What’s interesting in the news today?
1. The more we know……
From TheBlaze “For the very first time, an alleged “friend” of the officer who fatally shot 18-year-old Ferguson man Michael Brown is revealing new details about the controversial incident that has sparked unrest in cities across the country, CNN reported on Monday.
Calling into The Dana Loesch Radio Show on Friday, “Josie” claimed that Brown “bum-rushed” officer Darren Wilson moments after pushing him into his squad car, punching him in the face and trying to grab the cop’s gun.”
“The alleged friend of Wilson continued: “So he goes in reverse back to them, tries to get out of his car. They slam his door shut violently. I think he said Michael did. And, then he opened the car again, you know, he tried to get out. He stands up. And then Michael just bum-rushes him and shoves him back into his car, punches him in the face and then, of course, Darren grabs for his gun. Michael grabbed for the gun. At one point, he got the gun entirely turned against his hip. And he shoves it away, and the gun goes off.”
The caller went on to claim that Brown then ran from the officer, making it about 35 feet away before Wilson got up and ordered the suspect to “freeze.”
“Michael and his friend turn around. And Michael taunts him… And then all the sudden he just started bumrushing him. He just started coming at him full speed. And, so he just started shooting. And, he just kept coming. And, so he really thinks he was on something,” she concluded. “The final shot was in the forehead, and then he fell about two or three feet in front of the officer.”
_______________________________________________
2. The autopsy report conflicts with witness testimony, but still says excessive force was used. I have a feeling Holder’s autopsy will say otherwise. Call it a hunch.
From FoxNews “Dr. Michael Baden, who conducted the autopsy at the request of Brown’s family, talked to Bill Hemmer by phone this morning. His findings do not line up with witnesses who have claimed that Wilson shot Brown from behind.
“This autopsy shows that there wasn’t any gunshot wounds in his back. Some people thought they saw that. An autopsy helps organize which witness testimony is more reliable,” he said.
But he said the presence of six gunshot wounds points to “excessive” force by Wilson. Baden noted that Wilson may have fired even more shots that missed Brown, explaining that the police would know the total number of shots fired.
“There is legitimate concern as to whether the shooting was overreacting. That has to be answered and we don’t have all the answers,” said Baden.”
_______________________________________________
3. I would add Holder, Sharpton, and Jackson to the list.
From Breitbart “Former CNN anchor and Fox News Channel’s “MediaBuzz” host Howie Kurtz criticized some outlets for creating “almost a lynch mob mentality” in Ferguson, MO in the wake of the shooting death of Michael Brown.
“Some liberal outlets [are] creating almost a lynch mob mentality around this, the Huffington Post today, screaming banner headline ‘Arrest Him.’ Now, the Huffington Post, nor you or I, knows exactly what happened” he said. And “when you cross that line into becoming an advocate and to demanding that somebody be prosecuted before the facts are in, while the investigation is going on, you’re grandstanding, you’re trying to keep the story alive and I really think it’s troubling.”
_______________________________________________
4. Who are the protestors?
From TheWashingtonPost “The militants are one faction of many that have filled Ferguson’s streets each evening since Brown, walking unarmed between a convenience store and his grandmother’s apartment at midday on a Saturday, was shot at least six times and died.
There is a group of “peaceful protesters” that congregates around the QuikTrip, which was looted and burned during the first night of protest. Another gathers near the Ferguson police station. A third, more scattered faction uses the social-media community Black Twitter to organize demonstrators.
“People have been tweeting, ‘We are ready to die tonight,’ ” said Mary Pat Hector, a national youth organizer with the Rev. Al Sharpton’s national action network. “It is a trending topic.”
Hector traveled from Atlanta, hoping her presence as a nonviolent protester would help counter what she described as “so much negative energy.””
_______________________________________________
5. This is troubling, but not surprising. As the above story shows, nowadays the mob rules.
From TheGuardian “An Israeli ship subject of a pro-Palestinian protest has docked, but demonstrations at the port of Oakland in California continue after between 2,000 and 3,000 pro-Palestinian activists streamed towards the port entrance on Saturday, chanting and waving flags. It remains unclear whether the ship’s cargo has been unloaded.
The protesters intended to form a picket line to prevent work crews from unloading the ship.
