Running gun violence thread

[RickStain]

The pictures look a lot worse than the video.

 

[Inky_Wretch]

More evidence is needed one way or the other before anybody can say he wasn't a gentle giant.

Perhaps he did this all the time and it is a lie. Perhaps that was the first and only time he put his hands on somebody and it is true.

More evidence than those photos are needed.

If you were the guy getting lifted off your feet by him, I don't think you'd need more evidence.

Why do we need to cling to a false narrative, based on comments from his family, who were grieving the death of their son?

They are not unbiased.

The video has no bias.

He is grabbing the little dude by he collar. Then he flings him away, and stands over him in a menacing fashion, while the little guy scurries away.

Lifted off his feet!?! Good grief.

As I said, one incident shouldn't define a person's entire life.

Look at the first picture. He only has one foot on the ground. He's literally lifting him off of his feet.

Watch the third video. He did not lift the clerk off his feet.

http://www.mediaite.com/tv/heres-the-surveillance-video-allegedly-showing-michael-browns-robbery/

 

[outofplace]

The "strong-armed robbery" involved numerous packs of Swisher Sweets, which sell two packs for 99 cents. We're talking 10 bucks at most.

If you have never heisted 10 bucks worth of stuff from a convenience store, you've lived a cleaner life than I have.

That's pretty weak. I've never stolen a dime from a store (whatchu want, a cookie?) and I assume most people haven't either.

And certainly not pushing around the storekeep.

I like you, LTL, but trying to justify the actions in that convenience store is utter bullcrap.

Boy ... if we throw it open to the group I'd be willing to bet well more than half have lifted that amount.

The pushing around of the guy is something different, but let's not act like this was a crime that ever would have resulted in a felony -- or any charges even. AND it had nothing to do with the stop.

Stealing is acceptable as long as you do it on a small enough scale? Bullshirt.

Whether or not that is relevant to this discussion is another matter. Unfortunately, the police can't seem to get the story straight.

Oh OOP, you never disappoint.

While you do so with great consistency.

 

[Walter Lippmann]

oop's calm manner when it comes to discussing violence is appreciated.

 

[Football_Bat]

So much for good will. The protesters and jackbooted cops are back, and more tear gas and flash-bangs.

 

[franticscribe]

Everything is in degrees in our society; please remember that. Our country was not built on absolutes.

Stealing a box of cigars ($10?) is not acceptable behavior and is to be frowned upon.

But killing that person while he is unarmed and 35 ft away (still more than a room away) so far exceeds the bounds of acceptable behavior by our law enforcement personnel that it should be condemned.

Have 3 beers after work and get pulled over , you're life is over

It takes more than 3 beers for most men to get over the legal limit.

 

[Boom_70]

Not sure why she was there but Amy Nelson provided some amazing twitter coverage of the latest dust up.

Amy K. Nelson ‏@AmyKNelson 1h

things are as calm as they're probably going to be so I'm out. thanks for following. and fork tear gas.

 

[Songbird]

Not sure why she was there but Amy Nelson provided some amazing twitter coverage of the latest dust up.

Amy K. Nelson ‏@AmyKNelson 1h

things are as calm as they're probably going to be so I'm out. thanks for following. and fork tear gas.

Indeed, I fell awake about 4 and started to read the timeline and thought, What the heck can you possibly add by being there, Amy?

From what I saw, Trymaine Lee (formerly of the Trentonian) had the best tweet:

@trymainelee 3h
"Who you out here for? Better be for Mike Brown." Protesters guarding a liquor store from looters early Saturday a.m. pic.twitter.com/01TPOleFXR

"Protestors guarding a liquor store from looters early Saturday a.m." ...

... would be a great lede-in to the story.

 

[Boom_70]

For the Urban Dictionary:
Swisher:
As in a "Swisher" Brand ciggar. Filled with the worst tobacco you could possibly smoke. But the manufacturer knows that. They know that folks don't actually smoke their shirt.

The purpose of the swisher is to roll a blunt and smoke weed.

It is broken up down the center line, emptied of its original contents, refilled with marijuana, and resealed.

One swisher can hold anywhere from a pinner 10 sack to a fat dub, depending on your rolling skills. They come in flavors such as Sweet (nasty), Strawberry (the best), grape (better), and peach (good).
Don't forget to pick up a swisher before you come through.

 

[Big Circus]

You might want to think all that through again LTL ... The officer's ignorance of Brown's earlier activities makes me more, not less, willing to believe that Brown instigated and/or escalated the incident that led to his shooting.

Completely disagree. The guy had just broken the law, and it had likely gone worse than he had hoped (having to engage clerk instead of just walking out with cigars). Then a cop rides up and makes a request that makes it pretty clear he's not trying to arrest him for the robbery ("Get on the sidewalk!" vs. "Stop and keep your hands where I can see them!"). You're trying to say that the natural response is to start a fight with the cop and go for his gun rather than do what he says and get off scot-free?

 

[Songbird]

That's the thing: If the video is legit -- 8/9 and not 6/9 as some Internet foilers are foiling -- then Michael Brown tipped the first domino by stealing cigars. You tip the first domino, the rest are going to fall down, too.

That doesn't mean that stealing 6 cigars should lead to your death.

But Michael Brown (allegedly) made a decision -- like Kevin Ward made a decision -- and it cost them their lives.

 

[RickStain]

You might want to think all that through again LTL ... The officer's ignorance of Brown's earlier activities makes me more, not less, willing to believe that Brown instigated and/or escalated the incident that led to his shooting.

Completely disagree. The guy had just broken the law, and it had likely gone worse than he had hoped (having to engage clerk instead of just walking out with cigars). Then a cop rides up and makes a request that makes it pretty clear he's not trying to arrest him for the robbery ("Get on the sidewalk!" vs. "Stop and keep your hands where I can see them!"). You're trying to say that the natural response is to start a fight with the cop and go for his gun rather than do what he says and get off scot-free?

You're attributing a level of nuance to a situation that almost certainly didn't have it.