Ferguson, MO
 

Watching MSNBC now.

If anyone is in that area, please stay safe.

I agree. It's all I've been reading and watching for the last few days. I'm beyond disheartened right now.

On Twitter, use the #Ferguson hashtag.

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2...ting.html?_r=0

http://www.cnn.com/2014/08/12/us/5-t...uri/index.html

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/0...n_5674173.html

http://fox2now.com/2014/08/10/report...st-florissant/

http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-...014-story.html

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/...t-louis-suburb

http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/c...9d8c688e7.html

I hope they take the advice of police and leaders and do not do night rallies and gatherings. When you can't keep the idiots away, stop providing a venue for the idiots.

Nothing on the networks yet.

It's crazy. The police look like they are in Iraq. Pointing guns at unarmed people. Ugh...I won't start on here. I'm just angry!

I'm angry too, ma'am.

I do not fault the police for responding in this manner. They are trained to protect the public as well as themselves. When idiots begin looting and shooting, the police have to maintain as much control as possible which will mean treating everyone in the vicinity in a certain manner (using a more hostile tone, sometimes pointing guns, sometimes pointing pepper spray, and sometimes using tear gas). They are treating it like it is "Iraq" because unruly crowds and riots are uncontrollable and essentially are domestic versions of "Iraq".

We can agree to disagree on that. The majority of the crowds did not and have not been looting or shooting. People are angry and in pain because they just want answers about why an unarmed teenage boy was shot multiple times and left on the pavement for four hours in the middle of his neighborhood. The police came and interrupted a peaceful vigil/protest for Michael Brown. It's not the other way around. I don't condone looting or anything else, but people have a right to gather and mourn together.

But no matter how we feel..we need to send prayers and energy to the area. According to Twitter, things are escalating right now. I think we can all agree on that.

@AntonioFrench and others have been live Tweeting since it happened, and his pics/videos look nothing like what the mainstream news is reporting.

And since the police cannot detect future looters and shooters, everyone must be treated with caution based on what has been happening.

This isn't about people's anger over that shooting. This is about what the police should do to prevent looting and shooting. If the community was able to control the idiots, the police would not be necessary. Since the community cannot, the police are necessary. If the police had not stepped in with reactive and preventive measures, people would claim racism and claim the police do not have a vested interest in protecting the community from looters and shooters. The police can't make everyone happy.

Because of idiots bringing guns to peaceful protests and idiots rioting after peaceful protests. The police didn't randomly start interrupting peaceful protests.

If that was all that is happening, I would agree.

And the people Tweeting(?) photos are no less biased in their depictions than the mainstream media. The majority of protest is peaceful but, as with everything, there are a few idiots attempting to break the peace. Both the peace and the violence should be depicted because that is the reality.

Like I said. We can agree to disagree. Nothing wrong with that. I do understand what you are saying though.

I am not trying to convince you either way. We are typing opinions.

When I first saw the footage, I thought it was more about Gaza.

From following the #Ferguson Twitter hashtag:


1. Ferguson, MO events last night are under a "media blackout".
2. ANONYMOUS has allegedly released the name of the "officer".
3. According to various Twitter accounts, media was asked by the police to turn off their cameras as rubber bullets were fired and tear gas canisters launched; media reps were taken into custody; some were not charged and released.
4. Tear gas was fired at the media.
5. Loaded military weapons aimed at peaceful protestors.
6. Mainstream media being criticized on Twitter for burying the events in MO on the morning news.
7. Various videos from reporters' arrests are popping up on Youtube and now, on some media outlets.
8. An Alderman was arrested also last night. Antonio French. He was released this morning.
https://twitter.com/AntonioFrench


Keep an eye on that hashtag if you want to keep track of what is really happening in Ferguson.

Those of us not on twitttter can get the same information from the news. The news is reporting the same thing. Also, I recommend reading and watching various news outlets for a more balanced approach.

Which news outlet(s) is(are) providing the coverage?

One of my friends is in the area and has been posting a steady stream of information. This website gives a pretty good overview, I think.

News radio stations, cable networks, morning and evening news, and news articles. I knew everything posted from that twitttter from watching cable news networks last night. Msnbc was the only live coverage but the other news reports of what happened last night are the same.

