MO - Grief & protests follow shooting of teen Michael Brown #15

[Muffet]

BBM. I have wondered the same thing.

For me, your thoughts regarding the segregation of children; are really good. They are certainly a better solution than what we have in place now. My sister in law is a librarian in the public school system. Most of the things she has shared with me about her job and the way "the system" works (or rather does not work), are unbelievable, scary and very negative.

My child is all grown up now; but I would have loved to see your proposed plan in action when she was attending school. In the end; we decided to enroll her in a private Catholic school from pre-K until the end of middle school. After middle school, we left the decision up to her as to where to attend HS. She selected the public HS.

Your thoughts and ideas may be oversimplified; as I've stated above they are a good steps in the right direction. Something needs to be done.

Some of the focus has been on how to "fix" Ferguson. The proposed school integration plan for Ferguson is absurd. It's not going to work. What are they thinking?

Education at home is paramount and so very, very important. I believe that there are some/many? that do not follow nor believe in my opinion (highlighted in Ferguson for instance.)

One of these days I hope to learn how to compose a post that does not sound like I'm preaching or judgmental. It's a knack/gift that I lack.

I think it's a very thoughtful post! :thumbup:

ITA, and thank you, Wysteria.

 

[Phoebeb]

The investigative journalist who has gone to court to get MB's juvie records unsealed has an exclusive up on his website tonight "What We Found On #MichaelBrown’s Instagram Account" ( I don't think that I can link to the site since it is not considered MSM but I am sure most on here will know how to find it).

I believe that this is new information on MB and it paints a picture in stark contrast to the "gentle giant" image pushed by the family of MB and the msm.

For example MB writes “My Hands My Ammunition” and “I’m Out Here To Claim What’s Mines,” and..."long story short #IDGAF" For those trying to figure out the hashtag the first three letters stand for " I don't give...."

His Instagram accounts shows him flashing gang signs. Overall the impression is that of a violent .

Sounds like typical rap lyrics... And so many young kids flash the gang signs and middle finger in their pics. I really think it's a cultural thing. Rappers act like they're thugs- I know, it's jarring to see and hear, but it's how a lot of kids like to act: full gangsta! All moo, of course, as I duck

 

[Muffet]

The investigative journalist who has gone to court to get MB's juvie records unsealed has an exclusive up on his website tonight "What We Found On #MichaelBrown’s Instagram Account" ( I don't think that I can link to the site since it is not considered MSM but I am sure most on here will know how to find it). - snipped for space -

I'm still deep in the court docs, but your post caught my eye so I looked at his site.

I know this won't be popular, lol, and I don't disagree that some of what he's been blogging is worthy, but I think the author has a habit of handing his opponents easy straw men to knock down and red herrings that distract from the known and most relevant facts. JMO

IDK, I just think "OMG Bombshell! Fzzzz" syndrome comes at a cost. KWIM?

I do think MB's saying that "my fists are my weapons" is chilling, and his lyrics have always been.

As for the gang and gun signs, I've seen too many straight-laced people, including other soccer moms, throw them in pics on FB rolleyes to consider them meaningful in and of themselves.

If there is real evidence that MB was in a gang or doing drugs that would increase his propensity for walking towards a firing officer, I'd consider it valuable insight, but neither would be necessary for me to believe he did it.

This blogger is laying it on so thick, he's setting it up so that the real truth could easily look good in comparison.

JMO, I'm sure many disagree.

 

[Muffet]

Sounds like typical rap lyrics... And so many young kids flash the gang signs and middle finger in their pics. I really think it's a cultural thing. Rappers act like they're thugs- I know, it's jarring to see and hear, but it's how a lot of kids like to act: full gangsta! All moo, of course, as I duck

Whew! Thank you, Phoebe. I hate being a wet blanket. :lol:

I do get goosebumps reading some of his rap lyrics and statements, but only in light of the circumstances. (I still shudder over his statement about how everyone would know his name. I don't think this is what he had in mind, though.)

 

[Suthrnqt]

Sounds like typical rap lyrics... And so many young kids flash the gang signs and middle finger in their pics. I really think it's a cultural thing. Rappers act like they're thugs- I know, it's jarring to see and hear, but it's how a lot of kids like to act: full gangsta! All moo, of course, as I duck

Yeah, I agree. I live in the buckle of the Bible belt, so to speak, and some of the local kids do the 'gangsta thang'. They have no first hand knowledge of gangs or life, imo.

