Ferguson Was the Spark — Eric Garner Is the Fire

Time Magazine ^ | December 3, 2014 | Professor John McWhorter, Columbia University.

[old curmudgeon]

I wonder why he did not ask where “loosies” come from.

The answer is that the come from cigarettes stolen by the mob.

Garner was a mob hanger on whose job it was to sell them on the street.

Also I saw somewhere that he strong armed store owners and customers.

I think for some kind of protection racket.

At any rate, he was low life.

[OneWingedShark]

Someone here please tell me what an English professor brings to this discussion that a customer service agent, plumber, ditch digger or short-order cook doesn't?

The ability to diagram sentences?

[chesley]

I can answer that.

S/he brings one of two things, and often both: a confused way of thinking and a lying tongue.

[cloudmountain]

Is "Ferguson" ever going to go away? I stopped caring oh-so long ago.

I guess the media will milk it until the cows come home...or until sponsors stop paying for that garbage.

[dfwgator]

How long did it take for Katrina to go away, or for Trayvon to go away?

[The Toll]

I know, I keep catching myself hoping a plane goes missing.

[healy61]

Those that can, do. Those that can’t teach. Those that can’t teach, write for Time.

[cloudmountain]

I know, I keep catching myself hoping a plane goes missing.

OR our PimpPrez could bow, nose-to-knee to another middle eastern, European, Asian, African or South American despot or leader. That always makes the news.

[cloudmountain]

How long did it take for Katrina to go away, or for Trayvon to go away?

Sigh. You're right, of course. It took FOREVER.

[Paladin2]

Cops should stop shooting dogs.

[livius]

Well, they were both petty thugs with records who resisted arrest, attacked officers, and - in one case because he charged the officer, in the other case because the guy had pre-existing health problems that he would have known but the officers did not - both of them died through through their own stupidity.

Is this the image blacks want to give of themselves? Really and truly?

[UCANSEE2]

Gee... I've been wondering what happened to all those protesters that came in from all over the country/world to invade Ferguson, Missouri.

I think I found them. Warning: Excessive profanity.

Compilation of People Flipping Out in Public

[bigbob]

Wait, wasn’t Trayvon the spark?

[Jack Hydrazine]

Black Male Goes on Stabbing Rampage in Michigan Train: Media Suddenly Race Ambivalent
http://www.conservativerefocus.com/blog5.php/2014/12/06/black-male-goes-on-stabbing-rampage-in-michigan-train-media-suddenly-race-ambivalent

[Jack Hydrazine]

School President: 5 William Paterson University Students Charged In Sex Assault
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3234601/posts

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Mr. McWartner is rooting for a race war.

[A_perfect_lady]

I'm sorry to see this. I knew McWhorter many years ago, and he was not a knee-jerk leftie or a race card player by any means. But this:

“Even when my son steals from a store, refuses a cop’s order and tries to take his gun, he shouldn’t get shot.” And he shouldn’t--"

Shouldn't he?? Seriously?? Man, if this had been a member of my own family, and the cop had been black, I still wouldn't be on MB's side.

I mean, these people are collectively losing their minds. If a criminal killing a cop doesn't matter to you at all, but a cop killing a criminal brings you out into the streets, there is something WRONG WITH YOU.

[Marcella]

I wish people would find out the actual facts before mouthing a verdict of guilty. The officer did NOT HAVE A CHOKE HOLD ON Eric Garner. He had a hold that is an acceptable hold approved by the police department. Once someone said “choke hold”, that is all you hear now, that Garner died from a choke hold.

Eric Garner had asthma, was morbidly overweight, had high blood pressure and heart problems. The autopsy report was that his throat and neck had no damage - the accepted hold did not damage his throat or neck. Garner had a heart attack and died. Would he have had a heart attack if police had not bothered him? Maybe not.

Why were the police there? Businesses in that area contacted the police dept. because Garner was in front of their businesses selling illegal cigarettes and bothering customers coming in and going out of their stores. The cops were responding to these complaints.

Garner had been arrested over 30 times. He was no stranger to police. He resisted arrest and the cops had to take him down to get his arms behind his back so they could handcuff him. Now, if they had known he was going to have a heart attack, I'm sure they would have called an ambulance to transport him to a hospital where he would be in a guarded room, likely handcuffed to the bed.

Must cops now ask a person for his/her health report before arresting him/her? What about the person not breaking the law over and over on purpose? Garner would be alive today had he not been committing criminal acts and had he not fought with police. Police did not kill him - he caused his own death by resisting arrest to the point he had a heart attack.

And, there was a black woman police officer there the whole time. An ambulance was called when it was determined the man was not breathing.

[Irenic]

Ferguson Was the Spark — Eric Garner Is the Fire

Why not write... Micheal Brown Was the Spark- Eric Garner Is the Fire? Or Ferguson Was the Spark - New York Is the Fire?

The professor needs to reflect on that.

[trebb]

Someone here please tell me what an English professor brings to this discussion that a customer service agent, plumber, ditch digger or short-order cook doesn't?

The word "pragmatic".