Displaying 2,131 To 2,160 Of 19,504 Comments monicaangela, sure sees to me that now that these criminal police actions are a day in the past, they’re being whitewashed away. Laws were broken by many police and their leaders…and we’re just supposed to let them get away with that because they’ve stopped breaking the law for the time being? This guarantees that nothing will change and nothing will discourage police and their leaders from more such racist and oppressive actions. Is there anyone who will pursue some kind of justice against these rogue police? » Posted By AdLib On August 15, 2014 @ 10:48 am Kes, what is it with guards or police that shut down and refuse to listen as they robotically continue with whatever task they’ve chosen? They don’t care about truth or fact, they just decide to do something and mindlessly continue to do it. So clearly a racist act, the guard was called to stop a white shirtless racist who was harassing people and when he gets there, he maces a shirted black man? I mentioned to KT, there is no law to prevent the other protestors from wresting that guy free from the mall cop nor from that guy just going to the sidewalk and once no longer on private property, the guard would have no jurisdiction to touch him or arrest him. But no one should have to go to any such lengths to avoid racial persecution. » Posted By AdLib On August 15, 2014 @ 10:42 am Thanks misterbadexample! You are right, the militarization of police forces started before that, I believe in the 1990’s when the U.S. military was authorized to be able to sell excess military equipment to police forces. Police relied then and now on the seizure laws (articles have been written about how abusively police use those laws now because they need the money they get from them) for the money to buy the tools of war to use against their own communities. There needs to be a killing of that authority and an end to the militarization of police forces. There is no need for mine-resistant vehicles to be owned and driven by police. None. We need to demilitarize our police and increase community policing. » Posted By AdLib On August 15, 2014 @ 10:34 am Kes, this naturally made a big difference but today, Ron Johnson and Jay Nixon and others continue to claim that Ferguson Police and St. Louis County police are all great guys and are part of this success. They’re all trying to sweep under the rug that those police groups acted in criminal ways. Whatever happened to justice? » Posted By AdLib On August 15, 2014 @ 10:26 am Excellent resources for enlightenment on police corruption, monicaangela. Thanks! » Posted By AdLib On August 15, 2014 @ 10:23 am Kalima, I hear the federal government has more nukes than it needs too, I’m sure the Ferguson Police could really use a couple of those. » Posted By AdLib On August 15, 2014 @ 10:22 am slm, it’s disappointing how people can stand by when terrible things are happening to other people simply because it doesn’t affect them. People always need to remember that just because the weapon of abuse is pointed at others, that doesn’t mean it can’t be turned and eventually pointed at them. » Posted By AdLib On August 15, 2014 @ 10:19 am monicaangela, have to disagree with you on that, you’ve written some remarkable comments that are deserving to be posts. All members are invited and encouraged to post articles, hope you’ll consider it! My concern right now is that because the Highway Patrol has been brought in and the militarized police of St. Louis and Ferguson have been sidelined, the conversation from the officials is all about, “Forget about what happened before, just be happy things are better now. No. The St. Louis County Police and Ferguson Police broke the law, violated the Constitution and they need to be prosecuted just as everyone they stop who have broken the law is prosecuted. Do those police let people go after they break the law simply because they’ve stopped breaking the law? Who is going to prosecute or sue these criminal police? » Posted By AdLib On August 15, 2014 @ 10:14 am KT, any property on which there is a business is private property so even malls which are considered a public place are still private property. Streets, sidewalks, government buildings and parks are examples of public property, that is, property owned by us through our government. So they do have the right to have such racist security guards detain black men for no reason…but they don’t have the right to act without justifiable cause to protect their business so he should sue their asses. If this kind of thing was to happen to anyone else, they just need to get off that property (sidewalk or street) and that guard has just lost his primary authority (he’d have to provide convincing evidence in court that justified his attacking someone on public property or be convicted of assault). If he pursues you once you’ve left their property, you have every right to defend yourself from being attacked or run away. And there is no law against citizens interfering