Activists had originally planned to meet at 5am for a blockade of the Zim Integrated Shipping Services vessel, but word that its arrival had been delayed prompted organisers to push the protest back until later in the afternoon.
The event began with a brief rally at a nearby transit station, followed by a march to the port. Sameh Ayesh, a 21-year-old Palestinian activist with the San Francisco-based Arab Youth Organisation, led the crowd in a chant.”
_______________________________________________
6. Not shocking either….
From TheWashingtonTimes “The administration that vowed to be the most transparent in history now must defend itself against a federal lawsuit accusing it of thwarting the release of public information. It’s a case that could reveal just how much politics influences the processing of Freedom of Information Act requests, especially when such releases could embarrass the president.
The civic watchdog group Cause of Action on Monday sued the Obama administration, claiming that presidential attorneys have interfered improperly in the release of public documents under the landmark FOIA law in an effort to curb the release of derogatory information about the White House.”
_______________________________________________
7. First it was the Army clearing out the ranks of Majors, now it’s the Navy’s turn.
From USAToday “Almost 8,000 senior enlisted personnel must go before a continuation board later this year to determine whether they can continue to serve or must retire.
The board — the first since early 2013 — will convene Oct. 27, according to a Navy document released Aug. 14.
At risk are between 7,500 and 8,000 retirement-eligible active and reserve E-7s, E-8s and E-9s with at least at least three years’ time in rate.”
_______________________________________________
Wandering Views 
1 Clearly, this was an example of the type of horrible police brutality of which I was previously unaware. I’m sure Brown only wanted to hug the officer.
In hindsight, I am sure it was police brutality that caused hundreds of thousands of people to flee from Detroit, Flint, St. Louis, Baltimore, Philadelphia, Birmingham, etc.
LikeLike
Heh. You’re bordering on the absurd, RickyWeaver. Did you know it was possible to be opposed to rioting AND police brutality at the same time? Yeah, people can do that. It’s pretty cool. I’ll just paste what I posted from the earlier thread (correcting a couple typos):
RickyWeaver, it’s amazing how liberal-like you are at refusing to get a point. So far, you have ignored, intentionally (I’m guessing?) misconstrued, and diverted from what I (and others) have said about this. Now you’re implying all I want is “Passivity, criticism of the police and a wringing of the hands about ‘society causing the riot,’” without any reason to think I’m *for* looters and rioters. That’s terrible argumentation (except to a liberal).
Simply stopping a riot is no great accomplishment. All you need is guns and a sense of vigilantist “let God sort ‘em out” justice. It’s pretty clear what my point was in bringing up Tiananmen, but how you missed is weird.
RickyWeaver asserts, “Quick, stiff punishment deters rioters and looters” as if I or others disagree (I guess?–or maybe I’m not sure who he’s talking to). But I’ve said that exact thing a couple times already in this discussion. But I DO oppose just a-shootin’ into a crowd of looters. That would be craziness.
LikeLike
1,2. Essentially, this lady is just repeating her friends’ story — more or less hearsay. The autopsy shows six shots fired at a distance at the front of Brown.Now if we had dashcams or even personal cameras, the whole story telling arguments would be moot. Interestingly, the police dept. has the cameras they just weren’t deployed yet but they did deploy their military equipment quickly.
Of course the story is no longer about the incident but rather the police response. They employed force when it was better to back off, were slow to release some information and quick to release others. Apparently the officer had a clean personnel file but disciplinary reports and excessive use of force citations are only kept in case files (so if he or anyone has one you need to go through every case file to find it). Apparently he resembled a robbery suspect but the officer did not know of the robbery, the store didn’t report the robbery (minor shoplifting) and Brown actually paid for the cigars he had. Nothing the police dept has said so far has any credibility. Not only does it lack credibility, it has acted as an occupying power displaying and using excessive force on ordinary citizens. Here is a case for libertarians both left and right to voice their concerns.
Beyond the particulars of Fergusson, its the obvious disparities in American policing that keep the fuel burning. The following link to a video is demonstrative of the disparity — the first three minutes is all someone needs to see, the talking heads that follow just repeat what the pictures show.
http://www.upworthy.com/a-news-anchor-draws-comparisons-that-make-the-story-in-ferguson-seem-even-more-shocking?g=2&c=hpstream
LikeLike
I’m not sure I would say the story is no longer about the incident, hwesseli. Not that it would matter to most who have made up their minds one way or the other, but I do think many people are still interested in any details that may come out regarding what happened.
