Officer kills unarmed, black teen; St. Louis riots

[JohnJohnson]

I already explained how this works, and I'm sure everyone here is familiar with emotions and the concept of mob mentality. Stop trying to look for rationale and just accept it. Folks routinely fuck their town up after a local team wins a championship. Emotions. Mob mentality. That's it. That's all. This is neither the first or last riot, and it won't make any more sense next time.

This is exactly it. When riots break out, it's not as if a group of people gathered together to discuss the most effective solutions to their situation. When someone gets pissed over something and punches a wall, they aren't thinking to themselves that a broken hand will mend their problems. It's just a reaction. It's really that simple. These people aren't thinking, they are just reacting and venting pure emotion.

 

[The Butcher]

A couple nights of that mess is somewhat understandable to me, but now it's just looters and hoodlums taking advantage. Props to the peaceful protesters who blocked storefronts before they could be ransacked. Good that the cops came clean about who shot the young man as well, but the town being a scene out of the next Purge sequel can't be making things easy on investigators.

 

[Thriller Ant]

You have to remember, a big part of the reason they didn't release the officer's name was the rioting. They feared for him and his family's safety if his name were to come out.

 

[HEEL Blazy]

So what about the new video showing exactly what he did before hand and exactly what happened? Not so innocent now is he?

 

[Nate DaMac]

You don't get the death penalty for robbery. Besides, the officer had no idea the dude was involved in a robbery.

 

[The Butcher]

Don't let facts get in the way, Nate.

I admit to having a hearty, if somewhat morbid, laugh after watching Aaron Rodgers and co. cut through the Rams defense like a hot knife through butter and then reading that the Governor of Missouri declared a state of emergency.

 

[jmt225]

You don't get the death penalty for robbery. Besides, the officer had no idea the dude was involved in a robbery.

Yeah but it gives merit to the cop's story that the kid could have attacked him. Before this, from the witnesses accounts, Mike Brown was painted as an innocent little angel, which led most to believe that this was a true execution and not a cop reacting in self defense. Now, after seeing the robbery video, we know the kid for sure has a violent history and he actually could have attacked the cop and gone after his gun, which in turn of course justifies the cop shooting him.

Right now it's still 'cops word vs. witnesses word' and we don't know the real story. But the robbery shows that it's possible the cop was telling the truth about Mike attacking him.

 

[Spidey Revivey]

The Aurora Theater shooter had guns, bombs, and tear gas. He killed 12 people... but was taken alive and charged.

There's no reason to kill a thief. Cops are trained to subdue perps with their bare hands. And there's also tasers for that kinda thing. The officer should have known better than to go with the extreme alternative.

And people have rioted over fucking Disco.

 

[Nate DaMac]

I don't buy that. Punching someone and stealing a box of Swishers is a far cry from attacking a cop and going for his gun.

 

[JGlass]

Yeah but it gives merit to the cop's story that the kid could have attacked him. Before this, from the witnesses accounts, Mike Brown was painted as an innocent little angel,

No, he was painted as a victim. This is America, the only angels in our media are little white girls and celebrities that we all agree are nice, like Jennifer Lawrence.

which led most to believe that this was a true execution and not a cop reacting in self defense. Now, after seeing the robbery video, we know the kid for sure has a violent history

Since when does mugging one person equate to a violent history?

and he actually could have attacked the cop and gone after his gun, which in turn of course justifies the cop shooting him.

Right now there are, I believe, three eyewitness accounts suggesting otherwise. The only person telling the attacked cop story is the accused cop. I know we as a society give a certain amount of credibility to police to do their job, but we need to remember that they're not superheroes or pillars of morality: they are human beings. And when shit doesn't add up, which it certainly doesn't in Ferguson from all accounts, we need to start questioning the police.

Right now it's still 'cops word vs. witnesses word' and we don't know the real story. But the robbery shows that it's possible the cop was telling the truth about Mike attacking him.

It was always possible that the cop was telling the truth. The only thing the robbery shows is that Michael Brown committed a crime earlier that day. Physically forcing someone to give you a pack of cigars is a lot different from attacking an armed cop.

I fucking hate this mentality: If someone is willing to commit one crime, why wouldn't they commit any crime?

