Reactions to the Shooting in Ferguson, Mo., Have Sharp Racial Divides

[The Rabbi]

it has never widened, it has always been this way.

You might actually be right. But could you substantiate that with some facts?

Its on the basis that because of the internet and 24 hours news that these type of issues are being pushed harder and harder. These people where always there, but you never really heard about it, because they didn't have a means to voice their opinions beyond their local living situations.

Who are "these people"?

the population at large

Nobody knew the population at large existed? Wow.

 

[RandallFlagg]

Find a black man. Make him your friend. Talk. Gradually we will begin to understand. Took me 76 years.

Or, join the military. The only color the Army sees is GREEN. My take on the shooting is simple. I was NOT there and I DO NOT know the circumstances. To understand the situation, I personally believe that first, people HAVE to get the notion of a pistol = 1 shot one kill out of their heads. Life is NOT a movie. Snipers have the ability to make a kill shot - rarely do pistols accomplish that (although it CAN be done) but not usually in a stressful environment. So the idea that this cop "shot him up" for personal satisfaction is ridiculous. I have, unfortunately, shot people with a pistol - a .45 caliber 1911 - and it took three shots to take one of them down and the other 2 went down with one shot each. When adrenaline starts pumping, everything gets weird.

Second, this "18 year old" who was 6'4 inches and nearly 300 pounds had just committed a strong arm robbery at a C Store and was working on that adrenaline rush as he and his "buddy" walked down the middle of the road (according to police). So, it is easy to understand why this "kid" would have reacted by attacking the cop (if those reports are true). He allegedly attacked the cop, punched him in the face and was shot (apparently) while rushing the officer . Again, I was NOT there, I am only going on news reports.

To the riots. Anytime you have people coming into a situation from "out of town", 9 times out of 10, they do NOT have good intentions - as was proved true later. Agitators agitate. That's their ONLY intention. If they got their little feelings hurt - tough shit. They shouldn't have been there in the first place.

My biggest "complaint" is the militarization of the police. M4s, cammo and body armor as well as all the tactical gear you can carry (and I believe that I saw a sniper peeking out of an Army MRAP) do nothing but make people feel like their neighborhoods are being "occupied" by an Army. Police should be dressed in blue, with blue body armor that clearly states "POLICE". Additionally, an M4 is pointless in a riot situation. CS gas works a helluva lot better than the "rambo attitude".

Finally - That gutter trash, Sears and Roebuck Divinity school "graduate" Al Sharpton should have been arrested, put in the back of a cop car and "escorted" to the city limits and told that should he come back - "bad things" will happen to his worthless ass. Sharpton is nothing more than a race-baiting agitator.

Now, we are either a "nation of laws" as the idiot Obama claims we are - or we are not. There will be investigations and the results issued to a Grand Jury. If there is evidence that this cop went too far, he will face charges. However, if it is as I believe, a teenage punk ass thug who was shot in self-defense, then so be it. The people of Ferguson should make damned sure that they don't allow another race-baiting agitator to determine how THEY react to the verdict, either way.

I have had several discussions with friends about this and it sickens me that this happened. However, I don't give a damn what color this kid was. He started his day by robbing a Quick Trip and threatening the cashier. And for what? A few cigars. He most likely lost his life as a result of his thuggery.

 

[Stephanie]

Obama is tearing this Nation asunder.

I think that was his only JOB when he ran and people were duped into electing him

AND Mr. H
You have ONE huge thing ..............................................



with that rock. lol

 

[Rotagilla]

it has never widened, it has always been this way.

You might actually be right. But could you substantiate that with some facts?

Good luck with THAT.

 

[deltex1]

Find a black man. Make him your friend. Talk. Gradually we will begin to understand. Took me 76 years.

Or, join the military. The only color the Army sees is GREEN. My take on the shooting is simple. I was NOT there and I DO NOT know the circumstances. To understand the situation, I personally believe that first, people HAVE to get the notion of a pistol = 1 shot one kill out of their heads. Life is NOT a movie. Snipers have the ability to make a kill shot - rarely do pistols accomplish that (although it CAN be done) but not usually in a stressful environment. So the idea that this cop "shot him up" for personal satisfaction is ridiculous. I have, unfortunately, shot people with a pistol - a .45 caliber 1911 - and it took three shots to take one of them down and the other 2 went down with one shot each. When adrenaline starts pumping, everything gets weird.

