ame
Super_Ideal_Rock
- Joined
- Jul 7, 2004
- Messages
- 10,869
I am from St. Louis, lived here all my life save for college. I live about opposite Ferguson on a map within the county, and I am disgusted and ashamed by the way our police, those who should be protecting and serving us, are behaving. A young man was murdered by a police officer, on duty, in uniform, in front of witnesses, some of whom have provided the investigating departments with their evidence, some of whom were not interviewed for days after the incident. His parents weren't spoken with or even apologized to, and until today weren't able to take possession of his body, which now they're going to have independently autopsied, and who knows what will be discovered. I don't believe for a second that his killing was justified, not one single millisecond, because if there was evidence indicating otherwise, we would have heard it by now. The fact that there is NO transparency in this investigation is telling. And frightening. The fact that the FBI and DOJ were almost immediately brought in to investigate alongside the county is equally telling.
I am further outraged that there is a "media blackout" surrounding the current events unfolding in that suburb. I relied on Antonio French and his constant Twitter updates for accurate reporting of what was going on as it happened, as well as the The St. Louis Post-Dispatch & STLtoday.com photographers and the few reporters from local and national media that were able to stay in the fray. I am enraged that many of them have been arrested, as well as SENATORS who were also PEACEFULLY PROTESTING, after being shot, teargassed, having lasers on sniper rifles pointed at them, among other atrocities not even experienced by active military in actual warzones, enacted at them by our local police. It is illegal to ban journalism and the media from filming you in action. Look it up. And every lawsuit disputing that finds against law enforcement, every. single. time. And your desire to not be filmed in action further indicates you're DOING SOMETHING WRONG. The Huffington Post and Washington Post reporters who were arrested and assaulted ON FILM yesterday by our local officers exposed nationally how grave this situation really is. Our Police Chief didn't even know about it til another member of the media alerted him to it. His reaction? Oh Crap. Yea, Oh crap is right! Al-Jazeera's crew got attacked with a teargas canister last night, while being filmed by another news crew. While they were fleeing from the gas, the officers swarmed their equipment, trying to seize it. When they realized they were being filmed by the other crew, they stopped and retreated. That is not acceptable.
The protesting is peaceful until the militarized police arrive, with their tanks and snipers and assault rifles. Ferguson itself doesn't have this type of force, they're backed by the St. Louis County Police Department, and surrounding Municipalities. Each and every time there's been a gathering without officers, it's gone just fine, no issues. But when you bring in an over armed force such as this, things will escalate. Citizens will feel threatened and will retaliate. Telling people to "go home" when they ARE HOME does not aid this. The fact that more local citizens--frankly, WHITE citizens--are not outraged by this, and instead are choosing to take the "these n-word animals deserve it" stance--I see it all over my Facebook feed, hear it around me in public, I see it on my television and hear it on my radio--it makes me angry on the verge of tears. The fact that the KKK came out to one of their peaceful protests (in Clayton) in full hoods and is offering "protection" to the chosen whites who fear "them" made me nearly vomit. While others f@cking cheer. This is Missouri, this is the cross section of our country. And that is sickening.
I am white, and I can state that there is "white privilege." Here and everywhere. I am a beneficiary of it. I have been beneficiary of it my entire life. I have no idea what these folks in Ferguson, really anyone of a different race, anywhere, experience. The most "profiling" I experience is when I go to a more wealthy area than where I live and I am "cased" by residents and shopkeepers alike to gauge my wealth level and whether or not I am able to spend money in their stores on what I am looking at. It doesn't make it any less obnoxious, but then they take my money, if I choose to spend it there, compliment my hair, or my purse or my rings, and I go on my way. A blip in their day. These folks often, usually, don't get that benefit, because in some of the areas I shop, the municipality police are typically immediately called because an African American dared to enter that jurisdiction, and couldn't possibly afford to be there shopping, and could only be there to steal or cause problems. Everyday this happens.
It's disgusting and it needs to stop. People of different races, creeds, sexes are EQUAL, and they should be treated as such. I really don't understand why we haven't come farther in society, and how we've actually gone backwards.