with security guards so those other protestors could have just wrestled that man away from the guard and hustled him away to safety. Not that you’re thinking of all these things in the moment but good to keep in your hip pocket. » Posted By AdLib On August 14, 2014 @ 9:07 pm monicaangela, this could have been a post all on its own, well done. One additional institutional change that Republicans including Nixon, Reagan and the Bushes helped to install in government is putting the rich and powerful above the law. Nixon may have quit because of Watergate but he used the Presidency like a Bond Villain and got away with everything else. Reagan and his cronies escaped any prosecution over Iran-Contra and of course Bush got away with lying America into a war and committing war crimes. Wall Street got away with robbing the nation and destroying the world economy. I think the first big change there needs to be is a restatement of this being a nation of laws that apply to all and that the powerful can and should go to jail when they commit crimes. I saw Governor Jay Nixon of MO in his press conference today and he made clear, he wants to “look forward”, meaning no police will be held responsible for breaking the law. Nothing will change if those officers and the police force aren’t held accountable. I hope the news organizations who had reporters arrested sue the police there, that innocent citizens who were peacefully protesting come together and sue the police for wrongful arrests and that the DoJ brings charges against them for violating the Constitutional rights of American citizens. I won’t hold my breath but I sure hope some people who can, hold their feet to the fire because of the message it will send to the lawless and powerful all around the nation. » Posted By AdLib On August 14, 2014 @ 3:13 pm Nirek, it actually started before that when a provision was put in place that allowed the military to sell excess military equipment to police forces…who use asset forfeiture laws and Homeland Security funds to buy them. 9/11 sure turbo-charged it though! » Posted By AdLib On August 14, 2014 @ 2:57 pm ppo, I think the local government is white and supports police oppression. It’s going to be up to the black residents who represent a majority there to throw them all out of office and put in their own people who will take control of the town and police force. » Posted By AdLib On August 14, 2014 @ 2:54 pm Sabreen, that parents in America have to have such a talk with their children, especially their sons, to keep them safe, is just awful and not reflective of a country anyone should be able to take pride in. And the justified worry that hovers over parents, that their son could be killed on any random day by police just because of the color of his skin… American Exceptionalism? Really? Just a guess but seeing how brazen the police were, I wonder if the elected local officials aren’t just afraid of the police and of criticizing them. And none of them (except for two black local politicians) have even been heard from. The biggest story ever about your community and you”re AWOL? If the town is about 70% black, I sure hope they make a commitment to voting out the mayor and electing someone who will fire the current police chief and any of the rank and file who supported this fascist-like behavior by police. » Posted By AdLib On August 14, 2014 @ 2:49 pm Kalima, Ferguson is unfortunately representative of too many communities where racism has been a part of their police force for some time. The residents have explained that the display of police racism there has been going on for generations. It just bubbled up to national view now. The myth of America’s character is hardly sustainable anymore. » Posted By AdLib On August 14, 2014 @ 2:38 pm confuseddemocrat, it is always the tactic of rogue police to blame the victims and fabricate that they were under attack and only acted out of self-defense or to protect the public. Like all bullies, they are cowards too, lying so that they don’t have to take responsibility for their actions. » Posted By AdLib On August 14, 2014 @ 2:31 pm Kes, this is an intuitive connection that I wasn’t thinking about. Great point! Still, this police state action was clearly the product of police leadership. There was a concerted effort to smother the citizens under overwhelming military force, first the show of it then the use of it. And soldiers who are now police are used to following orders without question. » Posted By AdLib On August 14, 2014 @ 2:26 pm Here is video of an attack on peaceful protesters in Ferguson last night by St. Louis County police. The attack begins around the 6:00 minute mark. It is terrifying, as the police begin with using an ear piercing sound attack first then launch a barrage of flash bangs, tear gas and rubber bullets, pushing their attack deeper and deeper into neighborhoods and firing into people’s homes and yards. This is not America. » Posted By AdLib On August 14, 2014 @ 8:46 am The racist