Unrest in Ferguson, MO after cop kills unarmed 18 year old

[Just Kevin]

​

What touched off the outcry near St. Louis?

Michael Brown, an unarmed black 18-year-old who was about to begin college, was shot multiple times and killed Saturday afternoon in a confrontation with a police officer in Ferguson, Mo., a St. Louis suburb.

What do police say happened?

According to St. Louis County’s police chief: Brown was walking with a friend in the middle of the street when a Ferguson police officer tried to exit his vehicle. Brown pushed the officer back into the police car, then entered the car, and a struggle ensued over the officer’s weapon. A shot was fired inside the car. The officer and Brown then exited the vehicle, and the fatal shooting occurred.

What do witnesses say happened?

Dorin Johnson, a friend of Brown’s, told Fox 2 that he and Brown were walking in the street when the police car pulled up. The officer said to "get the eff onto the sidewalk," he recounted. Johnson said the officer reached out of the car window and grabbed Brown around the neck.

Another witness, Piaget Crenshaw, said she saw police chase Brown. “He ran for his life,” she said. “They shot him and he fell. He put his arms up to let them know that he was compliant and he was unarmed, and they shot him twice more and he fell to the ground and died."

http://www.latimes.com/nation/natio...erguson-missouri-shooting-20140811-story.html

​

 

[Aids Johnson]

Looks like 2 pigs are getting some paid time off for the next few months.

 

[Aids Johnson]

a few of the links i went to are calling it a hoax.

 

[Just Kevin]

The whole city is on lockdown.. they've thrown all the media out and are have police cars blocking all entrances and exits.

The videos I've watched look like the Watts riots with police in riot gear walking in a shield wall straight down the street telling people to move out of the way or be shot. Crazy stuff.

I don't see their reasoning for not allowing press into the city at all considering the US has freedom of press laws in place... sounds iffy to me.

Some people could call it a test for things to come if martial law were to be declared.

 

[Swift]

Some people could call it a test for things to come if martial law were to be declared.

The end is near

 

[Vice]

This is fucking sickening. Regardless of what occurred, (and it seems that the officers were the aggressors to begin with) the point is that he was unarmed. It is a point that police officers are supposed to refrain from lethal force unless they feel that their life or someone else's is in danger. Clearly this was not the case. Honestly I believe the officer's report is bullshit.
There's no reason for a young man headed to college to initiate a struggle with a police officer with seemingly no provocation. Just another trigger-happy son of a bitch that likely won't get a day in jail.
Seems like I'd be risking my life to walk the city streets these days.

 

[The GOAT]

I'm not willing to believe either side yet. This could have just been the case of an aggressive, tripper-happy cop just itching to use deadly force on someone, or it could have gone down just as he said. It's not like certain people don't resent authority on some level or don't have an ax to grind with the police. A lot of people feel so oppressed by authority that they'll jump at almost any opportunity to condemn a police officer if they even slightly sense that they did something questionable or unlawful. Also, the fact that the guy seemed to have a bright future in front of him doesn't mean that he wouldn't display some type of erratic behavior. People are strange.

That being said, it's probably more likely that the cop is lying. It's not like there isn't already a long, storied history of the police abusing their authority.

 

[Red Rain]

Kind of tiring when the media makes a huge deal about demographics, isn't it?
"OMG a black was shot!!!" "OMG a woman was killed!!!" It gives the impression blacks or women are more valuable than any other human life.
I suppose had it been a white man nobody would give a f***. It would be just another day, huh?
I understand racism and all the other jazz. Equality is unachievable, but ignorance is even stronger. It's rampant actually.

Blacks pi**ing and moaning about this is beyond old and the same definitely goes for females.
Ultimately, we're all imperfect and neither of us are all that f***ing great.

 

[Vice]

Kind of tiring when the media makes a huge deal about demographics, isn't it?
"OMG a black was shot!!!" "OMG a woman was killed!!!" It gives the impression blacks or women are more valuable than any other human life.
I suppose had it been a white man nobody would give a f***. It would be just another day, huh?
I understand racism and all the other jazz. Equality is unachievable, but ignorance is even stronger. It's rampant actually.

Blacks pi**ing and moaning about this is beyond old and the same definitely goes for females.
Ultimately, we're all imperfect and neither of us are all that f***ing great.

