Posted by burnsy483 on 8/28/2014 10:41:00 AM (view original):

Posted by bad_luck on 8/28/2014 10:39:00 AM (view original):
I think they are. They aren't just mad because one black kid was possibly murdered. They're mad at the entire system.

You're out of your mind.

Are there protests if this doesn't happen?  Since they're so upset about the system.

Maybe you're trying to make a point that I'm not getting, but I don't see how this is so hard to understand.

People in the town are already distrustful of a police force they view as racist. Then a unarmed black teenager is shot and killed and there are eye witness statements that lead them to believe that the killing was unjust and racially motivated.

Things boil over.

Posted by bad_luck on 8/28/2014 11:29:00 AM (view original):

Posted by burnsy483 on 8/28/2014 10:41:00 AM (view original):

Posted by bad_luck on 8/28/2014 10:39:00 AM (view original):
I think they are. They aren't just mad because one black kid was possibly murdered. They're mad at the entire system.

You're out of your mind.

Are there protests if this doesn't happen?  Since they're so upset about the system.

Maybe you're trying to make a point that I'm not getting, but I don't see how this is so hard to understand.

People in the town are already distrustful of a police force they view as racist. Then a unarmed black teenager is shot and killed and there are eye witness statements that lead them to believe that the killing was unjust and racially motivated.

Things boil over.

And if the facts turn out to be (a) justified and (b) NOT racially motivated . . . 

Have the blacks in Ferguson, or even around the country, advanced their cause of racial equality with their actions here?

I think you're confusing a reaction with a planned strategy.

Things like this cause anger, the shooting causes the anger to boil over, then the protests and marches happen as a reaction.

The benefit of this is that people across the country start paying closer attention to the system wide racism in America.

Posted by bad_luck on 8/28/2014 11:39:00 AM (view original):
I think you're confusing a reaction with a planned strategy.

Things like this cause anger, the shooting causes the anger to boil over, then the protests and marches happen as a reaction.

The benefit of this is that people across the country start paying closer attention to the system wide racism in America.

You've got your head completely up your *** if you think that knee-jerk "RACISM!!!" reactions can address the problem of racism in America in a positive way.

If anything, it makes the problem worse as it fosters a culture of divisiveness, a culture of "us versus them".  You don't bring people together that way..

Posted by tecwrg on 8/28/2014 12:34:00 PM (view original):

Posted by bad_luck on 8/28/2014 11:39:00 AM (view original):
I think you're confusing a reaction with a planned strategy.

Things like this cause anger, the shooting causes the anger to boil over, then the protests and marches happen as a reaction.

The benefit of this is that people across the country start paying closer attention to the system wide racism in America.

You've got your head completely up your *** if you think that knee-jerk "RACISM!!!" reactions can address the problem of racism in America in a positive way.

If anything, it makes the problem worse as it fosters a culture of divisiveness, a culture of "us versus them".  You don't bring people together that way..

Ignoring the problem certainly isn't bringing anyone together.

Obviously violence and looting are bad, but the protests do bring attention to the problem and force us to examine ourselves.

Why is it that drug arrest rates are so different for blacks and whites? Why are 60% of the people in prison minorities? Why, in a city that is 67% black, are there only three black police officers? Why was a St. Louis county lieutenant explicitly telling his cops to go arrest black people? And on, and on, and on.

From Rand Paul:

"given the racial disparities in our criminal justice system, it is impossible for African-Americans not to feel like their government is particularly targeting them."

"but the protests do bring attention to the problem and force us to examine ourselves."

Do you think that's what's happening here?  Or what will happen as a result of this?

Like it always has before?

Really?

Posted by tecwrg on 8/28/2014 1:09:00 PM (view original):
"but the protests do bring attention to the problem and force us to examine ourselves."

Do you think that's what's happening here?  Or what will happen as a result of this?

Like it always has before?

Really?

Are you saying that protests don't bring attention to racial problems?

I'd argue (and have argued) that this particular situation isn't doing any good for anyone.  

Posted by burnsy483 on 8/28/2014 1:35:00 PM (view original):
I'd argue (and have argued) that this particular situation isn't doing any good for anyone.  

The people of Ferguson believe they live in a town run by a racist police force. Other than moving, what else can they do?

Posted by bad_luck on 8/28/2014 1:22:00 PM (view original):

Posted by tecwrg on 8/28/2014 1:09:00 PM (view original):
"but the protests do bring attention to the problem and force us to examine ourselves."

Do you think that's what's happening here?  Or what will happen as a result of this?

Like it always has before?

Really?

Are you saying that protests don't bring attention to racial problems?

It certainly brings attention.  Probably not the kind of positive attention you seem to think it does.

Do you think anything positive will come out of the Ferguson incident, and the ensuing reactions from the black community?

Posted by tecwrg on 8/28/2014 1:43:00 PM (view original):

Posted by bad_luck on 8/28/2014 1:22:00 PM (view original):

Posted by tecwrg on 8/28/2014 1:09:00 PM (view original):
"but the protests do bring attention to the problem and force us to examine ourselves."

Do you think that's what's happening here?  Or what will happen as a result of this?

Like it always has before?

Really?

Are you saying that protests don't bring attention to racial problems?

It certainly brings attention.  Probably not the kind of positive attention you seem to think it does.

Do you think anything positive will come out of the Ferguson incident, and the ensuing reactions from the black community?

I think people are already paying more attention to racial matters. I wouldn't be surprised if we saw some structural changes to how police departments operate. More black officers, more cameras on the cops, better training, regular reviews of the demographics of traffic stops and arrests, etc.