Second, this "18 year old" who was 6'4 inches and nearly 300 pounds had just committed a strong arm robbery at a C Store and was working on that adrenaline rush as he and his "buddy" walked down the middle of the road (according to police). So, it is easy to understand why this "kid" would have reacted by attacking the cop (if those reports are true). He allegedly attacked the cop, punched him in the face and was shot (apparently) while rushing the officer . Again, I was NOT there, I am only going on news reports.

To the riots. Anytime you have people coming into a situation from "out of town", 9 times out of 10, they do NOT have good intentions - as was proved true later. Agitators agitate. That's their ONLY intention. If they got their little feelings hurt - tough shit. They shouldn't have been there in the first place.

My biggest "complaint" is the militarization of the police. M4s, cammo and body armor as well as all the tactical gear you can carry (and I believe that I saw a sniper peeking out of an Army MRAP) do nothing but make people feel like their neighborhoods are being "occupied" by an Army. Police should be dressed in blue, with blue body armor that clearly states "POLICE". Additionally, an M4 is pointless in a riot situation. CS gas works a helluva lot better than the "rambo attitude".

Finally - That gutter trash, Sears and Roebuck Divinity school "graduate" Al Sharpton should have been arrested, put in the back of a cop car and "escorted" to the city limits and told that should he come back - "bad things" will happen to his worthless ass. Sharpton is nothing more than a race-baiting agitator.

Now, we are either a "nation of laws" as the idiot Obama claims we are - or we are not. There will be investigations and the results issued to a Grand Jury. If there is evidence that this cop went too far, he will face charges. However, if it is as I believe, a teenage punk ass thug who was shot in self-defense, then so be it. The people of Ferguson should make damned sure that they don't allow another race-baiting agitator to determine how THEY react to the verdict, either way.

I have had several discussions with friends about this and it sickens me that this happened. However, I don't give a damn what color this kid was. He started his day by robbing a Quick Trip and threatening the cashier. And for what? A few cigars. He most likely lost his life as a result of his thuggery.

Thanks for that reply RF. I was USAF for 28 years but spent most of that time in missile ops...12 years of crew duty...then manager of the officer crew force at SAC and the AFHq. Long story short that path kept me in a white world.

When I retired I stayed close to the family, the gym and travel with my wife.

Two years ago we moved to my wife's daughters neighborhood so she could care for the grandkids. I moved in to a house between two black families...made friends...do projects with them...drink with them...play racquetball with one of them...the other guy wired my hot tub...saved a thousand bucks. We talk. We understand. Best neighbors a guy could have.

One of them climbed out of the Chicago ghetto...the other from the Virginia projects. The old days are seared into them...but they carry themselves proud. Just wanted to share that.

 

[RoshawnMarkwees]

I have plenty of friends that are black. Your question is bizarre. I don't refer to them as black friends. I refer to them by name. If you have something to say then say it.

And I guarantee that they all self identify as black and mostly speak a southern dialect as result of identifying by blackness. Don't kid yourself.
It's called institutional segregation, institutional racism. And you can bet they all voted for obama -- twice.

No. They don't speak a southern dialect. Institutional racism occurs in institutionsublic and private.

"Institutional racism"

A continuously variable term, vague, indefinite and meaningless enough to be able to be used in whatever situation the user wants in order to disparage white people.

No, institutional racism is a very well-defined term with a subtle but profound effect. The mere acceptance of entities such as the NAACP, BET, CBC, so-called 'black leaders', etc., and the use of terms such as 'black community' are prime examples of institutional racism. People must first get their heads out of that box before any positive change can even be addressed.

 

[RoshawnMarkwees]

I have plenty of friends that are black. Your question is bizarre. I don't refer to them as black friends. I refer to them by name. If you have something to say then say it.

And I guarantee that they all self identify as black and mostly speak a southern dialect as result of identifying by blackness. Don't kid yourself.
It's called institutional segregation, institutional racism. And you can bet they all voted for obama -- twice.