The fact that hearing about any innocent person getting killed by the exact people that should be protecting them should make the country's metaphorical stomach churn. There's a central issue in this whole conflict, along with thousands of other situations similar to this. Regardless of race, we've been so numbed to violence that anyone not close to the event will brush it off and even discourage those who actually give two shits. I'll admit that in our racially sensitive society that a case like this will take over the news, because it generates ratings. However, I'm completely sure that if this was your brother, or your son, or your best friend, your attitude would be much different.
It's ignorant to refer to the mourning of another young man, seemingly on his way to a bright and productive future, "Pissing and Moaning." Everyone's life is valuable, as you stated earlier, so don't downplay the situation like an unarmed man who was living his own life, and building towards a future, didn't just get murdered.

 

[Red Rain]

Okay, buddy let's slow this a bit. I detach myself from each and every point I make. The fact he was building toward a future is irrelevant to me.
We are coming from different angles and, sadly, I can't lie and pretend this hits me the same as yourself
My argument is that a white person in this same exact situation wouldn't get near the amount of coverage. The media will film outraged blacks as if something catastrophic has taken place.
If THAT is catastrophic, then it should be catastrophic for all races

 

[Vice]

Okay, buddy let's slow this a bit. I detach myself from each and every point I make. The fact he was building toward a future is irrelevant to me.
We are coming from different angles and, sadly, I can't lie and pretend this hits me the same as yourself
My argument is that a white person in this same exact situation wouldn't get near the amount of coverage. The media will film outraged blacks as if something catastrophic has taken place.
If THAT is catastrophic, then it should be catastrophic for all races and all genders. Inequality will never exist but this was the main theme of my argument.

Again, if you observe this matter, it's clearly about a black man being killed. This is what will be hammered home. This was the thesis of my argument.

I feel you, unfortunately that can't be helped these days. In today's politically correct, "I'm not a racist" culture, where everyone has to watch what they say, or else be persecuted by those who absolutely MUST have the "perfect little world", stories like this that emphasize on minorities being portrayed as oppressed always get the most screen time. It is simply what brings ratings, and if I had it my way, race wouldn't matter in situations like this.
The headlines shouldn't read "Black Man Killed", race is irrelevant to me, it should be that way period. But in no newspapers will you find the headlines simply say, "Unarmed Man Killed". A pity, really.
But of course, this is a complex situation. Opinions are bound to differ, because as you said, everyone sees the story from different angles, and it affects people differently.

 

[Red Rain]

I agree completely. Strong take.
I'm part native-american, but the Washington Redskins situation is just silly. People take their own race far too seriously. 'OMG, don't call them the Redskins that name. It's offensive to my people.' Gimme a break.
Every person should be treated and viewed fairly according to the content of their character. Those backward nutjob native americans are just as racist as the people who tagged the franchise.
If it were my choice, the headline would remain as is only because of the buzz it would create. I suppose that would make me a hypocrite, but it isn't as if I'd ever get a job as a parasite anyway

 

[Just Kevin]

Is this Iraq or America? Militarized police should not exist.

 

[Just Kevin]

There are so many rights violations stories coming out of this mess it's absolutely crazy. 2 reporters, 1 for the Washington Post, the other for Huffington Post were in a McDonald's eating lunch.. taking a break from reporting the happenings.. a SWAT team comes in (bursts into) the McDonald's and tells everybody they are ordered to leave immediately.. the reporters immediately pull out their phones and begin recording while leaving.. the police tell them they are not allowed to record them (wrong, they are public servants and open to recording by anyone while doing their job) and they slam them both onto the ground and arrest them without stating the reason they are being arrested.. take them to the police station and release them 30 minutes later with no explanation or apology of any kind.

There will be a lot of lawsuits coming out of this... many news outlets are talking about suing for not allowing them to cover the events taking place. America has freedom of press.. they should be allowed to film and interview people as they please.. instead they are being escorted outside of county lines or not allowed in at all. News helicopters are being warned to remain away from the area or be shot down. Like it's a war zone or something.

3 witnesses who were there when Mike Brown was killed, people who saw everything that happened, have contacted police to be interviewed or to make statements. The police have flat out refused to hear any side of the story other than the officer's. Luckily, reporters who live in the area have interviewed him and his story is coming out.

Don't be surprised if the next step is a complete internet blackout of the area because too much of the truth is escaping.

I'm sickened by all of this.

 

[Stopspot]

[HASHTAG]#USA[/HASHTAG] [HASHTAG]#USA[/HASHTAG]

In all seriousness. This is disgusting. That public servants can behave like this is appalling. Revoke their badges on the lot of them, from the beat cop to the chief of police.