<p>Watching the looting of a liquor store. So much for rationality.</p>
<p>DH knows some people that live in the area. The majority of the protesters are from out of town. They will leave and the people that live there are going to be left with the mess they caused. Looting and violence are NOT the solution.</p>
<p>I feel horrible for the people of Ferguson. I’ve actually been avoiding the coverage because I believe this is a media event, and there are far too many outsiders amping people up.</p>
<p>That said, do the police in Ferguson live in Ferguson?</p>
<p>I think it’s a good policy to require police to live in the area they work, personally, which is a policy where I live now and in Chicago.</p>
<p>Amen @MichiganGeorgia</p>
<p>'Watching the looting of a liquor store. So much for rationality"</p>
<p>Well hey now, they’re angry. Gotta wash down that anger with some good liquor. Man’s gotta stay hydrated, right?</p>
<p>Yes. by all means, pour a little liquor on your outrage. That’ll help.</p>
<p>We are ripe for riots in this country, right now. Honestly, it’s the economy and lack of jobs. </p>
<p>busdriver, your contemptuous tone adds nothing to the conversation. Seriously. </p>
<p>@poetgirl</p>
<p>Ferguson has a tiny police department of 53 officers. 3 are black. But that’s a really complicated issue. Background checks disqualify applicants real fast, assuming there even are applicants.</p>
<p>Just what are you insinuating, marie?</p>
<p>I don’t think 3 being black is a complicated issue. I think it’s pretty clear.</p>
<p>Insinuating? Is it a secret that a lot of young black men have background issues? A lot of young white men do, too. You need a clean background to even get a look by a police department. The complicated issue is why so many black men have records, but they do and I have no idea how many applied to be cops in Ferguson. A city nearby me has trouble with this issue though, so it is real in some areas.</p>
<p>The biggest thing here isn’t the no-bill, it’s the expectation. For months, talk about riots if x doesn’t occur, and… voila., your expectations are likely be fulfilled. More surprising would be people not responding to the call.</p>
<p>Time of the announcement wouldn’t seem to have anything at all to do with it, since a 1:00 PM verdict would have just allowed more time (and daylight) to find empty bottles for the molotovs.</p>
<p>It can be a circle, too. White police gave my rich neighbor’s son a pass when he was caught dealing. Sent him home to his parents with a stern talking to. He could now be a police officer if he wanted. A black kid in Missouri gets arrested for only possessing. He can’t be a police officer. It’s the way it works. </p>
<p>Not to mention, the way police often treat an outsider doesn’t encourage black kids to even want to join their ranks. We have a case where I live where a black officer was one of the few blacks on the force. His “brothers in blue” hung nooses on his locker, left signs up saying “n-word go home” and other choice actions. Wasn’t a very friendly environment. </p>
<p>Not surprising really, but I stopped believing in the myth of “equal” under the law a long time ago. </p>
<p>I just saw the photos of Officer Wilson’s injuries. What he must have suffered from such grevous injuries we can only imagine. No wonder the highly trained police officer feared for his life. </p>
<p>xiggi writes: </p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Right. Then how do you explain [url=<a href=“http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/11/24/cleveland-shot-boy/19471925/]this[/url”>Police: Video clearly shows shooting of Ohio boy, 12]this[/url</a>]? A 12-year-old boy, playing with a toy gun, shot to death by a cop. Someone called 911, clearly stating that the boy had a “probably fake” gun. The 911 caller didn’t sound particularly worried; she said the kid was scaring people, but it was clear that she didn’t think people were in danger. The kid was shot to death by the cops. A 12-year-old with a toy gun is a child, not a thug. And he wouldn’t have been shot if he had been white.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Aand let’s compare to [this</a> 14 year old](<a href=“Mom of Alleged Teen Shoplifter Accuses Police of Brutality – NBC10 Philadelphia”>Mom of Alleged Teen Shoplifter Accuses Police of Brutality – NBC10 Philadelphia) beaten by the police last week.</p>
<p>“Atticus–” said Jem bleakly. </p>
<p>He turned in the doorway. “What, son?” </p>
<p>“How could they do it, how could they?” </p>
<p>“I don’t know, but they did it. They’ve done it before and they did it tonight and they’ll do it again and when they do it — seems that only children weep.” </p>
<p>— “To Kill A Mockingbird,” Harper Lee</p>
<p>(Saw this posted on another board tonight)</p>
<p>Some facts which when considered, add to the understanding of the anger and perception justice wasn’t served:</p>
<p>Officer Wilson’s prior job history and SYSTEMIC circumstances surrounding his leaving his prior job:</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/darren-wilsons-first-job-was-on-a-troubled-police-force-disbanded-by-authorities/2014/08/23/1ac796f0-2a45-11e4-8593-da634b334390_story.html”>http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/darren-wilsons-first-job-was-on-a-troubled-police-force-disbanded-by-authorities/2014/08/23/1ac796f0-2a45-11e4-8593-da634b334390_story.html</a></p>
<p>Past history of Ferguson PD lying about the circumstances of brutalizing a suspect they realized they got the wrong man due to mistaken ID…and they did it in court:</p>
<p><a href=“The Day Ferguson Cops Were Caught in a Bloody Lie”>http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/08/15/the-day-ferguson-cops-were-caught-in-a-bloody-lie.html</a> </p>
<p>Concerns the prosecuting DA in the Grand Jury investigation has biases in favor of law enforcement and has refused to recuse himself despite this perception and history:</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.cnn.com/2014/08/19/us/ferguson-prosecutor-mcculloch/”>http://www.cnn.com/2014/08/19/us/ferguson-prosecutor-mcculloch/</a></p>
<p><a href=“Ferguson Prosecutor Robert P. McCulloch's Long History of Siding With the Police”>Ferguson Prosecutor Robert P. McCulloch's Long History of Siding With the Police;
<p>And I’d take comments on this thread about there being no racial issues in Ferguson/St. Louis before this shooting with a large grain of salt based the following articles:</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/even-before-teen-michael-browns-slaying-in-mo-racial-questions-have-hung-over-police/2014/08/13/78b3c5c6-2307-11e4-86ca-6f03cbd15c1a_story.html”>http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/even-before-teen-michael-browns-slaying-in-mo-racial-questions-have-hung-over-police/2014/08/13/78b3c5c6-2307-11e4-86ca-6f03cbd15c1a_story.html</a></p>
<p><a href=“The Racist Housing Policies That Built Ferguson - The Atlantic”>The Racist Housing Policies That Built Ferguson - The Atlantic;