I saw that a few people were questioning why Brad Pitt has not issued any statements about all of the horrible, awful, incomprehensible stuff that’s gone down in his home state, Missouri. I believe Brad probably has a lot to say, but Brad doesn’t want to be the guy who jumps into a messy situation and acts like his opinion is more important or more noteworthy than anyone else’s. Plus, Brad isn’t doing press right now (Fury doesn’t come out until October). But Jon Hamm is also from Missouri. And he was doing press for a St. Jude’s fundraiser at a St. Louis Cardinals game, and he ended up talking at length about the situation in Ferguson:
Jon Hamm, a St. Louis native and proud hometown booster, says the images coming out of suburban Ferguson, Missouri, near where he grew up and where relatives still live, have been painful to see. As a kid in neighboring Normandy, “I used to ride my bike to Ferguson. I know people from Ferguson,” the Mad Men Emmy nominee, 43, told PEOPLE Monday at Busch Stadium, where the Cardinals were hosting Jon Hamm Bobblehead Night.
Two sisters and an aunt still make their homes in north St. Louis County, now defined outside the region by conflict – some of it violent – in the wake of the Aug. 9 police shooting in Ferguson of an unarmed 18-year-old, Michael Brown.
Hamm told reporters that the situation in Ferguson is “rough to watch,” and added: “It’s a bad situation all around. There’s no positive spin to it. When all the facts come out, and hopefully all the light is shone on all sides of it, hopefully justice will be carried out. But it’s hard. It’s really hard,” he said. “That’s my neighborhood, and I know there’s a lot more good people in those neighborhoods than there are bad people.”
“St. Louis has had a rough couple of decades now. It’d be nice to turn it around a little bit. People in St. Louis, in my experience, are great people. If anybody can do it, we can, and I hope everybody pulls together for the sake of the community. ‘Cause, you know, that’s all you’ve got at the end of the day.”
The Cardinals beat the Cincinnati Reds 6-5 in 10 innings on Monday. And Hamm – who recently starred in Million Dollar Arm as a sports agent – had a hand in steering a portion of proceeds from special game tickets to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis. Noting that he lost his mother to cancer and his father to diabetes, the actor said of St. Jude: “It’s just an organization unlike any other. I couldn’t be more sincere when I say that they’re some of the greatest people on the planet. They provide free health care for kids who can’t afford it, and they cure diseases, and their research department is second to none.”
I think this is pretty much the only kind of statement that a white man, a Missouri-to-Hollywood transplant, can make without riling up one or several segments of the population. If he veers too anti-police, he’ll get slammed. If he veers too anti-demonstrators, he’ll get slammed. So he made it about his family and where he grew up.
Since I don’t care about getting slammed, here’s what I don’t understand: how has this situation not moved forward on the investigative/prosecutorial side? Why are there not daily public briefings about the state of the investigation into the homicide of Mike Brown? I truly think the people of Ferguson would be more likely to “stay home” (in the words of State Trooper Ron Johnson) if they felt like the investigation was proceeding fairly and promptly. Instead, the Ferguson police department has been Amateur Hour, from top to bottom.
Oh, and stop arresting and detaining journalists and photographers. Enough. AND STOP WITH THE TEAR GAS.
Photos courtesy Fame/Flynet and WENN.
This is probably the best statement he could make, pr-wise. It was a smart move. But the Jesse Williams/John Legend thing was a lot more interesting and thought provoking, IMO.
I agree. Jesse Williams nailed it IMO. He expressed my views in such an eloquent way.
I think Jon Hamm’s statement is the best situation someone in his position could make at this time.
It is a bad situation all around. My heart breaks every time another news story comes out of Ferguson. I feel bad for all parties involved.
Agree completely on all accounts. I’m from Chicago and if this were happening in an Illinois suburb, I’d be even more heartbroken than I already am. So I won’t begrudge him this particular spin on the story, and it does sound like he wants justice for Michael’s death too.
Jon Hamm chose his words carefully unlike some celebrities. I can think of a few celebrities in which their pr people must be practically sitting on top of them in order to keep them from shooting off their mouth.
+100
Very good comment and I like his emphasis on the people in the community being good people.
Why say anything to such a situation if you’ve either got nothing to say or aren’t allowed to say what you really think about the issue for pr reasons? At least he’s from around there, but I’m still not sure why his opinion on this should be of any interest to anybody.
I think he was asked and he answered. I don’t think he said much at all to indicate how he really feels, it was a safe answer to an extremely loaded question. It is indeed a bad situation, it just kills me actually.
But since it is so vague and noncommittal, it’s a bit of a problem coming from a guy who usually has no issues being blunt about his opinion. Maybe he doesn’t know what he feels about it.
Kiddo, Maybe. Although I think it’s one thing to be blunt about living and working in Hollywood and another thing to be forthright on such a loaded topic. He was throwing out a pitch at a baseball game and likely just wanted to keep things as light as possible under the circumstances. Wasn’t the time or place for a serious discussion.
Makes sense, Esmom.
I’m glad some have celebrities have spoken out about what’s been happening in Ferguson and the amount of black lives that have been taken in recent years that have been swept under the rug and forgotten. I think it was MSNBC who had a statistic out that between 2006 and 2012 at least twice a week a black person is killed by a white police officer. Hopefully statistics like this will change after all these protests. It’s really heartwarming to see how many people have come to support Ferguson, like those Monks from Tibet, the 90 year old Holocaust survivor and those soccer fans all the way in Turkey who had signs up at a game in support of them. I agree they need to stop with the tear gas (especially when they’re shooting it on people’s lawns) and rubber bulltets. There’s clearly a problem when the first Amnesty delegation in US history had to be sent out to Ferguson because of what’s happening.
I hope Mike Brown’s family sees justice but the Ferguson PD seems to be so messed up based on all the stories that have come out in the last week. Has anyone else heard about the story of the police officers who arrested the wrong guy and proceeded to beat him up so badly (while he was in a jail cell) that he was sent to the hospital, where they diagnosed him with a concussion and when the police found out they had arrested the wrong (black) man instead of apologizing and letting him go they charged him with getting his own blood on their uniforms. The man’s name was Henry Davis if anyone else wants to read more about it.
This guy committed a crime and then tried to steal the gun of a police officer. I don’t understand why people are rioting and looting. It looks really bad from outside the US.
“This guy” was an unarmed 18-year old kid named Mike Brown. Don’t you dare distance yourself from that.
Also, convenient that the media picked up on the reasons why 6 DAYS AFTER IT HAPPENED, but managed to only find ways to blame the victim, not actually report on the police brutality. Funny how that happens, huh?
Isla, do you have any references for those statements re: crime and stealing the gun? Most eyewitness reports are contradicting police reports. You don’t know what happened. I don’t know what happened.
@ isla, in many people’s opinion,, that’s cover for the police dept and not what actually happened.
@Isla: I’m outside the US, and to me it looks like another “incident” that exposes the huge problems in American race relations. It looks like people (and not only non-white people) are f-cking angry about a system that’s incredibly racist. That is all.
Oh, and the ease with which governments allow their police and army to be violent towards their own people always gives me the creeps.
“This guy” had his hands in the air yelling “don’t shoot” but was shot 6 times, twice in the head. “This guy” was supposed to start college two days later. “This guy” was murdered for walking in the middle of the street. “This guy” was JUST A KID!
I am not from USA, but it seems to me that it is pent up anger. Black people have been killed for no reason and condemned to heavier sentence way too many times. Michael Brown was just another slap in the face in a way.
I only have one question. Have Ferguson’s PD always been that violent against the public? The things I read and saw on the internet are so…corrupt.
No gunshot residue on the body according to both medical examiners. He wasn’t close enough to be able to wrestle the gun from the officer.
Isla, what country are you in? In your country, is walking in the middle of a street punishable by public execution? The victim, “this guy” was a 18-yr old young man, who may or may not have shoplifted a cigar or two, but the police officer who shot at him multiple times did not know anything about that. The Ferguson PD didn’t want to release the name of the officer but had no problem releasing that tidbit, because the racist pigs knew what kind of response that “info” would generate. They must be so proud that it even reached you in whichever country you are in.
@ Isla: I’m choosing to believe you’re trolling us. Yes? Because you cannot be serious.
DO. NOT. FEED.
I’m outside the US also, and it makes me feel sad for the land of the free. Policemen are not executioners. People who shoplift and push other people (if Brown did indeed do that) should not be executed. Police forces should not be buying combat military equipment with which to subdue private citizens.
I was reading around this and found out about the 1033 programs for selling military equipment to police forces in the US and honestly: I almost crapped my pants. It’s terrifying.
People *should* be demonstrating at this – both the specific event and the general militarisation of the police that’s going on. This is not the way anyone reasonable could possibly want their society to be going. And it’s sad that means an obnoxious few will use it to be yobbish, but there are MUCH bigger worries than those obnoxious few for Americans.
