (ex Fox News watchers)

Are you stereotyping all Fox News watchers?

Yes. Yes I am.

Because anyone who can stand listening to that completely Unfair and Unbalanced news channel must 1: not have a thinking brain cell 2: too lazy to actually get all the facts and takes what those "talking heads" say as verbatim.

[Romeo]

because the police Chief during their initial news conference made the whole thing about the convenience store shoplifting incident AND handed the video stills out in the packets to reporters.

THEN he comes out a day later saying that the cop didn't know about the shoplifting.
So he first victim blamed and then rescinded it. But you know the victim blaming part is what sticks in the minds of Americans who believe there isn't any racism in this country (ex Fox News watchers)

Are you stereotyping all Fox News watchers?

I will. you are fucking morons

and despicable fools. you might, next to failures in religion in the mid east, be the worst human beings on the planet. so there

If the you was directed at me I don't watch Fox News. Now explain how your stereotyping is ok, but what other people do isn't? Stereotyping is stereotyping no? One can't be allowed if the other isn't. Sorry you just can't have it both ways.

there have been polls to prove Fox viewers are less informed
http://www.forbes.com/sites/kenrapoza/2 ... -suggests/

http://www.businessinsider.com/study-wa ... all-2012-5

[LJF]

because the police Chief during their initial news conference made the whole thing about the convenience store shoplifting incident AND handed the video stills out in the packets to reporters.

THEN he comes out a day later saying that the cop didn't know about the shoplifting.
So he first victim blamed and then rescinded it. But you know the victim blaming part is what sticks in the minds of Americans who believe there isn't any racism in this country (ex Fox News watchers)

Are you stereotyping all Fox News watchers?

I will. you are fucking morons

and despicable fools. you might, next to failures in religion in the mid east, be the worst human beings on the planet. so there

If the you was directed at me I don't watch Fox News. Now explain how your stereotyping is ok, but what other people do isn't? Stereotyping is stereotyping no? One can't be allowed if the other isn't. Sorry you just can't have it both ways.

there have been polls to prove Fox viewers are less informed
http://www.forbes.com/sites/kenrapoza/2 ... -suggests/

http://www.businessinsider.com/study-wa ... all-2012-5

A survey of 600 people in NJ doesn't sound very fair and balanced to me. See what I did there. I'd like a bigger sample of people. I imagine if you asked them about conservative topics they would know the answers.

Again people on here complain about stereotyping but turn around and do it to others. You can't have it both ways, you are either against stereotyping or you aren't, which are you?

I never said they were the most informed.

[wally]

too lazy to actually get all the facts .

so similar to blaming a cop for killing a kid before all the facts come out, it's laughable.
http://www.inquisitr.com/1421156/fergus ... ael-brown/

[chaos]

I have to say this was hysterical to watch live. Errol Barnett was a pro and remained composed. I can only imagine what was going through his mind.

[SR]

FOX "News" viewers.....

1. 2% rent seekers who just want to sleep ok after a day (and want to fuck the chick they hired a month ago....or dude)
2. 45% uneducated military who still believe their grandfathers account of the war means all wars are the same for MEIRICA. (likely true....it was the best last good fight in my lifetime)
3. 53% Global warming deniers who stand in the way of our ability to come close to fixing this shit......it's too far gone.....god wants it this way.

And more, much more

[SR]

because the police Chief during their initial news conference made the whole thing about the convenience store shoplifting incident AND handed the video stills out in the packets to reporters.

THEN he comes out a day later saying that the cop didn't know about the shoplifting.
So he first victim blamed and then rescinded it. But you know the victim blaming part is what sticks in the minds of Americans who believe there isn't any racism in this country (ex Fox News watchers)

Are you stereotyping all Fox News watchers?

I will. you are fucking morons

and despicable fools. you might, next to failures in religion in the mid east, be the worst human beings on the planet. so there

If the you was directed at me I don't watch Fox News. Now explain how your stereotyping is ok, but what other people do isn't? Stereotyping is stereotyping no? One can't be allowed if the other isn't. Sorry you just can't have it both ways.

And YES I stereotype. So do you. As does everyone. It keeps us alive. We look at situations and evaluate them;.......we live based on it. Don't confuse me with PC bullshit. And don't confuse me with your FOX news insanity.

How int the world does this mean there can be no equality? Why am I even doing this with you