I wasn’t aware that Brown had paid for the cigars, nor that the store didn’t report, but is not the footage of Brown manhandling the store clerk the greater issue? It *can* indicate a propensity on his part to be agressive; certainly, it conflicts with the earliest depiction of his friends that he was a strictly docile, obedient guy.
LikeLike
Also, hwesseli, do you have a link with the info that Brown paid and the store didn’t report a theft? I haven’t been following too closely.
LikeLike
If the robbery, or at least the strong arming if he paid, wasn’t reported, how did the police obtain the video from the store that shows him strong arming the owner? It may have been reported after the fact, but it obviously was reported. That doesn’t pass the smell test.
And according to police sources he wasn’t stopped for the robbery. He was stopped because the officer told them to get out of the road and they refused with expletives aimed at the cop. That’s why the cop stopped him. Police anywhere will stop you if you cuss them out. That’s a no brainer. You can count on it.
After the incident when the police had more info, the robbery video was released. Of course they would because they saw the media portraying Brown as an innocent young man about to go off to college who was wrongly killed by police. That’s not accurate. He was much more than that. I think the video release was to show that the media portrayal was biased and untrue. Sure it was CYA on the part of police, but facts matter, and it is relevant.
LikeLike
Here’s link with the video. Within this post you can follow other links to less biased articles. The video is also available on youtube.
http://www.addictinginfo.org/2014/08/18/ferguson-pd-busted/
Propensity to be aggressive is no excuse if it was the police could shoot any teenage boy.
The reason the protests have continued having nothing to do with neighborhood’s grief but for the ineptitude of the local police and the racial disparity in policing in America. The difference in how the open carry protest groups and the Bundy standoff were handled in comparison to how blacks see themselves treated is or should be part of the conversation no.
LikeLike
The police obtained the video from the store by issuing a warrant — the store owner has no wish to be involved. The theft was reported by a customer and was unknown by the police officer at the the time of the shooting. Thus even if there was pushing and shoving the officer had no knowledge and it wasn’t part of the facts on the ground at the the time of the shooting. Its a red herring and character defamation. Its not relevant.
Yelling an expletive at a cop isn’t wise but it doesn’t merit six shots. He didn’t stop him, he shot him six times from a distance. I’ve been called a few expletives by students and I have yet to shoot them six times or as I’m unarmed I have yet to lay a hand on a student or throw an object at a student. Its called professionalism and the police officer failed to execute anything remotely resembling it. I expected people with authority, teachers and police, to respond appropriately. When people entrusted with authority use undue force, they become authoritarian and the state they represent, work for or protect becomes authoritarian.
LikeLike
Seems like a lot of information has been missing in the Ferguson case from the start.
I’m not sure why police have said next to nothing, though I suppose it’s partly because it’s an ongoing investigation. But the whole thing doesn’t add up yet.
To me, it still sounds like excessive force was used that resulted in an unnecessary killing of an unarmed (albeit obnoxious, from the sounds of it) 18-year-old. But the officer also was provoked in some significant way, and that’s what remains really murky and unclear.
Provoked or not, the response (based on just what we know now) still seems excessive.
The police have been the opposite of transparent in this case, which hasn’t helped.
Unfortunately, as has been mentioned here, now everyone’s mind is pretty much made up and the original narrative, right or wrong in its specifics, will stand.
The demonstrations, meanwhile, seem to have taken on a life of their own. 😦 The media’s stuck in the middle, having to cover it because it’s news (I feel for those folks out there trying to do that) — but also, I suspect, the media is adding to the “big event” atmosphere of the nightly gatherings and may be helping to fuel them in some ways.
LikeLike
hwesseli, I still think there is some major pieces of information missing from what happened and exactly what went down. We’ve heard virtually nothing from the officer.
It may not change the conclusion that many of us have drawn — that excessive force *seems* to have been used. But I doubt it’s all as black and white as it’s (so far) been portrayed, either.
LikeLike
Propensity to be aggressive is no excuse if it was the police could shoot any teenage boy.
