Ferguson, MO

[ZetaPhi708.20]

Watching MSNBC now.

If anyone is in that area, please stay safe.

[PersistentDST]

Originally Posted by ZetaPhi708.20

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.

[ZetaPhi708.20]

On Twitter, use the #Ferguson hashtag.

[DrPhil]

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.

[ZetaPhi708.20]

Nothing on the networks yet.

[PersistentDST]

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!

[ZetaPhi708.20]

I'm angry too, ma'am.

[DrPhil]

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".

[PersistentDST]

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.

[PersistentDST]

Originally Posted by PersistentDST

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 peacefully.

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.

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by PersistentDST

The majority of the crowds did not and have not been looting or shooting.

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

Originally Posted by PersistentDST

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.

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.

Originally Posted by PersistentDST

The police came and interrupted a peaceful vigil/protest for Michael Brown.

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

Originally Posted by PersistentDST

I don't condone looting or anything else, but people have a right to gather and mourn together.

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.

[PersistentDST]

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

[DrPhil]

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

[DrPhil]

Police chief says the officer who shot the teen was injured in the incident

[StealthMode]

Originally Posted by PersistentDST

It's crazy. The police look like they are in Iraq.

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