I hope for peace for ALL.
@ TheOriginalKitten, sometimes a troll will bring out more facts in responses. In that way, it’s actually difficult to determine what their end game is. Are they finding a way to be devil’s advocate and elucidate the situation, do they just want to say something and leave because they know their argument has holes, or are they only trying to piss people off? Hard to tell.
This “kid” was 18 years old, 280 lbs and 6’5” who had completed a strong arm robbery by picking the guy up with his hands. The store clerk barely came up to his shoulder. CNN is reporting the cop had just gotten the call about the robbery when he told them to get out of the street and they responded badly. More information will come out and regardless of who is at fault more violence, looting, burning businesses to the ground is not the way to be heard.
I find it bewildering that people can say that. Even if he had priors, even if he tried to take an officer’s gun and I’m definitely not saying he did, does that justify the disproportionate amount of black men that get killed by the police? Does someone then deserve to get killed? Is that your idea of justice? People should always have their day in court and that’s what the police should be thinking of when apprehending a suspect. Even so, in this case the police officer in question knew nothing about a possible robbery.
@Melody actually it’s just “theft” I believe based on the amount supposedly stolen. Also they had the lawyer for the store owner on CNN say that they don’t even know if that was Mike on the tape. The police said that the police officer who shot Mike didn’t even know a theft had occurred at the time of the shooting (of course the shooter’s story changed several times already but that’s what he said when the tape came out”. And no stores have been burned to the ground. Look on social media and you’ll see a lot of people in ferguson have been cleaning up the city and have been protecting stores at night time even gang members have come out to protect local businesses. CNN interviewed several business owners yesterday who said that they support Mike and the community and want justice for his family and have no anger towards what happened to their stores. There’s a lot of research that can be done 🙂
This is the first time I read anything about the Ferguson riots (I saw the headlines online but I didn’t open the links) but I am commenting here only to say something about American police. When I was living in US I was terrified by them, because in Florida they were famous to shoot randomly sometimes and they also had a problem with people of other nationalities. Now, I’ve never been to Missouri so not sure what the situation could be there, but…. The easiness of getting shot by mistake of the American police officers was notorious… And scary for an European girl like me. I don’t go around in UK thinking that if I see a police car around I could be shot.
Unarmed doesn’t mean non threat. An unarmed man in NYC grabbed the gun of a cop and then killed that cop with his own gun. But there was no rioting so you might not have heard about it. So it’s entirely possible that Brown was a legitimate threat. We don’t know. We weren’t there. But waiting for the investigation to take place before putting out knee jerk accusations is too much to ask. There’s absolutely no proof that the officer shot Brown because of his skin color, which is the crux of all this as evidenced by Al Sharpton being brought in.
@Joy
Unarmed, 35 feet away, hands in the air. Not a threat.
The Ferguson PD mishandled and are continuing to mishandle the case. This is on them.
Not this crap again.
Where did you read that he tried to take the cop’s gun? Please, give us your source. I’m curious.
Because PLENTY and NUMEROUS sources have come out saying the cop who shot him had NO IDEA Mike Brown was a suspect in a robbery and witnesses said Mike Brown raised his hands in surrender. So I’d like to know your source.
There’s no need to attack her. There are many stories out right now. There’s the police version then some witnesses that say he was charging the police and some say he wasn’t. This case needs to be tried with all the facts not just part of the story and emotion.
Speak for yourself, Isla. I’m from outside the US too, and it’s the police who look reprehensible from here. Using military equipment on your own citizens? What is wrong with them? That cop should be investigated and your whole system should be examined, because it’s clearly targeting black people, and that’s a revolting thing to do. The law and justice system should not be prejudiced against any race. Otherwise you don’t have a democracy.
Another one from “outside the US” & here in the UK most sensible people can’t believe that the trigger happy US cops are getting away with this AGAIN. A young lad, with his head bowed – executed. & re the second shooting: surely if a guy has a knife you can disable him FFS?
Not saying that the UK police are much better – there’s a very sad, long list of people killed – yes, killed – by the cops here too. Just not quite so many & not quite so blatantly.
Very very very angry.
I thought I noticed when I was in London a few years ago that the police only carry batons and not guns on them. Is that correct?
TOK
Not sure about London but up here, where criminals are not so common, police officers have guns too. Nobody was ever shot by mistake or randomly by the police though (and I live in an area famous for a random shooting, 12 killed and 11 injured by a madman)
Pip
Of course people are killed by cops here too. However the comparison is impossible, in UK there are less people, less racial tensions and less easiness of random shooting overall (London excluded, of course. However.. Ferguson is not London!)
OKitt – police in the UK don’t routinely carry guns. They have to specifically call in special armed squads when needed. And the special armed squads have a similarly smelly reputation to all US police. It’s the guns wot dunnit, I’m telling you. Seriously. They have batons and some mace-like thing as standard issue.
@Sixer
Seen them with guns. Maybe have I seen the special squads? Strange because there is no difference in their uniforms
Only in a very few place do the police routinely have guns, LM. For example, Heathrow Airport. And we all know what happens when they get them (cough cough Michael Duggan, Jean Charles de Menezes). Although sometimes they get it right, as with the apprehension of Lee Rigby’s murderers.
Thanks for the replies, ladies. Interesting the difference and also, the US insane. Sigh
I am from the US, and I can’t believe that we allow.
Kelly Thomas was a white man with mental issues who was homeless in California. They have video recording of 3-4 police officers harassing him, then one cop says, “I’m going to f*ck you up” while he put on plastic medical gloves. They then proceeded to beat the man until he was strangled by his own mangled windpipe and died.
The sounds of the mentally ill man screaming for his dad while the police beat him to death is one of the most awful things I have ever heard. The fact that all of this was recorded and presented to a jury who found the cops INNOCENT is all the more tragic.
If these cases that have been brought to light over the past 5 years aren’t enough to make Americans demand more INTEGRITY from the police officers, I don’t know what is.
I shuddered reading your comment, Tiffany.
Had not heard of that case…
And so much word to your last paragraph.
The case disturbed me too, TOK.
Sadly, I don’t it received too much national attention because it was just another police beating.
@ Tiffany, I was very much moves by the case. There was a recent incident coming out of Idaho where a policeman shot a suspect, if you want to call him that. That one was white on white crime (but the victim was probably poor). Both the victim and the policeman are white. The victim’s brother said that the victim was wearing headphones and could not hear the policeman’s command of halt. I think that a powerful coalition can be built around excessive police force and the militarism of the police across racial lines.
I an originally from Chgo. Several men sued the city because cops were straight-up using torture techniques. We are a land of laws. Victims, suspects, criminals and police are subject to those laws.
I am hopeful that we Americans can begin to take a hard look at racial profiling/police harassment, inequities in terms of arrest across racial lines and the brutalization of suspects in real and cogent ways that both honors the service police provide as well as preserves the dignity of the folks being “actively policed.”
I agree, I hope that we as a country start to take a serious look at what is happening and address these incredibly important issues and all of their facets.
There was a good article in the Post yesterday and very thought provoking on how everyone has the police officer already guilty. He may or may not be guilty (BTW, I’m born, raised and still live in St. Louis), all the facts have not been given out. There are so many conflicting statements that it is hard to tell what really happened. Fact is the police officer did shoot the young man 6 times but we do not know for sure what his thinking was or why he did it. People are calling him racist without even knowing him. I’m not saying what happened was right or justified but we cannot convict a man before he is arrested and taken to trial nor can we put him up for admiration. I just wish cooler heads on both sides would prevail. Also, as far as details of the investigation, not sure how much they want to put out there for various reasons. They are going to the grand jury today. If the police are to stop with the tear gas, then the protesters need to stop throwing things at them. It works both ways. I’m truly torn with all this. I have a grandson, who lives with his father right now, who is within about a mile of all this and it is truly worrysome.
The point goes beyond the specific police officer. It was the manner in which the aftermath was handled, as if the young man automatically deserved to be shot in the first place.
Lack of transparency, not releasing the PO name, characterizing the police officer as a good man, then releasing details about the theft, and muddying up the dead man’s reputation, and so on. There was spin before there were facts and so OF COURSE this will not sit well the community. And then you amp it up to a militarized police immediately, and you are telling that community that they are the enemy and that you think they are SO dangerous that you are fighting a war. In that way, you are illustrating an over reaction, which was what was being questioned in the first place regarding the shooting. Calling the community “F*ing animals” is just icing on the rancid cake.
