Good piece at NRO - Thomas Sowell, “The Media and the Mob.”
“Those of us who admit that we were not there, and do not know what happened when Michael Brown was shot by a policeman in Ferguson, Mo., seem to be in the minority.
We all know what has happened since then — and it has been a complete disgrace by politicians, the media, and mobs of rioters and looters. Despite all the people who act as if they know exactly what happened, nevertheless, when the full facts come out, that can change everything.
This is why we have courts of law, instead of relying on the media or mobs. But politics is undermining law......”
http://www.nationalreview.com/article/385876/media-and-mob-thomas-sowell
Sowell is right.
The problem is that once the narrative is fixed in the minds of the public, any legal ruling to the contrary will be doubted and even opposed. Usually just for partisan political and ideological purposes.
Thats why once the other side picks a fight in the court of public opinion, we must engage. I’d love to sit back and say “let’s not rush to judgement, let the investigation and legal process run it’s course”, but that amounts to unilateral disarmament in the face of enemy action.