Ferguson: Maybe time to start asking the most pertinent questions?

[Saint Frankenstein]

Believe what you want, maybe your assuming a bit too much about me as you always do.

I didn't assume anything about you.

 

[psychoslice]

I didn't assume anything about you.

And I didn't with you.

 

[Revoltingest]

If it helps any, I assume things about both of you.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

And I didn't with you.

Oh, you weren't assuming anything about me by saying "racism isn't a one way street"?

 

[Alceste]

We are, actually.

The National Guard isn't called in for a few opportunistic crimes.



Source: National Guard called to Ferguson, Missouri | WTVR.com

The National Guard isn't called in unless there's a concern for life and property. Edit: And local authorities may be overwhelmed.

I'm not stating that the police have been saints by any means. At this juncture, I doubt that the police have desire to purposefully aggravate a situation when all eyes are on them.

Sorry if I feel skeptical of your claim given the outrageous - almost comical - heavy handedness employed by the state up to this point.

 

[s2a]

Odd, then, that I had read of several eye witness accounts days before.

Yes, odd. Do you have any insight to offer?

 

[dawny0826]

Sorry if I feel skeptical of your claim given the outrageous - almost comical - heavy handedness employed by the state up to this point.

Our federal government is watching closely, particularly since the national guard has been called in. I haven't based my opinion on something I pulled out of the air or my butt.

Mr. Obama said he had told the governor in a phone call on Monday that the Guard should be “used in a limited and appropriate way.”

He said he would be closely monitoring the deployment.

“I’ll be watching over the next several days to assess whether in fact it’s helping rather than hindering progress in Ferguson,” said Mr. Obama, who emphasized that the State of Missouri, not the White House, had called in the Guard.

He once again tried to strike a balance between the right of protest and approaches to security.

Source:
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/19/us/ferguson-missouri-protests.html?_r=0

 

[psychoslice]

Oh, you weren't assuming anything about me by saying "racism isn't a one way street"?

Racism isn't just a one way street, that's for sure, I said this because people are using racism as a scapegoat, as I have said, if it was a young white man shot by a black policeman, nothing would have been said, if you believe it or not that is the case in this whole stupid chaos.

 

[s2a]

Hi, Friend.

Admittedly, we citizens are at the mercy of the media to keep us informed of the developing details (factual and conjectured) regarding what happened that day and it's fair to assume that we may never know fully the entire scope of the situation. What we do know is that a young man was shot and killed and from all accounts was unarmed with no gun, no knife, no broken bottle, no AR-15 at his disposal. From what we've been told, Mr. Wilson's life was not in danger. It doesn't make sense, but from what little information the public has received so far, how can we come to a conclusion other than this was an act of murder, plain and simple?

hello back

Perhaps now is not the time for any conclusions to be drawn yet, not unlike scientific=c methodology.

It is an odd thing that no one filmed the incident but I'm not exactly quick with whipping my phone into camera mode from my back pocket and I'd probably be too shocked to think about it in the flash the shooting happened anyway. Besides, ever since Rodney King, I'm not so convinced of the infallibility of video evidence. There are communities that require officers to wear a camera on their uniform now and from what I can tell, abuse and complaint instances have gone down in number.

Well, we are both getting on, and I know that my own reflexes and sophistication with applied tech stuff is slow, but we are talking about the demographics of an entirely different set of skills here.

Is video "testimony" necessarily compelling or absolute? NO, of course not. But is IS relevant, and a piece of any complete part of any prosecutions of either the shooter or the victim in revealing a "whole" in a summation of parts.

 

[Father Heathen]

Sorry if I feel skeptical of your claim given the outrageous - almost comical - heavy handedness employed by the state up to this point.

I don't know that I would refer to downplaying what doesn't jive with your presumptions - while exaggerating what does - as "skepticism".

 

[Buttercup]

Well, we are both getting on, and I know that my own reflexes and sophistication with applied tech stuff is slow, but we are talking about the demographics of an entirely different set of skills here.

Is video "testimony" necessarily compelling or absolute? NO, of course not. But is IS relevant, and a piece of any complete part of any prosecutions of either the shooter or the victim in revealing a "whole" in a summation of parts.

The patrol car did not have video equipment installed and the only video evidence that's come forth is from after the shooting, as far as I know.

