Obama and Ferguson

[Jackie]

I would have a problem telling Brown parents that their son was a thug and a stupid asshole. Not because it isn't true but they are grieving parents.

See here is where you are being half assed about it. You do think he is a thug. So if you think that then you should be willing to say it to his parents. When Dahmer murdered all those men, non of his victim's families had a problem calling him a piece of shit.

I do NOT think Brown was a "thug". I think he merely did something stupid. Just like I have done stupid shit.

If it is true that Brown was a thug, then you should not fear telling the truth, even to the parents.

[DeistPaladin]

Can I once again mention that the Ferguson Police escalated the situation way past the issue of Michael Brown? Even if it turned out that Michael Brown had pulled out an uzi and threatened to gun down the officer and the entire street, the police escalated the situation to a much larger issue.

The police were confronted with largely peaceful protesters. They responded like the former Soviet army cracking down on Polish strikers. They showed up with armored transports and machine guns. They not only dispersed a crowd that was exercising their first amendment rights, they swept through restaurants and cleared them out, arresting reporters. They fired on media camera crews. They swept through neighborhoods firing tear gas into people's back yards and homes.

Frankly, police behavior went beyond mere jack booted thuggery. At least the former Soviets had a bit more finesse in their oppression tactics. The Ferguson police seemed completely out of control.

The strongest defense conservatives could offer for their behavior was to allege there was some looting in addition to the peaceful protesters. This does not justify firing upon camera crews or sweeping through restaurants to arrest people for sitting at tables and typing into their laptops.

The Yosemite Sam style response to the Ferguson protests stands in stark contrast to the Bundy Ranch protests. When a bunch of white conservative people express outrage about the government, it seems they're not only allowed to protest but also to carry firearms and point them at Federal agents.



Conservative flip flopping on the issue is also palpable. The Bundy Ranch protesters are patriots while the the protests in Ferguson are rioters and thugs.



So the larger issue here, which really needs to be discussed is this:

Is the right to protest a white privilege in America?

Discuss.

[Jackie]

Can I once again mention that the Ferguson Police escalated the situation way past the issue of Michael Brown? Even if it turned out that Michael Brown had pulled out an uzi and threatened to gun down the officer and the entire street, the police escalated the situation to a much larger issue.

The police were confronted with largely peaceful protesters. They responded like the former Soviet army cracking down on Polish strikers. They showed up with armored transports and machine guns. They not only dispersed a crowd that was exercising their first amendment rights, they swept through restaurants and cleared them out, arresting reporters. They fired on media camera crews. They swept through neighborhoods firing tear gas into people's back yards and homes.

Frankly, police behavior went beyond mere jack booted thuggery. At least the former Soviets had a bit more finesse in their oppression tactics. The Ferguson police seemed completely out of control.

The strongest defense conservatives could offer for their behavior was to allege there was some looting in addition to the peaceful protesters. This does not justify firing upon camera crews or sweeping through restaurants to arrest people for sitting at tables and typing into their laptops.

The Yosemite Sam style response to the Ferguson protests stands in stark contrast to the Bundy Ranch protests. When a bunch of white conservative people express outrage about the government, it seems they're not only allowed to protest but also to carry firearms and point them at Federal agents.



Conservative flip flopping on the issue is also palpable. The Bundy Ranch protesters are patriots while the the protests in Ferguson are rioters and thugs.



So the larger issue here, which really needs to be discussed is this:

Is the right to protest a white privilege in America?

Discuss.

BINGO, but no, it was also about Brown too. What you posted is part of it. Humans with dark skin in America are not allowed to make the same mistakes light skin humans are.

Even if I had illegal pot on me, walking down the street, or even if I had just shoplifted and shoved someone, I am less likely to get punished as severely ON AVERAGE than someone with darker skin.

My friend John also agrees with me about whom is hurt more in America by the economy and being punished harsher by crime. John however is not a fan of the term "white privilege". John has a southern draw, grew up in a poor family and can point out family members who voted for Clinton but hate blacks.

There are bigots in both parties. But even with that, even with other dark tone humans living in America that saying "we should not tear up our own shit". None of that changes the numbers or our social conditioning, for the reasons you posted above.

It should be about a political system and one party that has consistently pitted us against each other.

Some of this climate is intentional because some people are bigots and don't care. Some of it is unintentional and otherwise agreeable people dont understand so it is easier for them to blame than to understand.

It should be about economics. I think we still have old school politics and while the one bright light is that younger people are not buying into the divisions of their parents, the issue is still there.

If Obama's election was a good argument for a post racial society, we would not have seen the sudden uptick in paranoia and rise in hate groups. No other president in our history has seen this level of negative reaction.

The real issue should be about economics. The real issue of why our divide is repeating is evolutionary. Humans fear change. When humans have control or a majority in any given society, and they see that power shifting or the population changing, it causes fear.

[Jenny A]

[DeistPaladin]

There is indeed racial discrimination, and I'm sure Brown's color played a part in this death, I don't see that his economic situation did.

Just a question: would Brown have been killed if he'd been well-to-do?

I'm not sure of the answer but I suspect that he'd have gotten better treatment if he'd been part of a wealthier family. Maybe not, but I think there are different forms of privilege in America:

- White privilege
- Male privilege
- Wealth privilege

I also think there's such a thing as "Republican privilege", noting the difference between the way Tea Bagger protests were treated both by the media and police vs. the way Occupy protests were treated.

[Heywood]

Please explain why we should shift the topic from racial discrimination to economics. There is indeed racial discrimination, and I'm sure Brown's color played a part in this death, I don't see that his economic situation did.

How do you justify this claim Jenny? What fact exist that suggest that if Brown were white and all other elements of the situation were exactly the the same that he still doesn't get killed?

If I am the cop and the situation goes down as the cop describes....I shoot this kid regardless of his skin color.....and its not even a close decision for me.

[Jenny A]

[Jackie]