No. They don't speak a southern dialect. Institutional racism occurs in institutionsublic and private.

I would bet the mortgage that they speak with a southern dialect. You have just been conditioned to accept it as 'black' when in fact it is a southern thing. Like southern cooking being called soul food.

 

[Stephanie]

And notice they have no problems about the NFL, NBA, being almost all black players. Diversity is used as a WEAPON against the rest of the people in this country and people better wake up to it.

 

[Rikurzhen]

Anyone...on getting a black friend....

To what end? Certainly not to use this person as a tool to enhance learning about his culture. Friendships are not based on using people.

I become friends with people when we have common interests and we enjoy each others company. I never go out searching for a friend to fit some niche - I need to find a friend who likes yachting because I plan to buy a yacht and then I can learn about yachting. Or gardening. Or ballet. Or hockey. Instead I'll take my daughter to ballet class, sit with the other parents, strike up conversations and deepen the relationship with those whose company I find most enjoyable. Targeting a black man at that ballet class because he's black and because I want to learn what he thinks about life as a black man just doesn't float my boat.

 

[Rikurzhen]

it has never widened, it has always been this way.

Maybe so, but it's more public now when you have a black President and AG egging it on.

That's because blacks and liberals have used the charge of racism to shield the president from criticism.

My positions has been, and remains, that the first black President should have been Republican. This would have negated the racism charge - liberals and blacks couldn't then use racism as an excuse for policy differences. It's simply not the style of Republicans to scream racism when some liberal complains.

 

[deltex1]

Anyone...on getting a black friend....

To what end? Certainly not to use this person as a tool to enhance learning about his culture. Friendships are not based on using people.

I become friends with people when we have common interests and we enjoy each others company. I never go out searching for a friend to fit some niche - I need to find a friend who likes yachting because I plan to buy a yacht and then I can learn about yachting. Or gardening. Or ballet. Or hockey. Instead I'll take my daughter to ballet class, sit with the other parents, strike up conversations and deepen the relationship with those whose company I find most enjoyable. Targeting a black man at that ballet class because he's black and because I want to learn what he thinks about life as a black man just doesn't float my boat.

Noted...and some black man somewhere breaths a sigh of relief.

 

[Disir]

I have plenty of friends that are black. Your question is bizarre. I don't refer to them as black friends. I refer to them by name. If you have something to say then say it.

And I guarantee that they all self identify as black and mostly speak a southern dialect as result of identifying by blackness. Don't kid yourself.
It's called institutional segregation, institutional racism. And you can bet they all voted for obama -- twice.

No. They don't speak a southern dialect. Institutional racism occurs in institutionsublic and private.

I would bet the mortgage that they speak with a southern dialect. You have just been conditioned to accept it as 'black' when in fact it is a southern thing. Like southern cooking being called soul food.

No. I'm the one with the twang but it doesn't kick back in unless I have a few drinks.

 

[Disir]

That's because blacks and liberals have used the charge of racism to shield the president from criticism.

My positions has been, and remains, that the first black President should have been Republican. This would have negated the racism charge - liberals and blacks couldn't then use racism as an excuse for policy differences. It's simply not the style of Republicans to scream racism when some liberal complains.

I am not so sure that it's all about shielding Obama. When it's all said and done, he will have been the best Republican president ever.

I think, perhaps, that it is a little more sinister. In fact, those liberal news sources will flip on him whenever their current interests are not represented. Not what many liberals are actually interested in. I have seen liberals post replies to correct information presented that was simply not true at those liberal sources. In fact, I have been so irritated at a liberal opine column that I received my own special response that notified me that the goal was to teach.

The right or what we call the right has their own special programming that whips people into a frenzy even if it's outlandish. Calls and hints for civil wars. Hell, I can remember timing the number of times a news anchor talked about violence and crime (even committed by whites) with a picture of a black man in the background in local news.The whole point was to instill fear. Absolute racism demonstrated by some members of the Tea Party and the flirting of the right with hate groups has occurred.


The left or what we call the left can be found doing their own special version. It's emotionally driven.

The new normal.

The number of outside groups that showed up in Ferguson is amazing.

