Michael Brown

[Hype]

I almost wrote 'Iced Tea', but I realized what I wrote was lame enough.

[SR]

Grand Jury decision later today. Brace yrselves.

[Hokahey]

Grand Jury decision later today. Brace yrselves.

Not to call you out, but some considerations from someone that lives nearby (me!):

1. White folks seem more concerned than anyone about the need to "brace." This would appear at worst to be rooted in the assumption that black people can't control themselves and are going to just destroy their town, and at best rooted in ignorance about what really happened here back in August. Regarding the latter, 99% of what occurred was on one small strip of street in Ferguson. The media of course portrayed it as city wide riots. "The blacks have gone nuts!" the headlines could have read.

2. The police and protest leaders have met several times to map out rules for both sides for future protests. These were witnessed last night when the police allowed protestors to shut down a part of a major roadway without provoking them. Everything ended peacefully.

3. The people that did riot in August were almost solely from outside of Ferguson, many from out of state. The outside agitators are the ones causing the worst of the problems, and both protestors and police are looking to ensure they stand out more this time to be dealth with more swiftly.

Point being, I'll be surprised if things get too bad.

[Essence_Smith]

We should all know by now how this is going to turn out...that cop will not be held responsible for anything...

[SR]

Grand Jury decision later today. Brace yrselves.

Not to call you out, but some considerations from someone that lives nearby (me!):

1. White folks seem more concerned than anyone about the need to "brace." This would appear at worst to be rooted in the assumption that black people can't control themselves and are going to just destroy their town, and at best rooted in ignorance about what really happened here back in August. Regarding the latter, 99% of what occurred was on one small strip of street in Ferguson. The media of course portrayed it as city wide riots. "The blacks have gone nuts!" the headlines could have read.

2. The police and protest leaders have met several times to map out rules for both sides for future protests. These were witnessed last night when the police allowed protestors to shut down a part of a major roadway without provoking them. Everything ended peacefully.

3. The people that did riot in August were almost solely from outside of Ferguson, many from out of state. The outside agitators are the ones causing the worst of the problems, and both protestors and police are looking to ensure they stand out more this time to be dealth with more swiftly.

Point being, I'll be surprised if things get too bad.

I hope yr right, but your assumption that race drives what I think is, well, racist and pious. But you are spot on; I meant to say anyone who isn't black should "brace" themselves.

[Hokahey]

Grand Jury decision later today. Brace yrselves.

Not to call you out, but some considerations from someone that lives nearby (me!):

1. White folks seem more concerned than anyone about the need to "brace." This would appear at worst to be rooted in the assumption that black people can't control themselves and are going to just destroy their town, and at best rooted in ignorance about what really happened here back in August. Regarding the latter, 99% of what occurred was on one small strip of street in Ferguson. The media of course portrayed it as city wide riots. "The blacks have gone nuts!" the headlines could have read.

2. The police and protest leaders have met several times to map out rules for both sides for future protests. These were witnessed last night when the police allowed protestors to shut down a part of a major roadway without provoking them. Everything ended peacefully.

3. The people that did riot in August were almost solely from outside of Ferguson, many from out of state. The outside agitators are the ones causing the worst of the problems, and both protestors and police are looking to ensure they stand out more this time to be dealth with more swiftly.

Point being, I'll be surprised if things get too bad.

I hope yr right, but your assumption that race drives what I think is, well, racist and pious. But you are spot on; I meant to say anyone who isn't black should "brace" themselves.

Then why are we assuming that things are going to get so ugly we need to brace ourselves? Based on what? Media sensationalism or the assumption that blacks can't protest peacefully? Because I'm not seeing any other option.

[SR]

Because when injustices are serviced by a predominantly white GJ/society especially where lethal force is used against un armed teens, people riot. I can't believe I had to write that.

[SR]

Wouldn't it be unwise to assume there will be no unrest?

[Essence_Smith]

Hope for the best prepare for the worst...problem is I know from experience when cops show up in riot gear, people who had no intention of acting violently can end up feeling threatened and it can get ugly...

[SR]

Hope for the best prepare for the worst...problem is I know from experience when cops show up in riot gear, people who had no intention of acting violently can end up feeling threatened and it can get ugly...

