Smooth Move Ferguson: Cops Meet Community Anguish With More Brutality
Since Saturday, the tragic shooting of unarmed teenager Mike Brown by police has turned into a story about looting and rioting and frightening black rage, and not about the brutal response of police to the fruits of their own brutality.
No, I’m not talking about the looters, some of whom were arrested, and most of whom, police say, were not even from Ferguson, Mo. The media has chosen to conflate their actions with the widespread anguish of the people of Ferguson, and those watching in the wider world, but as Brittney Cooper has said, these are the actions of an opportunistic few. Asking for their condemnation is like asking for a denunciation of the flies that gathered around Mike Brown’s body as it lay in the street for hours after his execution. It is beside the point, except to the extent that it gives people an excuse (that they didn’t even need) to ignore the very real causes and effects of the anguish in Ferguson.
By now, you’ve probably seen the videos of looting in Ferguson, and maybe you’ve noticed something missing in those scenes: the hundreds of police in riot gear and armored vehicles that could have prevented it. On Monday night, those police were still busy tear-gassing and shooting citizens indiscriminately:
“I was just trying to get to my sister’s house,” cried one 23-year-old, who lay sobbing on a lawn.
He said he was walking home when officers approached him and sprayed tear gas in his face and peppered him with rubber bullets.
Since police are always believed over black people (unless there’s video, and then only maybe), most media accounts of police force have toed the police line that their use of gas and rubber bullets has been in response to rocks thrown from the crowds, the same sort of rote justification they always use, right up there with “struggle for the gLast night, however, local Fox reporter Andy Banker seemed to have gotten the truth out of the cops before they had a chance to get their story straight. He reported that police began firing on demonstrators to disperse them, with no mention of objects being thrown, and even reported being gassed himself…READ MORE
Click here for reuse options!Copyright 2014 Liberaland
By: Tommy Christopher
Tommy Christopher is The Daily Banter's White House Correspondent and Political Analyst. He's been a political reporter and liberal commentator since 2007, and has covered the White House since the beginning of the Obama administration, first for PoliticsDaily, and then for Mediaite. Christopher is a frequent guest on a variety of television, radio, and online programs, and was the villain in the documentaries The Audacity of Democracy and Hating Breitbart. He's also That Guy Who Live-Tweeted His Own Heart Attack, and the only person to have ever received public apologies from both Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck.
50 responses to Smooth Move Ferguson: Cops Meet Community Anguish With More Brutality
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
mea_mark August 12th, 2014 at 13:08
I am pretty sure the police know they are guilty at this point. What they are doing now is stirring up trouble to deflect attention away from their criminality. Everything about this looks like the cops blew it horribly and are doing everything they can to cover it up or distract attention away from it. The entire Ferguson police department should be shut down and investigated, with the Feds coming in and handling the law enforcement until new arrangements can be made.
craig7120 August 12th, 2014 at 13:41
Im a city resident of St Louis
All I’m going to say about this tragic death, had this been a young man whos had a troubled past or was up to no good the citizens would of shrugged it off as just another gang banger acting hard. The out cry being witnessed is because the residents know their own and this young man was netted in something that scared him enough to take flight. I do not know what happened and all my cop buddies ain’t saying a word to me. It smells really bad for the ferguson pd. I was brought up to give law enforcement the benefit of the doubt, knowing what I know now about law enforcement is suspicion.
The riots are an embarrassment, for all the footage being shown nationally I can match that with friends helping with the clean up of their neighbors businesses.
Khary A August 12th, 2014 at 13:47
I’ve never had that much faith in the gang in blue. Being a Boston native our police here have been under scrutiny for decades. I don’t have to tell you about all the issues we had/have here with them.
BanditBasheert August 12th, 2014 at 14:49
There are many people now who literally are afraid to dial 9-1-1. Who knows who or what will respond? The first thing a cop will do is kill your pets. And let’s be honest, a cop can kill you and get totally away with it. He’ll just lie about the circumstances.
BanditBasheert August 12th, 2014 at 14:48
The thing is, this will be allowed to lie around, the KILLER will sit at his desk job collecting full pay until it blows over – then they’ll put him back on the streets. Once they get away with this, they figure they are fine to just kill and lie about it. A rotten cop is a rotten cop. Even good cops hate them.
BanditBasheert August 12th, 2014 at 14:46
I agree. Their actions speak volumes. They are using racial genocide to control the population – kill enough of them and they’ll “do what they’re told”.
mea_mark August 12th, 2014 at 13:08
I am pretty sure the police know they are guilty at this point. What they are doing now is stirring up trouble to deflect attention away from their criminality. Everything about this looks like the cops blew it horribly and are doing everything they can to cover it up or distract attention away from it. The entire Ferguson police department should be shut down and investigated, with the Feds coming in and handling the law enforcement until new arrangements can be made.
craig7120 August 12th, 2014 at 13:41
Im a city resident of St Louis
All I’m going to say about this tragic death, had this been a young man whos had a troubled past or was up to no good the citizens would of shrugged it off as just another gang banger acting hard. The out cry being witnessed is because the residents know their own and this young man was netted in something that scared him enough to take flight. I do not know what happened and all my cop buddies ain’t saying a word to me. It smells really bad for the ferguson pd. I was brought up to give law enforcement the benefit of the doubt, knowing what I know now about law enforcement is suspicion.
