Im not saying I agree 100% with everything this guy says, but I do agree 100% with this being blown wayyy out of proportion at a very early stage when little is known. What do I mean by that? This is what I know. A kid was shot by a cop. Thats it. That is all I know. Everything else Ive heard is circumspect, hearsay, he said this, she said that until all the facts are in and proven. I was not there. I do not know if this young man was gunned down for no apparent reason or if it was necessary for the cop to do what he did. What I also know is all of the bullshyt that followed--looting, violence, etc., is demeaning to this boys death. It does not make sense to me to protest violence with more violence. All this does is makes all of the people involved in the looting, etc. look like assholes. I have no problem with protests as long as they are done in a peaceful manner. I know that sounds stupid, but even when cops and heated discussions are present, it can still be peaceful. I can sincerely sympathize with this familys pain, but I can also stand back and see that it might have been something necessary on the cops part. People need to stop flying off the handle and acting like maniacs over every feckin thing they hear and use their brains. And I am no racist, but I am tired of every single time a cop shoots a black person, it turns into a three-ring circus. Cops shoot people every day. All kinds of people, all colors. Just because a white cop shot a black man does not AUTOMATICALLY make it a hate/racial/whatever you want to call it act (and no, Im not saying it doesnt ever happen that way either). Why am I saying this? Because things like this, even when justifiable, are being used to fuel racism and hatred. The times we should all be coming together seem to be the times we are actually all taking sides and spewing the most hatred. And yes, I can understand why the cops dont want the media there, even if they arent handling that side of it properly. They are facing a situation theyve never faced before and are probably scared and trying to do the best they can. The media does have rights, but the media also has a track record of fueling the flames. If this cop is in the wrong, Im all for him getting what he deserves. However, if his actions were just, Im also for him being cleared. Im betting that if his actions are found justifiable, he will still be deemed guilty by most. AGAIN--before anyone wants to start nasty comments or whatever, remember: I did NOT say I believe the cop was innocent. I did NOT say I believe the boy was innocent. I did NOT say that NO shootings involving white cops and black people were fueled by racism. I did NOT say that people dont have the right to protest in peace. I did NOT say that the media does not have rights. What Im saying is: Wait for all the facts before jumping to conclusions. On that note, I am thrilled to see how the community in Ferguson has come together during the day to clean up and put their town back together. Bravo to all of you involved in that.
Posted on: Thu, 14 Aug 2014 18:07:15 +0000