@Kiddo, I get what you are saying but when they did release the PO name, news media went out and showed the world his house and put everyone else in his community in danger – including schools. One high school closed at one point because they were not sure of what the repercussions of showing where he lived was going to be. They also put his family in danger and that’s not okay. Maybe he is a good man, I don’t know him and how do we let one incident determine what kind of man he is. Just as I would not call the young man a “thug” if he really was involved in the incident at the store. I agree the situation was not handled in the best way but it happened, they pulled out the Ferguson police and county police and brought in state troopers and the National Guard, against advice. But that is on our governor as he is the one who brought in the National Guard. Like I said, there needs to be cooler heads on BOTH sides. Al Sharpton did not help the situation any. He only comes in to inflame. The way it was handled in the beginning did not help the situation. BOTH sides have to take ownership is what is going on. There was a peaceful demonstration yesterday even a prayer circle and everything was fine until things were being thrown at the police. I get they are incensed about the victims name being muddied but I’m sure this is not the only time this has happened. We only know about it because it has become an international story. I have been called a racist. When I was teaching a young man accused me of calling him the n-word. You cannot know how hurt I was as it appalls me when I hear the word being used. That is why I chose to wait before making opinions about anyone. Again, my whole point is that cooler heads must prevail on both sides. It’s the hot heads (and that’s not everyone but just a few) on BOTH sides that are keeping the situation inflamed. Ten days later this should have died down and it hasn’t because of a minority on both sides.
@Swack but who’s fault is it that we don’t have all the facts? It’s been 10 days since the shooting happened and the police have barely released any information. The only person who’s been “put on trial” here is Mike. The fact is Mike was unarmed when he was shot 6 times. And the police have switched up their story several times since the incident occurred but the witnesses stories have stayed pretty much the same this whole time. I’m not sure what you’re watching or reading but what the protestors are doing doesn’t warrant all those police attacking and injuring them. Wilson may not be racist but the system sure is. Even Rand Paul admitted that to a certain extent when he released a statement.
Funny the person who kills the unarmed black teen Be it the police or wanna be cop always deserves due process /time for full story to be heard but the slain teens do not have that same right to due process. They are thugs and the police have the right to be judge jury and executioner all at once …How efficient
@swack What the press revealed has absolutely nothing to do with the community. And so far, I am going to assume that the officer suffered no damages, right? Aside from fear, which is what the community states they live with day in and day out from the people who are supposed to protect and serve.
I know Sharpton, like many political figures, can be self-promoting and irritating, but how was what he said in any way inflammatory?
Sharpton said the family wishes for justice and fairness in the police investigation, asking for the investigation to be handled by the federal government because local law enforcement cannot be trusted.
“In order to establish peace, you must have fair justice for everyone,” said Sharpton. “We are not more angry than his mom and dad. If they can hold their heads with dignity, we can hold our heads with dignity.”
I know you’re angry, I know that this is outrageous, but we can’t be more outraged than his mom and dad and if they can hold their head dignity, so can you,” Sharpton said.
Michael Brown’s mother did not speak. His father only simply asked for “no violence.”
Sharpton admonished those who called for justice and answers to respond without violence. “If you want answers, throw your arms up, If you want justice, throw your arms up,” he said.
It seems like you just don’t like him or his presence, but there does need to be a voice for the community and family, and frankly, he has handled this with much more grace than the police spokesperson.
Swack, let me ask you something: If Mike Brown had killed a police officer, would he not be in jail right now? Would charges not be brought in? If a brown person license to carry or not had killed a white kid would his name not be over the news? Would the media be rushing to say how he is a gentleman and a gentle soul?
If it was a rich suburban group ( a la Penn state protest over Patterno covering up for a pedophile) protesting would the police be this Aggro? Would we be demonizing them?
Did the Arizona shooter, Movie Theater shooter, Ted Kaczinski, Marathon Bomber, Oklahoma city bomber, Ted Bundy, etc etc not get to go be in police custody and a fair trial? Shit even stories and studies twisting inside out trying to humanizing and find out why why why? Do Men of color by and large get that Courtesy?
lets not even discuss the fact that innumerable amounts of my friends and acquaintances always tell me that as mothers and fathers and wives they worry and pray about their sons and daughters especially their sons.. In the summer in the U.S having to drill their boys that You must have I.D Be circumspect never talk back avoid eye contact, Be free and wild but not too much (like so many of their peers can afford a crazy drink too much hang out late and be mouthy phase) cause if isn’t Bad Company, the Law Itself will come down on you HARD AND POSSIBLY LETHALLY , shit Now the school system as early as Pre K is good for labeling brown kids as disruptive and troublemakers for the same behavior white kids get called “special cases” ADD or whatever the fuck else
I want to thank all that have left comments for me. I get what you’re saying. I still say after 10 days cooler heads need to prevail on BOTH sides. @kiddo, I really don’t like or dislike Al Sharpton. Just seems wherever he goes things get just a bit more stirred up by his presence and I think he knows this. Just my opinion of what happens. Also, the community that I am talking about is the community where the PO lives not the Ferguson community. For those saying the young man is the only one that’s been put on trial, that is not exactly true. There are people who have already convicted the PO also. As far as not releasing any information, there may be a good reason. They are suppose to go to the grand jury today. One last time, cooler heads need to prevail on BOTH sides. @QQ, honestly, I believe the situations are different in the fact that this was done while on duty and not just a random shooting. If it was not justified (not saying it was) then yes he should be in jail and may well be after today. I’m not denying that there is racism going on every day. I don’t know if they would have been as aggressive at Penn State or not. Maybe throughout the country we need to find a better way to handle situations like this and maybe this situation will get the ball rolling.
Maybe if “cooler heads” had prevailed, then a young unarmed man wouldn’t be dead right now.
I guess that’s what annoys me. It’s all well and good to tell everyone to calm down but people are angry and they’re sick of it and they’re venting their frustration in a way that isn’t going to be sweet and cuddly and kind.
I don’t know…I get where you are coming from, Swack, and I’m a very peaceful person myself, but sometimes causing an uproar is the only way to make it known to the authorities that people are TIRED of this sh*t. It might not be the most gentle way of fighting back, but it gets the attention of the media and the message gets sent, loud and clear.
Also, I’m sick of people saying that cops are “only human”. What? These are people who are granted a huge allowance of authority and power over the public. They have guns, they have the ability to handcuff people, take away their license, and force them to pay fines, move their cars, really…there’s not much they CAN’T get away with. So don’t give me that sh*t that cops are “just like us”. Police officers should be BETTER than us. Cops should be more honorable, more ethical, and better citizens in general. They should exemplify the laws that they are trying to enforce. Instead, so many cops I see abuse their positions and routinely break the law (I see it ALL the time while driving) just because they can. Not all cops are bad people by any means, but let’s not pretend that there isn’t a faction of assholes who are drawn to a position of power and a role that will be largely protected by the government.
Well, for one, I think the police (in general) should not be investigating themselves when a questionable shooting has occurred. They shouldn’t be permitted to act as authorities in declaring justifiable homicide, when their function is to provide justice across the board, and not to act as legal representation simultaneously when it comes to their own. That weighs the balance of justice heavily in their favor and creates distrust and corrupts the concept of ‘justice’ overall.
Born, raised, and also living in St. Louis. The problem with people saying that Darren Wilson, the cop, is “innocent until proven guilty” is that he hasn’t even been charged with anything. He is on paid leave. There has been no indication that he will be charged and no updates on the supposed investigation. Furthermore, this has ceased to be about Mike Brown; this is about many other young black men being gunned down, it’s about St. Louis being one of the most racially segregated cities in the U.S., it’s about a long history of injustices disproportionately experienced by black Americans, and it’s about the issue of police violence and accountability. Ferguson PD was being investigated for racial profiling BEFORE Mike Brown was killed. I have dealt with amazing cops in St. Louis, and I have dealt with sexist, racist cops as well. And for the LOVE OF GOD, STOP complaining about the rioting and looting. It has been massively blown out of proportion by the media, all of the property damaged will eventually be replaced and repaired, and the amount of violent protestors there are vastly outnumbered by peaceful protestors exercising their Right to Assemble. By focusing on that, you’re showing a blatant disregard for WHY this even happened (a teenager shot dead). At this point, the amount of National Guard troops, cops, and patrol outnumber protestors by far. I have friends there documenting events every single day. And keep in mind that often times it takes civil unrest to make major changes, and change is absolutely needed! In the last week, I have signed petitions, donated money, sent letters, and marched in a peaceful protest downtown, the one where Holocaust survivor Hedy Epstein was arrested. I am going to fight to make changes in the city that I love, and this country that I love. And we need help and voices everywhere, all over the U.S and outside, so regardless of your position, nothing bad can come from future laws to hold police more accountable and forthright with their actions, and transparency during investigations.
