MO - Grief & protests follow shooting of teen Michael Brown #14

[LambChop]

O/T - But Post #794 which has a photo of Barack Obama Elementary School is whacking out my computer! Anyone else having this issue? I am curious as to what the post is about, because I cannot see the entire post on one screen and my computer freezes up every time I even try to scroll through it!

Duchess, I removed the thumbnail attachment. It now shows the picture.

 

[Lovejac]

Nothing wrong with protest if you are clear about what you are protesting against. It seems as if these protests are geared to protest against the fact that Officer Wilson has not been charged, tried and convicted without benefit of due process that is supposed to be afforded to every American under the judicial system and that is IMO what is wrong with these protests.

I could see if this shooting were not being investigated. I could see if the feds had not come in to do their own independent investigation. I could see if McCullough had refused to take the case to the grand jury. BUT NONE of those things has occurred.

So what exactly is being protested at this point save we haven't gotten what we want which is the immediate incarceration or death of Officer Wilson?

They are protesting for something no one can give them.

 

[katydid23]

Not trying to be critical, but I really don't understand how ones credibility is determined simply by which side he supports.

I am not assessing by which 'side' he supports. I am assessing by the credibilty of the story and it's surrounding facts. His original story made ZERO SENSE. None. But it seemed to be designed to 'cover' what witnesses saw when they saw the struggle. Instead of admitting that MB rushed the cop and punched him, DJ said that OW grabbed MB by the neck and tried to pull him into the car window. :waitasec:

I have NEVER ever heard of a cop, grabbing a huge muscular suspect by the neck, with his left arm, and try to pull him into the cop car through the window. Does that make any logical sense at all?

And then the 2 female witnesses then parroted same thing---'it looked like the cop was trying to pull MB thru the window into the car.' huh?


So if DJ goes ahead and tells a story that corroborates OW , I will find it much more credible. Partially because he will be 'switching' sides, admittedly.

 

[TheDuchess]

Duchess, I removed the thumbnail attachment. It now shows the picture.

Hmmm...still not working....but no big deal either way...just a glitch somewhere probably just me anyway. Just wondering what the post actually said about the school. Did something happen there?

 

[TorisMom003]

Hmmm...still not working....but no big deal either way...just a glitch somewhere probably just me anyway. Just wondering what the post actually said about the school. Did something happen there?

It was just a photo of a school that was named Barack Obama Elementary School. Nothing that happened there. Just the school and the sign.

 

[Truthy]

yup, my community definitely has its share of disposable income. never said it didn't.

my later post however, describes how people need to determine what's a priority when spending money. if all these low income protestors can't afford to feed their kids, how do they afford to buy the iPhones they're using to "document" their oppression?

Phones are free or cheap with two year plans these days, even Iphone models. They are not considerded a necessity, not a luxury, in 2014.

 

[DebinGA]

Also, has any identified the individual that was holding the door for MB during strong armed robbery? I wonder what this individual knows and where he was at time of MB/OW incident.

I don't think Unknown Guy in the store video has been id'd, but the WaPo piece on DJ noted he lived at Canfield-Green in a 2 bedroom apt. with his pregnant girlfriend and a roommate. I think it also said MB came by the morning of the robbery to talk about something in particular and, according to his brother, DJ suggested MB come with him to the store and talk on the way. His unnamed roommate could be UG.

 

[tlcya]

Does that mean he is a credible witness? Just curious.

Not in my opinion. IMO he will never be credible even if his story magically and dramatically changes to align with my theory on events during the shooting incident. His credibility is toast forever no matter what story he tells in future.

As to whether him being in protective custody suggests his story has changed yet again, I guess that would depend on who he is being protected from.

 

[imamaze]

Should you be correct I am close enough and pissed off enough that I may have to do my own protesting. Why do I have to follow the rules and put up with the status quo and others get to circumvent the system til given what they want? It is very very upsetting to me and may be enough for me and others like me to take to the streets. Not that anyone will notice since I won't be burning or looting my neighborhood businesses.

Just to clarify tlcya...

I was talking about this guy...

Glendale Police Department Officer Matthew Pappert, who helped patrol the racially charged riots in Ferguson, Mo., was taken off the job after making contemptuous remarks on Facebook about the demonstrators.
"These protesters should have been put down like a rabid dog the first night," he posted on his social media page,

Now... Protesting and rioting are two totally different things. I never said that anyone should be breaking the law and I can assure you lots and lots of people have protested about things I am very much against but I do know its their right to protest. again that's protest, not riot not burning or looting businesses, not breaking the law.

There is something seriously wrong with this cop and others like him, and make no mistake about it there are others like him. Very scary they are in any type of authority.

Personally I think its a mistake for them to make MB some kind of martyr. Like I've said before I believe he assaulted OW. I think they should be protesting how the African American community are treated unfairly in lots and lots of cases. MB is no martyr, however I do think the community has every right to protest and make sure this is being investigated. They have every right to be suspicious in my opinion. That doesn't mean they have a right to break the law and I don't think anyone thinks its ok the riot, and break the law.


ETA... I am again posting as Ima, not a Mod and this is all my opinion only.

 

[katydid23]

Unless the approach being taken is that what happened 35 feet away is more important than what happened at the vehicle. I also don't think that it's that simple as to what happened at the car. Personally, I think both sides probably hold some fault for how things transpired earlier on. Probably even more fault on MB than DW based on the limited information known at this point. But I personally don't think that it's that simple and I don't know if that's the relevant time period, though it certainly provides context for the remaining actions.

If MB bumrushed the cop, and punched him in the face, then it is ALL on MB. There is nothing that would condone that, short of OW pulling up and threatening MB's life.

