Posted on 08/22/2014 6:32:12 AM PDT by Citizen Zed
The fire this time is about invisibility. Our society expects the police to keep unemployed, poorly educated African-American men out of sight and out of mind. When they suddenly take center stage, illuminated by the flash and flicker of Molotov cocktails, we feign surprise.
The proximate cause of the rioting in Ferguson, Mo., is the killing of 18-year-old Michael Brown, who was stopped, a witness has said, by a white policeman for walking in the street rather than on the sidewalk. Officer Darren Wilson shot Brown at least six times, according to a private autopsy and, reportedly, one conducted by the county medical examiner. Two of those bullets struck him in the head.
There we have the familiar narrative: Another unarmed black man unjustly killed. Brown thus joins a long, sad list — Trayvon Martin, Eric Garner, etc. — that seems to have no end.
This storyline is unassailable. Anyone who thinks race is not a factor in these fatal encounters should have to cite examples of unarmed young white men being killed by trigger-happy police or self-appointed vigilantes. Names and dates, please.
But the violence in Ferguson tells of a deeper, more fundamental narrative about what African-Americans have done, and what has been done to them, in the decades since the urban riots of the 1960s — the fire last time.
Tempted to conclude that nothing has changed? Please note that the Missouri highway patrol commander, brought in to bring proportion and discipline to what had been a provocative police response, is black. So are the U.S. attorney general and the president.
(Excerpt) Read more at columbian.com ...
She was walking in traffic.
Obviously a good reason to throw her to the ground, straddle and punch her over a dozen times MMA style. Yeh right on brother.
Here’s one you never thought of approach the much smaller subject take them by the arm, steer them to the berm, handcuff and put in squad car. Oh wait that’s just too much trouble and not as much fun as assault and battery.
Nothing I have said is intended to defend the CHP.
The connection was she was black, and in traffic.
As opposed to white with ID, as mentioned in a previous reply.
Good I’m glad you recognize that a cop beating a woman on the side of the road is not proper police procedure.
I feel both of the Obama’s are mental lightweights who got where they are by the pull of others with money...period. In six years, he has showed no leadership, strives to divide this country, and has fulfilled none of his campaign promises. Based on accomplishments, he is the worse President in the history of this Republic and I fear he has done irreparable damage.
“Anyone who thinks race is not a factor in these fatal encounters..”
Of course race is a factor in these fatal encounters. However, the author fails to realize that the racialist culture that promotes hatred of cops and a disrepect for lawful society is the cause. It is not that police forces are filled with racist white cops.
Who walks down the middle of the street? I didn’t see that behaviour in my neighborhood until the ghetto residents started moving in. I later found out that this behaviour is normal for them.
Who wears “snitches get stitches” t-shirts? Who tags every damn bit of public property and often private property? Who drops out of school because getting education would be “acting white?” Who calls any black conservative a “sell out” or “uncle tom?” Which culture has the “crabs in a bucket” syndrom?
Do I have to go on?
Listen Eugene, Race is surely a factor in these encounters. However, if you want to get to the root cause of the issue, look in the mirror and take an honest assessment of the culture being promoted by those that look like you.
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