OH YEAH Nikki Let’s with that for a moment:
The Taxpaying parents of a kid that was killed not only were not notified when their kid was shot but arrive on scene after hearing from third parties and then His Poor Ma has to supply a Sheet from her own home to cover her child as per Chris Hayes?!? Not Only That but as Tax Payers they are essentially paying for the salary of the dude that KILLED THEIR KID ON A DOUBLE TAP while he gets to skip town… When in the history of everdom anyone in that community would have gotten the chance to leave town after killing anyone and this being a known fact … This just has to break your soul if you are a person that lives there or knows this family
@Nikki Girl , Great post.
One more thing. White people, ALL people had better wake their asses up about how people are being treated in this country by militarized police forces, even if they can’t inexplicably empathize with a specific group. (which appears to be happening in some of the comments):
First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Socialist.
Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Trade Unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.
Kiddo, exactly!
This is such a big deal because it hits on an already established truth: police are killing unarmed people at alarming rates, especially men of color.
I am a white person, but I am passionate about this issue as well, because I will not stand for injustice in any form. I don’t need to be directly effected to know that this is WRONG. Just about every night on the news, I hear that an unarmed man was shot to death by police. The excuses typically include:
* “He was reaching for his waistband”…which happens to be near where hands hang on a human being.
*”I thought he was reaching for his gun”…that they didn’t even possess.
* “He was going for my gun”…which is incredibly hard to prove or disprove without video.
It is very possible that sometimes an unarmed person could endanger an armed person. But logic suggests that it would be very infrequent, as the unarmed person would need to be within arms length to possess any kind of threat, much less a life endangering one. Lethal force is used too frequently, and too indiscriminately.
People were pretty sure of the facts when it came to putting the blame on Brown a long time ago, but suddenly we don’t have the facts about this guy two weeks later? All of it sounds like needing time to spin the story in the cop’s favour, you know, needing time to invent the facts. I guess all of those consistent witness reports don’t count.
It’s sad. I cried about this because this is one if the main reasons that I will not be having kids. I hurt so badly for all parties involved. I want to know exactly what happened to that young boy. I also need to know how they are going to help that poor store owner and find out who robbed him? It seems to me that no one really gives. a damn about him. I hurt for Brown’s mom because that’s her baby and for Trayvon Martin’s mom because I know Zimmerman got away with murder, and it kills me. I hurt for the good cops out there who do their dang job but are effected by the rogue ones. I am a black woman that catches public transportation. I live in a mixed demographic suburban area. Someone left their pit bull unloose. He followed me across the street. I was scared to death of him because he was known to be a fierce dog. I stood at the bus stop scared as I could be because the dog wouldn’t leave, he just sat there by me. A white police officer from the K-9 unit happened to be going up the street. He saw my unease and asked me if the dog was bothering me. I said yes. He was very nice to me. He stood between me and the dog and called the pet control department. The bus arrived, and I thanked the man profusely because I have been bitten by my cousin’s neighbor’s dog –A Jewish fellow with a nice family. His dog wandered over to out yard. He stayed on my hills in a docile way. As soon as I walked him over to his owners yard and ringed the door bell to return him, he bite me. The neighbors were concerned and offered to help, but I insisted that I was fine because my roommate’s dog often wandered over to their yard. I’ve always been afraid of dogs, but I was very grateful to have a good policeman come to my rescue. I want to hear what’s going on. The full autopsy. What really occurred? It’s the past stalling and history of police coverup sand the present stalling that the police are doing now that makes things worse.
Leaflet, when you say you’re afraid to have children in this world, it breaks my heart. No one should have to feel that way. I’m so sorry.
Thanks Guys,
When I was young I was very naive, I guess because I thought I could change things. I thought that if I were nice as I could be to others, it would show people that there was no reason to treat others in a hateful manner. I was basically a doormat to others until I was like 19 cuz I thought that that would help stop stuff like Ferguson from happening, then my cousin was told me: ” you just let every body treat you any kind of way. You don’t take up for yourself at all. You so stupid. I couldn’t be you.” After that, I got with the program and stopped being a doormat but dang it, it sure is sad that people hate each other for no reason. They exercise hatred and dominance and discontent with each other for no real reason. And this crap isn’t one sided. There is no two sides to this either. Sometimes I feel like jumping up and screaming to the top of my lungs that black and white people aren’t the only people that live in this world and that we should just all get over this super petty sh!t.
To clarify, what I mean by: “black and white people aren’t the only people that live in this world, and we should get over this super petty sh!t.”
Is for people to recognize when a person is being wronged by another person, regardless of skin color. Clearly, Michael Brown was murdered unjustly. There was excessive force used. This was also done when George Zimmerman pursued, stalked and accosted Trayvon Martin. It was also done when Eric Garner was murdered by an illegal use of a choke hold performed by a cop. This was also done to Pearl Pearson, a black, deaf senior citizen, who was pulled over by a cop and brutally beaten for not responding when he had a big @ss sign in his window that stated that he was deaf.
Each time on another social media website these citizens were condemned off the bat (some to the point where their deaths received no justice.) on the basis of their skin color alone and for no other legitimate reason. They were already tried by the court of commentary of the internet. People were already saying that they were up to no good and deserved what had happened to them, even though witnesses and video proved them wrong. It’s these same people that they select to be jury members when they have to try these cases. Please understand that I believe that the Ferguson police department had time to doctor up video footage of the store robbery, that’s why I don’t trust it. It’s that same rogue crap that happened when that guy was choked to death and EMS pretended that he was alive. That’s why I don’t trust the video.
I think you’re a kind and open-hearted person to feel empathy for good police officers who are being stigmatized because of events like the one in Ferguson.
I can’t say that the thought ever crossed my mind but then again, I’ve never trusted cops.
I’m on the same bandwagon @Leaflet, a too dangerous world, and the future seems to be getting darker every single day…
Same for me. Sometimes my hubby and I looked at each other and said “kids? Nowadays?” No way.
I was stunned that the cop is only 28.
I don’t think his age matters. You’ve got folks much younger than him going off to war. Not mention most rookie cops start at around 22-25!
28 is a grown man. I am 29 so I don’t think he was just a “young guy who felt threatened” when he’s a trained police officer with a gun.
So was the one who murdered Eric Garner.
I can’t remember where I heard or read someone (it may have been a reporter on BBC radio) say that “As Americans, we like to pat ourselves on the back that we elected a black President, but the flip side of that is that having a black President has exposed a lot of latent racism”. I really feel that’s true. It’s out there, and it’s real – racists think it’s okay to be openly racist now, because we can’t have a racism problem because we happen to have a dark-skinned President, right (their thought process, not mine)?
Yeah I remember then Obama got elected for the first time my parents were so excited as if him being elected marked the End of Racism.
Yeah no.
It does seem that so much hated and intolerance is now being paraded out as “I have rights, too!” Yes, you have the right to feel how you feel. But that doesn’t make being an asshole ok (nor does it mean you aren’t one, too.) It doesn’t make killing an unarmed person ok. It sure as f#ck doesn’t make shooting an unarmed person six gd times ok. You shoot someone in the head, that can’t be argued as self defense; that is straight-up intent to kill. And that’s what happened. There are no two ways about it, this young man was murdered.
All these events over the last several years have shown me, the new coming out is going to be revealing yourself as a bigot. Because somehow, the “other” are allegedly infringing upon their supposed rights to be intolerant, to not tolerate tolerance, because of their own beliefs that only ever seem to be based in pure ignorance and fear. And that’s what a far too large segment of this country wants, is to enact change, to get their way, by exerting force via fear and plain stupidity. I’m not so sure America ever has been truly the greatest country of all. We surely aren’t headed any closer in that direction now. And as for police, it’s just sad and telling that there are so few good ones, compared to the straight pricks that get into that line of work, because it means they can bully the people they’re sworn to protect. I’ve known several of that kind. I mean, if you have to be proven fit to adopt a pet (as well one should be!) then what the hell is going on with people who decide who can or can’t get into police work? That’s just not right. I don’t want to live in a world where I have to worry whether or not I or someone I care about will get killed because they made a mistake, or just did something an armed cop didn’t like.
And the people who are saying “my kids never have been harassed by cops! This crying racism is getting tired!” You can say that when you’re not of the majority. Until then, stfu and have a seat. But not by me, I don’t want to come down with a raging case of stupid. (I’m white, and apparently related to a lot of idiots who just can’t or won’t understand that. You are privileged in this country. That doesn’t mean a whole lot of others are likewise privileged.)
It’s a horrible, horrible situation. That cop needs to be prosecuted and put away, instead of on a paid leave for killing a kid.
The Ferguson PD is messed up. The police want military equipment to ‘control’ the protesters. They’ve been on camera telling ‘those f*ing animals’ to ‘bring it on’. They’ve closed city borders. It’s absolutely crazy and needs to stop. WHY are they throwing tear gas into crowds where people (and children) are peacefully protesting???!!!