The riots are an embarrassment, for all the footage being shown nationally I can match that with friends helping with the clean up of their neighbors businesses.
The last of the Thousad Sons August 12th, 2014 at 13:47
I’ve never had that much faith in the gang in blue. Being a Boston native our police here have been under scrutiny for decades. I don’t have to tell you about all the issues we had/have here with them.
BanditBasheert August 12th, 2014 at 14:49
There are many people now who literally are afraid to dial 9-1-1. Who knows who or what will respond? The first thing a cop will do is kill your pets. And let’s be honest, a cop can kill you and get totally away with it. He’ll just lie about the circumstances.
BanditBasheert August 12th, 2014 at 14:48
The thing is, this will be allowed to lie around, the KILLER will sit at his desk job collecting full pay until it blows over – then they’ll put him back on the streets. Once they get away with this, they figure they are fine to just kill and lie about it. A rotten cop is a rotten cop. Even good cops hate them.
BanditBasheert August 12th, 2014 at 14:46
I agree. Their actions speak volumes. They are using racial genocide to control the population – kill enough of them and they’ll “do what they’re told”.
tiredoftea August 12th, 2014 at 13:26
Another example of why military style policing is failing our nation.
BanditBasheert August 12th, 2014 at 14:45
This isn’t even military (altho I agree that militarization of our police is a disaster). This is flat out white cop executing black youth. Any police officer should be able to neutralize a man (unarmed) without shooting him 8 times. There is NO indication from anyone other than the cop that there was a “scuffle” .. and there are and were other people who saw and heard what happened. But they are also “blahs” so of course, they couldn’t possibly be telling the truth.
tiredoftea August 12th, 2014 at 17:55
A citizen was shot dead on the street with no due process. Every reasonable indication is that the young man was minding his own business and enjoying the night with a friend. A competent police force would/should be aware of their neighborhoods, the regular patterns of life, the good guys, the legitimate merchants, the bad guys and where crime is likely to occur. In our military style policing, this tragedy is more prone to happen because the exercise is containment of a hostile area with the citizens presumed to be guilty, or soon to be, of something.
Brandy August 15th, 2014 at 17:47
Not to mention that my state also just passed one of the most lenient gun carrying laws in the nation. And people wonder why this keeps happening. More kinds of guns and gun amounts does not make us safer.
tiredoftea August 15th, 2014 at 21:15
That’s another problem. Will the cop claim that young Mr. Brown was armed? But, no guns do not make anyone safer, despite the bleatings of the gun lobby and its followers.
tiredoftea August 12th, 2014 at 13:26
Another example of why military style policing is failing our nation.
BanditBasheert August 12th, 2014 at 14:45
This isn’t even military (altho I agree that militarization of our police is a disaster). This is flat out white cop executing black youth. Any police officer should be able to neutralize a man (unarmed) without shooting him 8 times. There is NO indication from anyone other than the cop that there was a “scuffle” .. and there are and were other people who saw and heard what happened. But they are also “blahs” so of course, they couldn’t possibly be telling the truth.
tiredoftea August 12th, 2014 at 17:55
A citizen was shot dead on the street with no due process. Every reasonable indication is that the young man was minding his own business and enjoying the night with a friend. A competent police force would/should be aware of their neighborhoods, the regular patterns of life, the good guys, the legitimate merchants, the bad guys and where crime is likely to occur. In our military style policing, this tragedy is more prone to happen because the exercise is containment of a hostile area with the citizens presumed to be guilty, or soon to be, of something.
Brandy August 15th, 2014 at 17:47
Not to mention that my state also just passed one of the most lenient gun carrying laws in the nation. And people wonder why this keeps happening. More kinds of guns and gun amounts does not make us safer.
tiredoftea August 15th, 2014 at 21:15
That’s another problem. Will the cop claim that young Mr. Brown was armed? But, no guns do not make anyone safer, despite the bleatings of the gun lobby and its followers.
R.J. Carter August 12th, 2014 at 13:31
There are two competing stories going around town.
1. Mike Brown attempted to take the officer’s gun, and the officer emptied his cartridge (as they’re trained to do).
2. The officer looked out his car window, saw Mike Brown, said “Put ’em up,” and shot him nine times with his hands in the air.
The truth is most likely somewhere between those two.