Man. This is a simple point. Come on, folks. Let’s pick up the discourse. If Brown were universally depicted as a submissive angel, and there was no reason to believe he might ever act aggressively toward authority, and the only person who disputed any of this was the cop who shot him, *the video adds weight to the cop’s story.* No, by itself, it doesn’t give license to cops to kill anyone who has acted out (as if anyone is suggesting that), but *it’s relevant to the cop’s version.* Please. Think, people.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Donna J, of some of the eyewitness accounts are true, it certainly would seem like excessive force was used, especially if Brown was stationary and submitting himself to the cop.
But if the cop’s version is true–as communicated by his friend who called the radio station, apparently–then I don’t think 6 shots, and maybe even more, would be unjustified. In my opinion, the autopsy *can* be seen as supportive of the cops version; that is, it could have been that Michael Brown, who is a big guy, was facing the cop, then charged him, at which point the cop might be justified in shooting. A few shots to the arm apparently (according to this version), did not deter Brown’s charge, so as he kept approaching, the cop kept shooting. That would not seem unreasonable behavior from a cop, in my opinion. Thoughts?
LikeLike
I repeat, they are investigating this, so why are people still protesting?
LikeLike
Some thoughts from Veith:
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/geneveith/2014/08/thoughts-on-ferguson-shooting/
LikeLike
Has the issue of tasers been addressed? Maybe they didn’t have one or maybe that wouldn’t have been effective in such a fast-unfolding situation, I don’t know.
LikeLike
If the cop’s story is that a young man was obnoxious to him and from a distance he appeared threatening and thus he shot him six times, then he should be fired and arrested for manslaughter. If the police could shoot all obnoxious and/or threatening teenagers, there would be hardly any left. If the boy muttered an expletive to the officer did the officer have to respond? does an expletive constitute a threat? No.
As a teacher, I hear expletives all the time and I use my professional judgment in order to respond. First I decide if I will respond. Second, I decide what level of discipline to exercise. And nowhere in my decision making is the idea of six shots considered even when threatened with a chair and/or bodily harm.
The police response has been dismal. Overwhelming force, lack of information, misleading information, banning journalists, etc The news/journalist have added to the atmosphere but anytime you ban journalist you raise questions about your motives and your actions. The police behaviour and its military like response should offend the same libertarians who were upset with BLM in Colorado and who host open carry protests yet it hasn’t. And the fact that police respond differently to those libertarians has been noted and has also become part of the narrative.
LikeLike
kbells — because the people no longer trust the authorities and as the police continue to release misleading information the trust continues to erode.
LikeLike
Donna J, I’m surprised Veith assumes shooting Brown 6 times is too much. It’s entirely possible to be a threat even with a handful of bullets in you. Among the officer’s concerns *may* have been that the bigger Brown could have wrestled the gun away from him if he got close enough. And the cop very possibly wouldn’t know how many of his shots have hit Brown. This is all happening in a matter of less than 5 seconds or so.
LikeLike
hwesseli, please! LOL! Nobody is saying a cop is justified for shooting a person because that person is obnoxious! The point here is not speaking to *what justifies a shooting,* but to *the credibility of the cop’s version.* If Brown was seen in a video acting aggressively, then that is consistent with the cop’s version that says Brown acted aggressively toward him. That’s all I’m saying, OK?
LikeLike
hwesseli, the police department is no longer in charge of the investigation, so why are they still protesting?
LikeLike
Think of all the other 290 lb. doped-up young men who get into a conflict with an officer and then begin to run at him to give him a hug. The duty of the police in stopping crime must be a secondary concern. All police must be trained to hug their assailants. Who knows? Perhaps hugging might have also stopped the looting?
LikeLike
From twitter (you know that mug shot is one that’ll make the rounds):
Bret Baier @BretBaier
Gov. Perry will turn himself in today around 5pm CT in Austin. As a formality – he will have his mugshot taken, he’ll be fingerprinted, etc.
LikeLike
kbells, what do their signs say?
LikeLike
To be serious for just a moment, I do wonder why police officers still work in high crime cities or towns. Set aside the risk of death or serious injury. If there is a questionable incident they will now be attacked by everyone from Sharpton and Obama to Rand Paul, Mark Steyn and SolarPancake. Pension? Look at Detroit and Birmingham. People and businesses flee high crime areas and those cities go bankrupt. Their pensions aren’t worth much.
LikeLike
Most of them say something along the lines of “Hands up, don’t shoot.” Which really doesn’t tell me what they want.
