On the topic of Ferguson · 3:18am Aug 15th, 2014
Yeah, I know it's not smart to post stuff like this on a site about stories about cartoon ponies, but I just wanted to address something. I'm sure most of you know about the recent shooting of Michael Brown, a teenager in Ferguson, Missouri. He was unarmed and shot by a police officer. As of now, there are conflicting reports as to what actually happened: some witnesses say that Brown was surrendering and the officer shot him anyway, yet others say that Brown attacked the officer in his car. Nevertheless, in the wake of all this, Ferguson has become a hot zone, with people protesting the shooting and lashing out at the police, even going so far as to loot stores and attack other police officers.
In my honest opinion, I think these protesters need to shut up and calm down. HEAR ME OUT, PLEASE: we don't know what happened. There are two conflicting reports, which means that somebody is lying. Soon forensic and ballistic analysis will be able to tell us where the shots were fired from and other critical evidence that can shed more light on the case. Then we will know for sure whether or not the shooting was justified. However, it seems that the town of Ferguson (and much of the U.S. apparently) has immediately decided to make their own assumptions, lashing out at the cops as if they knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that Michael Brown was murdered, not just shot.
I'm not saying they don't have the right to be upset. They have every right to be upset, the family of Michael especially. But let me put it this way: if a member of my family was shot and killed by a police officer, and there were conflicting reports about what happened, I would want to know what really happened beyond a shadow of a doubt, with evidence. But no, instead of letting the authorities conduct their investigation so they can get some definitive answers, the people riot and destroy innocent businesses and property. They love to paint the cops as the big bad wolves that will blow all their houses down.
Bullshit. I come from a family with a background in law enforcement. My late grandfather was in the San Francisco Police Department. In his fifty years of service, he only ever drew his gun twice. And one of those times he accidentally shot a kid that he had thought was carrying a weapon. And you know what? It traumatized him. The kid lived, but my granddad could barely live with himself after that. He never got over it, even long after he retired. And no other law enforcement officer in my family ever drew their firearm. The last thing a police officer ever wants to do is take a life.
We need to know what really happened before anything else. Cops are people too. This is how I also feel about the L.A. riots. Yes, what those officers did to Rodney King was unjustified. Yes, people had every right to be upset when they were acquitted. But 58 innocent fucking people died because of those riots. 58, most of whom were innocent bystanders who were murdered by the rioters. If that isn't brutality and injustice, I don't know what is.
It is not smart to jump to conclusions. I know this especially. I am not taking a "side" in this situation until I know what actually happened. And yes, I condemn the looters, because they aren't helping anything. I'm not going to condone what the officer did, but I'm not going to condemn him. Not until I see hard evidence that tells me which side is telling the truth and which side is lying.
That is all. If you wish to hate me because of this, go right ahead. I'm the king of unpopular opinions. I'm used to it.
This was a balanced, well informed post.
I was going to bring up the '92 LA riots, but you did that. Rodney King was a previous offender and ran from the police. They beat him when they caught him, and when those officers were acquitted of wrongdoing, that's when 58 people died and the National Guard had to be summoned to restore order.
So, by comparison, the events of Ferguson are nothing close to that scale. And thank God. We don't need this country tearing itself apart.
I guess the best thing I can say is that while the police are shooting rubber bullets and tear gas, and the rioters are throwing rocks and bottles - at least it's not lethal ammo like places around the world.
2371516 Thank you. I want people to understand that my opinion is not an invalidation of the tragedy of Michael Brown's death. I'm a skeptic: I need hard evidence, not just witness testimonies. And soon we'll have hard evidence, and soon we'll have an answer.
Honestly, it doesn't matter who was at fault. Looting stores and attacking cops is not okay. Two wrongs don't make a right, as cheesy as it sounds, is solid advice to live by.
EDIT: And did we learn nothing from the Trayvon case last year? The evidence piled up in Zimmerman's favor, yet so many people were supporting Trayvon. People just don't learn.
Wrong. The last thing a good police officer wants to do is take a life. Corruption and sadism are elements of the police that may not be running rampant but are still parts of the system.
Personally, I suspect foul play on the cop's part, but I'm also not inclined to take any side in the matter, at the risk of looking foolish when the truth comes out.
I will say this. Is there latent racism in the system? Yes, yes there is. However, hear me out. I come from a family of police officers, and the reason that there is a latent racism in the system is that they have to see the worst in every group due to their occupation. My family members who are police officers may be a bit racist, but they also take the same approach to white trash folks. And this is up north...not the deep south.
The biggest issue with this situation is the emotional aspect. Conflicting accounts from the scene, one side emotionally attached to the young man slain, and the other side trying to keep their job and from being lynched....The truth will be very hard to dig out of all this.
And for these people who were rioting to loot stores? Who are they to commit injustices against other innocents because a single "supposed" innocent was wronged?
You had a very quality post Brex, and it's nice to see you presenting a solid, logical analysis.
2372160 Thank you very much, Husk.