Because people, especially people who grow up in this type of element, know the consequences for the various trouble they may face. A black kid growing up in an impoverished area knows that if you fuck with the police, there's a good chance you're going to wind up dead or locked up for a long ass time.

 

[jmt225]

To me, it seems like people in general are more quicker to believe that this cop shot someone surrendering in the back 10 times, simply because he was black.

I'm not saying that it's impossible that that could ever happen, but for anyone to believe that right off the bat says they have the lowest form of opinion for police officers (I'm not their biggest fans either, but Jesus). How I see people talk about cops, they think they're shoot first animals with zero compassion for citizens, specifically black citizens. That's just as bad as racist whites who are quick to think the same of a black person just because he dresses or acts a certain way.

There are two sides of the story right now... we don't know the truth. That's all I'm saying. We shouldn't be quick to judge either side.

If the cop did shoot a surrendering man in the back execution style, then he deserves the death penalty. I HATE how police go out of their way to protect their own, don't get me wrong. Murder is murder. Criminal activity is criminal activity. If a cop commits a crime, then he or she shouldn't be given special treatment.

That said, I'm not about to think the worst of a situation simply because it involves a cop. There are two sides to this story, and we just have to hope that the truth comes out. Until then, I just wish people didn't act like jackasses by jumping to conclusions, which is what both sides have been doing all week.

 

[JGlass]

To me, it seems like people in general are more quicker to believe that this cop shot someone surrendering in the back 10 times, simply because he was black.

I think you're projecting, or maybe just making an unfair assumption. I don't think people are upset because he's black, they're upset because the whole situation smells fishy, and the police's response hasn't exactly been one of transparency; it's been one of, "If you don't believe what we're telling you we're gonna kick your ass!"

I'm not saying that it's impossible that that could ever happen, but for anyone to believe that right off the bat says they have the lowest form of opinion for police officers (I'm not their biggest fans either, but Jesus). How I see people talk about cops, they think they're shoot first animals with zero compassion for citizens, specifically black citizens. That's just as bad as racist whites who are quick to think the same of a black person just because he dresses or acts a certain way.

Not really, but I understand you're trying to make a point.

There are two sides of the story right now... we don't know the truth. That's all I'm saying. We shouldn't be quick to judge either side.

I agree to a point, but what's wrong with using the evidence we have provided to us now to formulate an opinion? As it stands, we know Michael Brown was part of a robbery earlier on the day he was shot, he was stopped by a police officer for jaywalking, the officer shot at least one round from his squad car, Michael Brown was found 35 feet from the squad car, and eyewitness accounts say that Michael Brown was surrendering.

If I'm on the jury deciding whether this was murder or self-defense, I know which way I'm voting.

Of course, there is probably more to the story that hasn't come out yet, but as it stands, I feel comfortable in my opinion saying it looks like this officer murdered this kid.

That said, I'm not about to think the worst of a situation simply because it involves a cop. There are two sides to this story, and we just have to hope that the truth comes out. Until then, I just wish people didn't act like jackasses by jumping to conclusions, which is what both sides have been doing all week.

I suppose you're right, but I think it's okay to have a strong opinion on the Ferguson situation as long as it's presented tactfully.

On a separate but related note, I feel like it's worth mentioning that the police response to the protests has been awful. Yes, there was looting and rioting that demanded a heavy police response, but the police have also arrested reporters from the Washington Post and Huffington Post and they teargassed and shot beanbags at reporters from Al Jazeera. The militarization of the police force in Ferguson is, quite frankly, terrifying, and they are impeding on first amendment rights with seemingly no regard.

 

[HBK-aholic]

I fucking hate this mentality: If someone is willing to commit one crime, why wouldn't they commit any crime?

Except it isn't too large of a jump to go from one violent crime to another. If someone does one of those things, they clearly do not respect the law, and their morality is questionable at best. That's not to say a person who has committed a robbery is automatically guilty of murder, but it's not as if they respect the law or other people for it to be a shock if they do.

 

[JGlass]

Except it isn't too large of a jump to go from one violent crime to another. If someone does one of those things, they clearly do not respect the law, and their morality is questionable at best. That's not to say a person who has committed a robbery is automatically guilty of murder, but it's not as if they respect the law or other people for it to be a shock if they do.