LikeLike
KBells, I don’t think many of the protesters actually work for a living. This is like their Fourth of July.
LikeLike
Even if any of information (some of it misleading) lends credibility to the cop’s story; its not enough to lend credibility to the cop’s actions. And if one acts aggressively in one location doesn’t lend any credibility one will act aggressively in an other location. Students behave differently at home than at school and within school they act differently according to which room they are in, who is the supervising teacher and who is with them. A
They continue to protest because they don’t trust the authorities — the police dept, the justice dept, the state, the county etc — there’s no trust.
I can’t help but wonder if the police stand down; pack up and go home what would happen?. And the media does the same;what would happen? Would the people have no reason to protest if the military like occupation of their streets ceases?
LikeLike
kbells — apparently that was Brown’s last words which have taken a life of its own. Buts it can be taken to mean — we are unarmed, have no mal-intent so leave us alone. Which is why I wonder if the police just packed up and left what would happen.
LikeLike
RickyWeaver, take a breath, then try to locate and post where I’ve attacked a cop. In this thread alone, I’ve posted about 4 comments in support of the Ferguson cop. You’re taking from the liberal playbook, fella. Step up your game and don’t argue like a child.
LikeLike
HRW, There are probably going to be some openings coming up on the Ferguson police force. Somehow, I don’t think there will be many applicants. You should apply. They may have to take immigrants from Canada. You could train the other officers: Our motto is: Stand down, pack up, go home.
LikeLike
hwesseli, you’re really being obtuse. You *don’t know* the cops actions nor the details that may have provoked them, beyond some very general details. And again, you’re misapplying the relevance of the store video. This sentence is irrelevant: “And if one acts aggressively in one location doesn’t lend any credibility one will act aggressively in an other location.” Nobody is suggesting that it does! Do you really not understand the relevance of the video? It SIMPLY MEANS that the officer’s account of aggression is *somewhat supported* by similar behavior that was displayed elsewhere. No one is saying it proves Brown was aggressive. Good grief you guys!
LikeLike
I guess RickyWeaver believes that if there is one problem in the world, there can’t be other ones, too, because look at that one problem!
LikeLike
KBells, then I’m with you. Yeah, those signs don’t mean much of anything.
LikeLike
SolarP, I didn’t want to go nuclear, but you left me no choice. You have clearly positioned yourself between me (a conservative) and HRW (a liberal). Go ahead and admit it. You are a Moderate.
Today is too much fun.
LikeLike
RickyWeaver, remember when you said I attack cops over questionable incidents? Wasn’t that fun! Did you find a post where I did that? That could be a fun thing to try, to!
LikeLike
If I were a single mother, a shop owner or an elderly person I don’t think I would want the police to just pack up and go home. Jut remember the only people hurt so far have been cops and people hurt by other “protesters”. I wouldn’t mind if the media went home.
LikeLike
HRW,
“Propensity to be aggressive is no excuse if it was the police could shoot any teenage boy.”
No, it’s no excuse to shoot an unarmed man, but this is. As Donna said, there’s much they’re not saying….
http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2014/08/breaking-report-po-darren-wilson-suffered-orbital-blowout-fracture-to-eye-socket-during-encounter-with-mike-brown/
“The Gateway Pundit can now confirm from two local St. Louis sources that police Officer Darren Wilson suffered facial fractures during his confrontation with deceased 18 year-old Michael Brown. Officer Wilson clearly feared for his life during the incident that led to the shooting death of Brown. This was after Michael Brown and his accomplice Dorian Johnson robbed a local Ferguson convenience store.”
“Local St. Louis sources said Wilson suffered an “orbital blowout fracture to the eye socket.” This comes from a source within the Prosecuting Attorney’s office and confirmed by the St. Louis County Police.”
“This comes after St. Louis Post-Dispatch reporter tweeted out last night that a dozen local witnesses confirmed Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson’s version of the Brown shooting story.”
LikeLike
HRW,
And just because the guy didn’t want to file charges doesn’t mean he wasn’t the victim of a strong armed robbery. And really, it’s not at all shocking, after all, how do you file charges against a dead man either way? That no charges nonsense is a red herring.
LikeLike
I also wanted to ask HRW where he heard Brown paid for the cigars, although that’s a pretty secondary issue (another red herring).
