Ferguson, Mo.

[low187]

In my opinion, we need more retired pro basketball players to stand up and fight against injustice.

Can you explain what you mean? I don't get it. No offense if I seem like that.

Geez, people don't even pay attention to who writes the things they're reading and discussing?

This op/ed was written by former pro-basketball player Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

Right. Sorry. I didn't actually read the article though because I don't think that what's happening in Ferguson is class warfare. That's just my reason and it's probably not a good one for not reading an article.

If the police do get military equipment then they should be trained in how to use it. If they are trained then some of the police neglected to know that they shouldn't point a gun to someone unless they are ready to shoot.

[SeventyX7]

I think people vastly misunderstand what police training actually teaches and does not teach.  As someone who has had to read through way too many police training manuals for work, I can assure you that training does not cover every situation a police officer could be in.  They are essentially trained to "keep cool" and given a large degree of deference in deciding what to do - especially in novel, dangerous situations like in Ferguson.

Actually giving every police officer military training is highly impractical.

A few jurisdictions have adopted this idea recently. 

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/nov/04/california-police-body-cameras-cuts-violence-complaints-rialto

I think it's interesting and look forward to see how much it helps in different places.

[Mimishiki19]

In my opinion, we need more retired pro basketball players to stand up and fight against injustice.

Can you explain what you mean? I don't get it. No offense if I seem like that.

Geez, people don't even pay attention to who writes the things they're reading and discussing?

This op/ed was written by former pro-basketball player Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

So if we're not currently living in Ferguson we should all shut up? Or was was it because he's retired or a basketball player? If he's not a certified riot specialist his opinion doesn't matter?
Yes, it's an opinion piece. It says so at the top of the page.
"Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is a six-time National Basketball Association champion and league Most Valuable Player. He is also a celebrated author, filmmaker and education ambassador."

[SeventyX7]

My Grandpa wrote a pretty good op/ed on Israel and how it was a mistake to give the Jews that land to begin with that got published in the local paper.

Should we all discuss that next?

My point wasn't "it's not important to talk about unless you live there"

it was

"why the fuck does anyone care about what Kareem Abdul-Jabar think about racism?"

[Corunes]

WTF are police doing with military equipment?

There's been looting all week.
But don't worry, the library and bookstore were completely unharmed

[SeventyX7]

WTF are police doing with military equipment?

There's been looting all week.
But don't worry, the library and bookstore were completely unharmed

We have to wait for a religious themed riot for those to burn.

[low187]

WTF are police doing with military equipment?

There's been looting all week.
But don't worry, the library and bookstore were completely unharmed

We have to wait for a religious themed riot for those to burn.

Cue Salem witch trials and book burnings/bannings.

[halfelite]

I'm guessing you just haven't looked hard enough.

But the reason is perception. You want to see it purely as a riot situation (and I can only assume the police do too.) But the people down there see it as a protest. Putting it into absolute terms for either side is ridiculous. There are definitely rioters down there, but there's also definitely a justified protest going down too.

Still the same goes are the eyes blind to the conflict that is happening. I would not bring my child to an area with raised tension be it peaceful or not.

Fact is white people don't tend to get gunned down by police like this.

I saw a picture circulating around; a news website with two articles on the front page, the bottom a Michael Brown article with a picture of him in street clothes, questioning his actions. The top, a (white) mass shooter with a picture from graduation, lamenting the lost potential.

I'm curious what you imagine he did that warranted him getting riddled with bullets. Or how his being black in no way factored into the matter.

From eye witness accounts of the scuffle he did with the officer if that is in fact true then by all means shoot him. Did him being black play a role in it, I am sure it did with also the community he grew up in. But I dont think its about skin color as much as the mentality of certain black communities that get attached to the skin color.

Edit:

And now just to update

Two people were shot -- not by police, authorities said. Four officers were injured. Police arrested at least 75 people for failure to disperse Monday and early Tuesday so lifting the curfew did nothing to help stem the unrest. But at least they are turning on them self now.