oppression we’re all seeing in Ferguson is so openly exercised, it seems surreal in this era that it’s happening in broad daylight. And when their follow up act is to assault the press and keep them from informing citizens as to what is happening, how have they not become like warlords in Afghanistan, this is their territory and they’ll dominate their people however they choose. In a way, the Ferguson Police are to America as ISIS is to Iraq, an invading force that is self-righteous and sees any who don’t conform to its wishes and beliefs as enemies who should be met with violence. The decades of racism in America are now joined by the fascism of the militarized police forces across this nation and that makes for a frightening reality of what America has devolved into. If this doesn’t cause the people of this country to demand a de-militarization of their police forces, the ultimate future of this country looks very bleak and totalitarian. Here’s a preview and a link to KSDK’s story and astounding video of how the Ferguson Police went out of their way to launch a physical attack on those from the press (KSDK and Al Jazeera crews) who were covering last night’s violent military actions against peaceful citizens: One of the photojournalists walked to the intersection of Highmont and West Florissant where he documented what appeared to be an altercation between police and an individual they were detaining along West Florissant. About 15 seconds into his video recording, bright lights can be seen shining at his position. Approximately 30 seconds later, as he continues to record video the sound of an air rifle firing can be heard followed by a “thud.” According to the 23-year veteran of television news, a “bean bag round” hit his camera equipment, and he retreated back to his original position on Highmont. […] Approximately five to 10 minutes later, video recorded by the other photojournalist shows police at the intersection of Highmont and West Florissant fire what appears to be tear gas at the Al Jazeera America crew station nearby. The crew of three people is set up with television lights and a camera in front of their mini-van. The video shows the apparent tear gas billowing smoke directly in front of them. The KSDK crew says the canister hit the Al Jazeera America van. The KSDK crew says the Al Jazeera America crew was yelling, “We’re the press.” The Al Jazeera America crew can be seen running away from the van on video. Then two police officers can be seen taking down the crew’s television lights and tilting the TV camera toward the ground. http://www.ksdk.com/story/news/local/2014/08/14/crews-hit-with-bean-bags-tear-gas/14042747/ » Posted By AdLib On August 14, 2014 @ 8:04 am So what happens when a rogue police force turns against American citizens and the press and attacks them, violating one after another Constitutional right? Right now the city of Ferguson has become a separate and sovereign state that is not beholden to The Constitution of the United States. The questions have been rightly asked about where the local politicians are since most are silent and hiding but when an armed force takes over a part of the U.S. and displays that they will not abide by the nation’s most basic laws, shouldn’t the federal government send in their forces to disarm that rogue militia and protect the American citizens who need their protection? In light of the Cliven Bundy incident, where ANOTHER rogue militia took over a section of the U.S., it is high time that the federal government used it’s superior military force to make a statement to the people of this nation that Americans will be protected by their government from lawless military groups and that no such groups will be allowed to take over parts of this nation. This is a national issue and goes to the very heart of whether or not the federal government will stand by as our democracy is overthrown by armed groups, city by city. » Posted By AdLib On August 14, 2014 @ 7:32 am Hey KT, I remember this video from during the Occupy Wall Street protests. A real American hero facing off with the cowardly tools of the status quo. The police must serve the people or they are the enemy of the people. » Posted By AdLib On August 13, 2014 @ 9:05 pm VB, I’ve been writing here about racism in the U.S. since The Planet was founded. I’m a bit confused by what seems to be criticism of my writing further about it. Am I misunderstanding your comment? » Posted By AdLib On August 13, 2014 @ 9:03 pm Why Preventing Genocide Isn’t the Same as Re-Invading Iraq Funk, as much as it feels wrong, like bribery, to some to pay your adversaries to stop fighting you, are the deaths of innocents easier to justify? Obviously, it is not a situation that should go on indefinitely but if giving money to the forces inside Iraq that are supporting ISIS peels them off and helps stop then take down ISIS, it is a small term, strategic investment that saves lives and hastens bringing an end to killings for less money than fighting all of