I never once said or thought otherwise. I think this case is big, at a point in time where the country is reverting to some Crow style sensibilities. I don't think Ferguson alone will have a problem here......again, I hope I am wrong.

[SR]

but I don't think so

[Hokahey]

Wouldn't it be unwise to assume there will be no unrest?

Of course. But I always plan for worst case scenarios in life.

Because when injustices are serviced by a predominantly white GJ/society especially where lethal force is used against un armed teens, people riot. I can't believe I had to write that.

There was very little of that here the first time. The biggest issue, beyond the burning down of the gas station, was looting by people from outside the area who showed up to take advantage (as proven by the arrest records).

The assumption that after the verdict is announced people will just start burning things down seems inappropriate to me. These are my friends and family. I got married on Florrisant avenue, the same stretch of road where the riots were held. The man that owns the hall is a family friend.

Beware the outsiders, sure. But the base notion of "it's about to go down" seems based in the assumption that Ferguson is full of people that can't control their anger and reactions.

I could very well be proven wrong in approximately 2 hours, but I hold the people from the area I know in higher esteem than to expect them to immediately resort to violence.

[SR]

I hope you're right.

[Hokahey]

Hope for the best prepare for the worst...problem is I know from experience when cops show up in riot gear, people who had no intention of acting violently can end up feeling threatened and it can get ugly...

This is an excellent point. However - the recent protests, ones of the same nature that resulted in issues prior, went off peacefully over the past few days because of the lessons law enforcement learned and willingness to meet with the protest leaders. I wouldn't expect the same response from the police tonight as you saw initially in August.

We're not a city of barbarians. The cops aren't all lunatic racists. There is much, much good here. And I expect that will prevail in the end.

There will almost undoubtedly be some people that do some stupid things, but I expect them to be isolated incidents.

[Pandemonium]

No indictment.

[Hype]

Is an indictment of justice system.

[SR]

Beautiful restraint shown. MLk like.

God I hate being American

[Hype]

[SR]

[Essence_Smith]

Unfortunately history repeats itself once again...I gotta say it's some hurtful stuff to have to explain to your child...

I'm never going to condone violence but in these situations where there WILL be anger I hope people can find and meaningful and productive way to make their feelings known...

[Hype]

Yeah like shooting a cop.

[Artemis]

In case anybody likes to listen to the cop radio..


http://www.broadcastify.com/listen/feed/17925/web

[creep]

can someone explain to me why they made the announcement at night? makes no sense. i guess the ratings will be better to announce in prime time.

announce it at 6am.

[Artemis]

yes, and where is the national guard? so many places on fire and looting..

i've been watching this livestream in ferguson


http://www.ustream.tv/channel/heatherdemian

[kv]

can someone explain to me why they made the announcement at night? makes no sense. i guess the ratings will be better to announce in prime time.

announce it at 6am.

i was thinking about this all day and have come to the conclusion it was tactical....they wanted all the people in the streets all day ...being cold tired by the time they read the verdict then hit them with water to disperse them which really looked to have worked great large scale....sure there will be stuff all night off and on but the large crowd was dealt with pretty easily


i think a lot of shooting like this will go away in the future..police need another tool to subdue people quickly...i understand in some of these cases it wouldn't be smart to use a stun gun when they think someone has a gun...but i bet the military has some tools the police will use inside of a decade...until then you can't struggle with a cop..or play with fake guns without putting oneself at risk...as far as the fake guns deal we really should ban the selling of all toy guns and control sales of airsoft/bb products...it's all taking away freedoms one at a time but it makes sense at the same time....too many kids getting killed over stuff they should never have been messing with...(the cleveland shooting comes to mind...i know this kid wasn't armed)

also a lot of facts are coming out today about the case...it seems like this guy should have been shot just not finished off...police aren't trained to shoot and maim it's shoot and kill...that's the training that protects them the most...it's not a perfect system but the police are the ones in charge to protect us...they put their lives on the line...people seem quick to make it a white black thing when it's a scared dude fighting a criminal...he clearly let his training and emotions take over dumping that many rounds into the kid which sucks for everyone involved