[megido-rev.M]

WTF are police doing with military equipment?

There's been looting all week.
But don't worry, the library and bookstore were completely unharmed

Yeah, but...a tank....
How outdated is police equipment that they would resort to that?

[jaybug]

@ Corunes LMAO. Thank you!

Read the article, it will explain why it is class warfare and not racism.

When I was a kid in school, you would hear over and over how cops were outgunned by the bad guys. Cops had .38 specials, crooks had machine guns. See prohibition. Cops weren't even allowed .45 handguns. So they kept whining until the squeaky wheel got greased. Then D.A.R.E. happened, and police forces all across America were enriched with all the spoils from using the RICO laws on the books. More arms, ooh shiny. But there are these "Drug Lords" use air quotes when saying "Drug Lords". Down south, first in Columbia, then moving north. And these guys have better arsenals than all but the best 3rd world dictators. So....More grease.

Oh. More Americans are in prison, have been in prison, than any other nation. But that may have changed since I read that factoid. We may only be that, per capita.

Ace, about the National Guard. They may get a lot of federal money, but they are state militias. State run, manned by guys who live in that state, etc. They are forbidden by law from doing any policing when they are called up. They are allowed to do the paperwork, so that more cops can be on the streets. Just like the Posse Commitatus act of 18xx prohibits the federal government from stationing US troops inside the borders of America. Which explains why general Blackjack Pershing spent a lot of time in Mexico chasing Pancho Villa back and forth across the border. And this then explains why America kicked ass in Europe in WWI.

[Corunes]

^ glad someone got my humor

[mgz]

@ Corunes LMAO. Thank you!

Read the article, it will explain why it is class warfare and not racism.

When I was a kid in school, you would hear over and over how cops were outgunned by the bad guys. Cops had .38 specials, crooks had machine guns. See prohibition. Cops weren't even allowed .45 handguns. So they kept whining until the squeaky wheel got greased. Then D.A.R.E. happened, and police forces all across America were enriched with all the spoils from using the RICO laws on the books. More arms, ooh shiny. But there are these "Drug Lords" use air quotes when saying "Drug Lords". Down south, first in Columbia, then moving north. And these guys have better arsenals than all but the best 3rd world dictators. So....More grease.

Oh. More Americans are in prison, have been in prison, than any other nation. But that may have changed since I read that factoid. We may only be that, per capita.

Ace, about the National Guard. They may get a lot of federal money, but they are state militias. State run, manned by guys who live in that state, etc. They are forbidden by law from doing any policing when they are called up. They are allowed to do the paperwork, so that more cops can be on the streets. Just like the Posse Commitatus act of 18xx prohibits the federal government from stationing US troops inside the borders of America. Which explains why general Blackjack Pershing spent a lot of time in Mexico chasing Pancho Villa back and forth across the border. And this then explains why America kicked ass in Europe in WWI.

on a side note did anyone else hear how after the 2nd autopsy it was confirmed that zero bullets were shot in the gentlemen back contrary to literally every witness statement the news has played. there is also a clip or two where you can hear a man in the background explaining what happened and said the gentlemen was running back towards the officer.

And while people may claim its a smere campaign to release the video of the guy committing strong arm robbery. it is absolutely relevant when the cops pull up to you within a couple hours of you robbing a place. And your actions as a criminal who just committed a crime significantly different then john doe walking down the street.

[AceHigh]

Ace, about the National Guard. They may get a lot of federal money, but they are state militias. State run, manned by guys who live in that state, etc. They are forbidden by law from doing any policing when they are called up. They are allowed to do the paperwork, so that more cops can be on the streets. Just like the Posse Commitatus act of 18xx prohibits the federal government from stationing US troops inside the borders of America. Which explains why general Blackjack Pershing spent a lot of time in Mexico chasing Pancho Villa back and forth across the border. And this then explains why America kicked ass in Europe in WWI.

Thanks for that info, so you are saying that the militia is NOT in active combat over there?