The Ferguson PD aka the Keystone cops have bungled this investigation from the beginning, deliberately in my opinion. Instead of trying to protect their own they should have investigated and released information like they would have in any other case.
I just saw this video where a cop walks up to a person walking down the street, and as he does so, the cop is pointing his loaded weapon at one person then the next. As the person video taping becomes the next person to have the loaded weapon pointed at him, the cop says “Get back…I will f*cking kill you”
They seriously need to stop threating to KILL people for such frivolous reasons!
https://www.youtube.com/embed/8zbR824FKpU
Yeah, I remember one time when the cops in Portland, OR were pointing their automatics (or semi-automatics) at bystanders witnessing them harassing a homeless man. PPB were @ssh0les. The police chief at that time was Mark Kroeker, who went on to train IDF forces after leaving Portland. Activists see the corrupt, mean-spirited side of cops quite a bit, but it’s a tourist walk compared to what people of color experience every day.
I appreciate this statement. I’m also from North Saint Louis county and I still have close family there. And, like Hamm, I’m white and living on a coast. It’s hard to put into words the anguish and anger I feel watching this happen in the place I call home. It’s also been challenging because people assume, if you’re successful, that you have always been so and thus can’t talk to the experience of being poor and marginalized in America.
I think he did the best he could, but I’m one of those people who really gets annoyed when celebtirities jump into volatile situations like they’re Jimmy Carter or something, so his innocuous statement is appropriate to me. I can understand why others might want more.
The penalty for shoplifting and/or walking down the middle of the road is not death. I know all the facts aren’t in, but this unarmed young man was shot six times. Six times. This MUST stop, right now, and I think indicting the police officer and gathering all the facts is the only way to do it. I am very pro-police, but there are too many instances of innocent black people being harassed, arrested, harmed and killed and it has to stop, right now.
Meanwhile, in the black community, peaceful protests should be supported. Looting and rioting just feeds fear and stereotypes and is harming the whole community. That needs to stop, too.
This is one of the saddest things I’ve ever seen.
I truly believe most police officers are good people who take on the job for the right reasons. However I think they become desensitized over time due to what they experience day in/day out. Similar to military personnel who go on deployment after deployment. Maybe they need to look into mandatory counseling for all police officers, I’m not sure what the answer is for that.
I have a friend who I went to high school with who is a police officer and also happens to be black. He has posted his feelings quite a bit on Facebook about this situation and it has been interesting to hear his perspective as he can truly see it from both sides.
@ MrsB,
Unfortunately, I am going to have to disagree with you. While I do believe that there are some good cops, I believe that they are in a minute number. I highly believe that there are waay more corrupt and vicious, monster cops than good ones.
Well said, GNAT.
I agree that it was smart for him to say outright that what is happening is not ok, but to avoid getting too detailed with his opinion on the matter.
The problem with the “stay home” thing is that a lot of protesters ARE home. This IS their home. And when police lob year gas into residential neighborhoods, where are they supposed to go then?
What I want to know is why no mainstream media or Fox News covers when the police are being brutal, yet can show up for that one good day and then throw the victim under the bus? Oh wait, I know the answer to that.
I don’t expect The Hamm to make an elaborate statement. I don’t go to celebrities for this kind of thing. It’s just that, yes, both sides have their issues, but one side (the police) clearly have more. The people who are supposed to protect is should not be the ones killing and terrorizing us. End of story.
My take on it was the police were telling the “peaceful protesters” to stay home because then they could imply that anyone who didn’t stay home (and in their place) were, prima facie, violent protestors… and the cops could proceed accordingly.
When some in the police are yelling ” Bring it on you F*ing animals” to protesters, aren’t they attempting to incite violence?
It seems like it to me.
Also, if I was walking down the middle of the road, I doubt a police officer would say to me “get the fuck out of the road.” The whole thing was started off in a confrontational manner.
You start with contempt, you end with contempt.
It boggles my mind how statements like that can be recorded….and yet ignored by the people in power. A citizen can not be protected by an officer who views the citizenry that way.
Pretty much.
Re wheels of justice: I thought a grand jury was deciding this week whether to charge? Thats not that slow by my standards, especially for a police shooting (but I work in justice system of much larger metro area). But I agree that the pr aspect of investigation has been terribly handled. This investigation should be transparent.
I thought John Oliver did a great piece on this situation on his Sunday show.
Yes, I think they are going to start presenting to the grand jury today. I don’t know if this case has been taking exceptionally long compared to how other similar investigations are handled.
I think both sides benefit from a slow legal process, because the organization and vetting of information is so important. Give them time to build a solid case.
Red, black, purple or orange – we have a Constitution and this man was denied due process. The entire country should be up in arms. A local police station has miliarized against its citizens. The NRA and everyone else should be there in suport. This is EXACTLY why the 2nd Amendment gives us the right to bear arms We have a Federal government for a reason. Their lack of response is pathetic. The President thinks because he passed a weak healthcare system his legacy is secure but I think this will haunt him.
This is the year the US became a human rights violator and I’m ashamed to be an American.
I hate to break it to you, but the militarization is closely aligned with the gun lobby and war gear manufacturers. Once the military budget was decreased, they needed a steady outlet in which to sell their wares, enter the police departments. Money is king.
Yep. This.
Exactly Kiddo.. And our Bloated ass defense budget Pushed by repubs which has gotten so big that police depts around the country can apply to have the SURPLUS of the crap our own military didnt even get a use out of in a war zone
TOK
You’re right, our cops aren’t armed in the UK, though of course they can, be in special circumstances.
I thought Jon Hamm, cornered into making some statement, managed it with great tact.
Anti-police riots over 30 years ago still haunt parts of London and the psyches of both groups of antagonists because they were inadequately addressed, and left unresolved. I hope the US won’t accept anything less than total ackowledgment/penalties/contrition.
Say it, Kiddo!
The US has been a human rights violator long, long, loooong before Ferguson.
“This is the year the US became a human rights violator and I’m ashamed to be an American. ”
Um, the US has been a human rights violator pretty much since its inception. This country started as an act of violation with the genocide of the American Indians, who continued to suffer for hundreds of years. Slavery was a human rights violation, Jim Crow was a human rights violation, the forcing of women into mental institutions (the ever popular Victorian “rest cure”) was a human rights violation, denying people the right to marry is a human rights violation. This is just the latest part of an ongoing saga.
I’m not ashamed to be American, but I also don’t have delusions about my country. We’re not perfect and we still have a long way to go.
Well said, Algernon.
The best thing about the US gov’t is that it has the ability to change and evolve thanks to the way our Constitution was set up, with the ability to be amended. We didn’t start out perfect, but we aim to be “more perfect”.
Clapping for Algernon!
I often wonder if it’s because the citizenry can be armed to the teeth that there is so much paranoia and shooting from police? I’m not at all condoning what happened but surely it has to be a factor.
Agreed.. Besides being awful all around I think there are very few things a person outside the area outside of law enforcement/the community/ Outside the experience of being a man of color in a place policed by people who clearly dont have your best interests at heart can say without like you said, ruffling feathers and inflaming the convo..besides; It wasn’t the forum for that he was trying to promote if you would, St. Jude
I think it’s the best answer he could have given. I would hate to be asked on the record about such a horrible, on going tragedy.
The situation is terrible. Brown was an innocent kid who may have done something stupid (don’t we all???). It’s awful that he was killed and the cop should definitely receive a hefty punishment. However…violence shouldn’t be met with violence. If the protesters want any sort of justice, they won’t get it by hurting others. I understand that it’s frustrating not to be listened to, but behaving like ‘animals’ and throwing stones, carrying knives, attacking police, won’t get anyone anywhere. There’s a protest going on right now in Staten Island, NY for Eric Garner, the 43 year old who broke up a fight and was put in a choke hold by a cop and killed from lack of air. It’s peaceful, it’s put together, even the teachers union joined in on it yesterday. No cops, no national guard, no tear gas. He was also an innocent black man.
Excuse me???? “Behaving like animals”???? Well, I’m sorry, I didn’t know that tear gas was like a bed of happiness sprinkled with rainbows and unicorns and bunnies. I’d like to see you remain calm, which 98 % of these protesters have, while getting tear gas and rubber bullets shot at you for absolutely NO reason. Furthermore, the people who are actually STOPPING the looting are the protesters and residents, NOT the police.
Unbelievable. 😒
“Behaving like animals” is a racist term of expression. Point blank period. There’s no way going around that.
As for the looters, there were thousands that were peacefully protesting. By night a few (roughly 20) people took advantage and started looting. That’s unfortunate and those people should be held accountable for it but it comes no were close to represting the protesters as a whole. Not to mention the next day, prosters took part in cleaning up the damage and since then every night people have stood in front of stores to steer away potential looters. Of course none of this information gets heavy media attention.