 

[s2a]

I found this conversation recorded on cell phone by an eyewitness at the scene to be interesting, and probably more reliable than most irate eyewitness accounts reported after-the-fact:

A Witness Conversation Unknowingly Captured at the Scene of the Ferguson Shooting is a Game-Changer

Basically, it's an eyewitness explaining to another person what happened, which involved Michael Brown rushing the officer, and continuing to come for the officer while being shot.

Even if this account is more representative of the scenario, I doubt it would make much difference to people protesting the shooting. Nor, do I think it excuses the handling of the protests or riots by the police department since the incident.

What is disturbing, is this propensity of the media and society to instantly create and accept narratives about these situations which are obviously highly rhetorical and hyperbolic. Michael Brown was 18, but wasn't a child, nor an innocent youth with a heart of gold who just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, savagely gunned down in cold blood by a racist, white police officer.

The guy was a thug, had an attitude, and if this account is true in that he kept rushing the officer while being shot several times, then he was also probably on a substance which compromised his judgment and behavior.

Well, what you present in your provided link is an interesting, (albeit anecdotal and unconfirmed) accounting of witnessed "events", and does seem to counter the popular narrative put forward by protesters and other "eyewitnesses" alike.

Perhaps this "evidence" may one day be permissible in some evidential hearing or subsequent trial, or may not. But this "evidence" has yet to be examined, explained, or even explored in any public access setting.

The one thing I am sure of is that once more, "The major media" (of which is my primary point of drawn criticism), will again focus upon the "horse race" of popular sentiments and outrage, and virtually no interest upon available facts.

BTW, "thug" IS an intentionally inflammatory word, with far reaching implications and disturbing attendant undertones that do not serve any pursuit of either "truth" or "justice".

 

[Alceste]

I don't know that I would refer to downplaying what doesn't jive with your presumptions - while exaggerating what does - as "skepticism".

I don't know that I would refer to the above ad hominem as a rebuttal of any kind. Does that mean I win?

 

[s2a]

Translation: The guy was black.

Yep, as was over 60% of the resident population, Is this evidence itself of overt racism?

 

[s2a]

The patrol car did not have video equipment installed and the only video evidence that's come forth is from after the shooting, as far as I know.

AS far as I know too, but is it KNOWN that the patrol car had no video equipment, so far? As you say, as far as I know, I have yet to hear anything to contradict that allegation. Maybe a more complete and thorough investigation may reveal more.

 

[Buttercup]

AS far as I know too, but is it KNOWN that the patrol car had no video equipment, so far? As you say, as far as I know, I have yet to hear anything to contradict that allegation. Maybe a more complete and thorough investigation may reveal more.

Of course. We're all just blowing hot air around because we're bored at home, right?

 

[s2a]

No - translation: He just got recorded physically threatening a store clerk and stealing merchandise, and then held up cars driving down the street by unnecessarily walking in the middle of the street.

So please don't attempt to falsely attribute racism to me with your inane and thoughtless comments, as it does nothing but reveal your ignorance.

That allegation is completely unknown at this point, and certainly unproven, even if relevant.

 

[Alceste]

Well, what you present in your provided link is an interesting, (albeit anecdotal and unconfirmed) accounting of witnessed "events", and does seem to counter the popular narrative put forward by protesters and other "eyewitnesses" alike.

Perhaps this "evidence" may one day be permissible in some evidential hearing or subsequent trial, or may not. But this "evidence" has yet to be examined, explained, or even explored in any public access setting.

The one thing I am sure of is that once more, "The major media" (of which is my primary point of drawn criticism), will again focus upon the "horse race" of popular sentiments and outrage, and virtually no interest upon available facts.

BTW, "thug" IS an intentionally inflammatory word, with far reaching implications and disturbing attendant undertones that do not serve any pursuit of either "truth" or "justice".

The social media is all over that video. I've seen it referenced several times already, in every case with the phrase "coming toward" mysteriously transformed into "rushing". Just as "victim" becomes "thug" and "protests" become "riots."

Funny how that works, isn't it? Like magic. It must be magic, cuz nobody anywhere has a subconscious fear and hatred of black people and black culture influencing their choice of words, according to everybody everywhere.

 

[s2a]

I don't know that I would refer to the above ad hominem as a rebuttal of any kind. Does that mean I win?

Nope. It means you need to get over it all for now

 

[s2a]

Of course. We're all just blowing hot air around because we're bored at home, right?

Perhaps. Maybe it's time to feed my fat kitty again.