I stand with Ferguson. I will remember that Michael Brown did not deserve his fate, just like many others before and after him didn't deserve theirs. I know this is a hot topic, and it's also a hot enough topic that many people don't even KNOW about it. Last night I believe it really hit the fans enough that it's spreading. You might not agree with my stance, but I LIVE HERE, and I KNOW THIS CITY. It's not all bubblegum and lollipops in that area, but the majority of those people are great people and don't want the shit that is going on. They want justice and answers for this kid and his family. They, like the rest of us here, want to feel safe and like we're not going to experience the same thing he did. The statistics are real. They're out there. And they're scary.
I am further outraged that there is a "media blackout" surrounding the current events unfolding in that suburb. I relied on Antonio French and his constant Twitter updates for accurate reporting of what was going on as it happened, as well as the The St. Louis Post-Dispatch & STLtoday.com photographers and the few reporters from local and national media that were able to stay in the fray. I am enraged that many of them have been arrested, as well as SENATORS who were also PEACEFULLY PROTESTING, after being shot, teargassed, having lasers on sniper rifles pointed at them, among other atrocities not even experienced by active military in actual warzones, enacted at them by our local police. It is illegal to ban journalism and the media from filming you in action. Look it up. And every lawsuit disputing that finds against law enforcement, every. single. time. And your desire to not be filmed in action further indicates you're DOING SOMETHING WRONG. The Huffington Post and Washington Post reporters who were arrested and assaulted ON FILM yesterday by our local officers exposed nationally how grave this situation really is. Our Police Chief didn't even know about it til another member of the media alerted him to it. His reaction? Oh Crap. Yea, Oh crap is right! Al-Jazeera's crew got attacked with a teargas canister last night, while being filmed by another news crew. While they were fleeing from the gas, the officers swarmed their equipment, trying to seize it. When they realized they were being filmed by the other crew, they stopped and retreated. That is not acceptable.
The protesting is peaceful until the militarized police arrive, with their tanks and snipers and assault rifles. Ferguson itself doesn't have this type of force, they're backed by the St. Louis County Police Department, and surrounding Municipalities. Each and every time there's been a gathering without officers, it's gone just fine, no issues. But when you bring in an over armed force such as this, things will escalate. Citizens will feel threatened and will retaliate. Telling people to "go home" when they ARE HOME does not aid this. The fact that more local citizens--frankly, WHITE citizens--are not outraged by this, and instead are choosing to take the "these n-word animals deserve it" stance--I see it all over my Facebook feed, hear it around me in public, I see it on my television and hear it on my radio--it makes me angry on the verge of tears. The fact that the KKK came out to one of their peaceful protests (in Clayton) in full hoods and is offering "protection" to the chosen whites who fear "them" made me nearly vomit. While others f@cking cheer. This is Missouri, this is the cross section of our country. And that is sickening.
I am white, and I can state that there is "white privilege." Here and everywhere. I am a beneficiary of it. I have been beneficiary of it my entire life. I have no idea what these folks in Ferguson, really anyone of a different race, anywhere, experience. The most "profiling" I experience is when I go to a more wealthy area than where I live and I am "cased" by residents and shopkeepers alike to gauge my wealth level and whether or not I am able to spend money in their stores on what I am looking at. It doesn't make it any less obnoxious, but then they take my money, if I choose to spend it there, compliment my hair, or my purse or my rings, and I go on my way. A blip in their day. These folks often, usually, don't get that benefit, because in some of the areas I shop, the municipality police are typically immediately called because an African American dared to enter that jurisdiction, and couldn't possibly afford to be there shopping, and could only be there to steal or cause problems. Everyday this happens.
It's disgusting and it needs to stop. People of different races, creeds, sexes are EQUAL, and they should be treated as such. I really don't understand why we haven't come farther in society, and how we've actually gone backwards.
I stand with Ferguson. I will remember that Michael Brown did not deserve his fate, just like many others before and after him didn't deserve theirs. I know this is a hot topic, and it's also a hot enough topic that many people don't even KNOW about it. Last night I believe it really hit the fans enough that it's spreading. You might not agree with my stance, but I LIVE HERE, and I KNOW THIS CITY. It's not all bubblegum and lollipops in that area, but the majority of those people are great people and don't want the shit that is going on. They want justice and answers for this kid and his family. They, like the rest of us here, want to feel safe and like we're not going to experience the same thing he did. The statistics are real. They're out there. And they're scary.
And this is just another pile of bullshit to add to the pile. 
I hope that everything proceeds peacefully.
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