I very clearly put animals in quotations because they aren’t my words, but the press. I would never call anyone an animal. Please read carefully because no where do I slam anyone as a whole for their behavior.
No dice. If you put scare quotes around ‘animals’ and still say people are behaving that way, you’ve just said the same thing as the cops.
As far as rioting goes, who’s wearing the riot gear?
St. Jude really is a great organization. I can’t say enough about how they help very sick children. I know a couple of families who spent lots of time there, and have never heard a single negative thing about St. Jude. They offer care and hope when things seem hopeless.
I am almost afraid to read the comments above because I have no clue what I’ll find.. But this Feguson situation has truly broken my heart. I was wondering if we would get a story about it, or if the subject was too heavy for the site. I’m not a Jon Hamm fan, but I’m glad he spoke up because his words pave the way for peaceful discussion (hopefully)
Situations like this are what make me TERRIFIED to bring a son into this world. Seems that young, black men have become targets, and I would smother my child to the point of never letting him out the house. When he does actually leave, even if for just a few minutes, I would be overcome with worry. I’m just so sorry about the conditions we live in.
@AlmondJoy Sadly black men and black boys have always been targets. From the Scottsboro boys to Emmet Till to the Tuskegee experiments. I want to say something comforting to reassure you but I can’t. It’s a very confusing time to have a black man as P.O.T.U.S. living in the white house and then still having to deal with situations like this is crazy.
Um, what about black girls/daughters? Renisha McBride? As well as several other black women and girls who sadly get little to no attention in our community.
There was a list, I have to look for it, of names of black girls who lost their lives to cops recently. What about the black woman who was recently violently harassed for crossing the street? That didn’t get much attention either.
And the black girl who was also a victim of gun violence during the Trayvon incident. It’s scary how little we value our black girls.
SERIOUSLY!!
Finger: The story of Emmet Till is shocking and unforgettable. You make a good point that black men have always been targets. It just seems to me that things are getting worse. So sad.
Observer: Heartbreaking. Little black girls go missing all the time and there is little to no mention of them in thrle news and media. It’s as if the lives of black people have no value. I do have hope though, that a day will come when things are no longer this way.
Found it! http://sv.tinypic.com/view.php?pic=9rr5lv&s=8 And these are only the ones we know about.
😦 The facts cannot be denied. Thanks for the link, Observer. It’s so horrific. And eye-opening as well. And I’m sure there are many more who didnt make the list.
AlmondJoy…my heart breaks with you. The way people of color have been treated by police is horrifying and unacceptable. I wish I had answers, because I am so exhausted by this injustice. It drains the soul to see this happen over and over and over and over.
I wish I knew how to effect change in the policing system.
Hugs
Tiffany, draining is right. Thank you so much for your sincerity and compassion. We need more of that.
Also, I’m a hugger so I’m giving one right back to you 😊😘
You are very welcome! I know a lot of people feel the same way I do, and it is important for those hoping for a positive change to not remain silent and accept the status quo.
Love the hugs! 🙂
How can we use this situation to create dialogue that will pave a brighter future for everyone? I disagree with everyone jumping on different perspectives like isla’s. The fact is that none of us were there and we’re getting our information from a variety of witnesses. There’s not ONE perspective that has been validated. Indeed, we may never have the complete truth of the matter since one man is dead, one is in hiding, and the friend’s account is not one that I would put a ton of stock in (since he probably wants to protect his hide). Rather than a rush to “prosecute”, there should be a rush to investigate. Who are we to try this case from our armchairs without all the facts? All the bad history in the world, all of our frustrations should not weigh unfairly on moving forward. The fact is that lives will be changed forever. Yes, there are bad policeman in the world, but are we really so certain that Darren Wilson’s act against an unarmed man (who had pot in his system and very likely in a bellicose state of mind) was not justified? Do we know for a fact that his arms were raised in surrender? There are witnesses – as you know – who contest that. May justice be served and may we all find a way to live in peace with each other. I agree that cooler heads must prevail if we’re going to see better days in our country. Let’s not beat up on each other and have a mob mentality – that won’t help anyone. Respect and be respected.
I can’t with comments like this. You’re saying that this murderer needs a fair trial but at the same time you’re dismissing Brown (pot smokers are “unstable” and killing them is “justifiable”) and eye witness accounts – effectively giving the cop a pass. Michael Brown is dead. He was a teenager with a bright future ahead of him and now he’s gone. HE should get the fair trial, justice should be served FOR HIM and for his family.
I agree he should have gotten a fair trial especially if reports by witnesses are to be believed that he charged at the officers. Non lethal force should have been used unless Michael Brown had a gun on him and was pointing it at the officers to which no other choice was available.
Either way, I am awaiting the full investigation because I think cooler heads need to calm things down in Ferguson at the moment. Kids are being unable to start school and business owners fear for their livelihoods while the freakin national guard and riot police are everywhere.
Strong, cohesive leadership is needed right now, not fanning the flames.
Thank you, LI. And to top it off, Mike Brown isn’t even alive to defend such claims against his character.
Must have been in a bellicose state of mind what with pot in his system!
The fact they chose to release only that bit of information from the first autopsy and an independent expert had to be brought in to get ANY actually relevant facts speaks volumes. It’s a pathetically blatant attempt at spin. They ought to be ashamed of themselves.
Yes, the idea that “pot makes people bellicose” only works on the uninformed. It plays on ancient stereotypes that have since been disproven.
I would rather wait and see what the investigation pans out rather than pre judge anything in any case. But thats just me, trying to be objective.
Objectivity and transparency go hand in hand
For everyone riled up about this one case, where is the uproar over Daniel Pantaleo, the police officer who is responsible for the death of Eric Garner? He had at least two complaints in his jacket for false arrest and abuse! Why was he still patrolling the streets? Why is there no rioting in LA for Omar Abrego, a Hispanic male who was beaten to death a few weeks ago by the 4 members of the LAPD? Why is Ezell Ford being pushed to the background? He was an unarmed, mentally ill man who WAS ON THE GROUND when he was shot three times. In two of these cases, there have been small, peaceful rallies in which they ask for truth and justice but not in a way that undermines the crimes against the victims.
Everyday that people riot gives the police more ammunition in their deadly force defense and no real solutions are brought to the table. I’m watching my news and wondering is that Iraq or Israel? Oh wait, it’s Ferguson! It looks like a war zone.
The truth, and we (US citizens) all know this, is that something else will happen and Ferguson will get pushed to the back burner and nothing positive will come from this situation. (Remember Sandy Hook and how there was going to be sweeping reform and then something else happened and now Sandy Hook is a footnote in the gun reform discussions.) I fear that the only thing that will come from this is that it will take years for Ferguson to rebuild and the Brown family will never get the justice and closure they need.
As the mother to FOUR black boys my heart breaks every time something of this nature happens. I have a house full of anomalies , in that our boys prefer to stay home, but I still have fear for them. I get that people want due process to be served, but it is telling that we have so many people who want it to be served for the officer RATHER than the VICTIM.
I say all of this to say that I’m so tired of people minimalizing the lives of my children because of how they look. No person should be valued more than another because of his or her appearance because you don’t know a person unless you know them. I pray for all involved and hope that Michael’s parents receive justice for their child , and ultimately find peace for their souls.
I want you to know, my heart goes out to the parents of black children, and I will do everything I can to make sure it is known that their lives, like all people, have great value to our world. I don’t want parents like you to feel alone. No parent should have to tolerate such legitimate fear of law enforcement. I am here supporting you, but sadly I only have words right now. I wish there was action I could take to prevent this from happening to yet another family. My heart longs for answers.
As a society, we need to collectively say ENOUGH. It can’t just be one community acknowledging the systemic injustice. It must be all of us.
Thanks so much for your your sentiment Tiffany :). I just wish there were MORE yous in this world 🙂
You are so welcome. Hugs to you and your family! 🙂
Tiff, I just wanted you to know I have been working my way down this thread agreeing with everything you are saying in it.
Thank you, Lady D. We are all in this together!
Why are there not daily public briefings about the state of the investigation into the homicide of Mike Brown? I truly think the people of Ferguson would be more likely to “stay home” (in the words of State Trooper Ron Johnson) if they felt like the investigation was proceeding fairly and promptly. Instead, the Ferguson police department has been Amateur Hour, from top to bottom.
^^^^^THIS!
To Ron Johnson,
Ferguson IS their home and you ruined it decades ago, so shut the hell up.