[Ixarku]

And while people may claim its a smere campaign to release the video of the guy committing strong arm robbery. it is absolutely relevant when the cops pull up to you within a couple hours of you robbing a place. And your actions as a criminal who just committed a crime significantly different then john doe walking down the street.

I agree.  While I do think there are still real instances of police abuse and racism directed against blacks in the U.S., I don't have any sympathy for obvious criminals who get killed by police legitimately defending themselves.  Hopefully the real facts will come to light soon, but, unfortunately, I don't think an outcome contrary to the community's beliefs will change the reactions of the people in Ferguson.

[halfelite]

Ace, about the National Guard. They may get a lot of federal money, but they are state militias. State run, manned by guys who live in that state, etc. They are forbidden by law from doing any policing when they are called up. They are allowed to do the paperwork, so that more cops can be on the streets. Just like the Posse Commitatus act of 18xx prohibits the federal government from stationing US troops inside the borders of America. Which explains why general Blackjack Pershing spent a lot of time in Mexico chasing Pancho Villa back and forth across the border. And this then explains why America kicked ass in Europe in WWI.

That is not true. The national guard can police but they are not part of the police force they follow a different set of rules. During the LA riots national guard was given full rights to restore peace by any means seen fitting. Hence they shot 5 people for being out past curfew. The strange part about the LA riots was the national guard was actually called up on a federal level, as GW Bush gave the command

Thanks for that info, so you are saying that the militia is NOT in active combat over there?

Correct. They are the first called up to active duty if we need more troops in time of war though. the stats are more then half of the national guard has seen active duty. They are seen as kind of a reserve.

[jaybug]

The LA riots were well before 9/11. Also that was LA, it's bigger, bigger riots.

I have heard from one or two sources, not left-wing, that the police department of Ferguson is rotten to the core. It would be a Keystone Cop comedy were it not so tragic. They have done everything wrong since the get go in this trauma.

It used to be police were peace officers, they kept the peace. It seems tomorrow they will be just like French gendarmes. America didn't want gendarmes, we always thought of them as Judge Dredd sort of guys, judge, jury, executioner. (Gents d'armes= men of arms[weapons]. The future as told by Luc Besson. sigh.

[mgz]

The LA riots were well before 9/11. Also that was LA, it's bigger, bigger riots.

I have heard from one or two sources, not left-wing, that the police department of Ferguson is rotten to the core. It would be a Keystone Cop comedy were it not so tragic. They have done everything wrong since the get go in this trauma.

It used to be police were peace officers, they kept the peace. It seems tomorrow they will be just like French gendarmes. America didn't want gendarmes, we always thought of them as Judge Dredd sort of guys, judge, jury, executioner. (Gents d'armes= men of arms[weapons]. The future as told by Luc Besson. sigh.

ferguson i assume is a tiny little shitty town, obviously the police force is not prepared on any level to handle a national scale media assault on their leadership and ranks. They are simply not prepared to do the kind of press  showings that larger more known areas get.
its a town of 22k people
my town which is a small town is half that size.

Its a tiny fuckin town, a tiny fuckin town is not prepared for fox cbs nbc and cnn to be all up in their shit

[zherok]

What they lack in social media skills they certainly seem to have made up for in terms of police toys. I can't imagine St. Louis county police have had many opportunities to use those LRAD things to disperse other crowds.

[Saras]

Note this is an opinion of someone who isn't from the US, nor is he even from that continent.


If I was stuck in a predominantly poor, black neighbourhood in the US at night. I'd be shitting my pants.

What concerns my gut, it's safer to walk in a red, white and blue speedo, the american flag in one hand and a boombox playing Spruce Springsteen's "Born in the USA" in the other around ISIS occupied territory in Iraq.


...let's just say that the black community could profit from a PR campaign.

[AceHigh]

...let's just say that the black community could profit from a PR campaign.

You mean PR like all the gangsta rappers with themes like "Fuck the Police", guns and bitches? Yeah, works really well for them. It's like if I went to church in Norway with corpsepaint and leather clothes with metal spikes while listening to Burzum - Dominus Sathanas.