What was the point? The right wing has their group. The left has their groups. It's beginning to look like a chess game being played by outside interest groups that have nothing to lose.
Why omit information that is crucial to comprehension of any situation?

If it runs through emotional exhaustion then nothing is resolved and that means that the simple issues that could be fixed won't be.

 

[Disir]

I have plenty of friends that are black. Your question is bizarre. I don't refer to them as black friends. I refer to them by name. If you have something to say then say it.

If you don't know what I am saying then you don't have black friends...you have black acquaintances ...makes you feel righteous and protected.

The view points that are expressed politically differ depending on age. I feel neither righteous nor protected. Instead, I feel that you cannot articulate what it is that you mean to say.

And I feel you are unconscious.

Fortunately, I have always found you to be rather dimwitted.

Unfortunately, this is my first conversation with you. Fortunately, it will be my last. Morons bore me.

Unfortunately, it's not our first conversation. I ignore most of what you post. But, I have this down. I got five that says in 6 weeks you won't recall this conversation. I suspect that's what happened here. You had a point. You went swimming and forgot your point.

 

[deltex1]

I have plenty of friends that are black. Your question is bizarre. I don't refer to them as black friends. I refer to them by name. If you have something to say then say it.

If you don't know what I am saying then you don't have black friends...you have black acquaintances ...makes you feel righteous and protected.

The view points that are expressed politically differ depending on age. I feel neither righteous nor protected. Instead, I feel that you cannot articulate what it is that you mean to say.

And I feel you are unconscious.

Fortunately, I have always found you to be rather dimwitted.

Unfortunately, this is my first conversation with you. Fortunately, it will be my last. Morons bore me.

Unfortunately, it's not our first conversation. I ignore most of what you post. But, I have this down. I got five that says in 6 weeks you won't recall this conversation. I suspect that's what happened here. You had a point. You went swimming and forgot your point.

Could be....just proves how forgettable you are.

 

[Disir]

I have plenty of friends that are black. Your question is bizarre. I don't refer to them as black friends. I refer to them by name. If you have something to say then say it.

If you don't know what I am saying then you don't have black friends...you have black acquaintances ...makes you feel righteous and protected.

The view points that are expressed politically differ depending on age. I feel neither righteous nor protected. Instead, I feel that you cannot articulate what it is that you mean to say.

And I feel you are unconscious.

Fortunately, I have always found you to be rather dimwitted.

Unfortunately, this is my first conversation with you. Fortunately, it will be my last. Morons bore me.

Unfortunately, it's not our first conversation. I ignore most of what you post. But, I have this down. I got five that says in 6 weeks you won't recall this conversation. I suspect that's what happened here. You had a point. You went swimming and forgot your point.

Could be....just proves how forgettable you are.

I'm ok with that.

 

[RoshawnMarkwees]

I have plenty of friends that are black. Your question is bizarre. I don't refer to them as black friends. I refer to them by name. If you have something to say then say it.

And I guarantee that they all self identify as black and mostly speak a southern dialect as result of identifying by blackness. Don't kid yourself.
It's called institutional segregation, institutional racism. And you can bet they all voted for obama -- twice.

No. They don't speak a southern dialect. Institutional racism occurs in institutionsublic and private.

I would bet the mortgage that they speak with a southern dialect. You have just been conditioned to accept it as 'black' when in fact it is a southern thing. Like southern cooking being called soul food.

No. I'm the one with the twang but it doesn't kick back in unless I have a few drinks.

Then they must be military. Therefore, they're not 'black'. Ask RandallFlagg to explain it to you.

 

[ScienceRocks]

How hard is it to understand that Brown was a thug that attacked an officer of the law? I don't think Blacks value the law very much.

 

[bendog]

Wow, blacks are more concerned than whites with the fact that black teenagers who wish no harm to anyone are often seen as threats, because other black teenagers are thugs.

Was Brown a victim or a thug? I dunno.

 

[RoshawnMarkwees]

Wow, blacks are more concerned than whites with the fact that black teenagers who wish no harm to anyone are often seen as threats, because other black teenagers are thugs.

Was Brown a victim or a thug? I dunno.

By looking at that convenience store video he was a thug.