Khary A August 12th, 2014 at 13:44
My theory, The “officer” saw an opportunity to screw with a kid that he knew he could get away with, under the idea of his own superiority and the station of young black males in society. So he stops the kid with no provocation, “pulls aggro” ( gaming term) pushes the youth to some conflict just so he can take action how he saw fit.
mea_mark August 12th, 2014 at 14:11
I think there is a reason they are not releasing the officers name, past problems that directly relate. The whole police department is acting guilty. It could be that provoking people, unofficially, is something that particular police department started doing as a means of policing the community and it has horribly backfired. I am sure we will know more once things gets investigated by someone from outside the situation.
BanditBasheert August 12th, 2014 at 14:42
I agree – I also wondered if the officer involved had used unnecessary force or been involved in previous incidents. Everything about this whole situation smells.
There IS NO middle ground.
The kid was unarmed (evidently said paragon of virtue police officer didn’t get a chance to use his drop gun) – he was shot in the back and multiple people saw him shot when he had his hands raised. After he was shot numerous times, and fell to the ground, the cop walked over to him and shot him AGAIN while he was on the ground.
Justified?
BullSh*t
mea_mark August 12th, 2014 at 14:48
Dead people can’t testify …
BanditBasheert August 12th, 2014 at 14:52
There are a least a couple of people who saw and heard what happened. Unfortunately since they are black, their statements will not be considered reliable. Ferguson PD is not doing itself any favors – attempting to exterminate anyone who doesn’t buckle to their bullying is a stupid ploy.
This cop should be investigated, and his name should be published until he is cleared or jailed for using excess force. Because if the witness stories are true, this cop is a murderer.
BanditBasheert August 12th, 2014 at 14:39
The cop has a badge and a gun. Therefore he can bully anyone he wants and if he gets any negative response, he simply shoots and claims “the perp” tried to “grab his gun”.
For years white police officers have been killing black teenagers/young men in their own neighborhoods. 97% of the Ferguson force is WHITE. They see all black youth as “scary”. Ignorance and racism can and is found in police officers – but let’s at least at the very minimum have some type of pseudo-investigation.
We all know how this will turn out. And it will continue.
Suzanne McFly August 12th, 2014 at 15:28
The young man was 30 feet away from the cop car laying in the street for 4 hours. If the cop was so scared of the “angry black man” why was he shot in the back 30 feet away from the car. They left the body there for a warning to other “angry black men”. I found this story and it gives you two sides of the same story, you can decide what you want to believe but you can’t decide what facts you deem truthful. http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/different-versions-of-the-encounter-that-led-to-a-fatal/article_29f84765-24f3-53bb-8ca3-77f780f79d8f.html
mea_mark August 12th, 2014 at 15:40
To me, the Chiefs story seems to have some holes in it and seems vague. You would think if the officer was innocent there would be more detail about what happened. It still looks like a cover-up, or perhaps they are just trying to say what they absolutely have to in order to have a story and they are just trying not to incriminate themselves.
Suzanne McFly August 12th, 2014 at 15:57
I agree and right now, I think the cops are simply covering their own ass. The number of eyewitnesses can’t be silenced or explained away.
mea_mark August 12th, 2014 at 16:00
That would be number two eyewitness, number one is dead.
Suzanne McFly August 12th, 2014 at 15:59
…..and I believe most officers are there to serve and protect, but when the true colors are shown on the bad ones, they need to throw them to the wolves and this will earn the police the respect they need. They have to get away from that “good ‘ol boy” mentality.
R.J. Carter August 12th, 2014 at 13:31
There are two competing stories going around town.
1. Mike Brown attempted to take the officer’s gun, and the officer emptied his cartridge (as they’re trained to do).
2. The officer looked out his car window, saw Mike Brown, said “Put ’em up,” and shot him nine times with his hands in the air.
The truth is most likely somewhere between those two.
The last of the Thousad Sons August 12th, 2014 at 13:44
My theory, The “officer” saw an opportunity to screw with a kid that he knew he could get away with, under the idea of his own superiority and the station of young black males in society. So he stops the kid with no provocation, “pulls aggro” ( gaming term) pushes the youth to some conflict just so he can take action how he saw fit.
mea_mark August 12th, 2014 at 14:11
I think there is a reason they are not releasing the officers name, past problems that directly relate. The whole police department is acting guilty. It could be that provoking people, unofficially, is something that particular police department started doing as a means of policing the community and it has horribly backfired. I am sure we will know more once things gets investigated by someone from outside the situation.
BanditBasheert August 12th, 2014 at 14:42
I agree – I also wondered if the officer involved had used unnecessary force or been involved in previous incidents. Everything about this whole situation smells.
There IS NO middle ground.
The kid was unarmed (evidently said paragon of virtue police officer didn’t get a chance to use his drop gun) – he was shot in the back and multiple people saw him shot when he had his hands raised. After he was shot numerous times, and fell to the ground, the cop walked over to him and shot him AGAIN while he was on the ground.