I’ve been following this from the beginning. If you really want to know what is going on there are livestreams of protests available now every single night. Find them on Twitter #Ferguson. If you watch it for yourself you might be surprised to see that very few people are looting and going after police. You might also be surprised to see how aggressive the police have been. Thousands of us viewing the livestreams have watched officers threaten to kill protestors and journalists alike for doing nothing. If you don’t believe me, watch for yourself. Unless something is radically different tonight, you will see this. I am heartbroken by how many of my fellow white people are unwilling to learn about white privilege and seem actually happy to dismiss the whole thing as “a bunch of animals looting.” That is not even what is happening.
It’s sad to see that people can’t handle diversity of views. I never said that any lives should be devalued. All lives should matter. The angry, the idle, the desperate, the depressed, the hopeful, the broad-minded. Whatever case you fit it, you deserve respect. But why should we make heroes out of anyone before we know what we’re celebrating OR fighting for? In no way did I make a causal relation between potheads and those violent. It’s fact, there was pot in Michael Brown’s system. It’s on video, he attacked the shopkeeper. These are things we know, everything else is conjecture and “witness account”. Instead of inflaming people and calling out the ignorant, accept that you nor I have the facts. This case needs to be investigated thoroughly. Are we really going to call every policeman who shoots and kills an “unarmed man” a murderer? Really? Is that what this has come to? If you want to search for heroes, look no further than people who fight for liberty (they are men and women of all colors) or look to the journalist, James Foley, who espoused peace. This was an execution, most horrible. There’s no disputing the evidence. For the Ferguson tragedy, we’re making more of a tragedy by our ignorance in inciting anger over a situation most of us no very very little about and disrespecting people who don’t agree with you. Agree to disagree but spare all your indignant self-righteousness.
Why is the fact that he had pot in his system even relevant? Answer: it’s NOT.
I don’t know how to make you understand that Michael Brown was a VICTIM and no amount of character assassination will change that fact. And gunning down an unarmed man without provocation IS murder and hiding behind a badge will not change that fact.
No one is talking about the facts behind the police officer’s actions because the Ferguson PD has done a great job of not disclosing any information about him or his actions that day.
We can’t discuss what we don’t know. Yet details like “Brown had pot in his system” or “Brown grabbed for the officer’s gun” are being released. You cannot POSSIBLY be so naïve as to think this is a coincidence. The limited and one-sided manner in which the information is being released to the public speaks VOLUMES.
Furthermore, if you can’t handle passionate responses to a very important subject then you do not belong here.
TOK whyyyyyyy do you insist on making so much sense at all times? Every single time I read something that I can’t even muster the strength to respond to, I see that you’ve already done it for me. Thank you for your beautiful and well thought out responses!
There are so many white people always looking to bend time and space for the sake of their blue-eyed bretheren, but black people are stuck with the race card. That’s when people need time and understanding. As far as I can see, white people have been using their race card as Carte Blanche to do all manner of heinous things for centuries, but we can’t say that because you know, victims are the aggressors.
AAAH! Even if Michael Brown had been arrested at gun point while committing a robbery and smoking a joint, there is absolutely nothing in our laws or constitution justifying the murder of an unarmed man. Even if the cop who shot him six times knew that he’d committed a robbery and considered Brown a threat {giant IFS on both points), the proper procedure was to arrest him, read him his rights, and provide him legal consultation. There is no room in this discussion at all to debate whether an unarmed theft justifies murder. Our laws and our constitution already stipulate the procedure for such occurrences.
I think that if Michael Brown was trying to grab the officer’s gun, the officer had reason to shoot him.
I don’t think Michael Brown was trying to grab the gun.
Op-Ed in the Washington Post titled, “I’m a cop. If you don’t want to get hurt, don’t challenge me.”
“here is the bottom line: if you don’t want to get shot, tased, pepper-sprayed, struck with a baton or thrown to the ground, just do what I tell you. Don’t argue with me, don’t call me names, don’t tell me that I can’t stop you, don’t say I’m a racist pig, don’t threaten that you’ll sue me and take away my badge. Don’t scream at me that you pay my salary, and don’t even think of aggressively walking towards me.”
http://www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2014/08/19/im-a-cop-if-you-dont-want-to-get-hurt-dont-challenge-me/
Sigh….
In other words, a badge is just a dick-extension.
Whatever you say, pig.
The thing that really gets me about what he wrote, is that he said this:
“Police are legally permitted to use deadly force when they assess a serious threat to their or someone else’s life.”
But that is the thing, Mr. Dutta! Cops are using deadly force when NO ONE’s life is in danger!
Due. Process. If Michael Brown had been arrested (however unjustly) and assigned a barely competent public defender, he would at least still be alive and able to speak for himself. Our system is far from perfect, but at minimum it serves to protect members of society from this exact scenario. Unjustly arrested is a far cry from murdered.
Are links allowed? In case this is helpful, here is a clip of an officer threatening to kill protestors. He apparently was just removed from duty. But let’s be clear, he is only being disciplined because thousands of people witnessed this over the Internet on a livestream. This is not an isolated incident. People who choose to dismiss events in Ferguson are standing on the wrong side of history. And who the heck cares if Mike Brown had weed in his system? Half of Colorado also has weed in their system now.
http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2014/08/20/ferguson_police_kill_you_video_gun_pointed_officer_threatens_protestor.html
It’s a really bad and sad situation all around. This incident and so many others have proven that America still has a long way to go has far as race relation. Police brutality has been happening for a long time. It’s a real fear that some people of color have about their families being mistreated by the police with impunity. Unfortunately, there’s a huge part of america that could not and would not understand it because it’s not happening in their backyards. It just saddened me that there are so many people celebrating the killing of a young man and think it was justified. Regardless what the young man did, the cop abused his power. IMO,after the first couple shots, he should have stopped shooting, apprehended him and waited for backup and the end. He instead continued to shoot after Mike no longer was able to run because he was wounded and fell to his knees to surrender. All shots after this point is where the outrage comes in because he was no longer in harms way and he killed him anyway.
Sadly, we will never know what really happened because the victim is not here to tell his side of the story. Whatever report the PD comes up with, will be to exonerate this cop.
I’ve seen more peaceful protesters than rioters online. The major networks are only covering the looting because that’s what giving them ratings. There are always some bad apples & opportunists who will take advantage of a sad situation.The rioting and looting is wrong; it’s only hurting more innocent people and impeding justice .I hope justice will prevail.
I believe that there are people clinging to the non-evidence about him being dangerous towards that and Maybe robbing that store because they love that they get to barnacle themselves to their racist world view with a shred of what they believe is legitimacy. That police department had no interest in starting an investigation but they’re out in full force justifying extrajudicial execution. Don’t more people think that’s strange? There is no such thing as extenuating circumstances with blacks as there are with whites, if they are killed it is always their own fault. So you can illegally choke a guy to death, you can place a pregnant woman in an illegal a choke hold in front of her daughter (lucky for her her husband and brother were around, but they all got arrested), you can kill a guy who deviously tries to buy his son some toys, you can beat a mentally ill woman unconscious for wandering on the side of the road, you can shoot a man who you know has developmental delays to death as he lays face down on the road, then pull out your batons and threaten violence against his mother when she sees what has happened, you charge a man for bleeding on your clothes when you’ve nearly beaten him to death, you can nearly beat a man to over misjudging a turn and consequently making an illegal one, while his white friend who has marijuana in his jacket is physically restrained and cuffed specifically so he can’t help, throw a woman to the ground and assault her for jaywalking when she was one in a whole crowd of people avoiding a construction site, you can beat a person almost to death on camera and still get acquitted.
Support from other nations, I mean, it’s nice, but let’s not pretend that blacks don’t face racism in those countries, too.
What did they write about one of the Aurora shooters? ‘Alleged Shooter Was Brilliant Science Student’. That’s our world. A world that worships and explains away white crime while reveling smugly at black crime, a world in which a mass murderer is more worthy of regard than is a murder victim because white people get to have an identity and humanity and be ‘troubled’ when black people are either a groaning mass of thugs and undiscovered thugs. And ypu know, after the Aurora shooting incident, some random psycho was walking around open and carry-style and what happens? The cops ask for his ID and let him go.
Social engineering.
Social engineering is why people think that there’s such a thing as ‘black on black crime’ when over 90% of all violent crime is committed intraracially, but you’ve never heard of ‘white on white crime’. Social engineering is behind no one blinking an eye over that riot in Vancouver a few years ago, which was far more damaging, the very small number of dumb drunk kids causing property damage. Social engineering is behind people immediately believing that was Brown in the video, if it was, then it was alright to kill him, for you see, this is Smithfield and the year is 1550. It makes people believe that a cop has been in hospital when no one can prove it and the story came out days after the incident. If a cop is really assaulted, that information is never kept secret. It makes people believe this nonsensical story that he must have tried to take the gun. It took the police a week to invent, I mean, report that piece of evidence. It lets people believe that lethal force is acceptable and that surely the cop must have run out of mace, left his taser at Future Shop and had his baton stolen by Harry Potter, so he had to shoot because somehow, Brown used his rubber arms to try to take a gun while he was 35 feet away. Why would an unarmed person run towards a loaded gun? Is this how stupid people we think black people are? Unless they’re full of it and continuing to come up lies and obfuscations to cover up. In which case, I wonder why it took so long to come up something so dumb. Social engineering means that these white cops can change their story and lie to the world and still get the benefit of the doubt. Social engineering means a man can have his identity hidden and effectively go on an out of state vacation when there is an established protocol of what you do to explain why you had to shoot your gun that is ignored. Social engineering means you get to choose to ignore testimony because you’re waiting for testimony.