Show me the study that says that committing a non-lethal crime makes you more likely to commit murder or manslaughter, and then we can talk.

 

[Alastor]

Show me the study that says that committing a non-lethal crime makes you more likely to commit murder or manslaughter, and then we can talk.

I think in this case the escalation is from robbery to resisting arrest? Not really a stretch of the imagination there right?

 

[The Butcher]

All of this bullshit is exactly why the police released that footage alongside the name of the guilty officer. Brown didn't deserve to die, bottom line. Thank all that's good and holy that no one here holds a position of real authority.

 

[Shocky]

All of this bullshit is exactly why the police released that footage alongside the name of the guilty officer. Brown didn't deserve to die, bottom line. Thank all that's good and holy that no one here holds a position of real authority.

Unless the cops version of the story turns out to be legit. Assaulting an officer and going for his weapon is going to get anybody shot. Everyone just needs to let the investigation play out.

 

[JGlass]

I think in this case the escalation is from robbery to resisting arrest? Not really a stretch of the imagination there right?

Nobody is arguing that he didn't resist arrest, all the eyewitness account suggest he was resisting arrest one way or another. What I'm saying is that it seems unlikely that he was dumb enough to try to grab a cops gun.

 

[Alastor]

Nobody is arguing that he didn't resist arrest, all the eyewitness account suggest he was resisting arrest one way or another. What I'm saying is that it seems unlikely that he was dumb enough to try to grab a cops gun.

Teenagers do dumb stuff all the time. And both sides are painting the other side as in the wrong. If he was really shot in the back then the cop is definitely in the wrong and deserve to be punished. Maybe the cop just feared for his life and overreacted.

From what I understand the police in the area has been extra aggressive for a long time. Hence the tension between the black community and the police. I just don't get why the constant police hatre by the general black population not living in the area. It is like they just need an excuse to project their hate on the police.

 

[The Butcher]

From what I understand the police in the area has been extra aggressive for a long time. Hence the tension between the black community and the police. I just don't get why the constant police hatre by the general black population not living in the area. It is like they just need an excuse to project their hate on the police.

Al, buddy, I've noticed that all of your posts on race issues seem to be... skewed. Remind me that you're not an American so I can forgive you.

Everyone just needs to let the investigation play out.

Agreed.

 

[Alastor]

Al, buddy, I've noticed that all of your posts on race issues seem to be... skewed. Remind me that you're not an American so I can forgive you.

I'm not American. I just don't like the race card being played all the time for incidents involving black and police all the time in American news. I'm more pro-police but when the community don't want to work with the police their hands are really tied anyway.

 

[JGlass]

Teenagers do dumb stuff all the time. And both sides are painting the other side as in the wrong. If he was really shot in the back then the cop is definitely in the wrong and deserve to be punished. Maybe the cop just feared for his life and overreacted.

Yeah, like binge drink and smoke weed, not try to take a cops gun. Do you really not see the difference?

From what I understand the police in the area has been extra aggressive for a long time. Hence the tension between the black community and the police. I just don't get why the constant police hatre by the general black population not living in the area. It is like they just need an excuse to project their hate on the police.

I feel like you're characterizing a culture you don't really understand.

 

[smizzy]

Update: Missouri Governor, Jay Nixon, approves the Missouri National Guard to head into Ferguson after another night of looting and rallying that resulted in more tear gas being deployed by police.

 

[Alastor]

Yeah, like binge drink and smoke weed, not try to take a cops gun. Do you really not see the difference?

And most don't try to rob a convenience store to celebrate going to college. I'm not saying he did try to get the gun. I'm saying it isn't a stretch to have an opinion that he tried to do so given his action on the day of the incident.

I feel like you're characterizing a culture you don't really understand.

And I feel you are trying too hard to pass judgement on this one cop and defend the dead kid. Have you seen the pathetic arguments by those trying to make this a racial angle? Like focsuing on damaged property from the riots over the dead black kid is somehow a reflection of racism. Or like you glossing over the fact that the kid just committed a crime of a violent nature as if robbery is OK just because it isn't as bad as murder.

 

[smizzy]

Two people were shot tonight during a clash between protesters and police. The police had been hit with rocks and glass bottles.

Also, all of the early arrests of protesters were of people from the area. Today, people from as far as New York and California have been arrested.