them in an ongoing ground war would. » Posted By AdLib On August 12, 2014 @ 10:47 am Thanks so much, Murph! Yes, the Kurds are the ones who should be fighting on the ground in Iraq (along with the Iraqi Army if they can get it together!). It’s their country (right now at least, carving up the country would seem to be a good idea at this point, Iran would hate it and Joe Biden would be proven right) and they have everything to lose. They have a credible military and their fighting ISIS could at a minimum diffuse the anti-Americanism that would be a great recruitment tool for ISIS if the US put troops on the ground again. If we arm and fund the Kurds who have been longtime allies of the US then support them with our air power, Iraqis could defeat this terrorist army invading their own country. » Posted By AdLib On August 11, 2014 @ 9:16 pm Nirek, I think it is evidence of the MSM’s disinterest in the truth that they invent a meme that will be most likely to lead to greater profits. They simply don’t care that what they’re saying isn’t painting an accurate picture, the greater profit for corrupting the truth is self-justifying. Indeed, this is not a new war in Iraq, no need for US troops, this is an Iraq issue that they need to deal with. But surely, coming to the aid of innocent people being stalked by murderous terrorists isn’t a bad thing. » Posted By AdLib On August 11, 2014 @ 9:06 pm Funk, excellent point on the genesis of ISIS being in Iraq but never reported as such. The MSM seems to prefer a scenario that doesn’t tie ISIS directly to Bush’s decision to invade Iraq but to Obama’s handling of Syria. You’re right, fully understanding this could make a real difference in how the MSM portrays this bloody crusade by ISIS, the causes, best approaches to stop them, etc. As to Syria, supporting the better elements in the rebels makes sense but the problem persists that defining who are the reliably “good” rebels (who won’t become our enemies in the future) is not easy. I’ll bet McCain, if he was President, would have provided aid to ISIS when they were just fighting in Syria. That would have made for an even worse mess. I do think that the situation in Iraq is pretty straightforward and clear, who the enemy is and how they are marching across Iraq leaving a trail of blood and bodies in their wake. Having to thread between Assad and ISIS in Syria with unreliable or unknown entities on the rebel side, could be tricky indeed. What if ISIS takes over whatever rebel group we backed and US money and arms go into ISIS’ hands in Syria? Very complex situation there, pretty simple in comparison in Iraq. Agreed, the simplistic McCain-type thinking is a reaction to any bad event that happens in the world is, “Bomb them! Invade and kill them!” No lessons from Vietnam or Iraq have been learned by these types, they just want to be respond to what they don’t like with immediate violence even if it undermines our own country and unnecessarily kills our own soldiers. Yep, they’re so patriotic, those Republicans. » Posted By AdLib On August 11, 2014 @ 9:01 pm GC, it’s hard for me to understand the de facto argument of those attacking Obama, that the US should have sat on its hands and let 50,000 human beings be slaughtered. Your point about Clinton and Rwanda is resonant, to be in such a powerful position and decide not to use that power to save between half a million to one million human beings should haunt a President with any conscience. Then again, there’s Bush who’s personally responsible for the deaths of hundreds of thousands if not a million Iraqis…and he just paints portraits of himself taking a bath. It should be taking a bath in blood. » Posted By AdLib On August 11, 2014 @ 8:28 pm Kes, that makes a great deal of sense. And your illustration of how people just swallow whatever the media feeds them instead of using their own minds to reason is very poignant. At this point, has the MSM just decided to voluntarily lobotomize its reason center so that they can more quickly and easily twist every event into a profit-making effort? Sure looks that way. » Posted By AdLib On August 11, 2014 @ 8:19 pm Just proved what most of us thought about the RW Repubs, they really aren’t patriots of this nation, they are only about having power and money. And Putin exemplified the kind of anti-democracy they believe in. » Posted By AdLib On August 11, 2014 @ 4:22 pm Beatlex, yes, I saw a photo of Graham having jumped up on a table and holding up his skirt in a panic while shrieking, “ISIS! ISIS!” How exactly could such a movement, a Muslim caliphate, come to America? In what crazy imagination? Oh yeah, Republican = Crazy. » Posted By AdLib On August 11, 2014 @ 4:17 pm And while I do support Obama’s ordering air strikes on ISIS to weaken them and protect the people ISIS is trying to murder, I think it is up to Iraqis and Kurds to bring them to justice. » Posted By AdLib On August 11, 2014 @ 4:13 pmComments Posted By AdLib
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