 

[SStarr33]

Yeah, I agree. I live in the buckle of the Bible belt, so to speak, and some of the local kids do the 'gangsta thang'. They have no first hand knowledge of gangs or life, imo.

Did they assault a store clerk and a police officer?

 

[dandy]

What strikes me most about this story about mismanagement in FPD is that it is one of only two I have seen, and it goes back 5 years, long before the current chief was brought in from St Louis to fix issues in the FPD.

It is very possible that I have missed others, but if there were a systemic problem there, it seems I'd have seen more than just these two given as proof every time I've seen the subject come up.

The other claim definitely concerns me, if it pans out, since it was specific and apparently from last year. It was something about the ratio of stops and searches between AAs vs Whites, even though the whites were more often found to have illegal items. Details, like what areas, and any explanations would be interesting.

re your last paragraph - love her or hate her: ann coulter's latest column deals with this specific topic: Speed Kills Racial Profiling Study

and re crump - he knows full well when & how to phrase his thoughts as he has an entirely different demeanor/choice of words when being interviewed with meghan kelly

imo

 

[ScarlettScarpetta]

I am so glad there is a federal investigation going on here. I think with everything that we have seen and what has been reported someone needs to look hard at this police dept. And for the love of all that is Holy someone find them a crisis management team to keep them from messing things up after the fact as bad as they did here.

I still am not sure what happened that day but I see way more possibilities than what has been laid out for us by either side.

 

[bettybaby00]

Wanted to respond to the BBM part of this first, even though it's out of sequence with the flow-- and this is my one off topic post on this.

I'm also a mom of a multicultural family, and I agree that it's not just the black community who experiences racism (although sometimes I think their activist leaders encourage all blacks to think they are the ONLY ones.) One of our kids is adopted internationally, and I live in a middle class area, in a state that is friendly and very progressive toward international adoption. But ignorance and insensitivity still exists.

Just want to share a snippet of the things I have experienced as a mom to a child who is not the same race as I am-- it's up to the reader to determine if this is racism.

At least 6-8+ times in the past 1-2 years, while out and about in public (usually the grocery store in line to check out, lol!), I have had a stranger make small talk, then ask me, "How much did you pay for her?" "Where did you get her from?" "Does she speak/ understand English?" (She just turned 10 years old, adopted at age 7 1/2, and now completely fluent in English.) "Why didn't you adopt a kid from America?" "What happened to her real mother?" "Does she eat American food?" "Will she go back to **** when she's older?" Honest to God, I even experienced a woman say, " I heard a lot of these kids have health problems, and all kinds of trouble in school." These comments were all made by Caucasians, right in front of my daughter, who understood them perfectly (but was deeply embarrassed.) So yes, I do have some understanding of baseless prejudice and racism based only on skin color and racial features.

Thank goodness she is a resilient child and we have a very open attitude toward discussion about these hurtful comments. I'm not an adoption activist, nor is adoption a "hobby" for our family. But part of my parental job, IMO, is to prepare her for this kind of unexpected racism and insensitivity, and help her develop strategies to address it, and process it. Just as it is for ANY minority, or multicultural family, IMO. But I also understand that the prejudice we have encountered presumes that we are a "wealthy" family, "rescuing" a poor, disadvantaged child (like a stray puppy), and that we are somehow "virtuous" because we adopted her. That is a whole different kind of prejudice and racism. One that assumes she is perpetually in the role of victim and disadvantaged, which is not how we ever hope for her to view herself.

On the first part of your post, I completely agree, and am INSENSED, that the AG of the US has injected his office and the DOJ into this situation DURING THE GJ PROCESS for OW. It is unethical, unprofessional, and beyond outrageous, IMO, and smacks of tremendous undue influence. IMO. And I say this as someone who TWICE voted democrat in the past 2 presidential elections. This just should not be happening in this country, my country, IMO. WTH is going on? Why are thinking people not more outraged about this?? Misguided by soundbites? Poor attention span? Too busy to pay attention to the real issues? Distracted by the minutiae of everyday life? The apathy/ inertia of the thinking community, by reasonable people, on this is astounding, IMO.

Excellent post!!!!!!!!!

I've had similar experiences with my daughter who has ADHD, and is "classified." The "oh special education is bringing down the classroom" comments at cocktail parties is terrible, and prejudicial in a different way. She came home upset from school one day b/c in health class it was discussed in relation to mental illness!

