To Serve And Protect

You do know that Wilson's previous police department was disbanded due to repeated racist lawsuits and practices right?

Anonymous also said they have proof of a connection between the KKK and Wilson but they haven't released it yet because the mole in the Fergusson police department that gave them the info said their life would be at risk if Anonymous released it. The info would reveal the mole's name. They said they will release it once they know they can do it in a way that won't put the mole's life in danger.

Does it prove Wilson is racist, no. It's just yet another point, amongst a ton, that makes giving Wilson the benefit of the doubt preposterous IMO.

 

Not sure if this were posted, but um...

"Grand Jury Indicted The Man Who Filmed Eric Garner’s Killing"

http://ringoffireradio.com/2014/12/grand-jury-indicted-the-man-who-filmed-eric-garners-killing/

 

The Garner situation is disturbing on many levels. Why were the cops there? Because he was selling cigarettes (that is what most of his arrests have been for). Apparently a fight took place and some say he broke it up. 6 cops for that? 6 cops trying to arrest him, yet again, for selling cigarettes. Think about that for a little while. The city of NY wants their tax money on those cigarettes. 6 cops. What a waste of resources. What a waste of a life for no reason, other than he was frustrated with the harassment. I'm sorry, but selling cigarettes illegally is so minor. I'm not saying he shouldn't have complied, because when a cop tells you something, you do it. But none of this would have taken place if they weren't on the prowl for those circumventing the tax codes in NY.

 

Anybody remember this?:



Oh yeah, you'll never guess what happened.... surprise!!! No indictment by the city prosecutors on the guard assaulting an innocent black man as he walks by. Prosecutors didn't even contact he victim to talk about it.... but oh, race has nothing to do with this case [/sarcasm]

http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/ar...rity-guard-who-pepper-sprayed-raymond-wilford

 

To be fair, I can bring up MANY cases of black on white crime that never made the news. Just recently 3 black guys kidnapped and murdered a cop. You would think with all the racism covering the news it would be reported. But IMO, it's one-sided. I know that's not cops killing white people (which happens 3 times as often as cops killing black people), but just showing how the media reports (or doesn't) isn't fair either.

 

I'm not talking about the media reporting (which is terrible and agenda driven for all major US networks), I'm talking about the guard racially profiling a black man walking by, assaulting him, and once again, nothing happens to the guard or the racist white guy harassing the protesters, that was the real problem. No repercussions at all.

Regarding cops killing whites 3 times as often as cops killing blacks, that's misleading. The topic is about the circumstances of these killings, not just that a killing happened. Unarmed black men being killed. Black men posing no immediate threat being killed. Black men and children (Tamir Rice) given no chance to comply to a police command and instead just being shot immediately upon police arrival. You show me that those 3 times as many whites that were killed were unarmed, or in a similar circumstance and that figure would be relevant to these examples, but I guarantee you, overwhelmingly, they weren't.

 

The benefit of the doubt is already given to the cops. That's why when they kill someone unjustly, they just get fired instead of going to prison for murder/manslaughter/etc. What do you call it when there's no repercussions at all? What's the next level after the benefit of the doubt? That's what cops are getting in most of these cases.

 

Your supposition that cops should be given the benefit of the doubt inherently assumes they deserve it. That's not everyone's experience with cops. Would you give the benefit of the doubt to the cops if your experience was them harassing you and your family? Wrongfully targeting you unjustly? Killing people you know for infractions that don't deserve death? Black people are telling you that all too often, that's our experience with cops.

You giving the cop the benefit of the doubt in your example already supposes that anyone the cops point to is a criminal by default. That's how authoritarian corrupt people keep power... by saying you shouldn't question their authority, motives, and ethics, because they are beyond reproach. You should always be willing to question anyone and everyone with power over the masses.

 

I implore all of you to read these two diametrically opposed links (I can't seem to post all the tweets in them). They highlight exactly what I'm talking about with the racist stereotyping and what people's experiences have been:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/12/03/criming-while-white-hashtag_n_6265480.html

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs...are-a-powerful-response-to-crimingwhilewhite/

People are telling you through social media what their experiences have been. Thousands of people. Don't ignore it or downplay it just because you haven't had the same experience.

 

If white cops are overstepping their grounds, the next question is why? Fear? Racism? Assumption based on something? And what can be done to stop it?

 

Exactly.

But I don't think there's a quick fix. Things are most certainly getting better. Everyone should be encouraged by this fact. We just can't be complacent for thinking things are fixed and those that don't experience this kind of thing shouldn't minimize the impact it has on some people.

 

i'll try to answer this later after work