And i know that you are convinced that OW was rude and disrespectful and said something to anger MB from the start. But I don't see any evidence that OW ever was written up or reported for being rude or disrespectful. Whereas we have video evidence of MB being aggressive and intimidating in his assault of the store owner just 10 minutes prior. So I think it is kind of unfair for you to keep assuming that OW did anything to warrant him being assaulted in his patrol car. jmo

The only person who has said that OW said something disrespectful is DJ. And even then, all he supposedly said was get out of the effin street. Considering they were blocking traffic on a crowded road, I dont see that as that offensive a remark. jmo He didnt call him the n-word or anything, or DJ would have already reported that.

 

[CHERIE.T]

Someone is going to get hit with a car. Are they crazy?

imoo they are daring drivers to get aggressive.

 

[Lovejac]

Phones are free or cheap with two year plans these days, even Iphone models. They are not considerded a necessity, not a luxury, in 2014.

Most people still have to pay the monthly charges. Our monthly fee for 2 phones is $120 per month. If I couldn't feed my children, the phones would be the first thing to go.

Feeding my children is a necessity, a cell phone is a luxury.

 

[Alison]

I could just imagine myself as an officer with a body cam. My mind is constantly going (yeah I am a little hair brained) so I would be the type to turn on the camera when I meant to turn it off, and turn it off when I meant to turn it on! I would be so anxious about it that I would just leave it on my whole shift.

 

[tlcya]

What I wouldn't be surprised of in that scenario where there is no indictment handed down in the County...I wouldn't be surprised if there aren't civil rights charges levied against Wilson himself. Instead, i wouldn't be surprised if an investigation into the FPD as a whole is conducted. I would hope this would satisfy those in the community, because what I hear them saying between all of the rhetoric, is a problem that is more systemic than it is related to one specific incident. I also believe such an investigation would bring about longer, more meaningful change than simply putting one officer on trial, whether it's deserved or not deserved.

I have read enough to understand why people of Ferguson may be concerned that there are serious problems with their police department and some of their officers. And I am glad the Feds may be looking at it for that reason. I simply think this shooting is not as it was first presented the public or the residents of Ferguson by one very tall tale telling DJ. I find it very frustrating that an officer of the law who has never had one complaint made about his behavior by those same citizens that we are aware of (and if even one existed I feel reasonably confident Crump and Co. would have been shouting it from rooftops with bullhorns by now) is being railroaded for something he personally is not responsible for for the greater good.

JMO IMO and all that jazzy jazz

 

[Lovejac]

imoo they are daring drivers to get aggressive.

With road rage these days, that's a dare I wouldn't give.

 

[tlcya]

Most people still have to pay the monthly charges. Our monthly fee for 2 phones is $120 per month. If I couldn't feed my children, the phones would be the first thing to go.

Feeding my children is a necessity, a cell phone is a luxury.

I agree with the premise that phones are a necessity not a luxury. I-phones with data packages, internet and two year plans are not IMO. A track phone sufficed for me for many years. Because I could not afford any bells or whistles.

But I do agree that phones are necessities.

ETA I also feel that necessity is covered by the lifeline assistance program instituted by Pres. Obama for those of low income, because phones help people contact their doctors, seek employment and many other needs that low income folks have to address in this day and age.

 

[ATasteOfHoney]

I think there are a lot of people getting sick & tired of the protesting/looting/blocking traffic stuff. They are losing patience & the anger is brewing.
As I've said before, for every action there's a reaction---and it just might come. And if it does, it will get ugly.

This will do nothing good for the community except to exacerbate more hate.

I doubt that the supporters of MB are going to be happy with the outcome of the GJ.....just my hunch.
And then what?

It's all terribly sad, IMHO.

 

[DebinGA]

http://thehill.com/policy/technology/325779-fcc-moves-to-fine-obamaphone-companies-14-million

I could be wrong, but I think phone companies collect a fee from their regular subscribers to cover the costs of free phone service for low income people.

"The program pays for phone service, not the phones themselves. But many companies that receive funding through the program offer free and low-cost phones to their subscribers. The program is funded through fees that the telephone companies pass on to consumers on their monthly bills."

​

 

[EvilSoup]

Because THEY means more than one.
I fail to see why that's not understood.

http://www.princeton.edu/~achaney/tmve/wiki100k/docs/Singular_they.html

 

[tlcya]

Just to clarify tlcya...

I was talking about this guy...

Glendale Police Department Officer Matthew Pappert, who helped patrol the racially charged riots in Ferguson, Mo., was taken off the job after making contemptuous remarks on Facebook about the demonstrators.
"These protesters should have been put down like a rabid dog the first night," he posted on his social media page,

Now... Protesting and rioting are two totally different things. I never said that anyone should be breaking the law and I can assure you lots and lots of people have protested about things I am very much against but I do know its their right to protest. again that's protest, not riot not burning or looting businesses, not breaking the law.

There is something seriously wrong with this cop and others like him, and make no mistake about it there are others like him. Very scary they are in any type of authority.

Personally I think its a mistake for them to make MB some kind of martyr. Like I've said before I believe he assaulted OW. I think they should be protesting how the African American community are treated unfairly in lots and lots of cases. MB is no martyr, however I do think the community has every right to protest and make sure this is being investigated. They have every right to be suspicious in my opinion. That doesn't mean they have a right to break the law and I don't think anyone thinks its ok the riot, and break the law.


ETA... I am again posting as Ima, not a Mod and this is all my opinion only.

I'm sorry ImaMaze, I should have been more clear, I totally got that from your post. I was just prompted by your post to explain why these particular protests have me and seemingly others so irked. Because protesting is a valuable and hard won American right as you suggested. I just hate to see them IMO misused in the way I feel these have been.

My bad, your post was clear, I could have been clearer.