And don't even get my started on Holder, and how easily race gets interjected. Who would have thought that having Obama in the WH would mean every disagreement would be labeled racist, which eventually handcuffs our ability to have a counter argument about ANYTHING!

 

[bettybaby00]

OT the most bizarre question I ever heard from someone about my adopted child of another race,

Insensitive twit: So, are you planning to have any real children?"

My reply, "ummm no, I love my pretend one"

Insensitive twit all huffy, " you know what I mean"

My reply~ silence and hard blinking...




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Sometimes the sound of crickets is the loudest sound of all

 

[Sonya610]

Sonya, you live in the Atlanta area, right? How can you live here and not be so totally infused with all the different cultures that have come in? It isn't just black, here is it is Korean, Latino, Vietnamese, Indian (not Native American, that's still rare here), Pakistani, but it's all of us, meshed together.

So to me, that's actually the crux of it: if everyone gets the same playing field, well, let the prosperity games begin.

I used to live in Metro Atlanta, I was born/raised in California, so yes I know all about diversity. I moved to the rural redneck south a few years ago because after living with diversity for most of my life I decided it really wasn't for me.

When I said some things haven't changed and never will I was NOT referring to the recent wave of immigrants. While there are sometimes assimilation problems they do not include riots and constant non-stop complaints about racism, that is what I meant by some things never change and never will.

 

[Yoda]

JMO I can not go along with "it's just lyrics" or "it's what all kids do". I don't know a single person that would randomly post words to a song if it didn't have meaning to them. JMO

 

[bettybaby00]

I am so glad there is a federal investigation going on here. I think with everything that we have seen and what has been reported someone needs to look hard at this police dept. And for the love of all that is Holy someone find them a crisis management team to keep them from messing things up after the fact as bad as they did here.

I still am not sure what happened that day but I see way more possibilities than what has been laid out for us by either side.

Did I miss something???? Is there any evidence that this is necessary? Or is Holder having an investigation in reaction to mob mentality?

 

[dandy]

Did I miss something???? Is there any evidence that this is necessary? Or is Holder having an investigation in reaction to mob mentality?

i'd like to know the racial breakdown of who he spoke with - in his announcement, he referenced this several times as one of the needs for this investigation
- imo

lol - totally o/t - but maybe these officials should also wear cams - so we get the straight scoop

 

[Footwarrior]

Did I miss something???? Is there any evidence that this is necessary? Or is Holder having an investigation in reaction to mob mentality?

There are allegations the the FPD has acted in violation of federal civil rights laws. The justice department, the agency responsible for enforcing these laws has started an investigation. This investigation will not be done by the AG, it will be handled by the professional staff of the DOJ. If the allegations are nothing but hot air, FPD will get a clean bill of health and perhaps some advice on how to improve relations with the community. If the investigation finds violations that merit civil or criminal action, the information will be turned over to a federal prosecutor.

 

[Suthrnqt]

Did they assault a store clerk and a police officer?

No. As I stated, they have no first hand knowledge of gangs or life.

 

[Elley Mae]

There are allegations the the FPD has acted in violation of federal civil rights laws. The justice department, the agency responsible for enforcing these laws has started an investigation. This investigation will not be done by the AG, it will be handled by the professional staff of the DOJ. If the allegations are nothing but hot air, FPD will get a clean bill of health and perhaps some advice on how to improve relations with the community. If the investigation finds violations that merit civil or criminal action, the information will be turned over to a federal prosecutor.

bbm:facepalm: Really? I happen to know lots of federal employees, friends and relatives, lol Not so sure about the whole professional thing, but if that's what some need to think, that's cool.

 

[SStarr33]

No. As I stated, they have no first hand knowledge of gangs or life.

Well, when they do something like assault a store clerk and a police officer, you can be sure the fact that they post violent lyrics will be looked at. And rightly so, IMO.

 

[Elley Mae]

Not until the fifth day after Brown's shooting, after continued clashes between police and protesters, did Nixon clear his schedule and devote his time fully to managing the crisis in Ferguson.

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/storie...ME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2014-09-05-09-16-36

Maybe the JD could start their investigation with this guy, the man in charge.

 

[Dana]

I'm not pointing any fingers BUT I really hope no one is attacking anyone's post in here. I'd realllllly hate to see the Mods shut this thread down