We’re regressing.
Cops have a history of making up threats to justify their violence and it continues because people will always believe the black people and their gun lust narrative, whether it even makes sense, or not. That is why when the police were beating that guy who had the audacity to bleed on them, out of nowhere, they yell ‘he’s reaching for a gun’. They are looking for black people to give them a reason to do what they’d like to them. There is *actual* evidence of a cop yelling that at a group of peaceful protesters (it was only the first that violent) and calling them animals.
Now, Chief Jackson, who couldn’t be bothered to bothered to start an investigation has one very important thing to say: the cop who did this is ‘Heartbroken and devastated’. Well, good thing we’re focusing on what’s important.
YES!
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10000 times yes!
Such an awesome comment! 🙌 The points you make are inumerable! Yet and still, there are many that will ignore how true your statement is.
The only outcome I’ve ever witnessed… of a police investigation of fatal force against a civilian… is “death by dying.”
I wish there was a way to make the ignorant white people (and any other races that don’t “get” the uproar) to be black for a month. One whole month. Live in their skin. Walk in their shoes. Most wouldn’t last a day without falling apart at the blatant injustice and discrimination they’ll experience.
Oh if only, Peaches.
I remember thinking last week that I only had one wish for Genie. Now I have two.
I couldn’t bring myself to even click this thread during the day, but as usual I’ve really enjoyed reading all the posts. As an American, I think this will be an interesting analysis of our values. I’m still baffled by the coverage of the cigar “thefts” and don’t really know whether or not this young man was actually guilty of theft. I saw a video someone posted to FB that seemed to show he had paid for the cigars but then had an argument with the clerk, who might have been a personal friend/acquaintance. The NPR story about Ferguson made it sound like most people there are lifelong residents who know everyone. In any case, it’ll be interesting to see how we as a country feel about someone who isn’t “perfect.” I mean, it’s one thing for white liberals to get angry about a kid who was “acceptable.” Middle class, college bound, etc., but if this young man is a suspect in a non-violent crime – in a country/culture that screams constitution/due process for any issue that concerns us personally – we need to face the reality that there is NO justification for what happened. Even if this Michael Brown did commit a petty crime (and it has been well established that the officer involved was not aware of any crime), we, collectively as Americans, believe in due process. Equally. For everyone. We do not gun people down in the streets. We arrest them, read them their rights, provide legal counsel, and follow due process, and we execute people only for crimes of murder (or historically for treason, but no longer).
No one who truly believes in the constitution of the United States can say that they feel this murder was justified on the basis of a petty crime (if said petty crime actually occurred). This cop is a murder EVEN IF Michael Brown is a thief (and we don’t know that he is, which is why we f&^%g have due process).
Interesting videos that include surveillance footage of protests in the early aughts, subpoenaed from the Portland Police Bureau: The Eye of the Storm – Part 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YeEsIm-V1ZA ; Part 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QqiiHxQjTa8.
I wanted to write and inform others of the Huff Post Link:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/08/19/sunil-dutta-police-washington-post_n_5692266.html?ncid=txtlnkusaolp00000592#
(Please feel free to share this link with others and also go on #Ferguson for a more accurate portrayal of events)
It shows the mentality of a heck of a lot of cops. I don’t think that all cops are like this, but damn it, I do think the MAJORITY of cops are like this. People on the outside of this need to realize that this is not merely a white and black issue as I was trying to state up thread, suffice it to say this is a human justice issue. These are the human justice issue that Martin Luther King was speaking about. HE SAID: “A threat to justice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” I don’t believe that that was Michael Brown that robbed that store. I believe that that was a kid that may have favored Brown that robbed that store. Please, hear me out. Had there been any substantial proof of him committing the robbery as well as resisting arrest and the cop really in danger of his life, that info would have been released IMMEDIATELY to clear his name in the wake of the height of what has been going on. This would have been silenced the same day. However, Brown had eye witnesses that saw what really happened. Again, we as American citizens must begin to stand together and fight for our country because this, police state and martial law mentality, is out of freaking control. Do you really think that the police will stop at treating black people this way. HELL NO! The Veteran Policeman that said these things would do this crap to anyone eventually because he is drunk with power. Yes, he is doing it to blacks now because he believes that I and other blacks are the scum of the earth, not worthy to breath the same breath as he. Yet, he will come for you as well. No matter how porcelain your skin may be. No matter how blue your eyes are. Americans don’t understand that were dealing with an even more militant breed of Rogue cops. These monster cops realize that they are being streamed and aired on internet feeds and t.v. committing heinous murders and lawless acts and are not being punished for their misdeeds. They are drunk with power and will come after you eventually.
“First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Socialist.
Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Trade Unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me. ”
– Martin Niemoller
I want to edit this because I couldn’t do so yesterday after it got out of moderation. I was filled with load of emotions from the beginning on this. I originally saw a small piece of video a few days ago but didn’t see the whole thing. I didn’t want to see the whole video because the whole situation is really sad. Then I read the statement from the ‘Veteran Cop’, and my sorrow was replaced with enough anger to see the video. I made a huge error though and would like to correct it, Michael Brown ‘ s friend admitted that he and Brown were in the store and did take things from the store.
It would be remiss if I didn’t say that we must take more time with our kids, even if we think things are okay or our kids are stayed on the right path, we must have a healthy suspicion that they may not be. After hearing Michael Brown’s friend’s testimony, Slick Rick’s song ‘Children’s Story’ popped into my head. The song kind of paralleled what happened to Michael Brown. It would be remiss if I don’t mention that we must keep our kids involved in so many positive activities that they don’t have time to be involved in negative things. When we see them going on the wrong path we must do all we can to stop them. We must try and make sure that they go on a positive path or else anything could happen.
No, the cop did not know what Michael Brown did. No the punishment does NOT fit the crime. Yes, the officer needs to be sentenced by a court for what he did. That is why people need to understand the mentality of the ‘Veteran Cop ‘ I was speaking about. I don’t know if the shop owner received an apology and payment for the goods taken, but that shop owner needs some sort of recompense as well, which should be posted in the media if it is not. Maybe a written apology or something. Just him feeling that he is valued by the community would probably be enough for him.
Ever heard of “12 Angry Men”? Returning back to Hamm’s statement, I think it’s very diplomatic and I give him kudos for showing compassion and thoughtfulness without making any premature judgments.
I’m going to wait until all the facts come out before I make a conclusion. There are many conflicting stories and apparently the officer suffered a serious facial injury but I don’t know if that is true or not. The riots and looting are not helping anyone and only feed the stereotypes.
There are several pics of the officer on the site none show any facial injury…Oh well
ATTENTION, PLEASE.
On Tuesday, Kajieme Powell, a 25-year-old black man was shot to death by police in St. Louis.
Already, a storm of hateful lies have been perpetrated against him. These allegations proved false when a video of the murder was analyzed.
Those lies are as follows:
-When the police got out of the vehicle, Powell walked in their direction, yelling and telling them to shoot, already.
Double post alert.
ATTENTION, PLEASE.
On Tuesday, Kajieme Powell, a 25-year-old black man who was mentally ill was shot to death by police in St. Louis.
A store owner called 911 alleging that Powell was stealing doughnuts and pop. Another woman called saying he had a knife.
Already, a storm of hateful lies have been perpetrated against him. These allegations proved false when a mobile phone video of the murder was analyzed.
Those lies are as follows:
-When the police got out of the vehicle, Powell walked in their direction, yelling and telling them to shoot, already.
-According to the St. Louis police chief, both officers opened fire on Powell when he came within three or four feet of them holding a knife ‘in an overhand grip.’
Video evidence proves that Powell didn’t come nearly that close, his arms were at his sides. The officers began shooting after around ten seconds after seeing him and hit him with a barrage of bullets.
So, that means that the Police Chief lied.
The KKK is raising funds for Darren Wilson (for what, I don’t know because he’s not out of a dime) and is planning to descend on Ferguson with the intent to protect white property owners.
Alright, you have your facts, or do they not count when black people report them?
No matter how many times a lie is told, it’s still a lie. Those who are talking don’t know; those who know aren’t talking yet…