AJ, not only would that attack on the cop justify shooting, but *could* help explain why (at least) six shots were fired. It would have been more than a shove, and he (the cop) would have been at a disadvantage because of the injury to the eye. This is why it’s ridiculous to *conclude* stuff before having enough info…and that goes for the veracity of this eye injury report, actually.
LikeLike
I’m not misapplying the video; I’m saying its not relevant ie it shouldn’t be applied to any thought process concerning what happened that night between Brown and Wilson. Since it doesn’t prove he was aggressive and it only somewhat supports Brown account, its really not relevant and is what I said a red herring and character defamation.
Ricky I would like your comment but you called me a liberal ….. If I can be labelled please call me a anarcho-socialist (read Orwell’s Homage to Catalonia to understand that label), a democratic socialist, or a left wing libertarian. My criticism of police actions is textbook libertarianism including my somewhat facetious comment that the police should pack up and go home. A libertarian (right or left) generally thinks that the heavy hand of the state increases the problem. Its interesting to note the near absence of the libertarian right commentary on Fergusson — here we have the state invading a community with near military force, the arrest of journalist, the banning of journalist and observers, and yet they remain silent. Those who criticized the state for its actions in Waco, Ruby Ridge, Bundy ranch, etc should if they remain consistent to libertarian principles be critical of the police response.
LikeLike
Meanwhile, there’s been another officer involved shooting in Ferguson:
http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/st-louis-police-fatally-shoot-man-who-brandished-knife/article_85d27316-a17a-5e0a-b1d6-8a6753e2fcb2.html
LikeLike
Ricky,
Solar’s a moderate? 😯
Both he and I are shocked to discover that. 🙂
He’s more a libertarian than anything. He’s also changed my mind on some stuff, so hear him out.
Also I have to agree, there is a huge problem with police nowadays, at least around here, and the over-militarization is at it’s root. There’s entire websites dedicated to this problem.
That being said, I don’t think this is an example of it. The cop is justified if what was posted above was true. The rioters can’t justify their stupidity or actions. If anything, the cops are being too lenient. Standing by and watching looters but not intervening is silly. Tear gas and rubber bullets shows an awful lot of restraint in the face of having gas cocktails and real bullets shot at you.
The biggest problem is outside agitators, including Al, Jesse, Eric, and Barry.
LikeLike
hwesseli, we’re not a deliberating jury and we’re not tasked with handing down a legal verdict. We’re discussing this thing in the milieu of social conversation. You’re in your unintentional troll territory here. OF COURSE it’s relevant that Michael Brown has been shown to act aggressively. It’s simply foolish to say it’s not.
LikeLike
AJ, I agree that Al, Jesse, Eric, and Barry are huge problems, but do you recall whether the OJ riots had agitators like that to foment that whole fiasco? I honestly don’t remember, but I thought that was pretty spontaneous and grass-roots stuff.
LikeLike
Again the whole incident at the convenience store is a red herring. The video I linked this morning shows Brown leaving without robbing the store. He may have shoplifted but it appears the left money and some stuff on the counter. The pictures shown in AJs link indicate an altercation when Brown was leaving the store (not necessarily a robbery as the link suggests). Again all of this is immaterial other than going to the character (which may or may not be legally relevant). Its immaterial because the officer knew nothing of this altercation prior to meeting Brown.
As for injuries to Wilson — why the late release of this information? No one other than those who want to believe it will take this on face value. If he was injured from the altercation and suffered an orbital fracture, this information should have been released immediately. Too bad the Fergusson police never installed the cameras they have in storage……. but they did get their military equipment out of storage quick enough…..
As the autopsy indicates six bullets fired from a distance to the front of Brown — its difficult to believe Wilson suffered these injuries from Brown. Did Brown punch/push/shove Wilson and then walk backwards several feet at which time Wilson began shooting? Did Wilson shoot Brown six times and Brown still manage to punch/push/shove Wilson and then fall several feet away from him??
LikeLike
troll like?? I thought my critique was fairly libertarian. The militarization of the police force is part of the reason for the staying power of the demonstrations. The initial incident although interesting in terms of what happened is only a background to why the protest continue.
LikeLike
One last try!!
hwesseli, once more, nobody is suggesting that Wilson could, should, or ought to use the video as justification for shooting Brown. Repeat this sentence in your head until you understand it.
