Michael Brown's death and civil unrest in north St. Louis

[Inigima]

These comments about looters are pretty gross. There is very, very little of it going on and of the approximately seven people known to be involved, five are not from the area.

[Werthead]

Yup, the Vox article also showed local residents turning out to help clear up the damage, something which doesn't seem to have been widely reported.

You get arseholes taking advantage of a genuine protest all the time (we certainly had it in the London riots a few years back). That doesn't invalidate the opinions of the legitimate protestors or somehow retrospectively justify the original event.

[The Mance]

Vets tweet about Ferguson cops

Some interesting points and perspectives:

5. ... This, for example, is not a policeman who is about to win the trust of his fellow citizen

This guy should be the media posterchild for excessive police militarization in the US

We've decided, as a society, that local police forces need greater armor capabilities than an invasion force in 2003

Also, we contained riots in Baghdad next to mosques with less violence than the police are employing

To be fare, though, rioters in Baghdad are probably even more likely to expect lethal force from the police. So, maybe they respond better to threats of force?

But these cops aren't just patrolling the streets either, they're responding to earlier riots and current threats of violence….

…that said, the images and actions speak to a lack of public awareness as to how the police are perceived

well, the first thing they told us when we got to Afghanistan was 'wearing your gear makes you look hostile'

Yes. Yes it does. I wonder to what extent being all kitted out makes police officers feel and act more hostile. Just like when you put a bicycle helmet on a kid they feel emboldened to try more dangerous stunts.

[aceluby]

Trying to use the looting to justify this response is absolutely disgusting.

I also find the contrast in responses to white guys actually wanting to fight the govt while armed to the teeth compared to unarmed black protesters to be disturbing.

Lastly, is 'thug' the new N-word? I'm really beginning to hate that word and find it's being used way too often to describe black and latinos in disparaging ways in order to justify killing and imprisoning them.

This whole thing makes me a bit sick to my stomach.

[Summah]

P

Lastly, is 'thug' the new N-word? I'm really beginning to hate that word and find it's being used way too often to describe black and latinos in disparaging ways in order to justify killing and imprisoning them.

I don't think it's anywhere near as strong as that right now, but certainly it's used as a coded (not so much anymore if ever) derogatory reference word which stands in for much stronger words that are less acceptable to use.

[Ser Scot A Ellison]

Well, the police sure seem to working on living up to the "thug" sterotype.

[Werthead]

Fictional space commander nails the situation.

[Fez]

So this is 3rd hand at this point, and take it with a shaker of salt, but... Derek Wallbank, a Bloomberg News correspondent that covers Congress, has reported that Rep. Lacy Clay, whose District includes Ferguson, told him that he spoke with Gov. Nixon this morning, who told him that when he arrives at Ferguson today he will be announcing that he is relieving the St. Louis County police department (which includes the Ferguson PD) of authority in Ferguson.

We'll see, I guess.

ETA: Link to Wallbank's twitter feed.

Also, its unclear if it will be state police or the FBI that's taking over. I'm fine with the FBI leading the investigation, but I'm a bit leery of the FBI being the main policing force in the area.

[Ser Scot A Ellison]

Fez,

Interesting. I suspect that action may prompt a legal fight over whether the Givernor has that power.

[White Walker Texas Ranger]

Isn't this the time when the NRA and Tea Party should start banging on about how this is why the populace needs to be armed in order to resist a tyrannical government?

Maybe there's something about these particular protesters that's a little different... I can't put my finger on it.

[DanteGabriel]

Isn't this the time when the NRA and Tea Party should start banging on about how this is why the populace needs to be armed in order to resist a tyrannical government?

Maybe there's something about these particular protesters that's a little different... I can't put my finger on it.

A large portion of the gun fetish in the United States descends directly from the Southern manhood ideal of pre-Civil War times when a proper gentleman needed to be armed and skilled at arms to keep his slaves in line. So yeah, there's an historical source for the observably different behavior of the Gadsden Flag types here.

[Ser Scot A Ellison]

BearShin,

I'm certainly not backing off of my support of 2nd amendment rights based upon these events. Those rights should extend to all US residents.

[Fez]

Fez,

Interesting. I suspect that action may prompt a legal fight over whether the Givernor has that power.

I don't think it'll be an issue. The St. Louis County Sheriff is not in charge of the St. Louis County Police Department, the PD is a separate entity, and the only county-level PD in the state. Its headed up by a board of commissioners appointed by the St. Louis County Executive, who is appointed by the Governor. So there's no disputes about over-ruling locally elected officials.

[Ser Scot A Ellison]

Fez,

Again, interesting. Is there a sheriff in this county who can cause problems?

[Fez]

Fez,

Again, interesting. Is there a sheriff in this county who can cause problems?

There is a sheriff. But, per wikipedia, he is court-appointed and only has bailiff and civil processing duties, no law enforcement powers. The county is the only one in the state without an elected sheriff, eliminating the position in 1955 by referendum.

[Trebla]

Reading further on that Twitter feed,

Derek Wallbank @dwallbank · 45m

Clay: "The gov. just called me and he's on his way to St. Louis now to announce he's taking St. Louis County police out of the situation"

Derek Wallbank @dwallbank · 44m

Gov. Jay Nixon, D-Mo., didn’t say whether state police or FBI would be taking over: Clay to @jonallendc #Ferguson

[DanteGabriel]

This guy should be the media posterchild for excessive police militarization in the US

Yes. Yes it does. I wonder to what extent being all kitted out makes police officers feel and act more hostile. Just like when you put a bicycle helmet on a kid they feel emboldened to try more dangerous stunts.

Why are cops wearing desert camo gear in an American city? What purpose does it serve, other than to make them feel more like soldiers, and to make the citizens see them as an invading force?

[HairBearHero]

Why are cops wearing desert camo gear in an American city? What purpose does it serve, other than to make them feel more like soldiers, and to make the citizens see them as an invading force?

Make all the body armour bright pink/blue/orange/purple and you'd have either the most sinister-looking or the most ridiculous-looking police force in the world. I support this experiment - the purpose of riot police is, after all, to be hugely visible so why not?

[Ser Scot A Ellison]

Neon pink or green riot gear would be awesome.

:)

[Trebla]

When you've lost Ted Cruz, you've lost the America! http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/cruz-defends-arrested-reporters

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) on Thursday defended reporters arrested while covering the protests in Ferguson, Mo.

"Reporters should never be detained -- a free press is too important -- simply for doing their jobs," he said in a statement on Facebook.

Cruz also called for an end of violence in Ferguson.

"Together, we should all mourn the loss of life in Ferguson, Missouri and work to keep our communities safe and free. Police officers risk their lives every day to keep us safe, and any time a young man loses his life in a confrontation with law enforcement, it is tragic," he said.

"Civil liberties must be protected, but violence is not the answer. Once the unrest is brought to an end, we should examine carefully what happened to ensure that justice is served," Cruz concluded

.