Justified?
BullSh*t
mea_mark August 12th, 2014 at 14:48
Dead people can’t testify …
BanditBasheert August 12th, 2014 at 14:52
There are a least a couple of people who saw and heard what happened. Unfortunately since they are black, their statements will not be considered reliable. Ferguson PD is not doing itself any favors – attempting to exterminate anyone who doesn’t buckle to their bullying is a stupid ploy.
This cop should be investigated, and his name should be published until he is cleared or jailed for using excess force. Because if the witness stories are true, this cop is a murderer.
BanditBasheert August 12th, 2014 at 14:39
The cop has a badge and a gun. Therefore he can bully anyone he wants and if he gets any negative response, he simply shoots and claims “the perp” tried to “grab his gun”.
For years white police officers have been killing black teenagers/young men in their own neighborhoods. 97% of the Ferguson force is WHITE. They see all black youth as “scary”. Ignorance and racism can and is found in police officers – but let’s at least at the very minimum have some type of pseudo-investigation.
We all know how this will turn out. And it will continue.
Suzanne McFly August 12th, 2014 at 15:28
The young man was 30 feet away from the cop car laying in the street for 4 hours. If the cop was so scared of the “angry black man” why was he shot in the back 30 feet away from the car. They left the body there for a warning to other “angry black men”. I found this story and it gives you two sides of the same story, you can decide what you want to believe but you can’t decide what facts you deem truthful. http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/different-versions-of-the-encounter-that-led-to-a-fatal/article_29f84765-24f3-53bb-8ca3-77f780f79d8f.html
mea_mark August 12th, 2014 at 15:40
To me, the Chiefs story seems to have some holes in it and seems vague. You would think if the officer was innocent there would be more detail about what happened. It still looks like a cover-up, or perhaps they are just trying to say what they absolutely have to in order to have a story and they are just trying not to incriminate themselves.
Suzanne McFly August 12th, 2014 at 15:57
I agree and right now, I think the cops are simply covering their own ass. The number of eyewitnesses can’t be silenced or explained away.
mea_mark August 12th, 2014 at 16:00
That would be number two eyewitness, number one is dead.
Suzanne McFly August 12th, 2014 at 15:59
…..and I believe most officers are there to serve and protect, but when the true colors are shown on the bad ones, they need to throw them to the wolves and this will earn the police the respect they need. They have to get away from that “good ‘ol boy” mentality.
BanditBasheert August 12th, 2014 at 14:56
I find it fascinating that the people who witnessed this incident are not being allowed to give statements – the po-lice are not the least bit interested in having the truth come out. The cop is a killer. He shot and killed an unarmed teenager. The last time I looked, that was not legal (even if the guy was “being black”.) The kid was shot in the back, and then shot again when he was lying on the ground with his hands up attempting to surrender. Any cop that empties 8 shots into an unarmed kid doesn’t have the brains or the skills to be a police officer unless the purpose is to simply exterminate the population.
BanditBasheert August 12th, 2014 at 14:56
I find it fascinating that the people who witnessed this incident are not being allowed to give statements – the po-lice are not the least bit interested in having the truth come out. The cop is a killer. He shot and killed an unarmed teenager. The last time I looked, that was not legal (even if the guy was “being black”.) The kid was shot in the back, and then shot again when he was lying on the ground with his hands up attempting to surrender. Any cop that empties 8 shots into an unarmed kid doesn’t have the brains or the skills to be a police officer unless the purpose is to simply exterminate the population.
BanditBasheert August 12th, 2014 at 15:04
This comment seems to say it all. Those of us who are not black will never identify with the concept that the local police may have an agenda that “may be part of a continuing pattern of the use of deadly force by police against unarmed African-Americans.”
So here we sit – not particularly threatened in our neighborhoods – secure in the fact that “our” police won’t do this to us because we are white. And when an unarmed black man is shot and killed by a cop – and the story is questionable as to why and how it happened – we DO care. (Well some of us do).
The black people in our community are just as much entitled to their own equal rights and equal justice as we are. Execution by overwrought racist cop is something we should all take a good hard look at.
BanditBasheert August 12th, 2014 at 15:04
This comment seems to say it all. Those of us who are not black will never identify with the concept that the local police may have an agenda that “may be part of a continuing pattern of the use of deadly force by police against unarmed African-Americans.”
So here we sit – not particularly threatened in our neighborhoods – secure in the fact that “our” police won’t do this to us because we are white. And when an unarmed black man is shot and killed by a cop – and the story is questionable as to why and how it happened – we DO care. (Well some of us do).
The black people in our community are just as much entitled to their own equal rights and equal justice as we are. Execution by overwrought racist cop is something we should all take a good hard look at.