OK? Got that? If someone were to tell me my mom had cursed them out because they didn’t deliver the newspaper in time, I would not believe it for a single second. There’s no way that’s in her character. Michael Brown was originally purported to have been an angel by a few folks. BUT, if someone else later showed me a video of my mom bawling out a neighborhood kid, I would think, WOW, maybe she IS capable of that. It doesn’t prove she yelled at the newspaper guy, but it informs me something of her character that *does* lend credence to the guy’s account. OK?
Also, it’s fine to look at the autopsy and ask question about how Brown could have injured Wilson, but there are all kinds of scenarios in which the injury could have happened, and the accounts of some witnesses provide such a scenario. But you can’t *conclude* things so certainly as you do with such a lack of information.
LikeLike
So do you think he is lying about his injuries or what?
LikeLike
I’ll jump on board with many a libertarian critique, hwesseli, but I at least want facts before I make conclusions.
LikeLike
I can’t answer all of HRW’s questions but I do know that if the media went home, so would the protesters.
LikeLike
Chas, the media has a dilemma in having to cover the demonstrations (while realizing that they also are, in some ways, fueling them). I don’t know how you resolve that in a nation where a free press is so vital.
Meanwhile, there’s this on CNN (you knew there’d be a FB link — and as much as anything else, social media also is driving the nonstop debate, esp Twitter; and I’d rather get my news from trained reporters than from spontaneous Tweets by non-journalists):
http://www.cnn.com/2014/08/19/us/ferguson-darren-wilson-support/index.html?hpt=hp_t1
” … In a rally organized by the “Support Darren Wilson” Facebook page, more than 100 people gathered Sunday in downtown St. Louis to show their support for Wilson, CNN affiliate KSDK reported.
“The Facebook group is gaining attention on social media and has received more than 29,000 likes since its creation on August 9. A second Facebook page, “I Support Officer Wilson,” is almost at 33,000 likes since its creation Friday. …”
LikeLike
HRW, Sorry for the misdesignation. The libertarian-right has not been silent on Ferguson. I posted a column by Mark Steyn last week that was right in line with SolarP’s comments. Rand Paul made similar statements. That was why I grouped the three together in one of the posts that offended SolarP.
I was not offended by the government’s actions in Waco or Bundy Ranch. I did marvel at its ineptitude.
LikeLike
Pure evil.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/08/19/james-foley-executed-isis_n_5692695.html
LikeLike
I’m not sure what to think of his injuries — I just think like much of what has happened the police made an error in not releasing this information earlier.
Here’s some accounts that actually might explain the injury and how Brown was shot in the front. These accounts aren’t totally in synch with each other or with other information (and if they were I would be more disinclined to believe them) but do make some sense.
http://www.theroot.com/articles/culture/2014/08/_5_eyewitness_accounts_of_michael_brown_s_shooting.html
Solar — it seems to be the MO by some media, the police and others to put down or defame the character of a black youth who gets shot, its almost a knee jerk reaction which makes it difficult to take anything said about character good or bad seriously. Or treat it with any relevance.
Ricky — haven’t been around the internet much as I moved again. The federal gov’t did demonstrate some ineptitude in Waco . As for Bundy; I really don’t think they saw that coming — they were there to collect for back taxes/rent and probably thought it would be a routine operation. But in the case of Fergusson I do think the police initially overreacted and threw more fuel in the fire than necessary by the use of military equipment and misinformation.
LikeLike
HRW, It seems to me whenever a black youth is shot my an officer or a semi-white person, the youth is instantly portrayed by some media as some sort of saint. Brown was the “gentle giant”. We were constantly shown pictures of 10 year-old Trayvon. It does not seem unreasonable for the police or others to put out a few facts while Sharpton and the Black Panthers are stirring up the lynch mob.
LikeLike
Considering that the police were criticized for under reacting the first night resulting in looting and destruction a little over reaction the next day is almost understandable. They seemed to be darned if they do and darned if they don’t. (Wasn’t sure if I could say the other word)
LikeLike
Interesting tweet, considering it’s from Bill Maher:
Bill Maher ✔ @billmaher
Isis- “one of thousands of Islamic militant groups” (NYTimes) beheads another. But by all means lets keep pretending all religions are alike
5:03 PM – 19 Aug 2014
LikeLike