Ferguson!

[dawny0826]

Well I think he did.

Doesn't really matter what you think. He's told you what he meant by his statement.

Neither of us automatically translate "thug" as "criminal, black male".

It would be out of place for a libertarian not to support protest against excessive government force.

Impinging upon the rights of others who are innocent isn't effective protest and fuels the tension and friction.

 

[Father Heathen]

Well I think he did.

"Think" being used very loosely here.

But go ahead, quote me.

 

[CynthiaCypher]

He's told you what he meant by his statement.

And I am not buying it.

 

[Dirty Penguin]

Further to the above, I think AIPAC sending American police chiefs to Israel for "counter-terrorism training " seems to have had some rather undesirable consequences on the home front.

This...^

 

[dawny0826]

And I am not buying it.

Then, have fun purposefully misrpresenting the views of others.

 

[CynthiaCypher]

But go ahead, quote me.

Sure.

Robbing and looting random stores are a great way to garner sympathy and to fight injustice.

You make no differentiation between those who are looting and those who are protesting, initially you were lumping them all together and then you call them ignorant thugs.

 

[Revoltingest]

You make no differentiation between those who are looting and those who are protesting, initially you were lumping them all together and then you call them ignorant thugs.

You are projecting your own prejudices into his posts.

 

[Father Heathen]

Sure.



You make no differentiation between those who are looting and those who are protesting, initially you were lumping them all together and then you call them ignorant thugs.

Wouldn't "robbing and looting" obviously refer to those who are, you know, robbing and looting? And crowds who go around randomly destroying and steeling innocent peoples property are ignorant thugs.

But I still don't see what any of that has to do with race?

 

[CynthiaCypher]

You are projecting your own prejudices into his posts.

I am getting sick of your amateurish attempts at psychology. I know racism when I see it because the same rhetoric he was spouting was all said during Katrina. When black people riot they are thugs, when white people do it they are being kooky. He said it himself.

 

[Father Heathen]

And I am not buying it.

Not my problem.

 

[Revoltingest]

I am getting sick of your amateurish attempts at psychology. I know racism when I see it because the same rhetoric he was spouting was all said during Katrina. When black people riot they are thugs, when white people do it they are being kooky. He said it himself.

Perhaps you should say that you know racism when you need to accuse others of it, eh?
We should not be so desperate to win arguments that we will misrepresent others.
You do this a lot, & should give thought about why.

 

[angellous_evangellous]

What do you make of the events in Ferguson, Missouri?

They're living in the stone age - or earlier. It's sort of ironic that when we allow police to have too much power, we end up with anarchy instead of enforced law.

I don't know the solution. I've been thinking about the police being banned from using lethal weapons of any kind, except *possibly* for the night stick. No riot gear (shields, tear gas, water cannons), no non-lethal ammunition such as bean bags or rubber. All they get is a taser, pepper spray, and a night stick - not the modern long ones, but the short sticks that they used in the old days.

Maybe start a program where the police can earn back the use of firearms. That is, when they've proven that they can enforce the law without them.

 

[dawny0826]

I am getting sick of your amateurish attempts at psychology. I know racism when I see it because the same rhetoric he was spouting was all said during Katrina. When black people riot they are thugs, when white people do it they are being kooky. He said it himself.

It's comical when I consider the "thugs" that FH grew up around...all white.

His emphasis was on the looting and rioting, not on the color of their skin. He would as adamently object to the looting and rioting if they were albinos dressed as purple unicorns. And...gasp...white people!

You're projecting racial bs upon people when it's not there and that sucks.

 

[angellous_evangellous]

Sometimes I find myself wishing that folks who throw around such characterizations actually had an opportunity to experience a police state. It's a wish that I'm not particularly proud of.

Even knowing the basic definition of a police state would be helpful here.

One doesn't need to have experienced it to keep from abusing the term.

 

[Father Heathen]

I am getting sick of your amateurish attempts at psychology. I know racism when I see it because the same rhetoric he was spouting was all said during Katrina.

You play race cards like it was yu-gi-oh. Ever heard the parable about the boy who cried wolf?

When black people riot they are thugs, when white people do it they are being kooky. He said it himself.

Again, where did I say this? I never made any such distinction or differentiation. Anyone who destroys and steals the property of innocent people is an ignorant thug, regardless of their race. I don't think race should be relevant. You clearly do. So who's the real racist?

 

[angellous_evangellous]

I don't think race should be relevant. You clearly do. So who's the real racist?

The issue of racism aside - something needs to happen right the **** now to end the violence.

Racism wouldn't matter as much - at least in this case - if the police didn't have the ability to destroy so much so fast. Disarm the police - then we can work out the longer term solutions - because we as citizens can actually force them to cease fire.

 

[xkatz]

What do you make of the events in Ferguson, Missouri?

It's tragic and it makes me really hate the MSM in this country and the militarization of police. But especially the MSM.

 

[Revoltingest]

It isn't practical to disarm the cops.
But their training should be different.
Those trained in military tactics & supplied with tools of that trade are a problem.
As they say, to a carpenter all problems look like nails.

 

[dawny0826]

It isn't practical to disarm the cops.
But their training should be different.
Those trained in military tactics & supplied with tools of that trade are a problem.
As they say, to a carpenter all problems look like nails.

Agreed, though, tear gas may come in handy if people choose to go bonkers - rioting & looting.

In one situation - mere protest - use is excess.

In another - perhaps a justified deterrant.

 

[angellous_evangellous]

It isn't practical to disarm the cops.
But their training should be different.
Those trained in military tactics & supplied with tools of that trade are a problem.
As they say, to a carpenter all problems look like nails.

I think it is. Most police officers never touch their sidearm anyway, and very, very few have actually fired their arms in the line of duty. And then we have idiots who discharges their firearms when they don't need to.

I agree - training is good. Not having the option to do something stupid when you have already demonstrated your stupidity - that seems like a good thing to me.

Besides, if you don't have that option available, training will be a bit more creative, and officers will need to depend more on tactic and personality rather than intimidation.

My point is simple: the insanity in Ferguson needs immediate action - not more hostility from the police to subdue citizens, but citizens disarming the police - at least forcing them to be less violent. Then we can remedy the situation. I don't see how we can progress if the police stand their ground with brutality and citizens being persecuted and killed for doing what they have the right to do.