Just a reminder for those of us not on twitttter. Also for those of us who watch and read different news outlets, even if we disagree with the perspective, to get a balanced approach.

http://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/saw-ferguson

http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/5676766

http://www.thewire.com/national/2014...eapons/376033/

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2014...police-photos/

http://fox2now.com/2014/08/11/video-...g-in-ferguson/

http://www.npr.org/blogs/codeswitch/...former-officer

CNN Live is about to air President Obama live in Martha's Vineyard making a statement on Iraq and Ferguson, MO.

I don't watch Presidents' statements but those who do can watch it live, catch it recorded online, or the cliff notes on the news.

I am watching CNN's pre-President discussion of Ferguson, MO.

Speechless.

Incredulous.

Heartsick.

I heard on the radio on my way home tonight that they are trying a new tactic- providing a designated space for protests tonight. I hope that works. People obviously have a right to protest but when some are throwing Molotov cocktails, it can't end well either.

Whoodathunk we'd someday be living in a country with designated free speech zones?

^^^ As always, freedom of speech comes with expectations and limitations.

Exactly. Add to that police hearing gunshots and seeing at least one person in a crowd with a gun.

I hope this new tactic works. It helps that some people have been cordial with police. With an understanding that "community policing" (and "hostility") are reciprocal and give-and-take.

There's always two sides to every story. I don't think a police officer is going to roll up on some random, unarmed kid, and shoot him for no apparent reason, especially after the Treyvon Martin incident.

We've had them for a very long time. Unions workers who are striking have the right to walk a picket line, but they can't do it just anywhere. Political candidates have restrictions on how close to the ballot booths they can actively campaign. We have a right to assembly, but we can't have a meeting in the middle of a busy intersection and hold up traffic. You can't yell "fire" in a theater. There are restrictions around free speech and the right to assembly. And there should be, or we'd have anarchy.

From the Twitterverse tonight: very peaceful protests in all over the country this evening. However....

NYC.

https://twitter.com/hashtag/Ferguson?src=tren

If what the Ferguson police have to say is true, apparently, Brown was involved in some sort of robbery prior to being shot. That definitely doesn't justify him being executed if that's what happened, but it does hint that Maybe Brown isn't the best martyr.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/16/us...ouri.html?_r=0

No, he still is. A minor shoplifting incident does not make his life any less valuable, at least to those of us who don't condone blatant racism.

Also, note in the video that he is wearing different shoes.

I think his point was more so that Brown wasn't completely innocent, and there may have been a justifiable reason why the cop felt he had to shoot. There still aren't enough details to make that determination yet. All we know is that there was a robbery and Brown was shot and killed. Everything in between is still unclear.

Everyone keeps mentioning his shoes. What am I missing? Is there video or a picture that I haven't seen?

I agree. Also, if he shoplifted, and was caught by the police shortly thereafter.. there could have been altercation that occurred between Brown and the police officer that made the officer feel he had to shoot. However, I will wait until we have all of the facts laid out before I make an opinion on the incident. We have no idea yet what all of the facts are and I find it to be absolute ludicrous that people are automatically jumping to the conclusion that this cop was a racist who shot Brown simply because he was a black kid.

And yeah, there are eyewitnesses, but eyewitness testimony is about as unreliable as it gets.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...ael-Brown.html

The above shows the video as well as the lifeless body. Same clothing.

So is it justifiable to execute someone for robbery? No.

Is it justifiable to execute someone who resists being detained? I can definitely see a lot of scenarios where that answer could be yes. A person of Brown's size could easily overpower the officer and seriously injure or kill him and when there was a struggle with police who were clearly trying to arrest him, that typically doesn't end well for the would-be arrestee.

As i said, sure there are eyewitnesses. It'll be interesting to see how the investigation progresses. It's a little too early for folks to start burning down their own homes and looting stores though.

I knew something was up with him. The media always seems to paint a picture of innocence on a guilty kid. I knew he did something. I agree that he shouldn't have been shot because of just that, but I'll put money on it that there is something more to it that caused his demise.

Right, because nobody has ever had racist encounters with police before that would lead them to these ludicrous conclusions.

:rolleyes:

Looks like the same guy to me. Same build, same hat, same shoes, same shirt and shorts.